What If, you could buy gas on line?

[bobalong]

I see another thread was started about oil companies raising gas prices by a crazy amount for no real reason………except the same old one done by an industry with no competition……..greed. There has been no real competition since the small independents disappeared years ago with maybe the exception of Costco, which always has a few cents discount……..but you have to be a member, that’s important.

There are many 40+ individuals that have adopted the new techie ideas like the internet. Think about the newer demographic of 20-30 year olds who have been raised with it, and what percentage of 40+ who will use in about 10-20 years. The current 20-30 years old demographic not only likes buying on line, they have demanded it. On line sales grow by billions every year and almost every retailer has implemented on line sales to accommodate the growing demand and shopping preference.

Oil companies now enjoy an industry with no competition, but will it stay that way? Our TV, Phone, Power and gas industries also enjoyed a monopoly as well not that many years ago…..but today.
The OPEC countries now have about 85% of the worlds oil and produce it about a third of the cost of ours. They produce as much as they want, and with 30/barrel still make a respectable profit, what would ever influence them to drop production and raise prices for us? You could say they are not our competition really so what does it matter, but recent news reports confirm that oil is being bought from OPEC in this country….the door is open.

Now the big WHAT IF, what if OPEC was allowed to operate gas stations in our country with governments receiving as much or maybe a bit more than the current oil companies pay. Gas stations would be set up with no prices on the pumps. The price you pay would be the one you negotiate on line, similar to a phone plan or a house mortgage. Buy a one year plan .70/litre, two year plan .60/litre etc. All payments would be made by MEMBER card or phone app.

This would be devastating to our economy, but could it happen? Before you say to yourself “not a chance in hell”, ask yourself do I buy online, out of province or from foreign countries? If you do, you know very well that the purchase you just made contributes to job loss in our province. Try and sugar coat if you like, but it is reality and you know it. When it comes to purchasing, company and even country loyalties are gone, cheapest price is king, regardless of who is selling it.

Would you buy oil from a foreign country at a reduced fixed rate, would this new and upcoming demographic of 20-30 years old buy it? They may not be the largest percentage of the population now, but it won’t be long until they are. Would farmers, trucking companies buy it if they could save thousands a year and based on past consumption know exactly what their fuel costs would be for the year? Oil companies have enjoyed a monopoly here for 40 years or so and have made billions, is it time our oil companies actually have to compete for our business like everyone else? A lot more questions than answers, but something to think about.

[CaberTosser]

Wouldn't work. The vendor would have to do a number of things, firstly they'd need distribution and I don't think they'd be getting a special discount there so they'd have to buy here or set up their own tank farms and trucking while paying Canadian labor rather than virtual slave labor to build them; the stations need their cut too and that won't vary much at all, they have mortgages to pay on the land and salaries for the staff. Then there would be the export of money from our nation which would further weaken our economy. If 'anything for a buck' swindler businessmen managed to accomplish such a thing it would counteract the efforts of everyone who tries to buy Made in Canada goods instead of imported stuff. Take note of the recent viral story on French's mustard starting up ketchup manufacturing at an Ontario plant that Heinz shut down (which killed a pile of Canadian jobs until French's stepped in). The news hit my Facebook feed and was reported in mainstream media as stores promptly sold out of the French's ketchup. I had a bottle in my hand at the store and only didn't buy it because I still have two bottles of Heinz in the pantry. Want to guess what I'm buying once that's used up though?

You should concentrate on thoughts of how to strengthen our economy than methods to cumulatively weaken our nation. Those pennies you 'save' at the pump would no longer be circulating in Canada and we'd all be worse off. Want Venezualean or Saudi fuel? Then I suggest you move there. Do you also want Brazilian beef and lumber from China?

[bobalong]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

Wouldn't work. The vendor would have to do a number of things, firstly they'd need distribution and I don't think they'd be getting a special discount there so they'd have to buy here or set up their own tank farms and trucking while paying Canadian labor rather than virtual slave labor to build them; the stations need their cut too and that won't vary much at all, they have mortgages to pay on the land and salaries for the staff. Then there would be the export of money from our nation which would further weaken our economy. If 'anything for a buck' swindler businessmen managed to accomplish such a thing it would counteract the efforts of everyone who tries to buy Made in Canada goods instead of imported stuff. Take note of the recent viral story on French's mustard starting up ketchup manufacturing at an Ontario plant that Heinz shut down (which killed a pile of Canadian jobs until French's stepped in). The news hit my Facebook feed and was reported in mainstream media as stores promptly sold out of the French's ketchup. I had a bottle in my hand at the store and only didn't buy it because I still have two bottles of Heinz in the pantry. Want to guess what I'm buying once that's used up though?

You should concentrate on thoughts of how to strengthen our economy than methods to cumulatively weaken our nation. Those pennies you 'save' at the pump would no longer be circulating in Canada and we'd all be worse off. Want Venezualean or Saudi fuel? Then I suggest you move there. Do you also want Brazilian beef and lumber from China?

To be honest I don't want anything foreign but that is not realistic, times are a changing. Every industry in the country has competition, to believe that the oil industry will continue without any is not realistic.

Look at the phone, power, gas industry.......the new companies had no distribution, still don't, but they are thriving with more companies getting into all the time.

[HalfBreed]

I would, just like I'd love to spend European cell phone prices or Argentinian beef prices. Not going to happen. Canada is a regulation heavy nation, in order to function as a nation. I'm sure BC or NFLD would enjoy what we pay at the pump, but as a nation, it is simply not feasible.