Media Contact: Janet C. Hart, APR, CFEE (704) 927-8617 office
CHARLOTTE, N.C. –
The online shopping season is in full swing and will peak within the first week
of December. If you are planning to buy
gifts online or from Infomercials on television, the Better Business Bureau has
a warning for you about the ways retailers make money on your orders by
charging separate shipping and handling fees.
Shipping and
handling fees are certainly not new, but retailers are finding ways to make
extra money with special promotions such as “order now and we’ll double your
order,” or “buy now and we’ll include a free gift” – it may sound like a good
deal at first, until you realize that you will be charged separate shipping and
handling fees on each item, including the “free” gifts and the “bonus”
products. All of these shipping and
handling fees can actually add up to more than the total cost of the products you’re
ordering.
Recent consumer
complaints allege deceptive advertising and sales practices which include failing
to disclose shipping and handling fees prior to purchase, and charging fees for
products advertised as “free.” If you
are buying online or by telephone, make sure you know the full cost shipping
and handling fees and authorize the transaction before your credit card is
charged.
For more
information, please visit www.bbb.org or call
the BBB at (704) 927-8617 or toll-free in N.C. and S.C. at
1-877-317-7236.
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