Marketing | Selling | Differences between Marketing and Selling

MEANING OF MARKETING: In the ordinary sense, marketing and selling are used in the same sense but strictly speaking they are not synonymous, they differ in their meaning. There is a line of demarcation between marketing and selling.

Meaning of Marketing: Marketing includes all activities involved in the production and distribution of goods and services desired by the consumers. Marketing occupies an important place in all business activities. According to modern marketing concept, marketing is essentially consumer oriented and it starts with product idea and ends with customer satisfaction. According to William Stanton “ Marketing is a total system of interacting business activities designed to plan, price, promote and distribute want satisfying products and services to present and potential customers”. Thus the main idea of modern marketing concept is customer-satisfaction.


MEANING OF SELLING: Selling is concerned with the transfer of goods and services to the consumers. It is mainly concerned with the plans to get the customers to exchange his money to goods and services. It is primarily concerned with the seller’s interest.


DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MARKETING AND SELLING: The main difference between marketing and selling lies in their approach. Marketing is basically consumer-oriented. Selling on the other hand is product-oriented.


1. Scope: The scope of the term ‘Marketing’ is much wider than that of the term “selling”. Selling is one of the activities performed in marketing. Marketing includes all activities starting with the idea of producing a commodity in accordance with the needs of the customers and ending with the satisfaction of customers even after selling the commodity. On the other hand selling refers to distribution of products already manufactured by the firm. Selling focuses on sellers needs of converting his goods into cash.

2. Objects of profit: The objects of marketing are to earn profits through satisfaction of customer’s needs and desires. The profitability of a marketing oriented firm mainly depends on production of qualitative products to win the appreciation of consumers. Selling concentrates on earning profit on sale of more quantity of products.

3. Orientation: Marketing is consumer oriented and therefore it includes pre-production and post sale activities. Selling is basically production oriented and concentrates much on production.

4. Emphasis: Emphasis is given on product planning and development to match products with markets. It emphasizes as introducing new technology. Whereas in selling, emphasis is placed on sale of goods already produced. It emphasizes on reducing cost of production with a view to maximize profits.

5. Principle: In marketing the principle of caveat vendor (let the seller beware) is followed, whereas in selling the principle of 
caveat emptor (let buyer beware) is followed.

6. Importance: The consumer occupies the prime of place in marketing process. He is given supreme importance by treating customer as a king. Product occupies pride of place in selling i.e. product enjoys supreme importance.