$5 'Just Looking Fee' For showrooming Customers In Australia Receives Harsh Criticism

A store decided to charge a $5 "just looking" fee to customers that leave without making a purchase is receiving strong criticism online after a would-be customer posted a photo of the sign.

A Reddit user BarrettFox posted the photo that informs customers of this new fee at Celiac Supplies, gluten free food store in Brisbane, Australia.

The store describes itself as "Brisbane's only gluten and wheat free store," seems to combat shoppers who browse but don't make a purchase.

"As of first of February, this store will be charging people a $5 fee per person for 'just looking,'" the sign reads. "The $5 fee will be deducted when goods are purchased."

It goes on to explain the reason of the new police that "there has been high volume of people who use this store as a reference and then purchase goods elsewhere. These people are unaware our prices are almost the same as the other stores plus we have products simply not available anywhere else."

"This police is in line with many other clothing, shoe and electronic stores who are also facing the same issue," the sign concludes.

"I'm not here to dispense a charity service for [large supermarkets] to make more money," the store owner told the Australian Associated Press.

Since then the new police seems to have been widely criticized. As many left their comment about what seemed to be a foolish idea.

"This store seems desperate to go out of business," was written by a Reddit user in the most popular comment.

Chris Morran at The Consumerist wrote," If this store's prices are truly the best, then maybe it should be offering a price-match guarantee. If it truly offers products that aren't available elsewhere, then how are these showrooming shoppers buying these items from someone else?"

Daily Finance's Matt Brownell calls the policy, "the most misguided strategy we've seen for dealing with showrooming... The goal of any retailer should be to impress customers with competitive pricing and great customer service - not treat their customers with suspicion and hostility from the moment they walk in the door."