ethical issues in sales and marketing

Marketing researcher should collect accurate information and report to the research organization & client without any bias. Consumers will be treated fairly, depending on who the consumer is and what the product is. Simply put, ethics means principle or values by which marketing ought to be conducted in the market place. Unfortunately, the drive to sell or pressure from management to increase sales volume often leads salespeople to use unethical sales techniques to bolster short-term numbers. Because companies that sell diet pills exaggerate their claims and manipulate customers into buying them. Everyone, at some time or the other, must surely have been sold a product that he or she did not need. Typically, a sale is a sale when the product is delivered and accepted by the buyer. There are at least seven identifiable types of unethical advertising and, just like the seven deadly sins, they rear their ugly heads everywhere you look: In certain jurisdictions, the law prohibits the open advertising of such things as alcohol or cigarettes. It’s best, from an ethics standpoint, if someone besides the sales team collects and reports on these metrics. Marketers will comply with standards and regulations set by professional organizations and the government. While their business model might make you angry, however, it’s not illegal and so they continue to sell. We make sure our customers' purchasing decisions are base… To put this another way, ethical marketing isn’t a strategy; it’s a philosophy. First, an ethical ad should be factually truthful. For example, the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) determines when a sale is a sale. Logically also when there are huge number of transactions involved, a certain code or guiding principles are required to ensure that operations and industry competitiveness is fair and beneficial to the end user. Roughly 9% of the U.S. work force is involved in sales of one sort or another. 2. We are explaining these points in simple English. This field examines ways that large corporations are responsible to their communities and to the environment in ways that don't fall within the dictates of a free-market profit system. They do it by finding roundabout ways to remind customers that these products exist without referring to them directly. These companies have embraced ethical marketing not as a cheap gimmick they can exploit to drive sales, but as a core part of their mission and values as organizations. Marketing receives much criticism. What Are the Ethical Decisions That Impact Any Organization? Consumer privacy will be respected and upheld at all times. Besides, it … Your code of ethics might simply be a statement of principles defining the way you operate, make decisions and treat your customers, suppliers and industry peers. In sales, several laws apply that also apply in other areas of marketing but are more prominent in sales. It influences many aspects of our life and especially in developing perceptions in the minds of people and creating identities, classes and sections in the society. 3. Time and again, the research and data proves that if you structure your sales team around ethical sales practices, your company, its brand reputation, and your sales are positively impacted. When you do it in a thoughtful way, you can save a lot of money by doing ethical advertising. Parties involved in marketing transactions have a set of expectations about how the business relationships will take shape and how various transactions need to be conducted. Market Research. Management Study Guide: Ethics in Sales and Marketing, WordStream: Ethical Marketing: 5 Examples of Companies with a Conscience, San Diego State University: Ethical/Legal Framework in Marketing, Examples of Questionable Marketing Ethics. Ethical sales and marketing, or simply ethical marketing practices, isn’t really a marketing strategy.It’s more a school of thought that guides marketing efforts. Ethics is quite often neither black nor white but a sea of varying shades of gray. Creating false scarcity to bolster sales. Women on Writing. For example, the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) determines when a sale is a sale. It is possible to be profitable without being unethical. Ethical marketing, on the other hand, is always the wisest route to success. Pharmaceutical reps would arrange “educational” events in … However, there can also be some problems that arise from trying to employ an ethical marketing strategy. principles of ethical practices of marketing research. She's been published in several business publications, including The Employment Times, Web Hosting Sun and WOW! Unethical marketing activities, in contrast, can destroy your business’s reputation and possibly lead to legal troubles. Ethical sales … In sales, several laws apply that also apply in other areas of marketing but are more prominent in sales. First the Legal issues in Sales, these are as following: (i) Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (ii) Misleading emails by telemarketer (IT Act, 2008) (iii) Bribes (Contract Act, 1872 & Sale of Goods Act, 1930) (iv) Price discrimination (v) Price Fixing Now the ethical issues in sales, or ethics in #Sales_Management , these are as follows: 1. Every type of company can do ethical marketing if it so chooses to. Marketing ethics is in its budding stage only considering that it came into being only in late 1990s. In order to set yourself apart as a company that practices ethical sales and marketing, you have to make sure every aspect of your company is ethical, from the way you source your materials to the way you treat your workers to the way you advertise. Take the case of diet pills, for example many people buy them, even though they are hardly ever effective. What it does do, though, is put your company’s viability at risk. Posted on November 7, 2013. They apply ethics in functional areas of business. There is competition for resources, customers and price etc, which breeds ground for activities that may not get ethical sanctions. Such clash leads to malpractices like hoarding, price competitions, brand wars and use of unfair tactics, which is precisely where marketing ethics come into play. A certain code of conduct, policies and practices called ethics are required to manage markets and marketing. 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