New FTC Law Bans Hidden Fees: How to Make Your Checkout Compliant in 2025

If your pricing strategy still hides fees at checkout, you’re already in violation. A new FTC rule just dropped the hammer on deceptive drip pricing—and the penalties hit $53,000 per incident.

In this Marketing on Trial episode, Emma Rainville along with compliance attorney Ryan Poteet break down the FTC’s new Junk Fee Rule—and why this May 12, 2025 regulation changes everything for marketers. Whether you're running events, selling supplements, or managing e‑commerce stores, this rule forces all fees to be clear, conspicuous, and upfront. No more burying charges in the cart.

We explain exactly what counts as a mandatory fee, what platforms like Ticketmaster and Airbnb now must show, and how this law applies far beyond hotels and concerts. Ryan walks us through compliant vs. noncompliant language, Apple Pay pricing loopholes, and how to audit your checkout flows before regulators (or customers) do it for you.

We cover:

• What “drip pricing” means under FTC law
• The full scope of 16 CFR Part 464
• Where businesses must disclose fees: ad copy, checkout, and more
• How to handle shipping insurance, resort fees, and “quality checks”
• The right and wrong way to phrase “plus shipping”
• Why transparency is now a competitive advantage

Timestamps:

• (0:00) Why your $93 booking turns into $300 at checkout
• (1:45) What the FTC’s new Junk Fee Rule actually bans
• (3:20) Mandatory fees: what must be disclosed up front
• (5:10) How this impacts e‑commerce, not just hotels and tickets
• (7:30) Real examples: shipping protection, Apple Pay loopholes, QA fees
• (10:00) How to revise your copy and checkout flows
• (12:30) Final checklist: audit steps, team training, enforcement alerts

Grab the Fee Transparency Compliance Toolkit—free inside the Visionary Vault at www.specialopspodcast.com. Includes ad copy swipe, pricing audit sheet, and examples of compliant display language. Don’t guess—get it right.

Explore Free Resources at the Visionary Vault:

https://specialopspodcast.com/visionary-vault

Get in Touch with Ryan Poteet:

Website: https://www.grsm.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-poteet-43098ba

Get in Touch with Emma Rainville:

Website: https://specialopspodcast.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@specialopspodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emma_rainville512/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmarainvilleoperationsguru