Which of the following items is considered a triggering term in an advertisement for an installment sale?

In the context of advertising for installment sales, triggering terms are specific phrases or details that indicate the nature of the credit being offered and can prompt additional disclosures by the advertiser. "The number of payments or the contract term" qualifies as a triggering term because it discloses specific financial information about the installment agreement. When an advertisement mentions how many payments a consumer must make or the duration of the contract, it implies that there is a credit agreement involved, which necessitates the incorporation of more detailed information about the terms of that credit, including the annual percentage rate (APR), total cost of credit, and other pertinent details.

Although the other options may be important pieces of information related to the sale, they do not fulfill the function of triggering terms in the context of advertising regulations. The total price of the product is important but does not indicate the structure of repayment. The location of the dealership and the color of the vehicle are relevant to the sale but do not directly relate to the financial agreement or terms of sale. Therefore, the mention of the number of payments or the contract term effectively signals to consumers that additional disclosures are required, making it a triggering term in an advertisement for an installment sale.