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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

#671

Post by anticensor »

_zoltan_ wrote: post #227
ssl-3 wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If Denmark has just one sales tax rate or VAT, then maybe that can work OK for Denmark. But this isn't about Denmark -- it is about the US. In the US, there are over 13,000 different sales tax jurisdictions, and each one of them may have a different tax rate. I wish the best to anyone who would ever be tasked with sorting that out with any semblance of accuracy using IP geolocation databases.

Maybe not have 13000 different sales tax jurisdictions? Just a thought...

Yeah, consolidate all of them into three VATs: Contiguous US VAT, Oceanic US VAT and Alaska VAT.

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

#672

Post by nradov »

vacuity wrote: post #640
db48x wrote: post #633

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s the whole reason that small claims court exists.

Wish I got a manual on small claims courts when I became an adult. Or sooner. And, like, the resources to exercise it without taking up more of my time or anything. It's a strange imbalance for something that is entirely the company's fault. Of course there are bound to be legitimate issues on either side, but for something blatant like this, I would that the burden wouldn't be on me.

Do you expect others to do every little thing for you? You don't need a manual. The filing forms are right there on your county court website. Learning how to deal with this stuff on your own is part of becoming an adult in the real world. Sometimes you have to expend a little time and effort.

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

#673

Post by nradov »

mikestew wrote: post #489
noprocrasted wrote: post #479

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't even need small claims court. You just don't pay, and point them to (small claims?) court if they want to get paid for the service they don't provide. None of these shit companies will ever take you up on the offer though, because expecting to get paid for a service you don't provide (and can't provide in this case) won't fly in court.

You just don't pay, and point them to (small claims?) court if they want to get paid for the service they don't provide. Have you actually tried this? Because having not tried it myself, I'd bet a paycheck that you get sent to collections, get a ding on your credit report, and you're still on the hook for taking it to court if you want it resolve to your favor. (Assuming U. S.) And as a cherry on top of that shit sun…

Let them send you to collections. So what. You can just dispute the debt with the credit bureaus and it won't appear on your reports.

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

#674

Post by nradov »

m463 wrote: post #574
potato3732842 wrote: post #290

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>There is a move afoot to eliminate all regulations unless they've been specifically passed by Congress. Which is basically incapable of passing anything. It's hard to argue with this in principal. The rules as law BS has been a band-aid over dysfunction. It needs to go. It'll hurt in the short term but should be more sustainable in the long term. That people will get more angry at congress for doing nothing is icing…

I wonder if building codes should be abolished. then being a renter would be quite an adventure.

The federal government doesn't set or enforce building codes for your apartment building. State and local governments are responsible for that.

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

#675

Post by mattlondon »

tradertef wrote: post #638
ImPostingOnHN wrote: post #635

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They can tell you where your money is going and also make the tax-included price the most prominent price on signs and tags.

Maybe.. also, tax changes from state to state and city to city and item to item. really like seeing tax explicitly shown in my receipt even though it is inconvenient sometimes.

In the UK on the receipt from most stores you get an itemisation of which items are liable to sales tax (some things are not taxed), at which rates (there are lower rates for some things), and how much of your total bill was to tax. E.g. https://smallbusinessowneradvice.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/20...

All the while the prices you see as a shopper are inclusive.

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

#676

Post by MoreMoore »

account42 wrote: post #608
jtbayly wrote: post #494

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The first thing that would happen is they would cut off all your service. If you are relying on them for something other than the thing you don’t want to pay for, this becomes a problem. For example, I disputed a charge with my CC from the Apple App Store when I was charged for an app that I shouldn’t have been years ago. They immediately cut off my access to the Store. Other apps couldn’t update, OS couldn’t update,…

That's why you never deal with walled gardens.

But don't you see? The walled garden makes them feel safe from all the bad people out there. It's like locking yourself in with Rorschach. Yeah, the others aren't gonna get you, but he will.

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

#677

Post by foldr »

benreesman wrote: post #584
dayvid wrote: post #497

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the podcasts spin it well enough, they'll have a large leeway

Rogan and Lex went from interesting Internet shit to terrifyingly effective accomplices of aspiring fascists really abruptly. I’m not sure even they realize how dangerous they’ve become. I’m sorry: we’re past the point where you can normalize Thiel world and not be a menace. I like both of those guys in general, I hope they have the moral courage to take a stand against the really scary shit. But until they’ll flat r…

Of the two I'm only familiar with Rogan. People have been pointing out his right wing political tendencies for quite a while. But it's not long ago that you'd have been downvoted into oblivion by his fans for describing Rogan as 'alt right'.

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

#678

Post by lmm »

LorenPechtel wrote: post #434
lmm wrote: post #384

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So what happens when you buy that ticket and don't pay any of the fees? If you get taken to Hawaii then they're in the clear. If they won't take you without you paying the fee then I guess the fee wasn't optional after all.

Buy the ticket how? Look at the fees for paying--you can't actually buy the ticket without paying for it.

(To answer the actual question, I was assuming bank transfer, that's the normal cheapest payment option where I live)

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

#679

Post by EdwardDiego »

carlosjobim wrote: post #205
EdwardDiego wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Free competition should mean that you don't get punished for winning. There is no sport that punishes a competitor who is constantly winning, as long as they are competing fairly. Imagine Schwarzenegger being banned from Mr Olympia or Gretzky being banned for life from minor league ice hockey. So that the other competitors are given a fair chance of winning. But every sport punishes competitors who are cheating or be…

They're not punishing you for winning, they're punishing you for using techniques to ensure competitors can't have a fair go at competing.

So your analogy is very terrible, unless Simone Biles was bribing sports officials to change the rules to effectively prevent other gymnasts competing against her.

A better analogy for a monopoly in a free market is allelopathy in plants, where you actively modify the environment to starve out competitors.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allelopathy

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

#680

Post by EdwardDiego »

fsckboy wrote: post #390
nabla9 wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

> Free market: and ideological stance where markets are without government intervention no, markets without government intervention are called "laissez-faire" markets. There would be no need for that term if that's what free market meant.

You're right in that "free market" is a refinement of the laissez faire market, because a laissez faire market was always assumed by its early proponents to be naturally competitive, and the reality turned out not to be so.

Shit, even Hayek opposed laissez-faire markets in some areas.

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