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Boycott filling up your gas tank on Thursdays? Van...
me ^ | 42308 | Me

Posted on 04/23/2008 10:19:13 AM PDT by tmp02

Are there any national boycotting efforts that would message to the gas co.? ie. just fill you car/truck on Thursdays.


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: boycott; gasboycott; highgas; vanity
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To: tmp02

If you really want to use consumer pressure to lower gas prices you need a “divide and conquer strategy”

You pick just one major company, doesn’t matter which one, and you boycott them permanently until they lower their prices to a pre declared target.

So suppose the entire nation boycotted Texaco, or Exxon for example, that company would see their revenues dry up with no foreseeable end to the problem since the consumer would not be inconvenienced in any way as they would continue to buy gas elsewhere whenever they wanted.

THEN you might be able to precipitate a price war that lowers prices as the boycotted company made price cuts to attract business and the other companies responded.


41 posted on 04/23/2008 11:10:32 AM PDT by Wil H
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To: tmp02
I keep track of who has the lowest price and buy there. If you want to boycott someone, boycott the station that charge more.
42 posted on 04/23/2008 11:15:31 AM PDT by ThomasThomas (The night ThomasThomas wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another ....")
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To: tmp02
Who the heck is this supposed to punish? The oil companies that make 10 cents profit per gallon, or the owners of the stations that are lucky to break even? If one is serious about lower gas prices, lead a march on Washington and demand that we build more refineries and drill and explore for oil at home.
43 posted on 04/23/2008 11:18:29 AM PDT by mainerforglobalwarming
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To: tmp02

About as useful as turning off 5% of the lights in Sidney for an hour on Earth Day.


44 posted on 04/23/2008 11:21:18 AM PDT by RightWhale (Repeal the Law of the Excluded Middle)
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To: mainerforglobalwarming

It would actually help the gas stations if there were 100% compliance. They could squeeze 7 days worth of sales into only 6 days and cut costs by closing down one day per week.


45 posted on 04/23/2008 11:21:37 AM PDT by DancesWithBolsheviks
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To: DancesWithBolsheviks
You're right it might cut costs. But the price of oil that so many people believe seem so concerned apart will not come down until the oil bubble bursts. I don't think a profit of 10 cents per gallon is excessive, and it's not my business to determine the price anyway. The oil companies are publicly owned, by middle class folks. And it's the American people that control the oil companies and could decide that they operate for a loss if they wanted to. I don't see too many people selling their energy stocks in protest.
46 posted on 04/23/2008 11:28:11 AM PDT by mainerforglobalwarming
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To: tmp02

Not sure if filling up with gas only on Thursdays will help or not!

But here’s something that WILL reduce your personal demand for gasoline: fill up your gas tank with WATER. It doesn’t matter what day you do it, it’ll really lower your gas bill for awhile while your car is being fixed.

On second thought, you might want to do it on Saturday, so you can walk down and buy a bicycle to get to work on Monday. (you do work, don’t you?)


47 posted on 04/23/2008 11:30:51 AM PDT by Nervous Tick (I'm not voting FOR John McCain -- I'm voting AGAINST Hillary/Obama)
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To: tmp02

I only buy gas on Saturdays. The oil companies fear me.


48 posted on 04/23/2008 11:52:55 AM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: Billthedrill

RBOB gasoline has reached 3.05, probably in fear of the Thursday boycott.


49 posted on 04/23/2008 11:54:10 AM PDT by RightWhale (Repeal the Law of the Excluded Middle)
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To: mainerforglobalwarming

It’s supposed to punish the US government that collects 50 cents a gallon in taxes.


50 posted on 04/23/2008 12:00:48 PM PDT by weegee (Vote Obama 2008 for a bitter America.)
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To: tmp02

You mean this to punish “gigantic” Exxon-Mobil, the FOURTEENTH largest oil company (or country) in the world? I suggest that you forego buying gas yourself on that day, and spend it instead learning the principles of economics, the structure of the market in which these companies operate, and the effects of competing with an international cartel that would be illegal here - but controls two thirds of the market.


