No experience with WU. Just in general, it seems that "fees" are the wave of the future for just about everyone and everything. It used to be businesses made their money by having a good reputation and getting repeat service at a "fair price". Now, they complete on the lowest "entry price" they can manage and then stack on fees. Company loyalty be d@mned.
As a relatively libertarian type, I don't have a big problem with the concept of fees (pay for what you use - decide what you don't want to pay for). The problem is that most fees bear no resemblance to what it would actually cost a company to provide the service. And too many fees are "buried" in the fine print. Yes, you could find them, but it could take 45 minutes to read one of the little "blurbs" I get every 3 months from my CC companies. They change something every time, too. They add fee, change fees, etc. Yes, it's there for the reading, but instead, I just try not to do anything that even whiffs of incurring a fee. If I stumble across a new one (and get charged) I always make sure the CC (or bank, etc. etc.) knows I don't like it. I also cost them more money in their time than they make on the fee. I also check around for an alternative way to do business.
Unfortunately, eventually, all the companies (think airlines - minus South West, I believe) jump on the fee bandwagon. So, there IS no alternative, for instance, if you MUST check a bag. I've shifted to carry on as much as possible, but apparently some airlines are now charging fees for that.
Once again, I think its "okay" for businesses to do this sort of thing. Apparently it is working for them. But, they could save bunch of advertising dough trying to get "loyalty" because there no longer is any loyalty. I don't know which came first, fees or lack of loyalty. In any case, I now hate ALL airlines and ALL credit card companies (and all banks, too, etc. etc. etc). Now, it's everyone for himself. Not as much fun as it used to be when you could "trust" someone to give you good service for a "decent" price. Now, everything is "price" driven and the companies respond by making their money on fees. Don't know who is to blame, but the effect is a total lack of loyalty to brand (in my opinion of course, since YMMV).
