What's the latest excuse...

kitten_caboodle · 18 Jul 2006 at 15:01

Malt_Vinegar said:
I wonder how much the different companies co-operate to ensure they all make money, if they do, then the card has little or no hope.

Thick as thieves I'd have thought. When the scheme I was aware of had just been launched, with 24 hours they all lodged complaints and demanded the company drop the scheme as none of them would take part. They had little choice but to drop it as there wasn't one of the big guys who'd support it, knowing that they'd all start fighting to undercut each other and would have to reduce their prices.

stoofa · 18 Jul 2006 at 15:21

The system can work - what will probably stop it from working is the fickly general public who as usual will not look at the full or long term picture and mess things up.

One oil company could gain a lot of customers by getting into a deal with Pipeline or whoever.
If all card holders are offered a discount that is a lot of new customers and that oil company will be extremely happy.

What will probably happen next is that other oil companies will drop their prices accordingly so that the card holders are no longer getting a discount.
That by using their card and staying loyal to the brand the card is in membership with no longer gets them a discount.
It is at this very point where the future of the card would be determined and where because of the general stupidity of "humans" it would possibly, ultimately fail.

Number 1 option - Although the pipeline card no longer nets you a discount (it is around the same price as the other major oil company's) you stay loyal to the company associated with the card.
Maybe you drove out of your way a couple of miles to get to said garage, whatever, you would need to remain loyal.
The oil company are happy as they have still got their increase in customers and maybe they could attempt to under-cut again.

Number 2 option (what will most likely happen) - The pipeline card no longer nets you a discount (all prices are about the same again) and people no longer remain loyal to the company involved with the card.
That oil company don't keep their increased customer base and so can no longer really afford to give the discount and their prices go back to pre-discount card levels.
All the other companies follow suit.

I asked around at work about the card and gave loads of people the options above and of the 6 people I asked (OK, not exactly scientific) 5 of them weren't looking forward or broad enough to realise that you'd have to stay loyal for the system to continue working once all the oil companies tried to counter things.
Everyone else immediately went "Oh great, I'll go back to the garage I always go to as all prices will be cheaper".
If the card ever gets off the ground we would need brand loyalty and loyalty from the majority of card holders and if 5/6 people here couldn't see that what chance the rest of the population?

agw_01 · 18 Jul 2006 at 15:23

I thought it was just my eyes when I saw the local Shell garage (cheapest around here) go from 93.9p to 96.9p.

kitten_caboodle · 18 Jul 2006 at 15:57

stoofa said:
*snip*

So from what you've just said, it seems you agree. Although the system can work, it won't. I think that's pretty much what we were saying, without going into specifics. Because we've said it 'wont work' shouldn't indicate that we can't see what you're saying, rather that we can... :confused:

Del Lardo · 18 Jul 2006 at 16:20

99.9p in all the Cambridge petrol stations since I got back here on Sunday :eek:

Could have sworn it was 93.9p 10 days ago before I went to Iceland.

Simon · 18 Jul 2006 at 16:22

Stonedofmoo said:
...for petrol prices to continue going up?

Thats another 3p in the last few weeks and yet i've not heard any mention of any world events to drive this.

Iran and Israel?

War could break out very soon affecting oil supply. Oil prices are at a record high of approx $76 a barrel

ste_bla · 18 Jul 2006 at 18:47

Stonedofmoo said:
...for petrol prices to continue going up?

Thats another 3p in the last few weeks and yet i've not heard any mention of any world events to drive this.

Tesco have done the we will give you 5p off a litre if you spend £50

Therefore within 3 days the price at petrol goes up 4-5p to cover this @ tesco

Everyone else says hmm we should charge to the price tesco do..

Also the price of oil (barrels) goes up, petrol follows but cans/retail oil doesnt!! WTF??

Firestar_3x · 18 Jul 2006 at 18:49

The funny thing is out ere it costs about £20 to fill a 60ltr tank, oh how the uk sucks

Doonhamer · 18 Jul 2006 at 18:49

pfft you English moaning about your sub pound a litre prices, dont know how well off you are. Currently looking at £1.03p per litre for normal unleaded although diesel hasnt shifted for weeks and is still 99.9p per litre.

Simon · 18 Jul 2006 at 19:16

ste_bla said:
Also the price of oil (barrels) goes up, petrol follows but cans/retail oil doesnt!! WTF??

Oil is about 1% of sales compared to petrol. Think how much fuel you put in your car between that 5litre oil change

moss · 18 Jul 2006 at 19:18

ste_bla said:
Also the price of oil (barrels) goes up, petrol follows but cans/retail oil doesnt!! WTF??

I sell motor oil at work and in the last years its gone around £1-£2 a gallon cost price.

ste_bla · 18 Jul 2006 at 20:08

moss said:
I sell motor oil at work and in the last years its gone around £1-£2 a gallon cost price.

fair enough.. i buy cheap stuff at tesco and hadnt noticed..

Simon · 18 Jul 2006 at 22:43

moss said:
I sell motor oil at work and in the last years its gone around £1-£2 a gallon cost price.

Yeah there was a blanket rise due to the rise in oil costs, it's not as dynamic as petrol pricing though

teaboy5 · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:12

It normaly takes around 4 weeks for the price of petrol to either go up and down. Its mainly to do with supply and demand to be honest. You will hear the trouble in the middle east is the main cause buts thats only a small part it.

Get used to it people, peak oil is here or very near and petrol will never get into the 80's again so get used to it. I say we will be hitting £1.10 soon and its only ever going up. The funny thing is when i posted this weeks and weeks ago you all laughed me and now your the ones complaining. And please dont bang on about bio fuels and so on, there just isn't enough land in the uk to even get 5% of what we would need.

Simon · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:39

teaboy5 said:
The funny thing is when i posted this weeks and weeks ago you all laughed me and now your the ones complaining.

You hero you

teaboy5 · 18 Jul 2006 at 23:44

Simon said:
You hero you

See your laughing now, but when its £1.20 a litre dont come on here moaning about it.

Simon · 19 Jul 2006 at 00:05

teaboy5 said:
See your laughing now, but when its £1.20 a litre dont come on here moaning about it.

I won't be moaning

teaboy5 · 19 Jul 2006 at 00:06

Simon said:
I won't be moaning

Well if you mean that your company pays for the fuel, what happens when they cant afford too and start putting up prices and customers but less and they say hmmmmm lets get rid of some people and so on and so on.

Oracle · 19 Jul 2006 at 08:48

At the end of the day, the war in the ME does obviously contribute to the cost of oil. HOWEVER, this still does not justify the tax that is placed upon our fuel by our own government. East Europe pays little more than 49p per litre for fuel, and the Americans are out raged that they are paying $1.50 for a Gallon (4 litres IIRC?), which is 79p for 4 litres!!!!

Why are we letting our government sting us like this? This along with RFL etc, is one of their largest incomes (as if tax on salaries isnt enough). They are fleecing us, and we're letting them.

Options? Move abroad, cheaper fuel, cheaper RFL taxes, better roads, less speed cameras, etc, etc, etc

Simon · 19 Jul 2006 at 09:05

Oracle said:
East Europe pays little more than 49p per litre for fuel,

Where?

In turkey it is about £1.20 per litre.