Before launching a promotion offering an accessory with a vehicle purchase, confirm the physical item, installation and subsequent service separately. A free accessory does not necessarily mean the customer incurs no expense to collect and use it. The dealership needs to include relevant conditions in advertising and quotations, with installers able to deliver under the same arrangements.
The Colombian SIC's guidance on promotions and incentives lists information requirements including campaign duration, collection conditions and costs consumers may bear. Dealers should check these against the actual proposal. This operational checklist cannot replace local advertising compliance review.
Obtain a Gift List That the Campaign Can Actually Fulfill
Obtain the precise product name, compatible models, package contents and quantity availability from the supplier. If a kit has a broad name, request an itemized list, particularly cables, brackets and installation consumables. Do not put unconfirmed items on the poster and wait until collection to explain that they are excluded.
When purchasing vehicles and asking Starvia Automotive about accessories, use the vehicle export service description to confirm which items fall within the order's supply scope. The dealership's own gift promotion, local installation service and export purchasing contract need separate arrangements. A shared vehicle exporter does not imply that it is responsible for all promotional accessories and installation.
The campaign owner should also establish the condition in which gifts will be delivered. Loose components in a box, completed installation and collection at the dealership entail different staffing and costs. Knowing what will be received at purchase also gives after-sales staff a basis for arranging later work.
Define the Actual Installation Work
For gifts requiring installation, qualified personnel should assess fitment before the work scope is prepared. Where vehicle structure, electrical systems or other safety functions are involved, the promotion schedule cannot replace technical judgment. Factory warranty and local inspection requirements need separate verification; do not promise performance improvements after installation.
| Delivery Item | Confirm Before Campaign Approval | Key Information for the Customer |
|---|---|---|
| Physical gift | Model, fitment scope and kit contents | Items actually received and how to collect them |
| Installation | Contractor, work location and scope | Whether labor and consumables are included |
| Dealership appointment | Required vehicle condition and booking method | Whether work can be completed on handover day and what happens if it cannot |
| Post-installation checks | Checks required and technical lead | Results that must be confirmed before use |
| Subsequent issue handling | Who handles product issues and installation issues | Service contact and required documentation |
Costs in the table should come from actual supply and installation arrangements. Do not invent expenses that do not arise or hide unverified charges under miscellaneous costs. Before quoting customers, explicitly list what they must pay and check whether the campaign headline is consistent with those conditions.
Small Print Should Answer Questions Before Purchase
Review the material in the customer's reading order. First examine what the headline and main image promise, then whether the conditions sit alongside that promise. Collection restrictions and costs should remain legible on a smaller phone screen. Restrictions known verbally to sales staff cannot be assumed known to customers if they are absent from the advertisement.
Use verified facts for promotions subject to dates or stock availability. Do not reuse an earlier campaign's dates, invent scarcity figures or substitute vague first-come wording for required disclosures. Before changing campaign conditions, distinguish existing customer commitments from arrangements for new inquiries and refer the change to authorized personnel for review.
Ask a colleague who did not design the poster to read it and describe the collection process in their own words. If they understand that the accessory can be used immediately on arrival, but an installation fee is actually payable, rewrite the material. This check identifies communication gaps; it provides no legal exemption.
Assess Replacement Gifts Against the Original Promise
Illustrative example; the contract and actual vehicle govern. An order includes a complimentary luggage accessory whose fitment has been confirmed, but the supplier reports before handover that the original item is unavailable. Retain the original promotional description, verify the purpose and installation conditions of a possible replacement, and explain the differences to the customer. Similar appearance or procurement cost does not establish that the substitute meets the original need.
Customer acceptance, compensation and further performance should be handled under the agreement and applicable local requirements. Changing the name on a collection form does not fulfill the original promise. If the replacement requires installation on the vehicle, obtain fitment and inspection findings again.
At handover, link the gift receipt to the installation record. When a customer later asks about the accessory, staff should be able to find which item was delivered, who installed it and what work was completed, without asking the customer to explain the entire promotion again.
FAQ
Can an accessory be called a gift if installation is charged separately?
Clearly explain the physical item and installation fee, and check whether the advertisement as a whole could suggest that no further expense is needed to use it. Have local compliance personnel review the specific promotional wording.
Must a customer who declines the gift be offered a cash discount?
Do not assume so. Follow the promotion conditions, existing agreements and applicable rules, and clearly describe any changes in a newly negotiated proposal.
Can a similar accessory from another supplier be delivered directly?
Check whether the model, purpose, fitment or service conditions change, then handle substitution against the original promise. A change of supplier does not remove necessary acceptance checks.
What records are needed if gift installation happens after vehicle handover?
Record the items delivered, outstanding work, appointment contact and subsequent acceptance checks separately, so the customer knows what remains unfinished. Do not use equipment before its safety prerequisites are met.
When planning a combined vehicle and accessory purchase, submit the proposed gifts, target model and delivery method through the Starvia contact page or WhatsApp. Confirm the supply scope before developing the dealership promotion.
References: Colombian SIC guidance on promotions and incentives; Starvia vehicle export service description. Information checked on: 2026-09-04.