Why gas stations won't tell you price of fuel?

[HouseTiger]

Originally Posted By: Colt45ws

Maybe brand loyalty is more of an effect than thought?


Or perhaps brand consistency ? In metro Atlanta, QT (Quik Trip out of Oklahoma) is always tops in consistency and gas quality. Most of the Shell and BP stations are manned by those who don't speak English, so I avoid those.

I have to trod down and back Interstate 75 into Mickey World (Florida) frequently, and I've taken to filling up at Shell, Chevron or BP - not in any particular preference - if I'm in an unfamiliar area. Otherwise I'll look to see who is busiest. Love's Truck Stops have sort of taken over many of the Interstate routes in South Georgia and Florida, and they're always busy pumping gas and diesel, so chances are the stuff in the tanks is days fresher than the empty brand name stations around them. Not sure who supplies their petrol, but I've never had any issues with it.

 

[ron17571]

A friend of mine had a gas station and told me he made one or two cents profit per gallon.He also had to deal with not getting paid for a while by credit card companies.I don't remember the particulars.he made more profit from tires and belts and such. I just know what gas stations locally give the best price.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted by bubbatime
They dont want you calling every day, and asking for the price. And all your neighbors calling every day, and asking for the price. A lesson learned YEARS ago by gas stations, as its quite annoying to field 50 calls a day of people just asking for the price. So they just tell you its not their policy to give the price over the phone.


This.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted by DBMaster
OK, how about a little tangent? Who is flamingly tired of the 0.9 cents that gas prices still end in? That is a vestige that needs to be retired.


And those 1.99, 0.99, 2.99, 3.99 items in stores. And the sales tax not included in the final price system. I hate carrying a bunch of pennies for such bulls.

 

[StevieC]

We did away with pennies up here and now if something requires a penny they round up or down in price. Pricing is slowly changing to reflect this not having a penny.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted by ron17571
A friend of mine had a gas station and told me he made one or two cents profit per gallon.He also had to deal with not getting paid for a while by credit card companies.I don't remember the particulars.he made more profit from tires and belts and such. I just know what gas stations locally give the best price.

When I lived in Palo Cedro Calif. the owner of the gas station I went to let me see his invoices to show me the price of gas vs what he sold it for , Pennies to a Nickle a gallon. This man would give my kids free candy bars because he liked them. He was a kind generous man I bought gas and bought Soda water from him.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Originally Posted by DBMaster
OK, how about a little tangent? Who is flamingly tired of the 0.9 cents that gas prices still end in? That is a vestige that needs to be retired.


And up here north of the border where it sells by liters, the price is advertised by the tenth of a cent even though Canada doesn't have pennies any more.

For instance, when you see 125.9 it means $1.259. How stupid is that?

 

[Smokescreen]

Its called plausible deniability....it allows the company to collude with the others to artificially keep the price high and yet have no one responsible.

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by ron17571
A friend of mine had a gas station and told me he made one or two cents profit per gallon.He also had to deal with not getting paid for a while by credit card companies.I don't remember the particulars.he made more profit from tires and belts and such.

Don't doubt that one bit. How many "gas stations" only sell gas ? Even decades ago, they would sell common auto parts and many had service bays. One of the more common/popular chains around here has the slogan "The convenient stores of Speedway". You usually have to look for parking spots if you're going inside to buy stuff. Their pumps stay busy too, don't get me wrong there....

 

[4WD]

One thing for sure … they have changed since this thread was new … I'm reading along and start seeing ghosts from the past before I checked dates … 🤯

 

[Hall]

I didn't realize this was that old of a thread ! And it was bumped by someone with almost two decades of membership here.

 

[Rmay635703]

In our state it used to be illegal to change the price more than once per day, that should still be the law

 

[javacontour]

I've run across some places that are not even on Gas Buddy. If a place isn't on Gas Buddy, it's probably a tourist trap as they don't want to advertise they are charging a buck more a gallon than others.

Originally Posted by Neely97
Get Gas Buddy.
Many retailers will not give prices over the phone.