Beware, Sports Direct - hidden foreign transaction fee plus dynamic currency exchange

Ltimnewhouse on 04/11/2016 - 09:31
Last edited 04/11/2016 - 15:11 by 1 other user

ADD at least 6% to the price you see when using Sports Direct in Australia. Despite clicking through to the Sports Direct Australian website, seeing all of the product prices in Australian dollars, and paying with an Australian credit or debit card, you will be charged a foreign transaction fee by your bank of at least 3% (because Sports Direct is totally based in the UK) and because Sports Direct will use dynamic currency exchange converting our dollars into their pounds, and then back into dollars with our bank, leading to another hit of at least 3%.
BEWARE, the price you are quoted will never be the price you are charged.

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• 

  [Deactivated] on 04/11/2016 - 09:42

  +4

  Not something new… Use a Citibank or 28 Degrees card next time for future purchases

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  tomsco on 04/11/2016 - 10:36

  Seems we're getting one a month:

  https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/267731

  https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/272486

  Although in fairness to the OP, it's good to raise awareness of which vendors do this.

  It would be great if they advised that you will be charged in the vendor's currency, but being an overseas seller, it would be hard to enforce.

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  mskeggs on 04/11/2016 - 11:03

  Usually worth checking their NZ site too, as often the NZD and AUD prices are the same.

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  MeesusEff on 04/11/2016 - 12:18

  Actually, my partner used the Lottowest app to buy his tickets, and everytime he reloaded in the app with his Commbank account they charged him a fee (like $2.95)?? i kept wondering why those charges kept popping up and then after asking the bank they said the charges appear because its considered 'gambling'. WTF, tried to argue against it but they would refund it, so annoying. The app should definitely have a warning for that.

  • 

    tomclancy on 04/11/2016 - 12:26

    The app wasn't charging the fee, CommBank was. The app cannot know who you bank with to be able to warn about your bank's fee.

    Different banks have different fees, some banks have no fees for gambling.

    • 

      MeesusEff on 04/11/2016 - 12:39

      ahhh. i do see your point. Maybe like a warning when you reload saying 'Caution : some banks will charge fees because reloading will be seen as gambling' also now i just checked his statements and everytime he paid a lotto ticket with a credit card for CBA they would charge him the fee. Learn something new everyday i guess. On the upside, because hes pissed me off about the CC charges hes stopped buying lotto tickets - winning the bigger picture :)

      • 

        tomclancy on 04/11/2016 - 14:26

        Haha, yes that is a win! Lotto is a tax on stupidity and it sounds like your partner has smartened up :)

  • 

    tomsco on 04/11/2016 - 14:55

    +1

    Just out of interest, how would you argue against it being gambling?

    I'm guessing this was via a CC - a debit card shouldn't charge this fee (IIRC, gambling transactions are treated as cash advances).

    • 

      MeesusEff on 04/11/2016 - 16:11

      tbh, it didnt cross my mind that lotto was (officially) considered gambling, i guess i sort of took it as a little 'luxury expenditure'. also never knew there were 'extra' charges for gambling in general until i saw those charges. didnt try to argue about the gambling classification, but more of how we werent really informed about it and now that we are aware if they would consider waiving the fee. guess arguing was a bit of an exaggeration but still annoyed as to why a bank would charge me to spend my money!

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  BigTed on 04/11/2016 - 12:38

  +4

  Your title is a little misleading.
  Those charges are not imposed by Sportsdirect - they are imposed by your bank.
  However, I agree that if you are using a .au website they really should disclose where and in what currency the transaction is taking place.

  • 

    tomsco on 04/11/2016 - 14:56

    +1

    ^This. This is the much bigger issue.