As expected, the prices at any amusement park would be high, but at Busch Gardens they were exorbitant (e.g. $3.99 for a postcard!). But to make matters worse, everything had a 5% “surcharge.” There was no explanation given for this additional cost, and the clerks had no answer either. Just pay five percent more, or don’t buy it.
I would have felt better about it if the increase was included in the quoted price. It’s the same as “free shipping” or “standard options” that are part of a car’s sticker price — I know that ultimately I am paying for them but it doesn’t feel as painful as a separate listing.
If you feel the need to raise your prices, make it more palatable by just increasing them rather than tacking on extra charges on top of the listed amount. People appreciate it when they know upfront what they have to pay without all the surprise upcharges at the end.
