BCSLEB1 C and D

1
BCS-LEB-1 (C and D)

• Assesses ethical considerations affecting
  consumers such as false advertising and
  shoplifting.
• D. Examines the role of social responsibility in
  business.

2
Ethics and Consumers

• Shoplifting
• and
• False Advertising

3
Shoplifting

• Theft by Shoplifting occurs when you take
  merchandise from a retail establishment through
  various means. These means include
• Concealment
• altering or swapping price tags
• transfer from one container to another .

4
Shoplifting Statistics

• There are an estimated 27 millions shoplifters in
  America (1 out of 11)
• Retailers lose 35 million a daythats 13
  billion per year.
• Average customers spend 300 per year to
  subsidize shoplifting.
• Teen shoplifting accounts for approximately fifty
  percent of all shoplifting cases in the United
  States.

5
Punishment for Shoplifting

• Every state has created their own laws which
  govern the consequences of shoplifting.
• Most states punish shoplifters depending on the
  value of the goods stolen and/or if the person
  has shoplifted in the past.

6
GA Laws for Shoplifting

• Shoplifting is a misdemeanor when the value of
  the merchandise is 300.00 or less
• Misdemeanor--less serious than a felony - which
  is punishable by fine or imprisonment in a city
  or county jail rather than in a penitentiary.
• Other Misdemeanor punishment
• Community Service
• Loss of Right to Possess a Firearm
• Precluded From Certain Job Opportunities
• Loss of Driving Privileges
• Suspension Of License Plate
• Publication of Your Photo in the Newspaper

7
GA Laws for Shoplifting

• Felony shoplifting is a 1-10 year offense.
• If convicted of a fourth shoplifting offense,
  that is also a felony for which you must do at
  least one year in jail.

8
The Stores Responsibility

• Suspect must pass the cash register or exit the
  store before being questioned.
• Dont make direct accusations.
• Know state laws concerning apprehension and
  prosecution.
• You must prove
• You saw the person take the merchandise
• The merchandise came from your store
• The suspect left without paying
• Do not jeopardize safety when trying to hold a
  suspect. It is better to let them get away and
  then pass along a good description of the suspect
  to the police
• You can be sued for false imprisonment or arrest

9
False Advertising

• the use of false or misleading statements in
  advertising

10
False Advertising

• What does the old saying Let the buyer beware
  mean?

11
Facts about False Advertising

• Advertising is regulated by the authority of the
  Federal Trade Commission, a United States
  administrative agency.
• The FTCs goal is prevention rather than
  punishment.
• There are no fines or prison time except when
  advertisers refuse to stop

12
Types of False Advertising

• Rebates
• A sale price is listed and the rebate information
  is in fine print.
• Inflated Price Comparison
• Inflating the regular price and then marking the
  item down
• Introductory Offers
• Price increase after introductory offer expires
  with no prior notice.
• Misrepresentation
• Saying the item is of a caliber that it is not
• Advertising the Maximum
• Using the word up to legally protects the
  advertiser
• Fillers
• Adding weight to products sold on a per weight
  basis

13
Social Responsibility of Businesses

• Do businesses have a social responsibility?
• To whom do you think businesses are responsible?
• People (customers)
• Schools and colleges (future employees)
• Environment
• The poor
• Community growth