Discrimination
 

Is it considered discrimination to not do business with someone because they are based in a certain state. Like let's say I want to buy fiberglass materials from a public company but they will not sell to me because I live in Florida and there are shady boat companies in Florida so they said we just won't start any new business in Florida only existing business will we deal with.

If it's discrimination some insurance companies seem to be able to get away with it ! LOL

Bob,
Isn't that the darn truth when it comes to all kinds of insurance here in FL!:eek:
Dean

Yeah but do the insurance companies have existing customers but won't take on new customers

Insurance companies are above the law...

Especcially when I see Allsate and Progressive plastered all over this site and they don't insure performance boats.
So.. they advertsie on a performance boat site, yet don't offer insurance.
That's discrimination to the "T" :eek:

Uh, oh. Now look what I've started. LOL I did not mean for my comment to be a distraction from db71 finding an answer to his question.

Allstate insured my 93 35 and 05 42 for 10 yrs. no issues.

db The company probably did their homework, who they have the right to deal with I suggest meeting face to face and see if you can get in.

well if its public than the government owns it. But any pvt company or public traded coperation can probably do what they want. There are discrimination laws but the biggest ones are employment and housing. I doubt theres any protection for buying fiberglass

Geico even sponsors an offshore boat yet won't insure them LOL. I work with insurance companies every day and let me tell you they are the biggest shams!!!

Back to the topic: was that the reason they gave you? I've tried buying resins and gel supplies out of state and have been turned down because of shipping hazardous materials.

Which glass company, if it is US composites, I believe they have a non compete, and can't sell in Palm beach county.

This is still why we call what's left of our economy a "free market".

Any private (non-government) owned business can choose not to take your money. It's not discrimination.

The insurance part of this thread is pretty far off topic as insurance is heavily regulated and it answers to state insurance comminsioners etc... Insurance is quite different. It can discriminate but it has to do it across the board (not just with one or two customers etc).

Same thing as with an engine shop as example. If a builder decides that a given boat owner is too much of pain to deal with he is not forced to sell an engine.

Boy there's a can of worms for ya...

no mo scimin-aeshun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P36x8...layer_embedded

well said and as much as insurance is a scam it does have to follow a lot of state and federal rules.

The only reason is because I am in Florida and some one else unrelated to me ripped some one off in Florida using companies good name so after that they refused any new customers in Florida no matter the size the fiberglass thing was an example.

This is a free country (well sorta), They can refuse to sell to anyone they like for any reason they want. There is no law that can make someone sell to you if they do not want to. It can be "Company Policy" and that is all they need to say.

Can't say I agree with it but that is how it is.

What company are you trying to deal with?

Well I seem to be getting a similar answer this is a public company do you think I should infirm some shareholders that they are refusing revenue does anyone have any ideas along these lines

I guess you could, Not sure if it would make a Chit to any of them. If the company has a past record of bad deals with Fl. companies and they think that not selling is better than taking a chance and paying to ship an item and then not get paid for both the shipping and the product then it might be a hard sell. If I were a shareholder and that was the reason I was given I would be hard pressed to argue with them.

I agree it is a stupid way running things. Did you offer to pre pay for any items you were wanting to get?

The fiberglass thing was an example. It is not even involving products it is involving advertising the company will not let me advertise in there publication because someone else from Florida ripped people off a couple years ago but if you where from Florida and advertised before this person ripped people off then you can still advertise so yes it's paid up front

I wouldn't buy from someone who really didn't want to sell to me - for whatever reason. Sounds like a bad deal in the making.

Why spend so much time on this? Just find a company that will do business with you. Seems pretty cut and dry. Society as a whole has way to thin of skin these days...... The right to refuse service is pretty much standard.......

Well if it is one of the only places for me to advertise my products and they let my competition advertise ut not me just because they feel like it I feel that is discrimination. Maybe it is profiling because My business is in Florida even though 90 percent of my Florida
competition advertises there.

Here is an example let's say I start a marine parts business in North Carolina and I come on to oso to advertise but they say no there was this company called trick marine in North Carolina so we no longer let marine business advertise from there and I say what about fountain they say well fountain advertised before trick ripped everybody off so they still can advertise

Actually this practice is more common than you think. It is simply a "business" decision that it appears this company has made to protect itself and customers. While I feel your pain, unfortunatly it is what it is. Hell, I won't make an internet sale to anyone in Malaysia simply becasue 75% of the transactions from this country end up being stolen credit cards. So for the protection of my company, I simply don't allow customers from Malaysa. Not a personal thing, just a risk vs reward.

Isn't there an old saying, "we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone"?

You dont know the reason. Maybe he has a non-compete or some other deal with a business in your area. To be frank maybe he doesnt want his products going to your area because he has had a bad experience in the past with either you or somebody else in the area. Like others have said this isn't uncommon. Why do certain stores only sell to contractors and not anybody? Just because, I would move on

I have always heard that but I figured a public company I could cause some protest the companies whole business model is selling advertising and by not letting me advertise they are being prejudice against me. I think I will go to the local newspaper and tell them they won't support Florida business. Maybe that will get someones attention

When that happens in at my business, I typically make the people prepay for the service, that way, there is no chance of getting ripped off. Have you offered to pay in advance?

Florida is one of the toughest states in the country to collect bad debt

Well the company that did this is Internet brands they are good enough to take my money for membership on this site but will not let me advertise on other sites soley on the fact that I'm based in Florida.

If someone doesn't want your business, its their right to refuse it. Man up and deal with it.