Fake sale prices
A fake sale price is any "was → now" comparison where the "was" number isn't the item's real recent selling price. The math looks like a discount. It isn't — the higher number was never really the price.
Three shapes fake sales take
Permanent 'sale'
The same discount runs for months. Once the strike-through price hasn't been the actual price in the last 90 days, the comparison is legally stale in California.
Phantom MSRP
"MSRP $299 → $99" when the retailer never charged $299. A manufacturer's suggested price isn't automatically a valid reference price.
Compare-at fiction
"Compare at $180" printed next to $99. If no store — including this one — actually charges $180, the label is marketing, not a real comparison.
How to check before you buy
- Search the product name plus "price history". Third-party trackers cache historical prices.
- Open an archive of the retailer's own page from three months ago and compare.
- Look at the label. MSRP, compare-at, and estimated retail are red flags — they aren't selling prices.
- Search TagTrue's database. Someone may have already documented the same "sale".
Why it matters
Fake sale prices distort every purchase decision on the page. Shoppers who think they're saving 45% often are just paying the going rate. Honest retailers who don't inflate reference prices end up looking overpriced. And in California, the retailer is exposed to civil liability every time a fake reference price runs.
Spot one? Add it to the database.
One screenshot starts a report. Later observations build the 90-day timeline automatically.
FAQ
How do I know a sale price is fake?
If the strike-through price is labeled MSRP, compare-at, or estimated retail, or if the same 'sale' has been running for months, the reference price is probably not a real recent selling price. Archive tools and price trackers can confirm whether the item ever actually sold at the higher amount.
Are fake sale prices illegal?
In California, yes. Business & Professions Code §17501 makes it illegal to advertise a former price next to a sale price unless that former price was the item's prevailing market price within the 90 days immediately preceding the ad.
What should I do if I spot a fake sale price?
Take a timestamped screenshot showing the URL, both prices, and the date. Submit it to TagTrue with any earlier observations you have. Reports with multiple observations across weeks move faster to verified.