MAP price difference checker: an advertised price against MAP
This checker compares an advertised price with the minimum advertised price (MAP) for the same part. It shows advertised price − MAP in dollars and as a percentage of MAP. It flags a MAP that wasn’t yet in effect on the date the ad was seen, and lists the policy questions to settle first. It shows a difference, not a verdict.
Key takeaways · if you read nothing else
- The difference is advertised price − MAP, so a negative number means the ad is below MAP: $412.99 against a $449.00 MAP is −$36.01, or −8.0% of MAP.
- Some guides write the same gap as a positive discount, (MAP − advertised price) ÷ MAP × 100; the size is the same and only the sign differs.
- Compare an ad with the MAP in effect on the day it was seen: a $429.00 ad was at MAP on Feb 20, 2026 under policy v1 and $20.00 below MAP on Oct 6, 2026 under policy v2.
- A cart-only price, a coupon, a bundle or a different finish turns a number into a policy question, and the checker lists those questions instead of answering them.
- The checker doesn’t set a MAP or look up any dealer’s page; it works on the MAP and prices you enter.
On this page6 sections · checker
Check a price against MAP
How is the difference calculated?
Subtract MAP from the advertised price, then divide by MAP for the percentage. A negative result means the advertised price is below MAP.
- Difference = advertised price − MAP, in dollars and cents.
- Percentage of MAP = difference ÷ MAP × 100, to one decimal place.
- In words: below MAP, at MAP or above MAP, with the dollar gap.
For example, $412.99 − $449.00 = −$36.01, and −$36.01 ÷ $449.00 × 100 = −8.0%. That’s $36.01 below MAP.
Some guides write the same gap the other way round, as a positive discount: (MAP − advertised price) ÷ MAP × 100. An ad at $85 against a $100 MAP is then a 15% discount. Here that ad shows as −$15.00, or −15.0% of MAP. The size is the same; only the sign differs. We use advertised − MAP because it’s how Price Axle’s reports show every observation.
Which MAP should you compare against?
The MAP in effect on the date the ad was seen. MAP prices change on effective dates, so the same ad can be at MAP one month and below it the next.
Illustrative example: fictional manufacturer, dealer and part number. Not a real MAP violation or real pricing.
| Policy version | Effective from | MAP for EXM-CAI-4120-BK |
|---|---|---|
| v1 | Sep 1, 2025 | $429.00 |
| v2 | Mar 1, 2026 | $449.00 |
A dealer advertising $429.00 was at MAP on Feb 20, 2026, under v1. On Oct 6, 2026, under v2, the same $429.00 is $20.00 below MAP. If you enter the date the ad was seen and the date your MAP took effect, the checker tells you when the MAP you entered wasn’t yet in effect. It can’t know your earlier MAP; you enter that one yourself.
What do the policy questions mean?
They’re the things a price alone can’t settle. Tick any that apply, and the checker lists the question to answer from your policy before the number means anything.
| What the listing showed | The question for your policy |
|---|---|
| Price shown only in the cart | Does your policy treat a price shown only in the cart as advertised? |
| Coupon or promo code shown | Does your policy count a coupon or promo code shown beside the price? |
| Bundle or kit | Is there a MAP for the bundle, or does your policy say how bundles are compared? |
| Different finish, size or variant | Is this the same part number and variant as your MAP row? |
| Part number not shown on the page | Can you confirm this is the exact part before comparing it with MAP? |
Advertised vs cart prices covers coupons, bundles and cart-only prices in detail. MAP pricing violations works through six cases and the evidence each one needs.
Worked examples
Four fictional listings show each kind of result. They double as the checker’s test cases.
Illustrative example: fictional manufacturer, dealers and part numbers. Not a real MAP violation or real pricing.
| Listing | MAP | Advertised | Advertised − MAP | In words |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dealer A, EXM-CAI-4120-BK, seen Oct 6, 2026 | $449.00 | $412.99 | −$36.01 (−8.0% of MAP) | $36.01 below MAP |
| Dealer E, EXM-CAI-4120-BK, seen Oct 6, 2026 | $449.00 | $449.95 | +$0.95 (+0.2% of MAP) | $0.95 above MAP |
| Dealer B, EXM-CAI-4120-BK, seen Oct 6, 2026 | $449.00 | $449.00 | $0.00 (0.0% of MAP) | At MAP |
| A dealer, EXM-CAI-4120-BK, seen Feb 20, 2026 | $449.00, effective Mar 1, 2026 | $429.00 | −$20.00 (−4.5% of MAP) | $20.00 below MAP, but that MAP wasn’t in effect yet. Against v1’s $429.00 it’s at MAP |
What doesn’t the checker tell you?
It doesn’t tell you whether a listing breaches your policy. That depends on the exact part, the MAP in effect that day and your policy’s exceptions, and the decision is yours.
Not a verdict
A negative number is a starting point for review, not a conclusion.
Not a lookup
It doesn’t visit any dealer’s page. You enter what you saw.
Not evidence
A record that holds up needs the listing link, a timestamp, the part match and the MAP row it was compared with. MAP pricing violations lists them.
Not a MAP to set
Searches for a MAP calculator also turn up guides to setting a MAP from MSRP or wholesale cost. Choosing a MAP is the manufacturer’s pricing decision under its own policy; this checker starts from a MAP you already have. MAP vs MSRP explains how the two prices relate.
U.S. dollars only
Enter prices in USD.
Is anything I enter saved?
No. The checker runs in your browser and keeps nothing.
It doesn’t store or send the prices, dates or labels you enter, and they’re gone when you leave the page. “Copy results” puts a plain-text summary on your clipboard and nowhere else.
FAQ
Can it check a whole price list across my dealers?
No. It checks up to three listings of one part at a time. Checking a catalog across dealers on a schedule is what monitoring does: how MAP pricing monitoring works explains the steps, and the scope calculator shows how many listings and checks that would be.
Why does an ad of $0.95 above MAP show a plus sign?
Because the difference is advertised price − MAP. A positive number means the ad is above MAP, and zero means it’s exactly at MAP.