'Misleading' eBay prices ad banned

Louise (Admin) · 'Misleading' eBay prices ad banned

The advertising watchdog has banned eBay from boasting its prices are a quarter cheaper than those in high street shops.
The ASA has banned eBay from claiming it is a quarter cheaper than high street shops A poster advertising the popular online marketplace read: "Guess what? 25% cheaper than the high street on brand new items."

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld a complaint that the ad was misleading because it did not make the basis of the comparison - carried out for eBay by a third party company - clear enough.

eBay said that for each of 288 new products, the average price from recent eBay sales - including postal charges - were compared with an average of prices in stores such as Debenhams and John Lewis.

However readers, the ASA said, would take the poster to be an absolute claim that eBay was cheaper than all main high street stores for all new items, although there was not enough evidence to support this.

A spokesman said: "Because an average had been taken of all the stores' prices, it was possible that one store could have been regularly cheaper than eBay, or regularly much closer in price to eBay.

"Although it might be the case that eBay was cheaper than some high street stores for some new products, the evidence was not sufficient to support such an absolute claim that eBay was cheaper than all high street stores for all new products."

In addition, certain items such as furniture, garden goods, luggage, desktop computers and toys and games were not been included in the comparison, but the advert did not make that clear.

Although small print explained the basis of the ad's claim, the ASA said it was not big enough to avoid being overlooked and contradicted the main message of the headline.

The watchdog ruled that the ad was likely to mislead and must not appear again in its current form.

Lady Rachel

ebay is not always cheaper. we've found that when we've sold things people will bid up to silly prices, more than the shops. but then it does save you having to go to the shops.

although not much is selling on there at the moment.

Shar

I actually buy alot from ebay BUT I do always shop around to see where I can buy things the cheapest and ebay is quite often pricier. Amazon is very competively priced.

Dolly Dimple

We've had an Ebay shop open by us

I used to use Ebay all the time but I can't be bothered with all the auctioning stuff. You wait for days and days and then Wallop some git bag beats ya with seconds to go

I also use Amazon

F.K.R.

FlakeySugarButt

FlakeySugarButt - Gitbag, Guilty as charged!!

I do quite like Ebay, but it does amaze me how some people will bid over the odds for an item that they'd get cheaper if they went to a shop for it. I think they get addicted to bidding wars.

Dolly Dimple

So your the 2 git bags

I agree that people do get addicted to bidding.

Louise (Admin)

I do Like Ebay But never Bid for anything - I only Buy If I an Item has a suitable 'Buy Now' Price.

Julie C

Me too