Could someone please explain the yo yo pricing?

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Oct 8, 2006
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Location
OH
I don't understand why prices are continuously fluctuating. Our local pricing structure runs on about a 3 week cycle. The price will max out literally overnight, then trickle down slowly a few cents each day over about a 3 week period, then spike back up again. This cycle has been doing this for several years now. I see nothing on the supply side that would cause this type of a pricing cycle. Why don't they just pick an average price between the high and low, and just leave the price there? What drives this type of yo yo pricing?
 
I believe it ain't the gold market but we get a week or two of cheap prices and it blows up 30 cents a gallon for no reason .
Sounds like a scam to me 😆
Figure the average cost over the entire period and it appears they are trying to give an illusion of cheap oil-gas but it isn't really 🤔
 
Sounds like it gas prices. 4 stations in my area play this game, which is probably nothing more than getting extra profit on each gallon, knowing people will pay it. I guess Murphys decided not to play the game anymore as they have remained steady while the QTs and Spinx stations have done the yo-yo thing. When those stations raise the price (sometimes by .45) overnight, the Murphys are packed. There is now another QT in my immediate area, but not playing the game either. They are ALWAYS .30 a gallon cheaper than the other QT less than 2 miles away :rolleyes:.
 
Our small town sees it a bit but the Murphy gas station is slow to respond and seems to temper the other stations. Outside of our area is a whole different story. BJ's seems the most immune to the yo yo effect as they will stay the same when other stations jump 20 or 25 cents but they are 20 miles away
 
Our small town sees it a bit but the Murphy gas station is slow to respond and seems to temper the other stations. Outside of our area is a whole different story. BJ's seems the most immune to the yo yo effect as they will stay the same when other stations jump 20 or 25 cents but they are 20 miles away
You do need one station to hold the line and keep the others from getting too greedy.
We have a card-lock station that I think just puts their markup on the price they paid to fill up their tanks, so it doesn't bounce very much, but it's not unusual for the surrounding stations to be a bit lower in their price dips. On average I think its a couple percent cheaper than the public stations, but I don't track it and they don't post a sign with the prices, so I have to look it up online. So I think "on average" our stations aren't charging too much more than their price for fuel? But if you can fill in the dips of prices, then you might be getting fuel "at cost".

I think its worth getting 3-4-5% off a few stations by using specific credit card, or with the CAA membership, so that takes the sting out of the peaks. We are lucky to have a fairly close indian reservation (with less tax), which has like 80 pumps between 5 stations for a town of 500... Its always 10-20% cheaper, and you can use a credit card. It's just far enough that it makes no sense to go to just fill one car, but if I'm passing through I'll bring a couple jugs and fill the tank.
 
Supply & demand as it's always been. Now your local stations may be in a bit of a price battle but overall it's true.

Supply & demand as it's always been. Now your local stations may be in a bit of a price battle but overall it's true.
So you're saying supply/demand fluctuates 22% over a perpetual three week time period? :ROFLMAO:
 
The same thing is happening with several stations near me, and they move in lockstep, usually to the penny: Wawa, Sheetz, and two RaceWay stations. The prices trickle down, then suddenly jump up, and yes, on about a 3–week cycle. But fuel competitors would never, ever collude on pricing. /sarc Normally I buy gasoline from BJ's Wholesale Club anyway and avoid all that drama.
 
So you're saying supply/demand fluctuates 22% over a perpetual three week time period? :ROFLMAO:
Yes! 😄

Casey's fuel station in my town literally went from $2.49 up to $2.69 overnight.

$2.69 is a 8.03% increase of $2.49 in one day. Now let's assume that the price difference changes every 1 week.

What is 8.03% x 3 weeks = you guessed it...drum roll please.... 24% difference!

Also, I stated "Your local stores may be in a bit of a price battle". Otherwise yes, fuel is not "Stable" as you'd think (hence this thread & a bazillion other complaints about price gouging). What many like to claim "Corporate Merica freedoms". :rolleyes:
 
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Yes! 😄

Casey's fuel station in my town literally went from $2.49 up to $2.69 overnight.

$2.69 is a 8.03% increase of $2.49 in one day. Now let's assume that the price difference changes every 1 week.

What is 8.03% x 3 weeks = you guessed it...drum roll please.... 24% difference!

Also, I stated "Your local stores may be in a bit of a price battle". Otherwise yes, fuel is not "Stable" as you'd think (hence this thread & a bazillion other complaints about price gouging). What many like to claim "Corporate Merica freedoms". :rolleyes:
So demand increases, and/or supply decreases by 24% within a 24 hour period to cause prices to spike, then the opposite occurs over a 3 week period to cause prices to trickle down, and this occurs every three weeks perpetually? Do you believe in unicorns?
 
No, Grampi is right. This same behavior has been going on with the stations I mentioned since early 2024, so over nearly 2 years. If I drive to BJ's or check other stations, I'm not seeing that same behavior.
 
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