Ski Market in Madrid is warning its customers that they will now be charged if they take advantage of testing and advice services in-store without buying the product, as these services do have a cost for the retailer. The practice of examining merchandise in a traditional brick-and-mortar retail store and then buying it online, typically at a lower price, is also known as “showrooming.” This practice is booming due to the exponential growth of e-commerce. Thanks to a service of foot measurement and analysis, Ski Market's customers can get an ideally fitting boot. If they benefit from this service and then buy the boots, the service is free of charge. If they do not buy the boots, the service costs €50. Customers are clearly informed of this through posters in-store, says the retailer. The measure is meant to discourage showrooming, and concerns a product for which proper fitting and testing is particularly important.

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