Thread: Interesting Observation

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.... Cindy and I were out and about this afternoon ........... and we noticed that while nearly all of the gas prices including Exxon, Texaco, Citgo, etc. were in the 2.649 to 2.65.9 range ........... BP stations were at 2.779 to 2.819 ............... and this price difference was consistent in all grades of gasoline, all over the Triad ................ they're definitely trying to get us to help pay for the cleanup ............... most around here are avoiding their stations

same going on here. bp is the most expensive but no one is going there.

The vast majority of the fuel stations all over the country are run by independent operators who control their own pricing, it is not, in fact cannot, be mandated by the supplier. In fact it's entirely possible there aren't any company run stations anywhere in the country. The supplier charges them for the fuel delivered, the operator marks it up. I suppose in the scenario you laid out that BP is charging more at the wholesale level, and the operators are trying to maintain a fixed margin, but that's not effective marketing. One way to perhaps verify if BP is the "culprit" is to see what's going on at AM/PM or Arco stations if you have them, they're also BP.

As for "most avoiding their stations" that's not really very effective either. Again, if folks are mad at BP they're taking it out on the local dealer, not the company, especially if they haven't changed their buying habits. If the total market buys, let's say 1 million gallons a day, and they cut the BP stations out of the selling loop, the area still needs a million gallons a day. The other suppliers aren't set up to take up as much "slack" for what had been going through the BP stations, so how do they get the extra fuel requirement? Yup, they go to the BP rack and buy the fuel from BP to sell through their stations. Not a very effective boycott I'm afraid. But it does hurt the local business guy.

I went into a BP station the other day and the guys working there were friendlier than I have ever seen. I almost thought they were going to wash my windows, check the oil, and give me a free glass with my gas purchase. I think they are trying (at least at that station) to counter the bad press and ill feelings since the oil mess.

Don

i do not personally boycott bp. i just go where the gas is the cheapest. every dollar counts these days.

All I can say is your doing better than us, gas is around $3.19 a gallon on average for regular unleaded. Our local BP is now a 76 so can't say that their prices are higher or lower. We mainly shop Chevron, mostly because the gas credit card is in their name, but also because of Techroline(spelling?) in the gas. That stuff did a miracle on the old Jeep cj7 emission control devices!

You guys have it easy fuel here in England is currently $10 per gallon

Originally Posted by roadster32

You guys have it easy fuel here in England is currently $10 per gallon

I dont think we are too far behind you guys...We are $1.82/litre[95octane] $1.77 for 91. So,$8.19/gal[imp],and $7.96/gal for 91..[$NZ]...At the current exchange rate with USA$,...$1.39 NZ buys $1.00 USA...I pay $1.05/litre for LPG..

Youch! Makes those Prius's look better!

I think I pay 2.85 at the pump.. costs $20/ day to drive to work with my truck.. hopefully the beetle can do $40/ week

When the spill first happened I was all about adding BP to my personal boycott of Chavex's Venzulala products---

But the response by our boy from Illinois actually turned my support to BP---I also have seen that around here they are competitive or lower priced than the others---

Here in Eastern Ontario we are paying the equivalent of $3.75 -$3.90US/gal at present. Helps that the CN$ is close to parity with the US$ right now. Diesel is lower at about $3.55/gal.

Originally Posted by stovens

Youch! Makes those Prius's look better!

No, the Pirus and Volt and Fusion are all still ugly ............

I have a close buddy who hauls fuel to the stations here in the Atlanta and north part of Georgia. The pumping station in Doraville, Ga where they haul out of. he says that BP sells to a lot of other company's not just BP stores. The tankers that go to BP locations get there additives put in and only for there locations. So it's all in the mixing not who's fuel it says at the pump. stores like quick trip and a few do have there own fuel.

3.13 per gal reg, in monterey ca.