What’s annoying? Buying a dog’s eye and getting flogged like a dead horse

Rosemarie Lentini
January 15, 2013
The Daily Telegraph

THERE was a time when tomato sauce was squeezed on to pies, ginger came with sushi, and restaurants didn’t blink when you brought a cake from home.

But more businesses are charging for these little extras, which most people don’t expect to pay for.

Whether it’s 50c for soy milk in your coffee, 80c for a cardboard beer tray or 50c to toast a sandwich, these add-ons are stretching consumer budgets – and patience.

Pie lover Steve Brown doesn’t reckon he should pay 25c for a sachet of sauce.

“You wouldn’t buy a hamburger and then expect to pay more for mayonnaise,” the 26-year-old said.

“I understand costs for businesses but the issue of sauce gets under people’s skin because you can buy litres of the stuff for a couple of dollars.”

It doesn’t end there.

Bringing a bottle of wine to dinner sets you back a minimum $3 corkage fee.

And some Sydney restaurants charge up to $6 per person in “cakeage fees”.

Cinemas make you buy 3D glasses for $1 to watch a 3D movie, while certain furniture outlets charge a hefty $200 per pillow for scotchguarding.

One of the most infuriating surcharges is the “handling” fee for concert tickets purchased online through ticketing agencies then collected at the box office.

Worse is the fact you are charged a handling fee even when you have printed off the tickets on your own computer and the only person “handling” them is you.

“The service and delivery fee factors in a variety of costs including ticket delivery, costs associated with taking, processing and fulfilling the ticket booking and the technology we use to provide you our services,” Ticketek managing director Cameron Hoy said.

Wisdom Business Coaching owner Matt Malouf, who consults businesses on lifting profitability, said most “extras” should be built in.

“I teach my clients that competing on price is always risky,” Mr Malouf said.

“It’s about value to the customer. If you provide a great experience based on the work you do, you can charge a higher price and all the add-ons can be inclusive.”

Savingsguide.com.au founder AJ Wilson said that while “add-ons” were a “part of life”, families could save by doing their research.

“These costs are unavoidable in some instances but costs associated with big ticket items can be avoided,” he said. “You can control things like cars and washing machines.”