FOTO.com charging "matching fee" - what is it?

CaptainHaddock_2

I was going to place an order for some online prints at FOTO.com when I noticed that in addition to the printing, packaging and postage they wanted to charge me a "matching fee". Nowhere on their site is this explained and even a Google doesn't produce much in a way of an explanation.

Some more fancy printing outfits charge a matching fee when they print special orders for professional photographers, to ensure the printing equipment is set so that the result matches the digital photo. I only ordered some small-sized prints, included in their standard print sizes, and I never asked for any special calibration or matching, so I fail to see how this fee could be justified.

I have sent them an email to ask them (they have no phone numbers on their web site) -- let us see if they reply.

Has anyone else ordered from foto.com and paid this fee?

CaptainHaddock_2

After 5 ½ day, I received a reply from their Customer Support. They tell me it's a fee they charge if you order different sizes and want them delivered in the same parcel. C'est la vie, I suppose, but I have two issues with this:

1. There is no warning during the ordering process that this charge will be added to your order.
2. It's counterintuitive -- in all other cases I am used to firms charging less to ship everything together; FOTO.com thinks it makes sense to charge more.

Go figure.

P.S. The matching fee was £2.15, so not insubstantial. It adds more than 50% to the packaging and delivery charge.

El_Ingeniero

I made exactly the same mistake - stupid me, I should have read reviews more carefully. I've sent them a complaint because that "matching fee" is a joke and completely abusive

RumRat

I'm thinking something dodgy with El_Ingeniero....Dragging up 2 year+ threads on the same subject...Although, to what purpose, I'm not sure.