Fuel pricing - isn't it time the 0.9 pence game was ended.
Discussion
For years we have become accustomed to seeing petrol and diesel per litre prices displayed as 'something' and .9p.
Isn't it time this ridiculous practice finally came under the heading of 'who's trying to kid who' and was scrapped.
Are they really trying to tell us that every time fuel price change they sit down with there calculators to work out the price, and miraculously it always comes out as something and 0.9p...?
Fook off!
Isn't it time this ridiculous practice finally came under the heading of 'who's trying to kid who' and was scrapped.
Are they really trying to tell us that every time fuel price change they sit down with there calculators to work out the price, and miraculously it always comes out as something and 0.9p...?
Fook off!
I understand the psychological pricing thing, and 99 pence actually exists in our coinage so you can pay 99p for something. I was once told that pricing stuff ending in 9 or 8, such as 59p for a chocolate bar, forced the cashier to put it into the till to get the change as it would be rare for someone to tender the exact amount. If it was a round pound, they could easily pocket that.
Fuel pumps often state "Minimum delivery 2 litres" - so if you bought exactly 2 litres at something point nine, would they round the 0.8p up or down? Either way, it makes it completely pointless.
Fuel pumps often state "Minimum delivery 2 litres" - so if you bought exactly 2 litres at something point nine, would they round the 0.8p up or down? Either way, it makes it completely pointless.
It's just psychological pricing.
If Shop A is 112.9p and shop B is 113p on your way to work, despite knowing if you were right outside that they're really the same price and you'd go to whichever is easier/quicker/nice, you probably forget it during the day. And by the time 5pm comes around you'll just remember shop B is more expensive so you'll go to A.
Often those in close proximity to another station (Asda commonly does this near me) they'll do it at .7p rather than .9p just to have that 'edge'.
Interestingly, many forecourts make additional profit (or most their profit) through sales of food and other items in the kiosk, but Asda stick to their drive-through format. I assume this reduces their theft / drive-off rate and makes up the difference.
If Shop A is 112.9p and shop B is 113p on your way to work, despite knowing if you were right outside that they're really the same price and you'd go to whichever is easier/quicker/nice, you probably forget it during the day. And by the time 5pm comes around you'll just remember shop B is more expensive so you'll go to A.
Often those in close proximity to another station (Asda commonly does this near me) they'll do it at .7p rather than .9p just to have that 'edge'.
Interestingly, many forecourts make additional profit (or most their profit) through sales of food and other items in the kiosk, but Asda stick to their drive-through format. I assume this reduces their theft / drive-off rate and makes up the difference.
romeogolf said:
It's just psychological pricing.
...Interestingly, many forecourts make additional profit (or most their profit) through sales of food and other items in the kiosk, but Asda stick to their drive-through format. I assume this reduces their theft / drive-off rate and makes up the difference.
I'm not bloody surprised when my local shell station sells wraps at £3.50 and sandwiches at £3.75 on their own!...Interestingly, many forecourts make additional profit (or most their profit) through sales of food and other items in the kiosk, but Asda stick to their drive-through format. I assume this reduces their theft / drive-off rate and makes up the difference.
M3DGE said:
I agree, it is now outdated. I remember when this started, it was when the price changed from gallons to litres. At the time a litre was about 35p, so a whole penny difference was actually quite a bit. Now, it's completely irrelevant.
It is nothing new and doesn't just apply to petrol, in pre-decimal currency days things were priced at things like £4 19/11. four pounds 19 shillings and 11 pence for those not familiar, so a penny less than a fiver. Nonsense but it is not going away.
Riley Blue said:
More pertinent is why supermarket fuel is 3p a litre less at Morrisons in Mansfield than it is at Morrisons in Chesterfield. Coincidentally, the same applies to prices branches of Tesco and Sainsburys in the two towns, Mansfield is always cheaper. Local cartel at work?
Not a cartel, just competitive local pricing. If it was easier they would do it with other products as well.
PositronicRay said:
Not a cartel, just competitive local pricing.
If it was easier they would do it with other products as well.
I know just what you mean. It frustrates me that my local Morrisons in Market Drayton is up to 6p per litre more than the Morrisons in Newcastle under Lyme.If it was easier they would do it with other products as well.
I never go there for petrol and will always drive that bit further to the Potteries to fill up. In addition, because I think that they will apply the same price differential to everything they sell I don't buy anything at the Market Drayton site.
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