When can I advertise a was-now discount?
Advertise a was-now discount when the higher price represents a genuine previous selling price and your records support the saving. Check the sales channel, intervening prices, sales and promotion length before publishing. For sourcing imported stock, work with Cambridge China Bridge.
Start with the selling price, not the factory quote
This guide is for importers advertising stock to UK consumers. A genuine reference price reflects a price at which the retailer expected to, and usually did, sell a significant quantity. Your factory invoice establishes what you bought the goods for; it does not establish your previous retail selling price.
Keep your margin calculation separate from your advertising evidence. Use Understanding your landed price to assess whether the proposed selling price covers your costs.
Check the history behind the higher price
ASA guidance says the comparison should generally use the most recent price available. It also says the higher reference price should generally have been charged for longer than the promotional price. Review the whole sequence of price changes before approving the comparison.
As a practical check, match the product, pack contents, condition and sales channel. Flag any reference price taken from a different marketplace, shop or bundle. Ask whether a customer seeing this advert would understand where that price came from.
Build a price-history evidence folder
ASA may regard claims as misleading without adequate substantiation. Assemble your evidence before publishing: dated listing captures, price-change exports, sales records and the proposed advert. Keep intervening prices and voucher offers visible rather than retaining only the highest price.
For each product variant, record when each price started and ended, where it appeared, whether stock was available, and the quantities sold at the actual prices paid. Link those records to the product specification and retain the approved advert with its campaign dates.
Avoid manufacturing a reference price
Do not briefly raise a listing price just to create a crossed-out comparison. Treat a sudden increase before a promotion as a reason to stop and review the earlier history. A screenshot of the increased price alone leaves the actual selling pattern unexplained.
For newly imported stock with no established selling history, consider advertising the current price without a previous-price claim. If the factory has reduced your purchase cost, check what changed using Negotiating price and terms with factories; keep that purchasing saving separate from the customer-facing comparison.
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Approve the campaign and review extensions
Give the person approving the advert the complete evidence folder and proposed campaign dates. Ask them to explain the reference price using the records, not the planned margin. If the explanation is weak, remove the comparison and advertise the current price.
Review the evidence again before extending or repeating the promotion. Compare the growing promotional period with the period at the higher price, and retain subsequent price changes. Make someone responsible for removing outdated crossed-out prices across your listings and adverts.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my factory's price as the was price?
A factory quote shows your purchasing cost, not your previous retail selling price. Base a was-now claim on a genuine selling-price history supported by your own records.
How long must I charge the higher price?
ASA guidance says the higher reference price should generally have been charged for longer than the promotional price. Review the wider history and sales as well as the duration.
What records should I keep for a discount?
Keep dated listings, price-change exports, actual sales prices and quantities, voucher details, stock availability and campaign dates. Include intervening prices and identify the product variant and sales channel.
Can I raise the price just before a sale?
Avoid doing this to create a saving claim. Review the established selling history instead. If your records cannot support the comparison, advertise the current price without a crossed-out was price.