Petrol prices, .........an odd question
Petrol prices, .........an odd question
Author
Discussion

Monkey boy 1

Original Poster:

2,066 posts

262 months

Thursday 7th August 2008
quotequote all
why is it that ALL fuel prices are something point 9, Why can't they just be a round figure. If I want to buy 2 litres of fuel (minimum requires) at, say 115.9p/ltr I cannot pay 231.8, more like 232. So the garage, in theory gains 0.2p in every 2 litres.

It probably evens out somewhere in the line, but I just wanted to know why?

Stigmundfreud

22,454 posts

241 months

Thursday 7th August 2008
quotequote all
they do it to give your brain something to contemplate whilst the rest of us are searching for porn

sleep envy will be along shortly after he's finished

threesixty

2,068 posts

234 months

Thursday 7th August 2008
quotequote all
Monkey boy 1 said:
why is it that ALL fuel prices are something point 9, Why can't they just be a round figure. If I want to buy 2 litres of fuel (minimum requires) at, say 115.9p/ltr I cannot pay 231.8, more like 232. So the garage, in theory gains 0.2p in every 2 litres.

It probably evens out somewhere in the line, but I just wanted to know why?
its late isn't itwink

the reason for this is the same reason that you're microwave dinner cost £2.99 or the car you brought the other week was advertised for £10,995



1

2,732 posts

267 months

Thursday 7th August 2008
quotequote all
Monkey boy 1 said:
why is it that ALL fuel prices are something point 9, Why can't they just be a round figure. If I want to buy 2 litres of fuel (minimum requires) at, say 115.9p/ltr I cannot pay 231.8, more like 232. So the garage, in theory gains 0.2p in every 2 litres.

It probably evens out somewhere in the line, but I just wanted to know why?
All to do with the fact that it is so price sensitive. After all if they kept it to 1p increments then it would be 116p per litre not 115.9p.

If you are that worried about losing the 0.2p then why not put 232p worth inwink

White-Noise

5,500 posts

279 months

Thursday 7th August 2008
quotequote all
threesixty said:
Monkey boy 1 said:
why is it that ALL fuel prices are something point 9, Why can't they just be a round figure. If I want to buy 2 litres of fuel (minimum requires) at, say 115.9p/ltr I cannot pay 231.8, more like 232. So the garage, in theory gains 0.2p in every 2 litres.

It probably evens out somewhere in the line, but I just wanted to know why?
its late isn't itwink

the reason for this is the same reason that you're microwave dinner cost £2.99 or the car you brought the other week was advertised for £10,995
Thought this was because 1 - looks less and 2 - means the attendant has to give you change, therefore meaning they cant just take your exact money and not run it through the system.

mcflurry

9,192 posts

284 months

Thursday 7th August 2008
quotequote all
Monkey boy 1 said:
why is it that ALL fuel prices are something point 9, Why can't they just be a round figure. If I want to buy 2 litres of fuel (minimum requires) at, say 115.9p/ltr I cannot pay 231.8, more like 232. So the garage, in theory gains 0.2p in every 2 litres.

It probably evens out somewhere in the line, but I just wanted to know why?
Put 10 litres in and get your penny backwink

captainzep

13,306 posts

223 months

Thursday 7th August 2008
quotequote all
Stigmundfreud said:
they do it to give your brain something to contemplate whilst the rest of us are searching for porn
searching for porn?

Man who need to search for porn on interweb cannot find sand in desert.

Jonny671

29,904 posts

220 months

Thursday 7th August 2008
quotequote all
Has anyone else noticed the prices coming down too?

Esso round the corner used to be 118.9p/Ltr.. Now 4 days later it's down to 115.9p.

Hopefully it'll fall even more.

dave_s13

14,031 posts

300 months

Thursday 7th August 2008
quotequote all
IF you're selling 60twelve billion litres of the stuff every year those 0.2p's all add up to a kushty bonus!

Like the man says ^ put the right amount in and get your 1p back.

Driller

8,310 posts

309 months

Thursday 7th August 2008
quotequote all
It's selling/marketing techniques. It's the same reason when you go into a shop and you see "75% OFF EVERYTHING!" and then when you look much closer (with a magnifying glass) you see the "up to. You then look around and realise that there is nothing at 75%,50% or even 25% off. A few things are at 15% off, and they're all tired and shagged out after a long squawk. (I'm not addicted to sales, I hate shopping, it just irritates me).

Another lovely classic: Price lists which show a very competitive price next to each object and then you see the tiny "off" after it.

Some of these techniques are an insult to ones intelligence and they drive me absolutely fking mad. Why can't they just let the product sell itself FFS? Yeah, yeah I know, maximise profits etc etc And BTW those women on those washing powder commercials are obviously actors, why would you possibly imagine that I would think they were anything else? rolleyes

Timmy35

13,014 posts

229 months

Thursday 7th August 2008
quotequote all
What people have already said......as mad as it sounds consumer resaerch actually backs it up. There was a news story recently about the fact that given the choice between a £1 item and a 99p item about 3/4 of people went for the 99p one.


Bee_Jay

2,599 posts

279 months

Thursday 7th August 2008
quotequote all
There is some rounding.

I bought 100.00 litres of BP Ultimate yesterday (pump cut out at that amount).

Price listed was 125.9p/l, bill was £125.91

Must have been rounding down...

oyster

13,796 posts

279 months

Thursday 7th August 2008
quotequote all
Monkey boy 1 said:
why is it that ALL fuel prices are something point 9, Why can't they just be a round figure. If I want to buy 2 litres of fuel (minimum requires) at, say 115.9p/ltr I cannot pay 231.8, more like 232. So the garage, in theory gains 0.2p in every 2 litres.

It probably evens out somewhere in the line, but I just wanted to know why?
Maths isn't your strong point is it?wink

If you put in 6 litres it should cost you 695.4 pence, but you save the 0.4 pence.

sleep envy

62,260 posts

280 months

Friday 8th August 2008
quotequote all
Stigmundfreud said:
they do it to give your brain something to contemplate whilst the rest of us are searching for porn

sleep envy will be along shortly after he's finished
was she any good?

I had my eyes closed