French gas stations
Aug 22nd, 2007, 03:24 PM
#2
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Aug 22nd, 2007, 11:45 PM
#3
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And you do know that buying gas in a supermarket is always cheaper than at a service station? Any large supermarket/hypermarket will have gas pumps.
Interesting that Carrefour (supermarket) now has stations on the Autoroute du Sud at least, which was supposed to mean that they would be cheaper. All we've noticed is that it seems to be a way for them to be just as expensive as the others.
Interesting that Carrefour (supermarket) now has stations on the Autoroute du Sud at least, which was supposed to mean that they would be cheaper. All we've noticed is that it seems to be a way for them to be just as expensive as the others.
Aug 23rd, 2007, 01:10 AM
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I just had a look at the zagas website, and you should be aware that because it depends on input from volunteers, the prices are not always current. So you are comparing a price at one station last week to another a month ago.
For instance, for Sarlat there is nothing more recent than 20th July, and some go back to 9th May.
For instance, for Sarlat there is nothing more recent than 20th July, and some go back to 9th May.
Aug 23rd, 2007, 01:15 AM
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I just had a look at the zagas website, and you should be aware that because it depends on input from volunteers, the prices are not always current. So you are comparing a price at one station last week to another a month ago.
Sure, it's based on volunteer input. You surely do not expect gas stations to do the job themselves?
)
Sure, it's based on volunteer input. You surely do not expect gas stations to do the job themselves?
)
Aug 23rd, 2007, 04:48 AM
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"You surely do not expect gas stations to do the job themselves?"
Of course I do.
If I ran a petrol station that operated at a significant discount to service stations on a nearby motorway, I'd be updating zagaz at least daily. As I would the moment I brought my price down, however good the price was compared to competitors. Actually, I wouldn't, because (and I have some expertise on this), the brand I sold would be feeding that data to zagaz automatically - for stations selling at a discount.
Now, if my business model was to sell less petrol, at higher margins, I wouldn't be updating that site (least of all when my prices went up), because I wouldn't want to rub customers' noses into how much I was ripping them off. So zagaz would have to depend on third-party reports.
So common sense (and I appreciate that, this being France, common sense might not be altogether relevant) would say that old reports mean prices are likely to be higher today.
Of course I do.
If I ran a petrol station that operated at a significant discount to service stations on a nearby motorway, I'd be updating zagaz at least daily. As I would the moment I brought my price down, however good the price was compared to competitors. Actually, I wouldn't, because (and I have some expertise on this), the brand I sold would be feeding that data to zagaz automatically - for stations selling at a discount.
Now, if my business model was to sell less petrol, at higher margins, I wouldn't be updating that site (least of all when my prices went up), because I wouldn't want to rub customers' noses into how much I was ripping them off. So zagaz would have to depend on third-party reports.
So common sense (and I appreciate that, this being France, common sense might not be altogether relevant) would say that old reports mean prices are likely to be higher today.
Aug 23rd, 2007, 05:42 AM
#10
Carrefour cannot sell gas as cheaply on the autoroute as at its hypermarket stations for various reasons:
1. The 20-year concessions are very expensive to buy.
2. Autoroute stations must be manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and provide free, clean restrooms. They must also provide special services for truckers.
3. Employees are much more expensive to obtain to work in the middle of nowhere rather than in cities. They also have to deal with about 50 different nationalities and 15 different languages at all times.
Nevertheless, fuel at the Carrefour and E. Leclerc autoroute stations is marginally cheaper than those operated by the major oil companies, and the food sold in the stations is significantly cheaper.
1. The 20-year concessions are very expensive to buy.
2. Autoroute stations must be manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and provide free, clean restrooms. They must also provide special services for truckers.
3. Employees are much more expensive to obtain to work in the middle of nowhere rather than in cities. They also have to deal with about 50 different nationalities and 15 different languages at all times.
Nevertheless, fuel at the Carrefour and E. Leclerc autoroute stations is marginally cheaper than those operated by the major oil companies, and the food sold in the stations is significantly cheaper.