51 posted on 04/23/2008 12:03:33 PM PDT by MainFrame65 (The US Senate: World's greatest PREVARICATIVE body!)
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To: weegee
I thought the poster wanted to send a message to the oil companies. But you got me thinking. In the liberal democrat world view, everyone is a victim these days. Some groups deserve reparations. Well, the gas tax hurts the poor and working class folks the most. I think those of us in the lower income brackets have a moral right to demand reparations for paying taxes we couldn't afford to pay. What's the federal gas tax 18 cents? Well I'm guessing, I'm owed 3500 bucks by the federal government. It's not like that money has actually gone to maintaining our roads and bridges anyway. It's all gone to the general fund or one of Robert Byrds pet projects. I'm going to see if I can find a million people to march on Washington and demand that we all get a big fat reparations check.
52 posted on 04/23/2008 12:16:56 PM PDT by mainerforglobalwarming
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To: tmp02
I'm still looking for answers to my question.

When is you use your scooter, you still have to eat.

And when is you boycott gas once a week, you still have to eat. What's you point, if any?

"Big Oil"? What EXACTLY (and exactitude is important) is "Big Oil"?

Can you explain how the price of oil is "set" and who, if anybody, "sets" it?

Than can you explain how not buying gas on Thursdays would make ant difference?

I don't see any rationale for your suggestion. There may be a rationale, but I don't see it.

53 posted on 04/23/2008 12:44:17 PM PDT by Mad Dawg (Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.)
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To: discostu
It might tell them we’ve banded together, but it would also tell them we’ve banded together for the simple point of banding together not to actually do anything.

Actually if a lot of folks, I am referring to 20 - 30 % of the purchases, do this it will significantly increase the total cost of the transactions to the various companies that is screwed into their overhead and they will have a difficult time getting it out of there (computerized accounting programs would have to be rewritten) so that increase will (initially) come out of their pockets, not the consumers.

Second, the 20 - 30% of fuel purchases will represent a LOT of v-o-t-e-r-s that have the potential to give the nod to their congress critters that "something" must be done. It probably will not matter what that something may turn out to be, it is highly unlikely that it will be anything beneficial to the production companies. It could also take the form of choking off the tax revenue to those very same congress critters. Heck, they MIGHT even make a few noises to the speculators and Hedge fund managers that they need to invest is something other than oil, food commodities and metals.

Third, it is not a boycott, which for the most part would be useless, you are going to need to buy the gas sooner or later and they know it. NO, it shows that the consumers are thinking and that is NOT what the production companies want. A smart, thinking consumer base that is actually working together. Initially this will not have any kind of drastic effect other than the production companies will see real organization going on that telegraphs that they have gone too far and a large majority of those consumers are no longer believing the "reasons" for the huge price increases. They will know that we see them as excuses, not reasons. And we will hunt for ways to actually lower the costs of their products.

Example… what if that 20 – 30% suddenly would not purchase gas from only one producer for three weeks. Not a boycott but a alteration in the consumer pattern. Buy all you like, just do not buy from a particular company. Three weeks later, pick a different company. Such a drastic unexpected change would rock their delivery boat which will cost them money. They will not like that. Not at all.

They will especially not like the fact that the sheep are getting organized… And organization can create forces that did not previously exist Organized forces that can make things happen overnight. Forces they will have to deal with.

Start with only buying exactly four gallons at a time.

54 posted on 04/23/2008 2:41:58 PM PDT by TLI ( ITINERIS IMPENDEO VALHALLA)
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To: TLI

A sale is a sale, it wouldn’t increase their transaction cost. There’s a significant chunk of people out there that never get full tanks, they can’t afford it no matter what the gas price is, or they own a scooter or motorcycle and a full tank is a small purchase anyway.

Irritating gas station owners isn’t going to send a message to congress. E-mails, phone calls and letters send messages to congress, irritating gas station owners just irritates gas station owners.

Boycotts are a lot more effective than shaped purchases. If over the course of 2 months you’re still purchasing the same amount of gas they don’t care if you did it in 2 fill ups or 8. Actually they might like 8 better, that gives you more opportunities to go into the convenience store which is where they actually make money.

The rotating company thing is another silly idea that’s gone the rounds. Again pointless. You’re still buying the same amount of gas. Sure one company has a rough couple of weeks but everybody else’s numbers will be up, and then when you rotate the company that had the rough patch will have up numbers and they’ll make up for it.

None of these ideas accomplish anything. If you want to impact gas prices there is only one way to do it: use less. Shaped purchasing is a hollow gesture that can’t effect their bottom line and therefore gives them no reason to change anything.


