Paul Smith

Online retailer electronics Kogan has found a new way to stir up publicity, with a new tax on customers who visit its website using Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 7 web browser, which means they will spend 6.8 per cent more than customers using browsers such as Firefox, Opera, Safari and Chrome.

IE7 is still used by many Australians, particularly from work computers, where IT departments have not kept pace with available updates. The current version of Microsoft’s browser is IE9.

In a blog post, company founder Ruslan Kogan said it was too hard and costly to make his website display properlon IE7, and suggested a list of newer browsers to use. In an interesting move he chose to suggest Firefox, Opera, Safari and Chrome, but not the later Microsoft browser.

Mr Kogan is well known for finding ways to stir up publicity by targeting high-profile companies for criticism. His usual sparring partner is Harvey Norman boss Gerry Harvey, but he has set his sights on global attention by picking on Microsoft.

Users who arrive at the Kogan site using IE7 will get a popup notice alerting them to the tax.

Mr Kogan said his company kept prices low by using technology to make its business efficient and streamlined. However its web team was having to spend a lot of time making its new website look normal on IE7.

“It’s not only costing us a huge amount, it’s affecting any business with an online presence, and costing the internet economy millions,� Mr Kogan said.

“As internet citizens, we all have a responsibility to make the internet a better place. By taking these measures, we are doing our bit.�

The Australian Financial Review