Men still get better deals than women much of the time. The discrepancies weren t all in his favor, though. The intangible nature of the car-buying process makes it difficult to explain this. Maybe it was because on this occasion Heidi wore business attire, while Joseph had on blue jeans and a sweatshirt. Or maybe it was because the manager was out to lunch and an assistant was filling in.
Women remain second-class customers.
Heidi stood motionless in the middle of one showroom for almost 10 minutes before being greeted by a salesperson. Elsewhere, a salesman tried to show her used cars even when she told him she wanted a new car. At a third dealer, she was driven around in a golf cart for 15 minutes by a salesman who was never able to find the key to the one appropriately equipped sport utility that he said was in stock. In contrast, Joseph never waited more than a couple of minutes to be welcomed. At the same dealership where Heidi waited for 10 minutes, he was greeted in less than two.