55 posted on 04/23/2008 3:11:46 PM PDT by discostu (down in the swamps with the gators and flamingos)
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To: discostu
If over the course of 2 months you’re still purchasing the same amount of gas they don’t care if you did it in 2 fill ups or 8.

A sale is a sale, it wouldn’t increase their transaction cost.

Each transaction cost them between .30 and about one dollar depending on if you pay at the pump or go inside. So, you are talking about an increase in overhead cost from one dollar to 4 dollars to sell the same 16 gallons of gas. Big difference their.

I don't buy the garbage in the store out by the pumps. I am only pulling in to buy the gas. I shop in the grocery store once a week, same as always.

Creating an organized voting structure can have a huge impact on reactions from industry. That organized structure can influence other areas which I stated in the post...

" It could also take the form of choking off the tax revenue to those very same congress critters. Heck, they MIGHT even make a few noises to the speculators and Hedge fund managers that they need to invest is something other than oil, food commodities and metals. "

You are not necessarily irritating gas station owners, you are interfering with the pattern of delivery. And yea, canceling loads and changing consumption patterns will increase the producers overhead cause them to pay down time and overtime to the delivery drivers. Station owners only pay for the fuel and a "drop fee" that usually goes to the State for abandon gas station Leaking Underground Storage Tank remediation. The station owner just picks up the phone and orders 2,500 premium, 2,500 mid, 5,000 reg. When ever they need it.

But the producers will know they are being messed with. Using less gas might eventually lower some cost but right now consumption is down 3% nationwide. Do you see the price of gas going down? Is crude oil going down? Nope.

It would probably do more good to push the speculators and Hedge Fund managers to put money is something besides oil, food commodities and metals as that is a big factor in the price skyrocketing.

56 posted on 04/23/2008 5:14:40 PM PDT by TLI ( ITINERIS IMPENDEO VALHALLA)
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To: tmp02

You should send a message to the air companies by holding your breath all day Thursday.


57 posted on 04/23/2008 5:15:56 PM PDT by Doohickey ("We cannot insure victory, but we can deserve it" - John Adams)
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To: Sax

posting twice... nice touch!


58 posted on 04/23/2008 5:16:56 PM PDT by steveo (Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.)
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To: Wil H
You pick just one major company, doesn’t matter which one, and you boycott them permanently until they lower their prices to a pre declared target.

Wouldn't work because once one company lowers it's price the consumer would 'cheat'. Your resolve will never be translated to the marketplace.

One solution presented would be for all drivers to drive less. But again, once the price of fuel gets to an acceptable level, those curtailing their driving would resume their old habits.

Lowering fuel taxes, and any other presented solution will only encourage increased consumption in the short run. The fact that there is no viable competition to oil based fuel drives this upward spiral. We could open up every U.S. field for production but it wouldn't make any difference in the long run because those producing the end product still have no competition.

59 posted on 04/23/2008 5:33:11 PM PDT by steveo (Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.)
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To: TLI

Of course you’re also talking about spending more of your time. And you’re still getting more opportunities to spend more. Sure YOU might not use them, but you can’t say that EVERYBODY won’t, in fact you can be totally sure that SOMEBODY will, and if those somebody’s spend enough extra it will actually result in the gas stations making more money.

And you’re not going to make them change the delivery pattern. More than likely the overall gas sold every week will basically average out. If you have a bunch of people that all fill up every 3 weeks they’re probably going to be fairly evenly split over that 3 week span (ie 1/3 of them will have filled up the week ending April 5th and again this week, 1/3 filled up the week ending April 12th and again next week, and the final 1/3 filled up last week), so now if they change their pattern to get 1/3 of a tank every week the station will sell basically the same amount of gas.

Dropping consumption 3% is nothing. That’s less than the market penetration Macs had back when everybody made fun of them. You need a 10 to 15% drop in usage to make anybody notice. Of course you should keep in mind that significant parts of the price are non-negotiable, gas station owners can’t do a damn thing about the price of oil or taxes, you could drop use 90% but if oil is still over $100 a barrel and taxes are what they are the price of gas won’t budge.

If you REALLY want to change the price of gas end the taxes. Everything else is a hollow gesture 100% guaranteed to failure.


60 posted on 04/24/2008 8:09:17 AM PDT by discostu (down in the swamps with the gators and flamingos)
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