When MAP Isn’t MAP?

When is a MAP policy not actually a MAP policy?

Although all pricing policies are often referred to as “MAP Policies,” there are two distinct types.  The first is called a “Minimum Retail (or Resale) Price (MRP) Policy” and establishes a minimum price that applies to all advertising or other offers, as well as the actual selling price.  The second or Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) Policy covers only the advertised or offer price and never the actual selling price.

In the online context, this means that an MRP Policy applies to all parts of a website referring to price, while a MAP Policy can only cover the product page and the in-the-cart price, but never the checkout price.  Similarly, in the brick-and-mortar context, an MRP Policy applies to everything outside the store (like direct mail and newspaper advertising) and everything in the store (like displays and price tags), while a MAP Policy is limited to just those things outside the store.  Sometimes, a pricing policy only covers online selling, in which case, its MRP variation is an Electronic Minimum Retail (or Resale) Price (EMRP) Policy, while its MAP version is either an Electronic Minimum Advertised Price (EMAP) Policy or an Internet Minimum Advertised Price (IMAP) Policy.