All Together now,,Gas is Cheap!!

[JPatrick]

Ah yes, once again the CEO of 7/11 has gone on television (CNBC Today) bragging about how they have expanded their profit margin on a gallon of gas.
In fact he said they rapidly increase their price when oil goes up and yes-- they drag their feet when the cost comes down so as to suck as many pennies for as long as possible.
Two things bug me when I hear this:
1. Some of the biggest whiners about the cost of oil are the oil companies.  (Gee it costs us too and we don't make more money)  BS
2.The 7/11 theory of selling gas during what could be considered something of an oil crisis smacks of selling plywood at inflated prices when a hurricane approaches.

Now every business owes it to themselves to improve profit margins where they can, but this particular method has a bit of sleeze to it in my opinion.
All in all, I suppose I should be impressed with this guys candor. So impressed I think I'll suspend my boycott of 7/11 for 15 minutes

 

[TromboneAl]

I'd like to see an effective boycott. Around here, prices are higher than other areas (currently $2.72), and sometimes people organize a boycott for a few days.

Of course that doesn't work, since after those few days, you just need to buy more gas.

I'd say the way to do it is this: "Everyone" agrees to boycott one company (say Shell) until they meet the "demands." If those demands are met, then everyone agrees to go with Shell.

For example, a demand could be "gallon price of 1/30 of barrel price" or "within 10 cents of the national average."

Probably wouldn't work.

 

[Marshac]

How much tax is levied on your gas there Al?

 

[Eagle43]

Instead of just boycotting, how about the whole world staying home one day? Call in sick, and don't drive! Would we have a surplus of oil then? Or do we need to expand it to 2 days?

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I'd like to see an effective boycott. Around here, prices are higher than other areas (currently $2.72), and sometimes people organize a boycott for a few days.

Of course that doesn't work, since after those few days, you just need to buy more gas.

I'd say the way to do it is this: "Everyone" agrees to boycott one company (say Shell) until they meet the "demands." If those demands are met, then everyone agrees to go with Shell.

For example, a demand could be "gallon price of 1/30 of barrel price" or "within 10 cents of the national average."

Probably wouldn't work.

The trouble is that most people are fickle sheep! This idea, although excellent is doomed to failute and does not work because people are not discipilined enough to cary out a plan. That is why 80% of them are all flat broke or in debt to their eyeballs with astronimical amounts of negative equity. If the other 20% of us did this, unfortunately because of our limited numbers, it would not make a big difference.

Maybe, Just Maybe, if CNN or ?? had an article on it, and said that this was the thing to do. Then the Sheep may bleat a little, and follow for a while, enough time for the oil companies to get the picture. But CNN are fickle also, as they would not want to p"#"ss off Shell or whoever, ("Oh, We have to remain impartial.." Yeah Right!)..

That is probably the same reason they (80 Percenters) all vote on a government based on a completely different subject other than their ability on running a country. (Religeon, Abortion, Gay Marriage etc.... Nothing personal here but these do not have anything to do with running a country).

Off Soap Box

SWR

 

[JPatrick]

I'd like to see an effective boycott.  Around here, prices are higher than other areas (currently $2.72), and sometimes people organize a boycott for a few days. 

Of course that doesn't work, since after those few days, you just need to buy more gas.

I'd say the way to do it is this:  "Everyone" agrees to boycott one company (say Shell) until they meet the "demands."  If those demands are met, then everyone agrees to go with Shell. 

For example, a demand could be "gallon price of 1/30 of barrel price"  or "within 10 cents of the national average."

Probably wouldn't work.

Actually, I think the idea of boycotting one brand would work if it could be organized on a large scale, as SWR points out. Of course when you boycott the gas, you also boycott the slurpees, the high priced beer/milk/coffee and on and on. That hurts very fast.
Of course, the side benefit of all of this would be the wake up call it would send to Washington.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Ah yes, once again the CEO of 7/11 has gone on television (CNBC Today) bragging about how they have expanded their profit margin on a gallon of gas.
In fact he said they rapidly increase their price when oil goes up and yes-- they drag their feet when the cost comes down so as to suck as many pennies for as long as possible.
Two things bug me when I hear this:
1. Some of the biggest whiners about the cost of oil are the oil companies.  (Gee it costs us too and we don't make more money)  BS
2.The 7/11 theory of selling gas during what could be considered something of an oil crisis smacks of selling plywood at inflated prices when a hurricane approaches.

