You Should Buy The Men's Version Of Almost Everything

[orangeblossom]

Mentions some @ products


www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/12/22/women-really-do-pay-more-for-razors-and-almost-everything-else/


Radio Flyer sells a red scooter for boys and a pink scooter for girls. Both feature plastic handlebars, three wheels and a foot brake. Both weigh about five pounds.



The only significant difference is the price, a new report reveals. Target listed one for $24.99 and the other for $49.99.





The scooters' price gap isn't an anomaly. The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs compared nearly 800 products with female and male versions — meaning they were practically identical except for the gender-specific packaging — and uncovered a persistent surcharge for one of the sexes. Controlling for quality, items marketed to girls and women cost an average 7 percent more than similar products aimed at boys and men.



DCA Commissioner Julie Menin, who launched the investigation this summer, said the numbers show an insidious form of gender discrimination. Compounding the injustice, she said, is the wage gap. Federal data shows women in the United States earn about 79 cents for every dollar paid to men.



“It’s a double whammy,” Menin said, “and it’s not just happening in New York. You see in the aisles the issue is clearly applicable to consumers across the country.”



[What a creepy Bloomingdale’s ad tells us about America’s understanding of rape]



A Target spokesperson said the company lowered the price of the pink scooter after the report was released Friday, calling the discrepancy a "system error." (The retailer blamed the same kind of glitch last year after catching heat for selling black Barbies at more than double the price of white Barbies.)



When asked about the price differences of other gendered toys — like the Raskullz shark helmet ($14.99) and the Raskullz unicorn helmet ($27.99) or the Playmobil pirate ship ($24.99) and the Playmobil fairy queen ship ($37.99) — the representative pointed to a company statement, declining to elaborate: "Our competitive shop process ensures that we are competitively priced in local markets. A difference in price can be related to production costs or other factors."



Researchers for the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs pored over toys, children’s clothing, adult apparel, personal care products and home goods sold in the city. The largest price discrepancy emerged in the hair care category: Women, on average, paid 48 percent more for goods like shampoo, conditioner and gel. Razor cartridges came in second place, costing female shoppers 11 percent more.






Walgreens, for example, peddled a blue box of Schick Hydro 5 cartridges for $14.99. The Schick Hydro “Silk,” its purple sibling, was priced at $18.49.





Courtesy of the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs

Across the New York sample, women’s products carried higher price tags 42 percent of the time, while men’s products cost more 18 percent of the time.





Boosting prices according to who's buying is nothing new. Hairdressers often charge women more. Nightclubs sometimes demand more cash from men for admission.



Price discrimination on the whole tends to be worse for women, though. A 1994 report from the State of California found they pay an annual “gender tax” of $1,351 for the same services rendered to men.



Women spend an average of 25 percent more on haircuts (that require the same amount of labor as a men’s style) and 27 percent more for the laundering of a white cotton shirt, a 2002 DCA study showed.



Another analysis from the University of Central Florida found women’s deodorants typically cost 30 cents more than the same product for men. Wrote the authors,“The only discernible difference was scent.”



The pricing differences extend beyond basic services and goods. Until courts knocked the practice down, insurance companies in Europe charged women more because women live longer. Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies in the United States cannot factor gender into cost.



New York City law has banned gender discrimination the pricing of services since 1998. Businesses cannot legally charge more for haircuts or dry cleaning, for example, based on the patron’s sex. They must instead offer gender-neutral rates by labor intensity.





That doesn’t mean local companies always follow the rules. DCA inspectors issued 129 violations for gender pricing of services this year, compared to 118 in 2014.



California and Florida's Miami-Dade County also prohibit selling the same services to men and women at different prices. No federal law, though, requires businesses to set gender-equal prices on products. New York City’s report was released to heighten consumer awareness, Menin said, and to publicly shame companies with glaring disparities.



Of the 24 retailers in the New York City report, the worst gender pricing disparity surfaced at Club Monaco, where women’s clothing cost an average of 28.9 percent more than men’s clothing, according to an independent analysis by economist Ian Ayres. Urban Outfitters trailed with a 24.6 percent gender premium, followed by Levis with 24.3 percent.



The retailers did not respond to the Post's request for comment.



