Legal

Dealer Pricing Transparency Policy

Version 1.0  ·  Effective: October 14, 2026  ·  Last updated: October 20, 2026

1. Overview

PleaseStart requires every dealer listing to disclose mandatory charges and seller-controlled optional add-ons clearly. These are platform requirements under our Terms of Service.

Regulatory status. A federal motor-vehicle-dealer regulation was vacated by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in January 2025 and formally withdrawn by the FTC in February 2026. It is not the authority for this policy. Dealers remain responsible for the laws that apply to them.

Key objectives:

  • Transparent and honest pricing in vehicle advertisements
  • Prohibit deceptive add-on charges and mandatory fees
  • Protect consumers from bait-and-switch tactics
  • Require clear disclosure of all costs before purchase

2. Pricing Disclosures

All dealer vehicle prices on PleaseStart must follow these platform disclosure requirements.

2.1 What's Included in Listed Prices

  • Base vehicle price
  • All required dealer fees (documentation, processing, etc.)
  • Destination or delivery charges (if applicable)
  • Any mandatory add-ons or accessories

This "offering price" is the total before taxes, registration, and optional add-ons.

2.2 Additional Fees Disclosed Separately

  • State and local sales taxes
  • Vehicle registration and title fees
  • Optional products and services
  • Optional add-ons that you can decline

3. Dealer Requirements

3.1 Mandatory Obligations

  1. Display the "Offering Price" with all mandatory charges
  2. Disclose All Mandatory Add-Ons included in the offering price
  3. Provide Written Disclosures with an itemization of all costs
  4. Honor Advertised Prices without hidden fees
  5. Obtain Express Informed Consent for optional add-ons
  6. Maintain Records supporting advertised prices and disclosures

3.2 Prohibited Practices

Dealers are prohibited from:

  • Misrepresenting total cost or financing terms
  • Charging for add-ons without express consent
  • Advertising prices that exclude mandatory charges
  • Bait-and-switch tactics or hidden "junk fees"
  • Misrepresenting optional products as mandatory

4. Your Rights as a Consumer

4.1 What You Can Do

  • Receive Clear Pricing with all mandatory fees included
  • Decline Optional Add-Ons without affecting vehicle price
  • Get Written Price Quotes with itemized costs
  • Review Before Signing all documents and disclosures
  • Report Violations to PleaseStart and the FTC

4.2 Reporting Non-Compliance

  1. PleaseStart: Contact us to report a dealer
  2. FTC: File at reportfraud.ftc.gov or call 1-877-FTC-HELP
  3. State Attorney General: Contact your state for additional remedies

5. PleaseStart's Commitment

5.1 Platform Features

  • Price Display: The asking price plus required dealer fees entered by the seller
  • Itemized Fee Breakdown: The charges disclosed by the seller
  • Optional Add-On Disclosure: Optional products entered by the seller are marked and priced separately
  • Automated Compliance Checks on dealer inventory feeds and on a recurring schedule
  • Consumer Education resources for informed decisions

Dealers remain responsible for disclosing every mandatory charge. Our calculations and checks use the information they provide and cannot establish whether a dealer has omitted a charge. Confirm the final itemized price with the seller before purchasing.

5.2 Enforcement

  • Regular audits of dealer listings and pricing
  • Investigation of consumer complaints
  • Warnings and corrective action for violations
  • Suspension or removal of repeat offenders
  • Cooperation with FTC investigations

6. Contact Information

If you have questions about our pricing-transparency policy, please contact us:

PleaseStart Compliance Team (Prune IO LLC)
Email: compliance@pleasestart.com

Federal Trade Commission
Website: www.ftc.gov
Consumer Helpline: 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357)
Report Fraud: reportfraud.ftc.gov

7. Additional Resources