Which tactic did car salesmen use that is described as bait and switch advertising?

• A. They rotate tires to hide bald spots
• B. They replace a good battery with an old one
• C. They attach additional charges at the end of the sale
• D. They bait and switch advertising, offering the car at a special price, then claiming it has been sold

Answer: (D)

The tactic tested is bait-and-switch advertising. It works by luring you in with a tempting offer, like a car at a special price, and then claiming that the exact item is no longer available or has already been sold. The salesperson then steers you toward a different, more expensive option or terms. In car sales, this is the classic move: advertise a great deal, say that deal is gone, and push you to other choices.

Other deceptive practices described—like tampering with a product to hide flaws, swapping in a worse part, or tacking on extra charges at the end—are unethical and misleading, but they’re not the specific bait-and-switch pattern the question is asking about.