How to Write a MAP Policy: A Step-by-Step Guide for Brands

A well-written MAP policy is the foundation of channel pricing discipline. Without one, brands have no formal mechanism to prevent retailers from publicly undercutting each other — leading to margin erosion, brand devaluation, and channel conflict.

This guide walks through six steps to create a MAP policy that is legally defensible, commercially effective, and practically enforceable.

Before You Start: Legal Foundations

MAP policies exist in a specific legal framework. Understanding this framework isn’t optional — it determines what you can and can’t include.

In the United States, MAP policies are legal under the rule of reason established in Leegin Creative Leather Products, Inc. v. PSKS, Inc. (2007). However, there are critical boundaries:

Your MAP policy must be unilateral — you announce it, retailers choose to comply or face consequences. You do not negotiate MAP prices with retailers.
You can set a minimum advertised price. You cannot set a minimum selling price (that’s resale price maintenance, which carries antitrust risk).
Enforcement must be consistent. Selectively enforcing against small retailers while ignoring large ones creates legal exposure.

In the EU and UK, vertical price restrictions are more tightly regulated. What’s legal as a MAP policy in the US may violate EU competition law. Consult local counsel before applying MAP internationally.

Consult an antitrust attorney before finalizing your policy. This guide provides practical guidance, not legal advice.

Step 1: Define the Scope

Your MAP policy needs clear boundaries. Ambiguity creates loopholes.

Products covered: Specify exactly which products are covered by the policy. Options include:

All products in your catalog
Specific product lines or categories
Products above a certain wholesale price threshold
Only products sold through authorized channels

Recommendation: Start with your highest-value or most price-sensitive product lines. You can expand coverage later. A focused policy that’s well-enforced is better than a broad policy that’s inconsistently applied.

Channels covered: Define where the policy applies:

Retailer websites (product pages, search results, shopping carts)
Third-party marketplaces (Amazon, eBay, Walmart)
Price comparison engines (Google Shopping, PriceGrabber)
Printed advertising (flyers, catalogs, direct mail)
Email marketing
Social media posts with pricing

Explicitly address gray areas: Does MAP apply to prices shown only to logged-in users? To prices revealed via “click to see price” mechanisms? To bundle pricing where the implied per-unit price is below MAP? Clear answers prevent future disputes.

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Step 2: Set MAP Prices

Setting MAP prices too high chokes retailers. Setting them too low makes the policy meaningless. The right MAP price balances brand protection with commercial reality.

Guidelines for setting MAP prices:

MAP should be at or slightly below MSRP. A common approach is setting MAP at 90-95% of MSRP (see MAP vs. MSRP vs. MRP for a detailed comparison), giving retailers room to compete on value-added services while preventing destructive price wars.
Consider your wholesale price. MAP should allow retailers a reasonable margin. If MAP barely covers their cost, they’ll either violate the policy or stop carrying the product.
Research the market. What are retailers actually selling at today? If your proposed MAP is significantly above current market prices, you’re setting yourself up for widespread non-compliance.
Account for channels. Amazon and Walmart may have different economics than specialty retailers. Your MAP price must work across all channels.

Create a MAP price sheet that includes:

Field	Description
SKU / Part Number	Your internal product identifier
UPC / EAN	Universal product identifier
Product Name	Exact product name for matching
MAP Price	The minimum advertised price
Effective Date	When this MAP price takes effect
Expiration Date	When this MAP price expires (if applicable)
Notes	Promotional exceptions, bundle rules, etc.

Distribute the price sheet in a format that’s easy for retailers to process — typically Excel/CSV. Avoid PDF-only distribution, which makes programmatic compliance harder for retailers using repricing tools.

Step 3: Write the Policy Document

Your MAP policy document should be clear, professional, and unambiguous. Here’s a structure that works:

Section 1: Purpose Statement

State why the policy exists. Focus on protecting all channel partners and maintaining brand value — not on controlling retailers.

Example language: “[Brand Name] has adopted this Minimum Advertised Price policy to maintain the reputation of [Brand Name] products and to ensure that all authorized retailers have a fair opportunity to earn a reasonable margin.”

Section 2: Definitions

Define key terms precisely:

“Advertised price”: Any price displayed or communicated to potential customers through any public-facing medium
“MAP”: The minimum price at which a covered product may be advertised
“Authorized retailer”: A retailer who purchases products directly from [Brand Name] or an authorized distributor

Section 3: Policy Terms

The core rules. Be specific:

Retailers may not advertise covered products below the MAP price
MAP applies to all advertising, including but not limited to: website product pages, marketplace listings, comparison shopping engines, printed ads, email marketing, and social media
MAP does not apply to the actual selling price at the point of sale (checkout discounts, in-store pricing, loyalty program pricing)
Free shipping or gift-with-purchase promotions do not constitute MAP violations as long as the advertised product price meets MAP

