The word ethics is derived from the Greek word

Ethikos which means custom or character.

Our concern for good behaviour. We feel an
obligation to consider not only our own personal
well being but also that of others.
Albert Schweitzer


Marketing consist of the performance of
business activities that direct the flow of goods
and services from producer to consumer.
A number of distinct function is coming under
this broad characterization which include:
1) Product Development
2) Distribution
3) Pricing
4) Promotion
5) Sales
Marketing is a societal process by which
individuals and groups obtain what they
need and want through creating, offering
and freely exchanging products and services
of value with others
Philip Kotler

Marketing ethics addresses principles and standards that define
acceptable conduct in the market place. Marketing usually occurs
in the context of an organization, and unethical activities usually
develop from the pressure to meet performance objectives. Some
obvious ethical issues in marketing involves clear cut attempts to
deceive or take advantage of a situation
The law and regulations are generally designed to
protect the consumer from unethical practices by
businesses
These law and regulations recognizes that consumers
have certain basic rights in the market place
Each marketer must relay on his/her own value system
to determine what is and is not ethical

AMA has established a codes of ethics to provide
guidelines for ethical conduct. It says, in part, that,
Marketers shall uphold and advance the integrity,
honour and dignity of the marketing profession, by
being honest in serving consumers, clients, employees,
suppliers, distributors, and the public.
Honesty: to be truthful and forthright in our dealings with customers
and stakeholders.

Responsibility: to accept the consequences of our marketing
decisions and strategies.

Fairness: to try to balance justly the needs of the buyer with the
interests of the seller.

Respect: to acknowledge the basic human dignity of all stakeholders.


Openness: to create transparency in our
marketing operations.
Citizenship: to fulfill the economic, legal
and societal responsibilities that serve
stakeholders in a strategic manner.
I. CRITICISM OF THE FORMER :
Promotion of morally bad values such as the
excessive consumption of private rather than public
goods and services comes under this.
II. CRITICISM OF SPECIFIC PRACTICES :
These are frequently based on assumptions drawn
from system level critiques. The criticism are:
Advertisement : that gives false information,
penetrating to wrong values. Eg: Indulekha
Personal selling : the ethics of the relationship of
sales people to customer
Packaging and labelling practices :
irregularities of package size and shape
ecological issues
Pricing practices
Provision of intelligible labelling information
Most advertisements are socially responsible
Some advertisements are willfully misinformed the public
Deceptive Advertising: Advertising that give false info:
Corrective Advertising: company publicly correct a false
impression created by past advertising

False and misleading presentation of facts.
Deliberate omitting of required information.
Implying a benefit that hardly exists.
Trade puffing and exaggerations
Open criticism of competitors.

:
Deceptive Pricing: Where a salesperson tries to
influence lure customers into a store. Thereafter, a
salesperson tries to influence to buy a higher-priced
item.
Unfair Pricing: When competitors are driven out by
low prices the company raises price back to their
former level.

Price Discrimination: It can be unethical if similar
buyers are charged different prices for the same based
on their ability to pay.
Price fixing: It is an agreement among firms in an
industry to set up prices at certain levels.