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FTC bans hidden junk fees in hotel, event ticket prices

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Re: FTC bans hidden junk fees in hotel, event ticket prices

#91

Post by crazygringo »

sofixa wrote: post #68
ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember shopping in Japan. The price on the tag, is exactly what you pay (same with services, like hotels). Since this is Japan, it's a high price, but no surprises. Also, the service is amazing , and they won't accept tips. If you leave money on the table, they will chase after you, to give it back.

> The price on the tag, is exactly what you pay (same with services, like hotels). That's the norm, not the exception, in developed countries.

No -- it's the norm in countries that have a single uniform VAT.

It's obviously not the norm in countries that have sales taxes which vary by locality.

Whether a country is "developed" or not has nothing to do with it. The vast majority of countries in Africa have a VAT, while the world's richest country has a sales tax.

Re: FTC bans hidden junk fees in hotel, event ticket prices

#92

Post by zten »

itake wrote: post #61
hnburnsy wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I love that healthcare surcharge at SFO restaurants.

Healthcare surcharge: 6% tip: 20% tax: 8.625% = total: 34.625%

The healthcare surcharge is taxable, because it shouldn't exist, it should just be a 6% increase in the menu price.

Re: FTC bans hidden junk fees in hotel, event ticket prices

#93

Post by runako »

poorlyknit wrote: post #41
drdec wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you want to put in your shipping address to every website before you can shop?

A zipcode should be plenty and grocery websites do that already.

ZIP codes are not specific enough.

In some areas, sales tax is actual multiple taxes from different overlapping jurisdictions: state, county, city, and sometimes special tax district. ZIP codes don't align with any of these, so you need to know exactly where the buyer is in order to properly calculate sales tax.

There are places where adjacent addresses in the same ZIP code have different sales tax rates.

Re: FTC bans hidden junk fees in hotel, event ticket prices

#94

Post by Symbiote »

crazygringo wrote: post #80
guidedlight wrote: post #10

They should ban hidden taxes too. The sticker price should be the final price.

If you're talking about sales taxes, they can't until you input your shipping address. Because they depend on where you live. Nobody's trying to fool you by not including sales taxes. There's just no way to show them in advance, unless you want to start typing your address and zip code into every shopping website before you even browse.

In the EU, the site guesses the location based on the IP, writes "Delivery to Denmark [Change?]" and shows prices with Danish VAT.

If I'm signed in to the shop from making a previous purchase, they will use the location of the previous purchase.

Re: FTC bans hidden junk fees in hotel, event ticket prices

#95

Post by crazygringo »

spockz wrote: post #15

Im all for this. I’m worried though that now the junk fees will just be added to the normal price without ultimately changing anything.

I mean, they will be, but that's the point. No more surprises. You can actually compare prices without going through checkout first.

Re: FTC bans hidden junk fees in hotel, event ticket prices

#96

Post by nickff »

nabla9 wrote: post #78
BurningFrog wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a free market fan, Khan seems to have been pretty terrible. But this looks genuinely good! It's basically banning fraud. ---[EDIT], since everyone is asking for reasons here are two libertarian/conservative critiques: • https://reason.com/2024/11/07/good-riddance-lina-khan/ • https://archive.ph/IjNmZ

As a pro-market fan, Khan is great. Pro-market: pro-market advocates for policies that enhance competition and market efficiency. Understands that god markets are made. Pro-market advocates believe in creating conditions where businesses can compete fairly without undue advantages from government favoritism. Government regulation can be essential to correct market failures and promote a level playing field. Free mark…

Why do you describe “free market” as being ideological, and “pro-market” without those terms? Both seem equally ideological (or not).

Re: FTC bans hidden junk fees in hotel, event ticket prices

#97

Post by diob »

EdwardDiego wrote: post #69
BurningFrog wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a free market fan, Khan seems to have been pretty terrible. But this looks genuinely good! It's basically banning fraud. ---[EDIT], since everyone is asking for reasons here are two libertarian/conservative critiques: • https://reason.com/2024/11/07/good-riddance-lina-khan/ • https://archive.ph/IjNmZ

What do you mean? Minimising monopolies is how you keep the free market competitive.

I hope they reply. This is the first FTC in a while to try and get the free market "free" again, rather than captured.

Re: FTC bans hidden junk fees in hotel, event ticket prices

#98

Post by kylecazar »

BurningFrog wrote: post #48
munk-a wrote: post #3

An excellent change. It's unfortunate that stewardship of the committee will soon change hands as Khan has been a great advocate for fair contracts between companies and consumers during her tenure.

As a free market fan, Khan seems to have been pretty terrible. But this looks genuinely good! It's basically banning fraud. ---[EDIT], since everyone is asking for reasons here are two libertarian/conservative critiques: • https://reason.com/2024/11/07/good-riddance-lina-khan/ • https://archive.ph/IjNmZ

Personally, I think she's for the free market. She is progressive, which is controversial, but I don't really see why non-billionaires run to the defense of big tech when their monopolistic status is scrutinized.

I totally understand why billionaires do, on the other hand. Worth watching Reid Hoffman embarrass himself on Jake Tapper on the subject of Khan recently for those interested

Re: FTC bans hidden junk fees in hotel, event ticket prices

#99

Post by r00fus »

BurningFrog wrote: post #48
munk-a wrote: post #3

An excellent change. It's unfortunate that stewardship of the committee will soon change hands as Khan has been a great advocate for fair contracts between companies and consumers during her tenure.

As a free market fan, Khan seems to have been pretty terrible. But this looks genuinely good! It's basically banning fraud. ---[EDIT], since everyone is asking for reasons here are two libertarian/conservative critiques: • https://reason.com/2024/11/07/good-riddance-lina-khan/ • https://archive.ph/IjNmZ

Free markets - you know freedom isn't free right? You have to enforce it - and you do this by regulation.

Re: FTC bans hidden junk fees in hotel, event ticket prices

#100

Post by Symbiote »

briandear wrote: post #46
perfectstorm wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

a reverse IP lookup should give you a good estimate and you can always ask the user to enter their address for more accurate price.

Nope. I hate when website use IP for anything, especially language selection. I travel all the time as well as use VPNs for work, and the idea that my IP represents anything other than what network I’m connecting from is just lazy UX.

Do you often order things for delivery at home while you're travelling? Then the price will change when you provide the delivery address — just like it does now.

Meanwhile, 99% of people will see the price they can expect to pay.

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