Okay I have finally lost my cool and decided to post here. I have come to the conclusion Walmart may have something to do with this. For example, at Walmart you can find brand after brand in XXW30 and 10W40 in 5qt jugs.
This makes great sense as many vehicles have 5qt sumps
However, if I want to buy Mobil 1 Truck and SUV/Delvac 1 it is available in 4qt jugs. Same goes for Shell's Rotella or Chevron's Delo 400. Walmart adds insult to injury by rarely stocking the 1-quart bottles of each grade to supplement.
This brings me to some provocative theories.
A)Walmart does not want Mobil/Shell etc to produce 5qt jugs of these products. The reason I would argue would go to unit price points. Perhaps their reasoning is the average customer would not calculate the unit price per quart of a 5qt vs 4qt jug and assume they are one and the same. If Walmart made the Mobil's Truck and SUV 5qt then that would raise the price higher than what Walmart considers "customer palatable" vis a vis other offerings.
B)The bottlers figure the average HDEO operator have crankcase capacities around 7+ quarts. Buying 2x 4qt jugs may be most convenient for them then. This however seems weak to me. In a variation to this vector since HDEO lubricants have lower demand compared to there PCMO counterparts this scheme compels customers to buy more at variable unit prices (multiple lower cost jugs and or even more expensive 1qt supplemental bottles).
Thanks for any light you can shed on this signature BITOG esoterica.
This makes great sense as many vehicles have 5qt sumps
However, if I want to buy Mobil 1 Truck and SUV/Delvac 1 it is available in 4qt jugs. Same goes for Shell's Rotella or Chevron's Delo 400. Walmart adds insult to injury by rarely stocking the 1-quart bottles of each grade to supplement.
This brings me to some provocative theories.
A)Walmart does not want Mobil/Shell etc to produce 5qt jugs of these products. The reason I would argue would go to unit price points. Perhaps their reasoning is the average customer would not calculate the unit price per quart of a 5qt vs 4qt jug and assume they are one and the same. If Walmart made the Mobil's Truck and SUV 5qt then that would raise the price higher than what Walmart considers "customer palatable" vis a vis other offerings.
B)The bottlers figure the average HDEO operator have crankcase capacities around 7+ quarts. Buying 2x 4qt jugs may be most convenient for them then. This however seems weak to me. In a variation to this vector since HDEO lubricants have lower demand compared to there PCMO counterparts this scheme compels customers to buy more at variable unit prices (multiple lower cost jugs and or even more expensive 1qt supplemental bottles).
Thanks for any light you can shed on this signature BITOG esoterica.
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