Minimum advertised price, or MAP, is one of the most effective tools a luxury or premium brand has to protect its pricing online. Done well, it keeps every retailer on a level field and stops the race to the bottom that erodes brand value.
What MAP pricing is
A MAP policy sets the lowest price at which a retailer may advertise a product. Retailers can still set their own prices, but they agree not to publicly advertise below the MAP level. Many brands also set a separate floor, or a maximum discount off MSRP, for any channel they supply directly.
Why MAP matters more for luxury
- Perceived value drops fast when the same product appears at very different prices.
- Full-price partners lose sales when others undercut them.
- Customers learn to wait for the discount if it is always available somewhere.
How to set a MAP policy
- Choose your level: usually MSRP for current season, with a defined maximum discount for older seasons.
- Define scope: which products, seasons, regions and channels the policy covers.
- Write it down: a clear, published policy that applies equally to every retailer.
- Set consequences: what happens when a retailer breaches it.
Brands should take legal advice on MAP in each market, as rules differ between countries.
The hard part: enforcement
Most MAP policies fail in enforcement, not design. Manual monitoring finds breaches days or weeks later, after the damage is done. Effective enforcement needs to happen automatically, before a listing goes live.
How Stork enforces brand pricing
On Stork for brands, you set your commercial policy once: approved retailers, regions, price floor and maximum discount. Every listing is checked against it before it publishes and every order is checked again before it is accepted. Anything that breaks a rule never appears. Stork also flags unapproved listings and price breaches across the market as they happen.
FAQ
Is MAP the same as a price floor?
Not exactly. MAP governs advertised price at retailers. A price floor is the lowest price a product may sell at in a channel you control.
Can MAP differ by season?
Yes. Many brands use MSRP for current season and a capped discount for older seasons.
How long does setup take with Stork?
Brands typically go live in around 30 days with one module. Apply as a brand.
