posted on September 12, 2001 12:21:37 PM
Yes, if you're buying for a B&M store, then you would factor ALL your costs into your new price that you set (same with gas stations).
But, no. If I pay $10 and sell for $14, I've made $4. The $5 I paid for shipping was for a separate service that I received (and cannot resell).
Now if I were to order WITH THE INTENTION of reselling the item to a neighbor, customer in a store, etc., then yes, all costs would roll up into the price I set on that item (including a markup). But the shipping never affected the price I paid for the item itself and the price I paid for the item itself has no bearing on what the shipping charge would be.
posted on September 12, 2001 12:42:46 PM
The price if gas has since then settled down to just over $28.00 per barrel. Sounds like everyone is going to have to restart the argument.
The oil futures, in many cases in the short term, factor the price of gasoline. It's a commodity and follows the gereral principles of speculative investment. Supply and demand.
posted on September 12, 2001 12:43:03 PM
I just filled up on my way home from work. Because i was on empty....
1.35 for Regular at Cumberland Farms (Gulf gas), same price I paid Saturday. The Mobil station across the street was $1.41 - same as it was Saturday. These ain't no "Mom & Pop" operations either. The Texaco down the street from where I work is $1.39 which I think is the same as last week when I stopped for coffee and a paper.
No price gouging here in my corner of New Hampshire.
posted on September 12, 2001 01:09:56 PM
What a waste of (presumably limited) police officers.
Let stations try to charge $4/gallon. Here is one time when citizens can, de facto, enforce the law at absolutely no cost to themselves, by merely going to antoher station.
Lets keep the police on robberies, murder, etc., that the typical citizen truly needs help on.
Not making political capital for the mayor.
Unless the station owners were out front, pointing shotguns at motorists and forcing them to pull in?
Of course its obnoxious behavior by the station owners, but let the market/people punish their behavior by "voting with their feet". Or better yet, pull in and buy 1 penny's worth of gas..and pay with a credit card. Might as well hassle them if you feel strongly about this behavior.
posted on September 12, 2001 01:27:46 PM
I believe the police ended up at the gas station in question due to fighting between customers and the owners. There were laws that were being broken, so once they stopped the fighting, they shut the pumps down and issued the citations.
Cleveland was pretty much on shut down yesterday and early today. Parking bans, schools were closed, extra security at all city buildings that were open etc.
posted on September 12, 2001 01:48:53 PM
"I believe the police ended up at the gas station in question due to fighting between customers and the owners. There were laws that were being broken, so once they stopped the fighting, they shut the pumps down and issued the citations"
Ah, ok, that is a slightly different slant than your original, shorter post above mine. Fighting is certainly a valid reason to send in the police. I presume from your follow-up response that ONLY those gas stations that had fighting were ticketed for gouging? If not, then my original post still stands. The reason I ask is that your first post referred to "stationS" (plural), which sounded like the mayor sent out the police to (perhaps) all of the stations on the grounds of gouging, but your follow-up post discusses fighting at the "station" (singular).
In any case, philosophically, I still think most of these "gouging" laws are, at best, political eye candy and best left to sit on the books, unenforced.
Lets keep the government focused on doing what people can't do otherwise (as individuals exercising market force). Don't like the prices someone is charging? Don't pass laws and send the cops..drive to the next gas station. Its cheap, simple, and keeps the taxes down!
Gotta run for the day...enjoy!
[ edited by captainkirk on Sep 12, 2001 02:04 PM ]
