Money Moral Dilemma: Is it OK if I choose to sell something to a woman rather than a man?

Spoonie_Turtle

Simonne15 said:

Too often we (male or female) can be too focussed on the 'fairness' principle. In such a case as this where your own security is an important factor you must go with your original decision putting your own safety first. 

If life were fair then women wouldn't have to be worrying about their safety in the first place.

richytay1

Not really a money dilemma is it ?

JayD

You have no way of guaranteeing that, whoever buys the laminate, the collector will be a woman. Either choose not to sell it at all or make arrangements for the collection either to be in a public place (e.g. a supermarket car park) or have someone with you at collection time. Either way, I'd ensure that payment is made up front in advance.

StellACE

I haven't sold but I have freecycled items and have often done so to a man.  Basically to whoever replies first. I keep the items right by the door anyway so no need for would be purchaser to enter.  You are rather wasting mens' time if you refuse to sell to them and they have bothered to reply.  What do you say?  Pretend the flooring has already sold, or ghost the men? You may find you don't get the flooring sold if you are too fussy.  Also I wonder if it's illegal discrimination to refuse to sell to men?

Spoonie_Turtle

StellACE said:

I haven't sold but I have freecycled items and have often done so to a man.  Basically to whoever replies first. I keep the items right by the door anyway so no need for would be purchaser to enter.  You are rather wasting mens' time if you refuse to sell to them and they have bothered to reply.  What do you say?  Pretend the flooring has already sold, or ghost the men? You may find you don't get the flooring sold if you are too fussy.  Also I wonder if it's illegal discrimination to refuse to sell to men?

You'd first have to establish whether the individual, private seller is a party subject to the Equality Act 2010. 
If they were, you'd then have to prove that the reason for it was unjustifiable.

ginger_chocolate

blobby123ff said:

To all the people saying she's allowed to only sell to women. Turn the tables and ask yourself is a man okay to only sell items to men only?
I have a weight lifting set can I only sell to men or would you get annoyed? 

Erm - seems fine to me?

You can choose to sell or not sell your stuff to whoever you want. As long as you don't put anything misogynistic in the actual advert, your personal decisions about choosing your customers are your own business.

Sure, I have a harder time understanding why a man would only want to sell to men, than understanding that a single woman would be uncomfortable giving her address to a male stranger. But if you prefer selling to men only for some reason, have at it.

Miser1964

Then again, a woman would perhaps be cautious about going alone to an unknown person's house so could arrive with someone identifying as a man in tow. 

CapeTown

I'll bet a pound to a penny that the laminate flooring was installed by a man

Lizrobson

I hardly ever choose the first person who replies to my ads. I choose the one I like the sound of best. I think it's up to you who you choose...choose a woman by all means...but try to have someone with you when whoever it is turns up for the goods.

markcridland86

In all honesty I wouldn't bother if you're worried.

It's a nightmare trying to sell anything online as it is, and if you're limiting your market tio women, then that's probably, what, realistically maybe 5-10% of the people buying laminate flooring? Then as people say, a man might turn up to collect anyway. People buying stuff on marketplace are notoriously unreliable at the best of tuimes, and if you get a friend to be there, there chances of a no show and you wasting their time are pretty large. I tried to sell a suitcase for £10 once, and it was the 15th person that contacted me that actually came to take it.

 I'd try and just give it away for free, then you can just leave it in your front garden on collection day or something.