this post was submitted on 11 Oct 2023
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The FTC wants to ban hidden 'junk fees' that jack up the price of your purchases::A new rule proposed by the FTC targets hidden and "bogus" fees businesses often add onto their services at checkout, aiming to do away with the deceptive practices.

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[–] meyotch@slrpnk.net 144 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Price advertised == Price actually charged.

It’s not really that hard. Do it!

[–] ericisshort@lemmy.world 120 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Can we please include sales tax in that price too? It is also a bullshit hidden fee the way the US does it.

[–] just_change_it@lemmy.world 50 points 1 year ago (3 children)

The argument the idiots use is "We want to see government theft!" instead of just having a line item at the end of your receipt showing tax collected and the breakdown. It's not like we don't have toiletpaper roll length receipts already.

[–] Sovereign_13@lemmy.world 40 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The kicker is we already do the “price at point of sale including taxes” thing at gas stations. If it’s $3.09 or whatever per gallon, that’s including state and federal sales tax.

We already see the line item thing on most receipts anyway. We basically do everything except roll the sales tax into the sticker price.

[–] Yuki@kutsuya.dev 3 points 1 year ago

Only 3.09 per gallon? We pay 2 per litre!

[–] Zerlyna@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

CVS be changing their tape rolls every other customer…

[–] seralth@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

CVS near me gives you a store credit if you let them email your receipt to you. It's silly.

[–] SlikPikker@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago

It's very profitable for them to sell your email + buying habits I'm sure.

[–] Wogi@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

CVS has entered the chat

[–] Wogi@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Government: no not like that

[–] maryjayjay@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

My weed dispensary includes taxes in the display price. It's awesome

[–] LifeLikeLady@lemmy.world 73 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Alright let's target Ticketmaster first.

[–] topinambour_rex@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago (2 children)

How to say you didnt read the article without saying it...

[–] LifeLikeLady@lemmy.world 14 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

What kind of loser reads the articles? I just make snap judgement on catchy titles.

[–] SnipingNinja@slrpnk.net 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The website isn't loading for me, can you tell me what the article says?

[–] I_Fart_Glitter@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago

A new rule proposed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would ban the sneaky fees some companies slap onto their services at checkout time. Thanks to these junk fees, which have crept into the process of everything from buying concert tickets to booking vacation rentals, the prices consumers initially see are often nowhere near what they end up paying.

The Biden administration has been putting pressure on companies like Ticketmaster and Airbnb to improve their ways, and both recently committed to providing more transparency about their extra charges. The FTC wants to take things a step further by banning the common deceptive tactics altogether. The proposed rule targets both hidden, mandatory fees that aren’t properly disclosed upfront and ambiguous “bogus fees” that leave consumers unsure of what it is they actually had to pay more for.

These practices are misleading, with companies often resorting to “bait-and-switch pricing and misrepresenting the nature and purpose of fees,” the FTC argues in the proposal notice. Under the proposed rule, businesses would have to include these additional fees in their advertised prices, explain what each fee is for and let customers know if any of it is refundable.

The FTC took comments from the public last year to assess the impact of junk fees and ultimately gathered over 12,000 responses to shape its proposal. It’s now opening up comments for 60 days so consumers can weigh in on the rule it’s put forth. “By hiding the total price, these junk fees make it harder for consumers to shop for the best product or service and punish businesses who are honest upfront,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. The proposed rule would "save people money and time, and make our markets more fair and competitive.”

[–] sebinspace@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

That’s their entire business model

[–] Bagoons@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Seriously! They charge more in fees than some ticket prices.

[–] chocoboi@lemmy.world 69 points 1 year ago (1 children)

While we're at it, can you roll taxes into it as well? Fuck having to guess what the local sales tax is...

[–] Jamie@jamie.moe 57 points 1 year ago

Car dealerships shaking and crying

[–] Bell@lemmy.world 24 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Hmmm Ticketmaster seems like a good place to start

[–] frosty@pawb.social 14 points 1 year ago

Admittedly their fees are blatant because Uncle Sam basically handed them the whole market in the 2010s, when they were allowed to merge with Live Nation.

[–] Iwasondigg@lemmy.one 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They're starting with Ticketmaster right?

Those fucks are beyond this and just need to be destroyed

[–] Nobody@lemmy.world 15 points 1 year ago

KKHHHAAAAAAANNN!

Seriously though, Lina Khan is awesome. Best FTC chair in a very long time.

[–] Veedem@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago

Absolutely necessary and I hope it is implemented sooner than later

[–] TheLameSauce@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

My partner's best friend helped pen the legislation for this and specifically took it on because she knows how much this shit pisses my partner off lol

[–] bastion@feddit.nl 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Wrong picture, that's definitely Chad doing this.

[–] uis@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago