Bait advertising

Bait advertising is a common form of false advertising. It occurs when a seller advertises a bargain on an item to attract you to the store. When you arrive at the store you find that the item is 'sold out' and the seller will offer you another item which is usually more expensive or of lesser quality.

When a seller advertises goods at a discounted price they must be able to supply those goods for a reasonable amount of time and in reasonable quantities. Of course, the shop may have genuinely run out of the item due to heavy demand.