A “free gift worth €65” sounds as though a retailer is giving up €65 on every qualifying order. That is rarely how the economics of fashion jewellery work. The figure usually represents an advertised retail price—not what the shop paid for the product or what it costs to add one more piece to a parcel.
The short answer: Franco Bene’s gift could genuinely be listed for around €65 while costing the company far less. Comparable mass-produced stainless-steel necklaces are offered wholesale for low single-digit sums. However, without Franco Bene’s supplier invoices, nobody can responsibly state its exact cost or prove that a marketplace listing comes from the same manufacturer.
What does “worth €65” actually mean?
Three different figures are easily confused in gift-with-purchase promotions:
- Retail or advertised value: The price assigned to the gift when offered separately to consumers.
- Landed product cost: The wholesale price plus freight, duties, quality control and other costs required to get the item into stock.
- Total retail cost: The landed cost plus packaging, warehousing, payment processing, customer service, returns, advertising, taxes and business overheads.
When a company advertises a “gift worth €65”, it is normally referring to the first figure. It is not claiming that it paid €65 for the item.
What Franco Bene sells for roughly €65
As checked on 8 September 2026, Franco Bene listed its zircon-covered teddy-bear pendant necklace for CZK 1,590, roughly €65 depending on the exchange rate. The pendant measures approximately 1 by 1.3 centimetres, while the adjustable chain is 42 to 47 centimetres long. The product is described as surgical-steel jewellery rather than solid silver or gold. ([francobene.cz](https://www.francobene.cz/nahrdelnik-s-priveskem-stribrneho-medvidka/?utm_source=openai))
Franco Bene says its jewellery is made primarily from surgical steel, with gold-coloured versions plated in 18-karat gold. “18-karat gold plated” does not mean that the whole necklace is made from 18-karat gold: it describes a surface coating applied over the steel base. ([francobene.cz](https://www.francobene.cz/material/?utm_source=openai))
That distinction matters because a small, mass-produced steel pendant has a fundamentally different material value from a solid-gold necklace. Its retail price may still include design selection, presentation, branding and service, but relatively little of the price is likely to represent precious metal.
Could the jewellery itself cost only a few euros?
Yes, that is plausible—but it is not proven for Franco Bene’s specific products.
Current Alibaba listings for broadly comparable stainless-steel bear necklaces include advertised wholesale prices from about $0.65 to $3.59 per piece, depending on the design, order quantity and supplier. A Made-in-China listing for an 18-karat gold-plated stainless-steel teddy-bear necklace quotes $2.30 for 80 to 99 pieces and $2 for orders of at least 100. ([alibaba.com](https://www.alibaba.com/wholesale/stainless-steel-bear-necklaces.html?utm_source=openai))
These examples demonstrate the economics of this product category, not Franco Bene’s supply chain. Similar appearance does not establish that two necklaces are identical, come from the same factory or meet the same specifications. Published marketplace prices may also exclude shipping, import costs, custom packaging, rejected stock and testing.
It would therefore be reasonable to conclude that the physical gift could have a landed cost in the low single digits. It would not be reasonable to claim, without internal records, that Franco Bene definitely pays €1—or any other exact amount—for it.
Why retailers can afford apparently expensive gifts
Gift promotions rely on the gap between the customer’s perceived value and the retailer’s incremental cost.
Imagine that a shopper is considering an €80 order. Adding a product that normally carries a €65 retail price can make the offer feel exceptionally generous. If the retailer’s actual additional product and fulfilment cost is only a few euros, the gift may encourage a much larger purchase without eliminating the profit on the transaction.
This is also why buy-one-get-one-free offers are common in fashion, cosmetics, accessories and other categories with a substantial difference between unit cost and retail price. Franco Bene has run 1+1 promotions, and its current terms explicitly address “1+1 free”, “2+1 free” and similar multi-item offers. ([francobene.cz](https://www.francobene.cz/obchodni-podminky/?utm_source=openai))
Does a large markup make the offer a scam?
No. A large difference between wholesale and retail prices is not automatically deceptive.
Customers do not normally buy goods at the retailer’s factory cost. The selling price must support photography, website operations, packaging, staff, rent, marketing, payment fees, damaged stock, customer returns, tax and profit. It may also reflect what customers are willing to pay for the brand and shopping experience.
The more relevant question is whether the stated €65 value reflects a genuine selling price. A reference value becomes less meaningful if the product is nearly always discounted, routinely included in multi-buy promotions or rarely purchased separately at the headline price.
When can a “free gift” claim become misleading?
