After spending $30 plus $8.99 shipping, a clothing site asked for a tip at checkout. Is this extra charge pushing the tipping culture too far?
The request for a tip during an online clothing purchase certainly raises concerns about where the tradition of tipping should apply. While tipping is customary for service work like dining or delivery, applying it at checkout for retail transactions appears inconsistent with established norms. From my perspective, an extra charge in this context seems misplaced since the core service component related to tips is absent. The practice may also confuse customers who might feel obligated to tip irrespective of the service received, thereby diluting the original purpose of tipping guidelines.