In 1991, Ayres, a professor at Yale Law School, sent men and women to car dealerships across the Chicago area. He learned white women were charged 40 percent more than white men, supporting the stereotype that dealers assume women knew less about car values.



Gender equality has improved considerably since Ayres’s paper was published — so why do blatant price disparities persist today? “One contributing factor is profitability,” he said. “You’re pulling an extra dollar out of a certain group of consumers.”



Companies might be exploiting the idea that female shoppers are willing to spend more money than their male counterparts, he said.



Of course, a woman’s sweater might be crafted with nicer fabrics. A man’s sweater might be stitched with cheaper polyester. But that often isn't the case. Frequently, the only difference between two products is color.



“Those prices aren’t being driven by costs,” Ayres said, “but just because you take advantage of certain groups but not others.”





Ravi Dhar, director of the Center for Customer Insights at the Yale School of Management, said how we perceive “women’s” products could help explain why gender markups persist in the marketplace.

“Many men's products are not seen as men's products,” he said. “They might just be seen as products in the category.”



Which makes the “pink” version a specialty product, he said. "His" and "hers" items likely stemmed from a retailer's embrace of gender stereotypes, but our appetites for personally tailored goods could have kept the distinction alive.



“People see a greater fit between the product and their tastes," Dhar said, "and may be willing to pay more."

[cattledogkisses]

H uses my razors. Apparently we're doing this wrong.

[laurenpetro]

I give shampoo/conditioner a pass. My hair needs a lot more love than the shit H dumps in his hair can provide

[cattledogkisses]

Dec 22, 2015 12:03:20 GMT -5 laurenpetro said:

I give shampoo/conditioner a pass. My hair needs a lot more love than the shit H dumps in his hair can provide

Yes.  I don't expect the cost of maintaining my almost waist-length hair vs. H's short hair to be equivalent.

[marriedfilingjoint]

I brought a boy car shopping with me in college. He told me he didn't know anything about cars. I told him "good, just don't talk." I just needed someone with a penis present so that I would be taken seriously. They still tried to get me to pay $17k for a used Chevy Cobalt with unilateral body damage.

[Deleted]

I use men's razors & deodorant (Old Spice Fiji is awesome).

[sfy]

Fine, I'm the target sucker. I just like everything to look pretty. My husband and I don't even share a closet and we have a strict divide on the vanity. I don't like looking at men's stuff lol.

[marriedfilingjoint]

I noticed a few times while Christmas shopping that a gender-neutral toy would be on lightning deal on Amazon but the pink version wouldn't be. Luckily my daughter doesn't operate her toys with her genitalia so we're good with the primary color Duplos and the brown Lincoln Logs.

That's a lie, if she knew there was a pink version and I didn't buy it, she'd be pissed. But I will not be pink taxed, damnit.

[maddysmum]

Dec 22, 2015 12:26:51 GMT -5 mryrcn said:

Dec 22, 2015 12:16:17 GMT -5 marriedfilingjoint said:

I brought a boy car shopping with me in college. He told me he didn't know anything about cars. I told him "good, just don't talk." I just needed someone with a penis present so that I would be taken seriously. They still tried to get me to pay $17k for a used Chevy Cobalt with unilateral body damage.

I once broke out an NADA book to show a salesman why a used car was priced too high. I guess he didn't expect me to carry one around in my purse in 1994.

Not that I think it's right, but since apparently, car shopping is going to the last last bastion of the Old Boys Club no matter how things change in the rest of the world, damned if I'm not using it to my advantage. 

As soon as that salesperson starts telling my husband about the engine and me about the pretty colours and how much room there is for car seats, I know I'm getting a good deal. I mean, we sit down, he looks at my husband to negotiate (because why would I worry my pretty little about numbers?) and my husband sits back, crosses his arms and tosses it on over to me, I know we're going to come out on top. It just throws off the whole game. 

We've done really well on a few vehicles because of those ingrained gender stereotypes and their complete inability to work outside of them.  

[marriedfilingjoint]

Dec 22, 2015 13:29:20 GMT -5 maddysmum said:

Dec 22, 2015 12:26:51 GMT -5 mryrcn said:

I once broke out an NADA book to show a salesman why a used car was priced too high. I guess he didn't expect me to carry one around in my purse in 1994.

