How the new FTC ‘junk fees’ rule will affect consumers

Don’t miss the full story, whose reporting is the basis of this AI-assisted article.

Here is a quick summary of how the Federal Trade Commission’s new rule on “junk fees” will affect consumers:

• Consumers will now see the full price of tickets (including all fees) as soon as they start shopping on platforms such as Ticketmaster.

• All-in pricing becomes the standard nationwide, making it easier to compare ticket prices across different websites.

• Ticketmaster will provide customers with more transparency about their place in line when trying to purchase tickets.

• Real-time updates will be provided to customers whose wait times exceed 30 minutes, including information about ticket price ranges and availability.

• SeatGeek and other ticket platforms are also implementing “all-in pricing” as the default setting.

• The rule extends beyond just ticket sales to also cover hotels, vacation rental platforms and other businesses, requiring upfront disclosure of processing fees, cleaning fees and other charges.

• North American consumers will now experience the same pricing transparency that is standard in other parts of the world.

• The changes aim to eliminate the surprise of additional fees that appear only at checkout, providing more honest and straightforward pricing.

— The Associated Press

Read more: Ticketmaster says it will display fees more clearly as ’junk fee’ rule takes effect