EFFECTS OF UNETHICAL MARKETING PRACTICES ON CONSUMER PURCHASES
Authors:
Sunday Ewah PhD
Abstract:
The research topic was based on unethical marketing practices on consumer purchases, and the empirical data were derived from 246 customers/respondents who patronized the three different filling stations. Texaco, Nacott, and Conoil in the research area using the specific objectives to ascertain if really marketers were involved in unethical marketing practices that provoke and add to customer’s dissatisfaction. The major findings of the research study showed that marketers (Fuel pump attendants) were seriously involved in compromising the volume or contents of fuel sold to customers, deceit and often pump air as fuel to unsuspected customers. When the only hypothesis that was formulated for the study was tested using chi-square (x^2) statistical tool, it confirmed the earlier findings to be positive i.e. H1 was accepted and Ho rejected. The findings are in line or agreement with the work of earlier scholars like Kotler and Keller (2009), Siham (2013) and Jones, et. al (1998) who all discussed the ills of unethical marketing practices in totality. In conclusion, it was recommended that fuel attendants should be a call to order, punish offenders, government agencies responsible for instilling control measures must -sit up to do their job and code of ethics in marketing must be encouraged in all the fuel selling centres or stations.