Not that I think it's right, but since apparently, car shopping is going to the last last bastion of the Old Boys Club no matter how things change in the rest of the world, damned if I'm not using it to my advantage. 

As soon as that salesperson starts telling my husband about the engine and me about the pretty colours and how much room there is for car seats, I know I'm getting a good deal. I mean, we sit down, he looks at my husband to negotiate (because why would I worry my pretty little about numbers?) and my husband sits back, crosses his arms and tosses it on over to me, I know we're going to come out on top. It just throws off the whole game. 

We've done really well on a few vehicles because of those ingrained gender stereotypes and their complete inability to work outside of them.  

I bought my last 2 cars through AAA car buying service. I called, told them what I wanted, trim level, and what colors I liked, and a MAN called a bunch of dealerships and negotiated the price down for me and delivered the car to my house. Am I doing it wrong? :-P

[marriedfilingjoint]

Wait, so is there a premium on "chick cars"?

[StrawberryBlondie]

My husband is convinced that women's clothing is cheap compared to men's. He can't get it through his head that because he's a giant, he can never find clothes on sale or clearance, and that's why he pays more.

[maddysmum]

Dec 22, 2015 13:32:39 GMT -5 marriedfilingjoint said:

Dec 22, 2015 13:29:20 GMT -5 maddysmum said:

Not that I think it's right, but since apparently, car shopping is going to the last last bastion of the Old Boys Club no matter how things change in the rest of the world, damned if I'm not using it to my advantage. 

As soon as that salesperson starts telling my husband about the engine and me about the pretty colours and how much room there is for car seats, I know I'm getting a good deal. I mean, we sit down, he looks at my husband to negotiate (because why would I worry my pretty little about numbers?) and my husband sits back, crosses his arms and tosses it on over to me, I know we're going to come out on top. It just throws off the whole game. 

We've done really well on a few vehicles because of those ingrained gender stereotypes and their complete inability to work outside of them.  

I bought my last 2 cars through AAA car buying service. I called, told them what I wanted, trim level, and what colors I liked, and a MAN called a bunch of dealerships and negotiated the price down for me and delivered the car to my house. Am I doing it wrong? :-P

That would be awesome. 

We bought one of our last through a broker which was the way I would ALWAYS do it if we could find one here. Like ordering a pizza for delivery! 

The CAA equivalent here is basically just a skeevy car lot. Like, the "NO CREDIT REFUSED" with the kid in the ill-fitting suit trying to sell you a dirty minivan. We're too small a center to have many options, so we're stuck with regular car lots.

But yeah, I've found it a shockingly weird experience. I suppose I'm naive about this sort of thing and assume we're well past it, but almost every time we buy a car, I get the "little lady" treatment and my husband gets the straight talk. The last car we bought, we actually bought in part because there was none of that from anyone in the entire place. Independent lot, they had the car I wanted and it was an entirely gender neutral experience. No assumptions about who would negotiate on price, no selling me on the pretty colours and him on...the car itself. It was fantastic and it really emphasized that, many times in the past, I was sold a car very, very differently than my husband was.

[WOT?*]

Dec 22, 2015 13:34:17 GMT -5 marriedfilingjoint said:

Yes. A car salesman tried selling me a car because it matched my eyes and I'd look good in it. Then he tried selling me a sedan that had obviously been in an accident; he opened the trunk and I could still smell the fresh paint.

I brought the penis I am currently married to with me when I bought my first car post-divorce. I came in, said "I want to look at this, this or this. Nothing else." He tried showing me stuff that was NOT what I'd asked to see, not even close size or description-wise. My guess is they were all "spiff" cars (they get a premium to sell them and get them off the lot.) When I asked if they had any of what I had described and gotten a "look at this Buick!" in response, we got up to leave and were then told "let's look at the OTHER lot we didn't tell you about." So we got in the car, drove down the road and found three that fit my description, and one of the three I decided to purchase. When we went back to the sales office, every attempt to negotiate was directed to the penis, who looked at them and said "It's her car. Talk to her." I did personal injury at the time and had our NADA book with me so I knew exactly how much I was willing to pay. I got it for $100 above my original bid. There was this ridiculous passing-paper-back-and-forth between us. "Hey, it's $7900 but we'll give it to you for $6995. What a great deal we're giving you!" "I'll pay $6400." "$6750" "$6400" "But this is a negotiation! We're negotiating here!" "I'll buy the car for $6,400." "You don't get it!" "Yes, I do. I will buy the car for $6400." Then they tried to throw in a "mandatory" $200 maintenance program. They didn't mention it but I thought the numbers were off and asked for a breakdown of the itemization; when they ran past it during the breakdown I went "whoa, back up, what's this?" "It's a maintenance program. You get coupons for discounts on oil changes and car washes and... It's required when we sell you a car." To which my response was "No." We eventually relented to $100 for the warranty. When I verified with the Secretary of State that it was illegal to require warranty sales as a part of a purchase agreement for vehicles, I reported them. :devil

