Stop sellers from cutting your price

What is MAP?

MAP means minimum advertised price. It is the lowest price a seller is allowed to show for your product. It is a rule you set for the sellers who buy from you.

Notice the word "advertised." MAP is about the price shown to shoppers. It is not always about the price a seller finally charges. This small point matters a lot in the law, so keep it in mind.

MAP is not the same as a few other terms:

MSRP or RRP is the price you suggest. Sellers can ignore it.
MAP is a rule you ask sellers to follow as a condition of buying from you.
Fixed price means forcing the exact selling price. This can be illegal in many places.

Why price cutting is a problem

When one seller drops the price, the Buy Box often goes to them. The Buy Box is the "Add to Cart" button on the listing. Other sellers then cut prices too, to keep up. This is sometimes called a race to the bottom.

The damage can be real:

Your margin shrinks, for you and for your good partners.
Shoppers may start to think your product is worth less.
Stores that sell your product at a fair price may get upset and stop carrying it.

If you see sellers on your listing you do not know, read Who Are the Unknown Sellers on My Amazon Listing, and How Do I Stop Them?. Often the price problem starts there.

What you can do

You have more control over your own sellers than over strangers. Here is what is usually possible.

Set a MAP policy. You can write a rule for the sellers and stores that buy from you.
Choose who you sell to. In many places, a brand can decide who it will or will not sell to.
Stop supply to sellers who break your policy. This is often the strongest step, if your policy is clear and you apply it fairly. Check the legal rules first (see "Know the legal limits" below).
Report real rule breaks to Amazon. For example, fake products or misuse of your brand name.
Use Amazon Brand Registry tools if you are enrolled. They help with your listing content and with reporting problems.

What you usually cannot do

This part surprises many owners.

You cannot ask Amazon to raise another seller's price. Amazon lets sellers set their own prices. Amazon does not enforce your MAP policy for you.
You cannot force a seller to charge a set price. Rules on this vary by country. In some places, forcing a resale price is against the law.
You cannot stop a legal reseller from reselling. In many places, once a seller legally buys your product from you, they may resell it. Rules differ, so ask a lawyer.
You cannot use MAP to control a seller who bought from a third party. Your policy only binds people who agreed to it.

Know the legal limits

Price rules are strict in some places.

Canada. The Competition Act has a rule on price maintenance (section 76). A supplier must not push resellers to keep prices up, or refuse to supply someone because they sell at low prices, when that harms competition. A suggested minimum price can be seen as pressure, unless it is clear the seller is free to ignore it.
United States. Federal law and state laws treat price rules differently. Some states are stricter than others.

Because the law differs by country and by state or province, talk to a lawyer before you write or enforce a policy, and before you stop supplying a seller. This article is not legal advice.

A simple price-control plan

1. Find out who is selling your product

Look at your listing. Write down every seller name. Mark the ones you sold to, and the ones you did not.

If you do not know where a seller got your product, that is a sign your supply is leaking. Maybe a store sold extra stock. Maybe a distributor passed it on.

2. Write a short MAP policy

Keep it short and clear. Include:

The minimum advertised price for each product.
Where it applies (for example, online stores and marketplaces).
What happens after a first break and a repeat break.
The date it starts.

Get a lawyer to read it before you send it.

3. Get a yes in writing

A policy only works for people who agreed to it. Ask each seller to accept it by email or in a signed document. Keep copies.

4. Watch prices on a schedule

Pick a regular time, like once a week. Check your listings. Take screenshots with the date, the seller name, and the price. Simple notes are enough.

5. Act the same way every time

If a seller breaks the policy, follow your own steps:

Send a polite written warning with the screenshot.
Give a short time to fix it.
If it happens again, pause or stop supply, as your policy says. Ask a lawyer first.

Be fair. If you let a big seller slide and punish a small one, the policy loses its power and may cause legal trouble.

6. Tighten your supply

Fewer sellers means fewer price fights. Think about selling to a small group of trusted partners. Mark or track batches if that helps you see where stock leaks from.

Example

Imagine a brand that sells a kitchen tool. The brand owner sees one seller on the listing at a much lower price than everyone else. The owner checks the seller list and finds that seller bought from a small shop the brand supplies.

The owner sends the shop a friendly note with a screenshot and the MAP policy the shop signed. The shop admits it sold extra boxes to a third party. The shop agrees to stop. The owner also adds a line to the policy that says shops may not resell to other sellers without asking.

This example is made up to show the steps. Results will differ for every brand, and nothing here is a promise.

Where the other options fit

You can do all of this yourself. It takes time, and you need to watch listings often.

Another route is to work with a partner who buys your products and sells them in a controlled way. AceeNova is a Calgary-based Amazon partner that buys brand products, improves listings, and pays for ads, at no fee to the brand. That is one way to have fewer sellers on your listing. It is not the right fit for every brand. To compare paths, read Sell on Amazon Yourself, Hire an Agency, or Sell to a Reseller?. If you are picking a partner, see How Do I Find a Good Amazon Partner? 10 Questions to Ask Before You Sign.

If your sales are also weak, price may not be the only cause. See Why Are My Amazon Sales Low Even Though My Product Is Good?.

Quick checklist

Know every seller on your listing.
Write a short MAP policy and have a lawyer read it.
Get written agreement from each seller.
Check prices on a set schedule and keep screenshots.
Act the same way each time.
Limit who can buy your stock.

If you want to talk through your own listing and price problem, we are happy to look at it with you. Book a free call

FAQ

Can Amazon enforce my MAP policy?

No. Amazon generally lets sellers set their own prices. MAP is a rule between you and the sellers who buy from you, so you enforce it with those sellers.

Is MAP legal?

It depends on where you are. In the US, an advertised-price policy for your own sellers is often allowed, but some states are stricter. In Canada, the Competition Act (section 76) limits how a supplier can push resellers on price. Forcing the exact selling price can be illegal in many places. Ask a lawyer in your area.

What if the seller did not buy from me?

Your MAP policy only binds people who agreed to it. Start by finding where their stock came from. If the products are fake or misuse your brand, you may be able to report them to Amazon.

Does MAP stop all price cutting?

No. It helps with sellers who agreed to it. Limiting who can buy your products usually helps more over time.

Should I use a partner or do it myself?

Both can work. Doing it yourself costs time. A partner can handle watching and selling, but you should ask good questions and pick one that fits your brand.