A survey has shown that the practice of hiding extra costs when buying products, or 'philfing', is becoming a major source of annoyance for online shoppers.

The survey commissioned by MoreComputers.com revealed that many shoppers are getting angry with web sites that hide extra charges, such as delivery and insurance costs, until the customer has nearly completed their order.

The practice of hiding extra charges has been called 'Philfing' ('purposely hiding what I’m looking for') - and is causing many shoppers to abandon their purchase and go elsewhere.

One of the biggest annoyances is so-called 'free delivery' that actually requires an extra purchase or spending over a certain amount.

Credit card surcharges and insurance are other examples of hidden costs that irritate customers.

The survey also found that the lack of a telephone contact number is another thing that puts customers off buying from some online stores.

MoreComputers is encouraging web users who have encountered hidden costs on web site purchases to share their experiences at www.philfing.info