Marketers want your money

More and more corporations are using unethical tactics to increase profit. Many are using marketing trickery on a regular basis, and often along with their competitors. The deceptive marketing includes misleading ads, false labelling, tricky wording, small print, hidden charges, planned over-consumption, and so on. It is a great waste of time and money to all who buy products that are not as they are presented.

There seems to be too much that is unethical and in poor taste in marketing today. I have to wonder if many of these practices are taught in some business administration courses. Even some of the larger corporations openly use misrepresentation in their promotion, with no care that we might think badly of them. 'We aren't breaking any laws', or ' we strictly conform to guidelines set out by our association', are typical responses. To those retailing in an ethical manner, thanks, but it's too bad that some are ruining the reputation of many. Perhaps you should do something for your own reputations yourselves.

If marketing ethics are deteriorating, why? One reason is probably the saturation of markets and that the consumer needs stronger persuasion. Selling is much more competitive in this environment. If creative slight-of-hand ideas in advertising and marketing are used by others to increase profit, what is a corporation supposed to do? To keep dealing straight with consumers may cause the company to lose market share, resulting in less profit. It may feel pressured to join the con game or get left behind.
Then there is the passive consumer. By not complaining we tell the corporation that it's OK. We just don't seem to care and even go back for more!

Things will work out OK because there are so many things we can do in our democratic society, we just have to do them. Unless we complain or take our business elsewhere when we feel cheated, we will only promote unethical practices in retailing.