The 90-day rule
California Business & Professions Code §17501 makes it illegal to advertise a former "reference" price alongside a sale price unless that reference price was the item's prevailing market price within the three months immediately preceding the ad.
Compliant
A retailer sold a jacket at $180 through May, then advertises "$180 → $99" in June.
Violation
A retailer lists a jacket at $180 for one week in January, then advertises "$180 → $99" in June — with no meaningful sales at $180 in the past 90 days.
Why it matters
Fake reference prices manufacture "discounts" that never existed. They distort consumer choice, push away honest competitors, and — under CA law — expose the retailer to civil action.
How PriceWatch CA helps
- • Public database of retailers with community-submitted evidence.
- • Transparency ratings you can trust — one user, one rating.
- • Optional forwarding to Javitch Law Office for legal review.
PriceWatch CA is a community project, not a law firm. Nothing on this site is legal advice. Statute text: California Business & Professions Code §17501.