Sales and ethics

Introduction Ethics refers to the ability to distinguish what is morally right and wrong and according to those moral principles. Ethics in sales encompasses the moral values and principles that guides the actions of the sale people, the marketing manager or the marketing function in making a marketing or sales decision when faced with a moral dilemma. Some of the moral dilemmas in sales include stereotyping, invasion of individual privacy, targeting the vulnerable population such as the children, non-disclosure of defects in the goods, price wars, predatory pricing, price discrimination, sex in advertisements, and selective marketing (Pride and Ferrell 104).
Ethics in sales entail earning the trust of customers through disclosing all information pertaining to the goods and services. The trust should be based on honesty, commitment and credibility of the product information. Some of the unethical sales advertisements or promotions include wild claims that are misleading or unsubstantiated claims on the product suitability and benefits to the consumer (Pride and Ferrell 105). Ethics in sales require marketers to disclose the safety of the product information, the reasons for change in the ingredients, the additional benefits of the product and reasons for price differentiation (Pride and Ferrell 105).
The sales person should ensure products are distributed in channels that offer maximum customer value and reduce the price of the goods. The marketer should provide channels that customers can use to make complaints on defective products and mechanisms of dealing with customer dissatisfaction (Pride and Ferrell 106). The marketers should also promote practices that safeguard the customer right to choice, and that are compliant to existing legal framework such as the duty to safeguard customer confidentiality and privacy of information. The economic price should reflect the beneficial use of the product and the costs of producing and offering the product for sale (Pride and Ferrell 106).
Conclusion
Ethics comprise of the values that guide an individual in differentiating what is wrong or right. Ethics in sales requires marketers to desist from engaging in activities that are morally wrong and that may cause harm to the consumer such as misleading advertising, and unfair pricing. The marketers should also comply with the legal framework on consumer confidentiality and privacy and ensures that customers attain value for their use of the product or service.
Works cited
Pride, William and Ferrell, O. C. Marketing. Mason: South-Western Cengage Learning. 2012.