Lebanon Gas Wars ($2.78/gallon!)

[Quillback]

My guess is the gas-low-price setting law is a legislative attempt to keep a really big retailer from setting prices ridiculously low in order to put the small owners out of business. Then once the little guys are gone, you're stuck with the big boy and whatever price it wants to set.

[FishinCricket]

My guess is the gas-low-price setting law is a legislative attempt to keep a really big retailer from setting prices ridiculously low in order to put the small owners out of business. Then once the little guys are gone, you're stuck with the big boy and whatever price it wants to set.

That makes sense, in a way.. But why would the government do that for gas companies and not for grocery stores? (I'm thinking Wal-Mart)

[laker67]

Hmm, interesting, a guarantee! Since you put it that way, lemme double check my facts. Here's the sign in question, right? (the one on Jefferson/HWY 5)

Also, their highest priced automatic car wash was/is 7 dollars, not $12 (as you said in your first post)and you only have to buy the cheap car wash, which is $4. (the car wash is only valid for a certain amount of time and they limit the amount of fuel you can buy at that discounted price to $60 worth)

Not wanting to be contrary (my apologies right now if I come off that way) and certainly not trying to defend the companies silly business practices, but your accounting of their advertising as well as pricing is a bit off....

Now there's another company in town (neither of these two) that advertises a "cash price" on their sign and it's usually 2-10 cents cheaper than the price on the pump.. That seems different to me. Anyways..

I was at the eagle stop on elm. But hey, I'm about half blind anyway. I even have to use the brail keyboard on the drive thru ATM.

[FishinCricket]

I was at the eagle stop on elm. But hey, I'm about half blind anyway. I even have to use the brail keyboard on the drive thru ATM.

Ah, that explains quite a bit!!

[Zack Hoyt]

That makes sense, in a way.. But why would the government do that for gas companies and not for grocery stores? (I'm thinking Wal-Mart)

Apples and Oranges FC. Your talking about monitoring one product(gas) versus an plethora of products(produce, hardlines, apparel, etc.).

Also there are "fine print" instructions in everything. When is the last time you tried to send in for a rebate on a product. I swear the last one wanted a blood sample and rights to my first born.

[eric1978]

That makes sense, in a way.. But why would the government do that for gas companies and not for grocery stores? (I'm thinking Wal-Mart)

Because the grocery stores don't give the politicians millions of dollars every year. I'd be willing to bet it's a law pushed by oil lobbyists and passed by the pols in their pockets to keep gas prices fat and healthy. If I ran the government, I'd pass that law for my field of business, too, so customers couldn't find competitive prices. It would be especially helpful if I was selling something people basically can't live without. It's a racket, and we're stuck with it apparently.

[Quillback]

I disagree with you Eric, I think the law was created to protect small operators from being stomped on by companies like the Big W.

[eric1978]

I disagree with you Eric, I think the law was created to protect small operators from being stomped on by companies like the Big W.

It's a solid theory, and maybe you're right. It's just that there is no more sleazy and powerful entity on the planet than the oil lobby, and I always default to blaming them for, well, just about everything.

But it does beg Cricket's question...why not implement that law for all commodities then?

[Quillback]

Found this document, let's see if I can attach it. First couple of pages explain the rational behind selling gas below cost.

Not specific to MO BTW.

10.1.1.172.80301.pdf

[Quillback]

You got me stumped as to why all commodities don't have minimum pricing, maybe it's only feasible in "must have" commodities such as oil. Maybe it's explained in that doc - I only read the first couple of pages, really don't want to read any more.