Section 4: Exceptions

Define any legitimate exceptions:

Clearance: Products being discontinued may be excluded from MAP with written notice from [Brand Name]
Authorized promotions: [Brand Name] may authorize temporary MAP reductions during specific promotional periods (Black Friday, Prime Day, etc.)
Damaged goods: Products sold as open-box, refurbished, or damaged are excluded

Section 5: Consequences

State what happens when a retailer violates the policy. Keep consequences proportional and escalating:

First violation: Written notice with 48-hour correction window
Second violation within 90 days: Temporary suspension of marketing development fund (MDF) access
Third violation within 90 days: 30-day product supply restriction
Continued violations: Termination of authorized retailer status

Important: Do not make consequences negotiable. The policy should read as a unilateral announcement, not a contract negotiation.

Section 6: Administration

How the policy is administered:

Who to contact with questions
How MAP prices are updated and communicated
How retailers report suspected violations by others
Statement that the policy is unilateral and does not constitute an agreement

Step 4: Communicate the Policy

A MAP policy only works if retailers know about it.

Initial rollout:

Send the finalized policy to all authorized retailers and distributors
Include the MAP price sheet as an attachment
Provide a grace period (30-60 days) before enforcement begins
Offer a Q&A session or FAQ document to address common questions

Ongoing communication:

Notify retailers of MAP price changes at least 14 days before they take effect
Announce authorized promotional periods in advance
Send periodic reminders about the policy’s existence and enforcement
Communicate enforcement actions generically (without naming specific violators) to reinforce that the policy is active

For new retailers: Include the MAP policy in your new retailer onboarding package. Don’t assume new partners know about it.

Step 5: Build Your Enforcement Infrastructure

A MAP policy without enforcement is a suggestion. Set up the tools and processes to monitor and enforce from day one.

Monitoring:

Choose your monitoring approach (manual, semi-automated, or automated — see our guide to detecting MAP violations)
Set up your MAP price database in your monitoring system
Configure alerts for violations by channel and severity

Enforcement:

Create template violation notice emails for each escalation level
Designate who on your team handles violation notices (channel sales, legal, or a dedicated MAP compliance role)
Set up a tracking system to log violations, notices sent, and resolutions
Establish an internal escalation path for chronic violators

Documentation:

Keep records of every violation detected, every notice sent, and every resolution
Document your enforcement decisions and the reasoning behind them
Maintain proof of consistent enforcement across all retailers

Pricelysis provides an integrated MAP enforcement dashboard — from automated violation detection to notice tracking and compliance reporting.

Step 6: Review and Update

A MAP policy isn’t a set-and-forget document. Review it at least annually.

What to review:

MAP prices: Are they still appropriate for current market conditions? Widespread violations may indicate MAP is set too high.
Product coverage: Should new products be added? Should discontinued products be removed?
Channel coverage: Are there new channels (TikTok Shop, Temu) that need to be addressed?
Enforcement effectiveness: Is the violation rate decreasing over time? Are consequences sufficient to deter repeat violations?
Legal landscape: Have there been legal developments that affect MAP enforceability in your markets?

When to update mid-cycle:

Significant market disruption (major competitor exit, economic downturn)
Launch of a new product line
Expansion into new geographic markets
Legal developments affecting MAP enforceability

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Negotiating MAP with retailers: The moment you negotiate MAP prices with a retailer, your “unilateral policy” starts looking like a “bilateral agreement” — which carries antitrust risk. Announce, don’t negotiate.

Selective enforcement: Enforcing MAP against small retailers but not your largest accounts is legally risky and commercially toxic. Enforce uniformly or don’t enforce at all.

Confusing MAP with RPM: MAP governs advertising. Resale Price Maintenance (RPM) governs selling. If your policy tells retailers what they must sell at (not just advertise at), you may be crossing into RPM territory.

No monitoring plan: Writing a policy without a monitoring plan ensures the policy will be violated without consequence. Plan monitoring before you publish the policy.

Overcomplicating exceptions: Every exception creates ambiguity. Keep exceptions few, clear, and documented.

FAQ

Do I need a lawyer to write a MAP policy? You need a lawyer to review your MAP policy before publication. Antitrust law is complex, varies by jurisdiction, and the consequences of getting it wrong are severe. Write a draft using this guide, then have an antitrust attorney review it.

How often should I update MAP prices? Most brands update quarterly or when new products launch. Avoid changing MAP prices more than monthly — frequent changes create confusion and compliance challenges for retailers.

Should my MAP policy cover international sales? Be cautious. MAP policies designed for US antitrust law may not be legal in other jurisdictions. Consider separate policies for different markets, developed with local legal counsel.

Can I require retailers to sign the MAP policy? Requiring a signature can transform a unilateral policy into a bilateral agreement, which changes the legal analysis. Many attorneys advise against requiring signatures. Instead, make compliance a condition of maintaining authorized retailer status.