Walmart Announcement

Unfortunately, I've been working for the Behemoth from Bentonville for the last year. However, I've learned a lot from the experience--like pricing games. You're absolutely correct, Wally World is not ALWAYS the lowest price, no matter what the old slogan used to say. It's best to buy the 'loss-leaders' and then go somewhere else for the rest.

For those of you unaccustomed to retail-speak, a loss-leader is a product that is priced below cost--designed to suck you in to buy the more expensive crap, some of which has an incredible markup. Don't fall for it!

I just Googled the term 'minimum markup' and it looks like this is only a Wisconsin thing? Looks like maybe they were trying to prevent Walmart from doing loss-leaders... only it backfired by raising the price of gas. A 9.8% markup on gasoline is unbelieveably freakin high.

In 1985, I was a mechanic at a Shell station. I was talking about gas prices with the guy who owned the place one day. I was shocked to find out that he had no control over the price of gas--Shell set the price. He said most of the time he was lucky to sell 87 or 89 octane for a penny a gallon markup (about six tenths of one percent markup). The premium he had to sell at a penny a gallon loss.

I asked him how he made any money? (He had no C-store at the time) He replied, "Candy and cigarettes sales from the attendant's booth out back... and full serve gas... that's how this place makes money."

Think about that the next time you fill the 15 gallon tank in your car.

 

lilillill said:

Yeah, I think about it all the time when I fill up my diesel pick-up at the Mobil (instead of using CFN because the Mobil's only mile from the house) and all I can put in the tank is a $100 worth, and that doesn't fill up the tank.

 

Me either! Except for New Jersey (and western Canada), where I think it's the law they have to pump your gas. Most of the self-serve places have C-stores now though--they sell plenty of candy and smokes to pay the employees.

 

I know exactly what you mean... I can drop a third of my bi-weekly check on fuel for my van just to get back and forth to work.

And replying to your earlier comment about needing more than just stock-boy skills to own a home, etc... My skills far exceed those of a stock-boy, however, that's really the only type of job within 2 1/2 hours of my house. There is no such thing as a decent paying job around here. I suppose I could turn some of my land into a trailer park and rent it out, but I don't think I'd like dealing with that headache. That's why I'm looking at getting back behind the wheel--I made three times the money than I do now, 16 years ago, driving a truck.

There are plenty of people around here who have skills, there's just no place to go.

 

China isn't part of NAFTA, when was the last time you looked at a MAP?

 

The minimum mark-up law was ruled unconstitutional in Wisconsin. Flying J has filed a lawsuit against Wisconsin, because Wisconsin continues to enforce the law.
http://www.piercecountyherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=19905&section=Wisconsin News&property_id=13

As much as I detest Flying J, this is the ONE TIME I can say I agree with them.