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If it was better for businesses it would already be the common practice.

• baron816 4y ago
  No, it’s a coordination problem. If you’re the only one hiding your prices in fees, it can be an advantage since it looks like you’re charging less. Everyone has to do it to keep up, but since everyone does it, no one really gets an advantage. With mandated transparent pricing, no one has an opportunity to “cheat” and everyone can specialize (in cost or quality or features/amenities, or some mix of those).
• wpietri 4y ago
  Not at all. A great example is health codes. Serving good, safe food is something pretty much every food business wants to do at the outset. Nobody opens a restaurant thinking, "Let's see who we can get sick!" But imagine your hamburger stand is next to a guy who's willing to cut corners. Use the older meat. Buy from the dodgier supplier. Maybe spend less labor time cleaning. Suddenly his prices are lower and you're losing business. Other restaurants nearby are too. You're faced with a choice: do you cut corners, or go out of business? So if you talk with restaurateurs, you'll find that most of them are in favor of health codes and health inspections, because although they can be a pain, they're keeping competitors on a level playing field. They like food safety laws for suppliers even though they make prices higher, because they don't want to have to worry about giving their customers unsafe or suspicious food.
  • phist_mcgee 4y ago
    Great analogy, never thought of it this way.
    • pessimizer 4y ago
      It's not an analogy, it's actually happening. I think you mean "example."
      • phist_mcgee 4y ago
        Great analogy, thanks!