Now every business owes it to themselves to improve profit margins where they can, but this particular method has a bit of sleeze to it in my opinion.
All in all, I suppose I should be impressed with this guys candor. So impressed I think I'll suspend my boycott of 7/11 for 15 minutes

Re. the 7/11 CEO, it just sounds like good business practice to me.
Anyway, there are lots of ways to fight back, boycotts being but one
example.

JG

 

[Patrick]

Ah yes, once again the CEO of 7/11 has gone on television (CNBC Today)
All in all, I suppose I should be impressed with this guys candor. So impressed I think I'll suspend my boycott of 7/11 for 15 minutes

Sounds like capitalism at its finest to me.  There is a much better reason to boycott 7/11, however:  It is owned by Southland Corporation which is a major overt supporter of Handgun Control.  I haven't purchased anything from 7/11 in years.   

 

[laurence]

Reality check time: No one complaining here owns a big honkin' SUV, right?

My work is full of people driving Chevy 4500 dually quad cab etc. types who have made an art form of complaining about gas prices. When I ask them why they drive a vehicle that should only come in yellow and require a hard hat, they say, "well everybody else has one and I need the safety-car crash etc."


Personally, I hope gas prices continue to creep up at a slow pace and allow for alternatives to become commercially viable. It would be so much better for us in so many ways.

 

[JPatrick]

Re. the 7/11 CEO, it just sounds like good business practice to me.
Anyway, there are lots of ways to fight back, boycotts being but one
example.

JG

Well it is good business practice until it leads to a boycott or similar.  Of course, as has been pointed out getting that going would be tough.
How about a finger in your slurpee?
(Yah I know, that will probably happen tomorrow and the feds will be on my doorstep)

 

[laurence]

Sounds like capitalism at its finest to me. There is a much better reason to boycott 7/11, however: It is owned by Southland Corporation which is a major overt supporter of Handgun Control. I haven't purchased anything from 7/11 in years.

Oi, while I certianly appreciate the sentiment, I started avoiding companies that were funding causes I didn't like and it got to be so much I couldn't shop anywhere, so I gave up. Still won't set foot in Walmart, but DW does.

 

[JPatrick]

Oi, while I certianly appreciate the sentiment, I started avoiding companies that were funding causes I didn't like and it got to be so much I couldn't shop anywhere, so I gave up.  Still won't set foot in Walmart, but DW does. 

If you can be happy with 7/11, you ought to be overjoyed with Wal*Mart :

 

[Patrick]

Oi, while I certianly appreciate the sentiment, I started avoiding companies that were funding causes I didn't like and it got to be so much I couldn't shop anywhere, so I gave up.  Still won't set foot in Walmart, but DW does. 

What don't you like about Walmart?

 

[rmark]

I currently have my paycheck direct deposited to Wal-Mart. It cuts out the bank as a middle man. (ok, not really, but sometimes it seems like it)

 

[laurence]

What don't you like about Walmart?

They employ a lot of questionably legal aliens in my neck of the woods. In fact they just settled for 10 million for having their entire cleaning staff (in some regions) be ileagal aliens getting way below market wages. Their clothes are made in slave wage labor shops. It's that sort of thing that bothers me.

 

[justin]

My theory on Walmart is, if you're gonna buy cheap plastic crap made in slave labor sweat shops, at least get it cheap at Walmart instead of paying a lot for it at the mall.

The mall's products are made in the same slave labor sweat shops.

 

[TromboneAl]

How much tax is levied on your gas there Al?

I assume they are the same as the rest of California:

http://www.energy.ca.gov/gasoline/statistics/gas_taxes_by_state_2002.html

They say our prices are higher because we're isolated, but I don't think the real reason is very clear to anyone.

 

[sgeeeee]

A half mile from my house is a corner with three gas stations on it -- Arco, Texaco and Chevron. Normally there is about 10 cents per gallon difference in the cost between the highest and lowest and I have seen times when there was 25 cents per gallon difference. But there never seems to be a difference in how busy they are. If people won't cross the street to save 25 cents per gallon filling up their Excursion, how would you talk them into a boycot?