The poor suckers I buy cars from don't generally know I spend about a year researching and making final decisions on what I want to buy and how much I'm willing to pay.

[ttt]

Wait, canes?

[meshaliuknits]

Dec 22, 2015 12:03:20 GMT -5 laurenpetro said:

I give shampoo/conditioner a pass. My hair needs a lot more love than the shit H dumps in his hair can provide

I have long since accepted that the price of keeping my curls fly is approximately $25/dollop for any product worth my time.

[Deleted]

Don't forget we also have to buy bras, menstrual supplies, possibly stockings.

Of the past 3 car purchases, I set up the appt, brought the down-payment and made the final choice of vehicle. Two of those purchaes, the dealer put DHs name first on title and finance paperwork. This last time, we went back to a prior dealer/salesperson, he remembered I wanted the paperwork corrected and did it right the first time.

[froggy76]

The drycleaning kills me. I'll see a sign that says men's shirts are 99 cents or $1.99 or something cheap, but if I bring in a white button-down shirt they charge me a few bucks. Because then it's a "women's blouse".

[AAM2012]

So we get paid less and charged more. Awesome.

WOT?*  can I pay you to buy my next car.

[kirra]

Dec 22, 2015 17:41:46 GMT -5 ttt said:

Wait, canes?

This one is really iffy.

The top of the line canes/forearm crutches cost the same.
The bottom of the barrel canes cost the same.

In the middle, with a few exceptions you're paying for appearance, not increased function. And more women care about appearance, especially teenagers and my age range (mid twenties), so I'm guessing that skews the numbers.

I'm too lazy to insert links, but I can give brands off the top of my head and their pricing is available on their websites. I'm only considering direct pricing, not third party sellers.

The top of the line is Thomas Fetterman and Sidestix. Quite a few people use Thomas Fetterman as canes, but Sidestix tends to be more forearm crutch use than a single cane.
The bottom of the barrel is the plain silver ones you buy at Walmart or get from your doctor.

I use smart crutches, which are awesome. They're low middle, but the only equivalent function is Fetterman, and I can't afford that. Black, pink, and blue smart crutches are priced identically when you buy them directly (how I purchase them) or from a durable medical equipment provider.

[kirra]

My hair stylist is worth it. H pays $12 plus tip per cut. That would mangle my hair.

I've used men's razors and cartridges since I started dating H and realized the cost difference.

[Chuppathingy]

I don't care what the price difference is, I will not change who cuts my hair. I'm way to picky, and I have a super short pixie. I don't trust someone else not to mess it up.

Sent from my SM-N910T using proboards

[shell403b]

I haven't taken H with me for the last 3 cars I've purchased. I just go in, pick it out, tell them I'll pay X, I want Y for the trade, make it happen or I'll see ya later. Wash, rinse, repeat until it happens or roll out. I do agree w/ WOT?* that you have to watch that final itemized list of random shit they try to tack on. Do they do that to dudes?

[DarcyLongfellow]

Not exactly the same thing, but I still kick myself for going ahead and signing the arbitration agreement when we bought my current car. It was late, we had sick kids at home past bedtime being watched by grandparents ready to go home, and I just halfheartedly asked, "so, if I refuse to sign this, will you refuse to sell me the car?" The guy said yes, so DH and I signed it. I should have fought harder. And DH wouldn't have even questioned it (of course, he's not the one who went to law school).

I consciously try to buy the gender neutral or boy version of toys. I'd probably even pay (slightly) more to get the non-pink version. DH always buys the pink version because he knows the girls will like it better. That's why we have a pink and purple Cozy Coupe but a yellow and red plastic shopping cart.