Weighing In
It’s been quite a news-filled week here at glassBYTEs.com™. By now, most of you likely have seen a recent consumer report that appeared on a Philadelphia ABC station that accused Safelite of charging different prices for consumers based on ZIP code—even for in-shop work brought to the same location.
You’ve also likely seen our coverage of the report, with a response from Safelite, and reaction, seen here.
I’ve heard from a number of readers who are outraged about this topic—comparing it to charging different prices based on race. My first thought upon reading the report was that insurers break up markets and price accordingly—why shouldn’t shops?
I asked Safelite about whether this plays a role in what was alleged in the report, and was told this, in response to the report: “The story was about the consumer pricing model, not insurance prices and does not affect policyholders.”
While many say they disagree with this alleged ZIP code pricing, one reader offered this opinion:
“I don’t see what they did wrong. They have the right to quote whatever price they want wherever they want and it is then the consumer’s choice to either pay it or not. If multiple consumers decide to pay it, then they could assume it is a competitive price for that market ZIP code. If multiple consumers in a specific market/ZIP code do not choose their quote, then they could assume that the quote is too high … ”
Most, however, have argued that price should only change for mobile service. What do you think? Please email your thoughts to me at pstacey@glass.com.
Happy Thanksgiving!
On an unrelated note, it’s pretty much the best time of the year in my opinion—we just celebrated Halloween, have Thanksgiving ahead in just a week, and Christmas is right behind it. While I’m not a fan of Kohls (and others, I’m sure) starting to play Christmas music weeks before Thanksgiving, I am excited that the holiday season is ahead, and I do enjoy the cooler months and all the good things that come with them.
I’m also excited for many of our readers, who’ve seen major snow storms strike already, leading to booms in business—and I’m hopeful the best (or should I say worst) of these are yet to come.
On that note, I wish all of you a happy and safe Thanksgiving week. Be sure to eat lots of turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie, and enjoy the day.
