Surcharges are a mechanism used to avoid price competition. They are essentially pure profit. They are a more painless way to extract money from the consumer. What money-hungry business wouldn’t love them?

Ever booked a hotel on-line based on the advertised price and then found out when you check out that they charged you $35 a DAY to park your car? We’re going to need a system, a mechanism, to fight this practice or it will be a life of death by a thousand cuts. Any ideas? — David Grace