The FTC proposed a rule in October 2023 that would require businesses to show mandatory fees in the advertised price. At this post’s date, it was a proposal, not an enforceable federal rule.
I want one number I can compare before I click through checkout. A hotel that includes its mandatory fee looks more expensive than one that hides the same fee until the last page. That rewards the worse display and wastes everyone’s time.
The FTC’s proposal also addressed misleading descriptions of fees. I care less what a seller calls a charge than whether I can avoid it. If everyone must pay it, it belongs in the first price. Optional extras can stay separate if the choice is real.
California’s SB 478 had also been signed and was set to take effect in July 2024. These were two distinct policy paths. The practical test for either is simple: compare a search result with the final checkout total. If the mandatory price grows while the product stays the same, the display failed.