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Despite payment in Swiss francs and delivery from Switzerland: Calida customers pay a foreign surcharge.
“Born in Switzerland” – born in Switzerland, is prominent on the website of the well-known Swiss underwear brand Calida, based in Sursee (LU). But when paying in the online shop, Calida’s Swissness comes to an abrupt end.
Strange charge on the credit card statement
A Calida customer from Basel pays for her online order with her UBS Visa card. And a little later she finds a strange burden on the credit card statement: “I found a booking from a company Reich GmbH from Germany – and a foreign surcharge of 1.75 percent,” she tells the SRF consumer magazine “Espresso”. In the case of the customer, that adds up to 2 francs 35 for the “Swiss franc surcharge abroad”.
Abroad? The customer is amazed because she didn’t order anything in Germany. She inquires with Calida Switzerland’s customer service. There they explain to her that the online order will be billed via Germany and that, depending on the credit card provider, a foreign surcharge will be due.
Foreign surcharge for purchases in Switzerland
The Calida customer orders from a Swiss company, in Swiss francs and the goods are delivered from Switzerland, but she still pays a “foreign surcharge”. “That seems absolutely illogical to me, and it is not pointed out on the Calida website,” says the Calida customer.
“Even foreign companies can do it without a surcharge”
Mind you: the customer is not concerned with the amount, but with the principle. If even foreign companies based abroad manage to settle accounts in Switzerland in such a way that local customers do not incur such a fee, then it should also be possible for Calida, says the customer from Basel:
I have already ordered from a Swedish company, but they have an account in Switzerland.
“I have already ordered from a Swedish company, but they have an account in Switzerland and also a Swiss distribution center. That worked without a surcharge.”
If there is a complaint, the money will be returned
Interestingly, Calida seems to be well aware of the problem. When the customer reports the incident to customer service, they say that although you cannot influence this transaction fee, you will pay the money back to those affected. Customers who do not notice the surcharge are unlucky.
Compared to “Espresso”, the Sursee-based company blames the problem on the credit card providers: they charge the transaction fee, not Calida, the company writes. That is correct. However, the argument falls short.
The originator of the fee is Calida, after all. Because the Swiss company operates its online shop in Germany, for whatever reason. For this reason, certain credit card providers (see box) charge a fee for transferring money from Switzerland abroad.
On its website, Calida points out the possible surcharge in the small print, the company writes.
Goodwill is possible
Tip: In the case of foreign surcharges, it is worth contacting your credit card provider. Goodwill is definitely possible in individual cases.