On a recent business trip to Miami, I decided to check out a local fabric store (a hobby of mine).  I live close to NYC, which is where many people – even those who live thousands of miles away – aspire to buy fabric because of the assortment and quality.  In my case, though, I sometimes like to visit stores in other cities that have a strong design aesthetic, and Miami fits that bill for me.

In using Yelp to decide where to go, I came across one store in particular that had many reviews, which is among the criteria I use when assessing a business on Yelp.  Unfortunately, not many were positive.  The negative comments were consistent in that there was a certain complaint that the owner charges prices based on how a person physically looks.  Wealthier-looking people got charged more and vice versa.  This practice incensed this store’s clientele.

There was a recent article in the NY Times that talked about the widening gap among some service providers in terms of giving better amenities and exclusivity to customers who are willing to pay more.  Continue reading →