Would stating the actual effective range hurt sales?
And what would that be, in your opinion?
Given there are so many variables involved, it would be impossible to give an "effective range" that would apply universally.
Location of transmitting radio
Location of receiving radio
Local noise floor.
Nearby transmitters that may desense the receiver.
Co-channel users.
Variations in users body size and absorption of RF energy
Variations in the way the user holds the radio.
Battery voltage.
Variations in component tolerances.
Variations in topology between radios.
Variations of building materials if used within a building.
Variations in vehicle designs if used in a vehicle.
Age of radio
Variations in alignment.
Atmospheric conditions.
How tall the users are.
I think the "up to" claims work well, and kudos to Uniden for giving a pictorial explanation.
It's the buyers responsibility to understand what they are buying, just like it's the buyers responsibility to understand and follow the FCC Part 95 and Part 15 rules while using the radio.