HIDDEN COSTS: Time right to look at the ‘junk fees’
You just bought those two concert tickets at $200 each. You go to check out … only to find that your real price is $250 each thanks to hidden fees.
A recent survey by Consumer Reports found that most Americans have been confronted with hidden fees, and 96% find them to be very annoying.
A report released by the office of Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Bob Casey described it this way:
“Consider searching for a coat online and finding that Cheap Gear Shop sells it for $50, while Honest Clothes Mart sells the same product for $60. (A mom), after entering all of her billing and shipping information, finds that Cheap Gear Shop requires a $7.50 ‘delivery fee.’ Cheap Gear Shop also charges a 4% ‘credit card processing fee’ … and a 5% ‘online service fee.'”
As Casey pointed out, the coat goes from $50 to $62; the other merchant selling for $60 likely lost out on a sale due to misleading pricing.
Many American consumers have also been hit with bank overdraft fees from $25 to $40. It’s estimated that the country’s largest banks take in $8 billion in overdraft fees annually.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has proposed rules that would limit overdraft fees. That’s a good start.
Consumers deserve honest and upfront pricing for whatever they buy. It’s time to get this done.