A merchant who advertises an item on sale must have a sufficient quantity of that item to meet the demand.

Required disclaimer in advertisements

Merchants are required to indicate in their advertisements whether limited quantities of a discounted item are available. If supplies are limited, the advertisement must indicate the exact quantity that is available. In such a case, disclaimers such as “limited quantities” or “while supplies last” are not specific enough.

Out-of-stock situations

If the merchant has not specified the available quantity and the advertised item is out of stock when you go to the store during the sale, the merchant can choose to offer you another product of the same nature, that would normally cost the same or more, at the advertised sale price. Ask for it. If the merchant refuses, you can file a complaint with the Office de la protection du consommateur. The merchant may then have to prove to the court that they believed they had the item in sufficient quantities. The Contact Us page provides our contact information.

In an effort to provide good customer service, some merchants will offer you a deferred coupon that will allow you to purchase the item at the sale price at a later date. However, they are under no obligation to do so.