Website Advertising Disclosures:  What’s Required Is Good For Your Business

Dear Keith:  I was reading one of your posts on Auttr.com and learned that whenever I advertise, any and all material limitations or exclusions must be disclosed in a clear and conspicuous fashion.  Can you give me a few pointers as to what this might mean on my website?

Sure thing.  Putting this into practice on your website, consider try the following:

Place disclosures near, and wherever possible, on the same screen as the claim.

Use text or visual cues to prompt disclosure review.

With hyperlink use, make the link obvious.

Include complete disclosures on click thru pages.

Make disclosures on banner ads or the page to which the banner ad links.

Repeat disclosures on lengthy ads.

Wondering if someone might fine one of your Ads unfair or deceptive?
Ask yourself the following, its what the FTC would consider:
1. Is it likely to mislead consumers acting reasonably under the circumstances.
2. Does it omit ”material” information to a consumer’s decision to buy or use the product.
3. Does it cause or is it likely to cause substantial consumer injury.
If your answer is yes to any of the 3 questions, you have a bad ad!

Question:  I was reading one of your posts on Auttr.com and learned that whenever I advertise, any and all material limitations or exclusions must be disclosed in a clear and conspicuous fashion.  Can you give me a few pointers as to what this might mean on my website?

Answer:  Putting this into practice on your website, consider try the following:

Place disclosures near, and wherever possible, on the same screen as the claim.

Use text or visual cues to prompt disclosure review.

With hyperlink use, make the link obvious.

Include complete disclosures on click thru pages.

Make disclosures on banner ads or the page to which the banner ad links.

Repeat disclosures on lengthy ads.

A quick thought about determining whether a dealership advertisement is unfair or deceptive: Often times, what an advertisement does NOT say is as important as what it does!