Rules vary between countries, but the central principle is broadly consistent: promotional claims should give consumers an accurate impression of the benefit.
In the EU, misleading claims about prices or the existence of a specific price advantage can fall under unfair-commercial-practices rules. A 2026 European Commission sweep found that, among checked traders using price comparisons, 60% did not clearly explain the source of their reference prices. The separate 30-day reference-price requirement applies when retailers announce price reductions. ([commission.europa.eu](https://commission.europa.eu/news-and-media/news/eu-check-reveals-misleading-sales-practices-online-2026-03-26_en?utm_source=openai))
UK advertising guidance says a conditional gift may be called free when it is genuinely additional, the qualifying purchase is made clear and the price of the paid product has not been increased to fund the offer. The guidance also treats “gift” as potentially synonymous with “free” in this context. ([asa.org.uk](https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/use-of-free.html?utm_source=openai))
In the US, Federal Trade Commission guidance similarly says that the regular price of the required purchase should not be increased and that important conditions must be disclosed clearly and conspicuously. ([search.ftc.gov](https://search.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/advertising-faqs-guide-small-business?utm_source=openai))
None of this means that a gift must cost the retailer €65. The issue is whether the advertised value and conditions are presented honestly, not whether the seller obtained the item cheaply.
How to decide whether the promotion is worthwhile
Do not try to calculate the retailer’s profit from the headline value alone. Ask questions that affect what the offer is worth to you:
- Would you place the order without the gift? If not, the promotion may be encouraging unnecessary spending rather than saving you money.
- Is the exact gift normally sold separately? Check its usual transaction price, not only the crossed-out or suggested value.
- What is it made from? Stainless steel, gold plating and cubic zirconia can make attractive jewellery, but they should not be confused with solid precious metals or valuable gemstones.
- Would you have paid €65 for it? A product’s value to you may be considerably lower than its catalogue price.
- What happens if you return the order? Franco Bene says that customers returning every purchased item must also return the gift. Its terms allow promotional benefits to be recalculated when a partial return means the original conditions are no longer met. ([francobene.cz](https://www.francobene.cz/obchodni-podminky/?utm_source=openai))
- Are you comfortable with the paid items’ prices? The gift should not distract from comparing the products you are actually buying with alternatives elsewhere.
The realistic verdict
A Franco Bene gift advertised as being worth €65 should not be interpreted as the company handing you €65 or sacrificing €65 of profit. It means the retailer assigns the item a retail value of approximately that amount.
Comparable wholesale jewellery indicates that the physical product may cost only a few euros before the retailer’s broader expenses. The exact figure remains unknown, and a low wholesale cost does not by itself make the promotion dishonest.
The best approach is to treat the gift as a bonus whose value depends on whether you genuinely want it. Judge the purchase by the quality, materials and price of the items you are paying for—not by the largest number on the promotional banner.
Sources
- https://www.francobene.cz/darky/
- https://www.francobene.cz/voucher1000/
- https://www.francowineimport.com/products/franco-wine-import-gift-card
- https://www.francobene.cz/novinky-a-akce/
- https://offerup.com/item/detail/5b27c035-24b7-39d3-ad2a-dc2ecd37ac73
- https://www.francobene.cz/darky-podle-ceny/
- https://www.francobene.cz/novinky/
- https://www.francobene.cz/akce/
- https://www.susannekaufmann.com/collections/gifts-under-65
- https://heartsforpeace.org/gift-shop
- https://www.francobene.cz/kolekce/
- https://www.franco.it/en/g/Ballerina?Page=1
- https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-CRECB-1943-pt7/pdf/GPO-CRECB-1943-pt7-13.pdf
- https://media.api.sf.gov/documents/Appendix_A_-_01.22.25_FAMSF_Draft_Minutes.pdf
- https://era.ed.ac.uk/server/api/core/bitstreams/8823b3d8-6c7d-4449-89db-3839044f2d97/content
- https://arsmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ARS_48.pdf
- https://media.api.sf.gov/documents/Appendix_B_-_2025.01.22_Acquisitions_Committee_Report_and_Year_End_Gifts.pdf
- Franco Bene – Terms and conditions — https://www.francobene.cz/obchodni-podminky/
- Franco Bene – Returns and exchanges — https://www.francobene.cz/reklamace/
- Franco Bene – Jewellery materials — https://www.francobene.cz/material/
Robert
I’m interested in technology and history, especially true crime stories. For three years I ran a fact-based portal about modern history, and for a year I co-built a blogging platform where I published dozens of analytical articles. I founded offpitch so that quality content wouldn’t be hidden behind a paywall.