 

[Marshac]

We just got a brand new $.09/gal tax that will be phased in over the coming months... Jul 1 was a $.03/gal increase... While I agree with what the tax money will be used for (roads, transportation projects, etc), it does make filling up just a bit more painful.

 

[JPatrick]

A half mile from my house is a corner with three gas stations on it -- Arco, Texaco and Chevron.  Normally there is about 10 cents per gallon difference in the cost between the highest and lowest and I have seen times when there was 25 cents per gallon difference.  But there never seems to be a difference in how busy they are.  If people won't cross the street to save 25 cents per gallon filling up their Excursion, how would you talk them into a boycot?   

I've seen a similar scene also.
These folks probably handle the rest of their purchases the same way.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

A half mile from my house is a corner with three gas stations on it -- Arco, Texaco and Chevron. Normally there is about 10 cents per gallon difference in the cost between the highest and lowest and I have seen times when there was 25 cents per gallon difference. But there never seems to be a difference in how busy they are. If people won't cross the street to save 25 cents per gallon filling up their Excursion, how would you talk them into a boycot?

There go those 80%'ers again. Just think if breathing was not involuntary, how many would simply die?

SWR

 

[JPatrick]

Ah yes, once again the CEO of 7/11 has gone on television (CNBC Today) bragging about how they have expanded their profit margin on a gallon of gas.
In fact he said they rapidly increase their price when oil goes up and yes-- they drag their feet when the cost comes down so as to suck as many pennies for as long as possible.
Two things bug me when I hear this:
1. Some of the biggest whiners about the cost of oil are the oil companies.  (Gee it costs us too and we don't make more money)  BS
2.The 7/11 theory of selling gas during what could be considered something of an oil crisis smacks of selling plywood at inflated prices when a hurricane approaches.

Now every business owes it to themselves to improve profit margins where they can, but this particular method has a bit of sleeze to it in my opinion.
All in all, I suppose I should be impressed with this guys candor. So impressed I think I'll suspend my boycott of 7/11 for 15 minutes

Wow, this same 7/11 guy just rang the closing bell at the NYSE.
I swear he was mouthing the words "Thanks for the monster retirement bonus you suckers!"   or maybe he was saying- - - -
"Screw you JPatrick,,you want cheap gas from 7/11?  Come on in and try a hot dog- - -you'll have plenty of cheap gas"

 

[justin]

I've seen a similar scene also.
These folks probably handle the rest of their purchases the same way.

This doesn't reflect my experience. I must either live around cost-conscious consumers. Or maybe I live in the ghetto. A while back the gas stations around here on a certain major street got into a price war apparently. The prices were a whopping $0.10 per gallon cheaper than the average gas station. The lines for these gas stations filled the gas station parking lot, and backed way up in the street. It was like they were handing out free $100 bills with every gas purchase!

Overall though, gas prices are highly inelastic. I find it strange that no matter the price, the demand doesn't really change that much. Maybe if the price goes up enough, the demand will decrease.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

They employ a lot of questionably legal aliens in my neck of the woods. In fact they just settled for 10 million for having their entire cleaning staff (in some regions) be ileagal aliens getting way below market wages. Their clothes are made in slave wage labor shops. It's that sort of thing that bothers me.

I respectfully disagree with all the talking heads pitching Walmart as an oger. Look for yourself. Go into any store, perhaps your favorite family business. You will see for the most part EXACTLY the same products. Just they are more expensive than Walmart. Not by a just a penny either. While I disagree with the Illegal alien hireing intensly, I think that if a business can streamline it's cost LEGALLY, then the rest of Big America has to get with the program or not compete at all. Everyone has the ability to be a Walmart, it is not that they are exclusively buying from China, most of America is. Those are the facts. We may not like it, but that is it.

Just like those big Auto Makers that insist on pushing 7 Litre SUVs and Trucks while fuel prices increase, pushing their financials into Junk Status, then wonder why the Asians, Hyundae and Kia etc. increase their market share.

We all assume inflation is the norm, but bringing the country back to reality, with some salary deflation, while we all would not like it, perhaps would make our products more affordable for our children. And, government should concentrate on making health care and Workmans comp more affordable so companies can make a decent (however reasonable) profit, but not at their employees expense.

Man I am up on that soap box again, sorry.

SWR

 

[Zipper]

Come on home Shok!

The Oil Sands are the ace!