Where to put product advertising limitations
Put important limitations beside the claim, prominently enough for buyers to notice and understand them in the advert itself. Rewrite a headline if the qualification contradicts it, and keep essential conditions out of linked terms alone. Factory details can be checked by the China-based staff of Cambridge China Bridge.
Identify what changes the buyer's understanding
ASA guidance says advertising must not mislead by leaving out significant limitations and qualifications. For an imported product, ask the factory what restricts the advertised benefit: compatible equipment, operating conditions, excluded materials, required accessories or maintenance. Record the restriction against the exact claim you plan to publish. For flooring compatibility, see our guide to electric underfloor heating checks.
Ask for the relevant model details and supporting documents rather than translating the supplier's headline directly. Our guide to proving product performance claims covers the evidence behind a claim. This guide covers where its limitations appear.
Choose prominence to match the limitation
CAP guidance says qualifications should be clear, legible and prominent enough to attract attention in the advertising format. As a practical starting point, put a limitation that changes the main benefit into the headline or an adjacent subheading. Keep it visible while the buyer reads the claim.
Check the finished layout on a phone and at the intended printed size. Look for faint text, crowded backgrounds and conditions pushed away from the headline. Ask someone unfamiliar with the product to explain what the advert promises and when that promise applies.
Rewrite claims that small print contradicts
The CAP Code allows clarification, but a qualification must not mislead by contradicting the claim it qualifies. Making contradictory text larger does not resolve the underlying wording problem. Read the headline and qualification together before approving either.
For example, if the factory confirms that a fitting works only with specified connector types, replace “fits every connector” with wording naming the supported types. Do not retain the universal headline and add “selected connectors only” below it. Treat this as a wording example, then check your actual product.
Keep essential conditions in the advert
ASA guidance says qualifications placed at the end of an email or webpage, visible only after scrolling, are unlikely to be sufficient. As a practical safeguard, state the important restriction beside the claim before offering a link to fuller details. A generic “conditions apply” message leaves the buyer guessing about the restriction.
Use linked terms for further explanation after the essential condition is visible. Reserve footnotes for supporting detail that does not change the headline's meaning, and clearly connect each note to its claim. Check banners, marketplace images and email previews separately, because copied text can lose its qualification.
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Approve wording and artwork together
Keep an approval record containing the claim, its limitation, the supporting factory information and the finished advert. Ask the factory to confirm whether changes to materials, components or accessories affect the wording. Our guide to certification and test documents helps you examine the documents supplied.
Before printing, compare the approved wording with the final packaging proof using our guide to factory artwork approval. Repeat the comparison for the live listing and advertising images. Cambridge China Bridge's staff in China can ask the factory to clarify product restrictions for your review.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put product limitations only in linked terms?
Keep important limitations beside the claim as a practical safeguard. Use linked terms for fuller explanation after the essential restriction is visible in the advert.
Can small print correct a misleading headline?
A qualification must not mislead by contradicting the headline. Rewrite the headline so it describes the actual benefit and its limits.
How big must advertising small print be?
CAP guidance calls for clear, legible text that attracts attention in the advertising format. Check the actual layout on the intended screen or printed material.
What should I ask the Chinese factory before advertising?
Ask which models, accessories, operating conditions and exclusions affect the benefit. Match the answers to your claim, supporting documents and finished artwork.