No‑Surprises Pricing: The SMB Compliance Playbook for the FTC Junk Fees Rule

A cross‑functional playbook to implement upfront pricing, remediate ‘drip’ fees, and train teams under the FTC Junk Fees Rule.

US$49.00

By purchasing, you agree to our Terms and digital delivery terms. See our Privacy and Refund Policy.

✓ Digital PDF download✓ Read on phone, tablet or computer✓ Secure checkout with Stripe

Digital download only. No physical book or device included. Taxes, if applicable, appear at checkout.

Read sample excerpts ↓Refund policy Ask a question

LOOK INSIDE

Read before you buy.

A short selection from the guide. The downloaded PDF has its own page layout.

PUT IT INTO PRACTICETry a workbook activityFrom this guide

Scope checklist

A short selection from the guide’s practical material. Try the items below.

Inventory all revenue sources: tickets, room types, packages, bundles.Tag each offering as “covered” or “not covered” per the rule definition.Flag all digital and physical points of sale and marketing.Identify franchisees, partners, or platforms posting prices on your behalf.

My next step

0 of 4 exploredUse your notes as a starting point for your own action plan.

This is a preview scratchpad. Your answers are not sent or saved and clear when you leave or refresh.

guidevro.READING SAMPLE

Scope Mapping: Where the Rule Applies and Who’s Covered

Understanding coverage boundaries

The FTC Junk Fees Rule reached finalization in December 2024 and took effect May 12, 2025. It applies to any business entity—corporations, franchises, partnerships, sole proprietors, or platforms—offering, marketing, or displaying prices for:

Short-term lodging: hotels, motels, inns, vacation rentals, and platforms like Airbnb or VRBO.

Live-event tickets: concerts, sports events, theater, and ticketing platforms.

The rule does not extend to long-term housing, sectors like auto sales, internet services, or food delivery, which remain under general FTC authority but not the Junk Fees Rule itself

FTC: Getting to the Bottom Line – Junk Fees Rule and Your Business.

Effective date: All covered businesses must comply for transactions offered after May 12, 2025

FTC: Rule Announcement Press Release.

Scope mapping: Hypothetical example

A hypothetical regional hotel chain operates both nightly rental and month-to-month stays. The nightly hotel and all Airbnb units are covered; extended 6-month apartments are not. Its subsidiary ticketing site for local venues is also covered. Its in-house cafeteria is not, but its “event ticket with dinner” bundle is.

Sample 1 / 3

The complete guide is available after purchase.

ABOUT THE GUIDE

Introduction

This playbook equips operations, legal, and communications leaders at hotels, short-term rental platforms, ticket sellers, and their franchise networks with practical steps for complying with the FTC Junk Fees Rule. The new regulation—effective for live-event tickets and short-term lodging across the United States—requires the up-front, prominent display of total prices including all mandatory fees. Failure to comply can result in enforcement actions, civil penalties, and consumer refunds. This workbook maps out key requirements, exemption boundaries, display standards, training needs, QA practices, and post-rollout performance tracking, relying exclusively on recent FTC guidance and the official rule.

YOUR TAKEAWAYS

What you’ll learn

Map your business’s exposure by sector, property type, and transaction channel under the FTC Junk Fees Rule.
Redesign digital and physical price displays to meet up-front total price requirements using clear and prominent presentation.
Update franchise, contract, and platform disclosures to eliminate prohibited “drip” fees and clarify mandatory versus optional charges.
Train staff and refresh customer service, refund, and complaint handling procedures for compliance and escalation.
Monitor key compliance metrics—complaints, chargebacks, and conversion rates—using post-rollout testing.
Implement ongoing QA, periodic reviews, and team accountability using provided checklists and worksheets.

CHAPTERS & RESOURCES

Inside this guide

Short description
Introduction
What you will learn
Scope Mapping: Where the Rule Applies and Who’s Covered
Upfront Total Price: Rebuilding Pricing Displays
Remediating Drip Fees and Bait-and-Switch Practices
Franchise, Platform, and Contract Disclosure Updates
Optional Versus Mandatory Fees: Clarity and Disclosures
Staff Training, Scripts, and SOP Refresh
Complaint, Refund, and Chargeback Handling
Quality Assurance and Testing: Systems and Processes
Monitoring Metrics: Chargebacks, Complaints, and A/B Testing
Ongoing Review and Adaptation
Final Action Plan
Evidence and limitations
Sources

Explore more guides →