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Important information

• Advertising Review:

  On December 15, 2022, BBB asked the business to substantiate a claim that its product “...best selling pendant for absolutely FREE! Just pay a small compensation for shipping" appearing in online advertising. The ad failed to state the basis for the free cost as required by BBB's Code of Advertising. The business did not respond to BBB's request for clarification in its advertising.
  
  Applicable section of the BBB Code of Advertising:
  14. “Free”
  
  14.1 An advertiser may use the word “free” in advertising whenever the advertiser is offering an unconditional gift. If receipt of the “free” product or service is conditional on a purchase:
  14.1.1 The advertiser must clearly and conspicuously disclose this condition with the “free” offer (not simply by placing an asterisk or symbol next to “free” and referring to the condition(s) in a footnote); and
  14.1.2 The advertiser must not have increased the normal price of the product or service to be purchased nor reduced its quantity or quality.
  14.2 The “free” offer should be temporary; otherwise, consumers may view it as a continuous combination offer, no part of which is free. Thus, where it would otherwise confuse consumers, a product or service must not be advertised with a “free” offer in a trade area for more than six (6) months in any 12 month period. At least thirty (30) days must elapse before another such offer is promoted in the same trade area.
  14.3 In a negotiated sale, no “free” offer of a product or service should be made where it would likely mislead consumers, such as where:
  14.3.1 The product or service to be purchased usually is sold at a price arrived through bargaining, rather than at a regular fixed price; or
  14.3.2 There may be a regular price but other material factors such as quantity, quality or size are arrived at through bargaining.
  14.4 Offers of “free” products or services which do not meet the provisions of this section may not be corrected by the substitution of such similar words such as “gift,” “given without charge,” “bonus,” “complimentary” or other words which can convey the impression to the consumer that a product or service is “free.”
  14.5 Because the consumer continually searches for the best buy and regards the offer of “free” products or services to be a special bargain, all such offers must be made with extreme care so as to avoid any possibility that consumers will be misled or deceived. Representative language frequently used in such offers includes:
  “Free”  “Buy 1-Get-1 Free”  “2-for-1 Sale”  "50% off with Purchase of Two”  “$1 Sale”  “1/2 Off”  “Gift with Purchase”
  Literally, of course, the advertiser is not offering anything “free” (for example, an unconditional gift), or 1/2 free or 2 for 1 when making such an offer, since the consumer is required to purchase a product or service in order to receive the “free” or “2 for 1” item.
  14.6 Whenever such an offer is made advertisers must make clear at the outset all the terms and conditions of the offer.