ASA orders Buy.com to drop low price guarantee from ad

Internet retailer Buy.com has been forced to drop its claim that it offers “the lowest UK prices, guaranteed” after the Advertising Standards Authority found the company was unable to substantiate the assertion.

The ASA has ordered Buy.com to have future advertising – created by Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R – vetted by the Committee of Advertising Practice copy advice team.

The move comes after Dixons Stores Group (DSG) complained to the ASA over a Buy.com ad which said: “Why buy from them when you can buy.com from us?”

It continues: “Scan the high street and we think you will agree, you won’t find a lower price… buy.com at the lowest prices.Guaranteed.”

Buy.com, a US online retailer which launched in the UK last year, told the ASA that it checked prices daily on more than 700 hardware products and 500 software products in stores and on websites.

But DSG provided the ASA with Web print-outs showing their prices for four printer models were lower than Buy.com’s.

Buy.com vice president of marketing Gordon Henderson says the retailer will replace the word “guaranteed” with “guarantee” and provide a price promise that if goods are found more cheaply elsewhere, Buy.com will drop its prices.