I'd like to coerce the price of gasoline back to $1.39 per gallon in Sacramento.

I intend to create intense, high-profile price competition among gas stations by advertising where the lowest price is. By posting the lowest city-wide price online, everyone who is interested in chipping down prices will be able to take action.

Here is how:

First, I will compile a catalog of the gas stations that tend to have the lowest prices in the city, perhaps 30 or 40 stations.

That part is coming along nicely. I've put together a showcase of the 39 budget stations that I've used in Sacramento, complete with Yahoo maps, photos and descriptions.

If you know about a cheap station in Sacramento that isn't on the list, please e-mail me the vitals.
 

Second, I will try to recruit 40-60 people to pay attention to which station has the absolute lowest price each day. I think I can recruit one or two people in Sacramento to watch and report daily on one or two stations each. These will be the Sacramento Gasoline Connoisseurs.

Keep your eyes open. If you see a low, low price, I want to know. Email me as soon as you can.





Third, I will promote the station with the lowest price and encourage everyone to buy their gasoline there.

If people can easily find this positively lowest price in town, simply by checking the internet, I believe they will take the time to buy their gas at that station.

If people use this free resource, price competition will be increased, and the prices will fall.

 

 
 

When I wrote "the price of a gallon" in December of 2002, the price at the pump was $1.39 per gallon. Now, on April 15th, it is $1.89 per gallon, an increase of 36%.

I know that gas stations pay for their gasoline, and that they can't give it away for free, but I also know that setting a high price doesn't always make the most money.

Our goal will be to make the lowest gas prices more profitable for a gas station, benefiting ourselves, and everyone else in Sacramento who uses gasoline.

 

Gasoline price competition works, but on a limited scale.

On the right are two photos taken within 3 minutes of each other. The photo on the right is from station #027,  the ARCO station on Auburn and Greenback. The price was $2.05 per gallon, and the store was bustling with customers.

Across Auburn Blvd., 60 feet away, was poor station #026. This CITGO station was deserted. No customers inside and no customers outside.

The customers at ARCO that day obviously did some comparison shopping before they bought gas.

By using the web to share gas price information, I want to expand the competitive influence of that one cheapest gas station all over town.

It is important that anyone interested in helping is prepared to pursue price differences, even a one cent difference. Just knowing about the lowest price is not enough. We need as many people as possible to PAY the lowest price. At the very least it will give people something to DO about gas prices instead of just complaining about it.
More information about Sacramento Gas Connoisseurs:

This page last updated May 1st, 2003 | Copyright © 2003 Rob Cockerham |

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