Superbalist’s 40% off Nike cap ad deemed misleading by ARB after consumer complaint
In an era where consumers increasingly turn to social media for shopping, a recent complaint has unearthed significant concerns regarding the transparency and integrity of promotional advertisements.
The Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) has found troubling discrepancies in a Facebook advertisement that claimed a product was available at a generous 40% off, a claim that was later disproven when the consumer attempted to purchase the item.
The item, a Nike cap, was advertised at 40 percent off on Superbalist.
The advert was on Facebook.
The complainant expressed her frustration after clicking on a link that purportedly led to a discounted product.
Upon reaching the advertiser’s website, she was confronted with the reality that the product was not being offered at a discounted rate.
When she reached out to the advertiser for clarification, her inquiry was met with what she described as a vague response.
The advertisement, she noted, did not specify any temporal limitations on the offer, leaving her feeling misled.
Despite several attempts to engage with the complaint, the advertiser failed to respond to the ARB’s request for clarification on the matter.
The ARB’s findings reference critical clauses of the Code, particularly Clause 4.2.1, which addresses misleading claims. In this case, the offending advertisement explicitly stated that a product was available at a 40% discount, yet failed to mention any time constraints that could have been in place.
This lack of clarity is especially concerning given the nature of social media advertisements, which can appear randomly in users’ feeds and may continue to show offers even after they have expired.
The ARB noted that while the advertiser did not engage in their processes, their findings still serve as guidance for member organisations.
They have issued an explicit instruction to its members, advising against the acceptance of advertising claims that lack clarity on price reductions, particularly those that fail to disclose time limits.
IOL News