Bait-and-Switch

Bait-and-switch is advertising a product or service at an attractive price to lure customers, then attempting to sell them something different, more expensive, or inferior once they engage. This is explicitly prohibited under Google Ads misrepresentation policy and the dishonest pricing practices update that went into effect October 28, 2025.

Common examples include advertising a specific product at a low price but claiming it’s out of stock when customers try to buy it (while pushing an expensive alternative), showing one price in ads but charging different prices at checkout, or advertising a ‘free’ service that requires payment to actually use. Bait-and-switch violations result in immediate ad disapproval and can lead to account suspension for repeated offenses.

Example: An electronics retailer advertises a laptop at $299 in their Google Ads, but when customers click through, that specific model is perpetually ‘unavailable’ and they’re pressured to buy a $799 model instead, triggering a bait-and-switch violation.