Gasoline Rip Off

[SkyPup]

Does anyone know, why in the world, every single gas station in North America prices their gas like this:


$2.99.9 per gallon


I mean what is with the 9/10th of a cent stuck onto every gallon for?

Why isn't it a simple $2.99 or $3.00 per gallon?????


They spend more money in time and effort to publize the 9/10ths of a cent on the markee than what it is even worth.

 

[knute_m]

Skypup,

Here is a website with questions/answers and history about the ridiculous practice of pricing gasoline with the 9/10s:

Why have 9/10 cent gasoline pricing? - Why not volume correct retail sales of gasoline for temperature?

But, the good news is that the various 9/10s keep falling. My son called a few minutes ago and said he got gasoline for $2.17 & 9/10s in Fairfax, VA!

Knute

 

[turbo36]

Would it make more sense if it was 102.9/litre?

 

[SkyPup]

$0.50 per litre sounds good to me!

 

[Boomerang1]

Same as pricing an item at $19.99 instead of $20.00. $19.99 looks less expensive than $20.00.

 

[MikePA]

$19.99 looks less expensive than $20.00.

Looks? 19.99 is less than 20.00.

 

[Gatorboy]

Does anyone know, why in the world, every single gas station in North America prices their gas like this:

$2.99.9 per gallon

There is no such thing as a number 2.99.9 --> only one decimal point allowed. The number is $2.999

 

[SkyPup]

DOH ->I meant $2.99 and 9/10ths......

 

[AndyM]

There is no such thing as a number 2.99.9 --> only one decimal point allowed. The number is $2.999

Does it take a lot of time to correct the internet?

 

[livincountry]

I heard last night that Ohio has the lowest cost for gasoline across the nation right now. I bought gas for $2.12 per gallon. Like always though I can still find some places where it's $2.32. Diesel is still close to $3.00 per gallon. A barrel of oil is now $64 from a high of ~ $70. I can't complain.....even if there is the extra $0.009 hidden in there

 

[randy41]

its freakin incredible how happy we are paying ONLY $2.something a gallon.

 

[JerryG]

I know all the stories about the 9/10s thing. What I wonder is if it really isn’t to confuse the consumer. It is a lot more confusing to multiply or divide when you have to mess with the 10th. The more confusing it is the less chance that you will check the dollars against the gallons to see if you are charged right.
I contract a lot of propane gas every winter. They have always had whole cents with no tenths. That is until this year. The letter stating when contracts would be available also said that they would be using 9/10ths. I wish that they had left it alone.

 

[kensfarm]

DOH ->I meant $2.99 and 9/10ths......

Actually SkyPup.. it 9/1000ths.

.9 = 9/10ths
.09 = 9/100ths
.009 = 9/1000ths

OMG.. I think Gatorboy is rubbing off on me... Awwwwwww!!!!

 

[Gatorboy]

Actually SkyPup.. it 9/1000ths.

.9 = 9/10ths
.09 = 9/100ths
.009 = 9/1000ths

OMG.. I think Gatorboy is rubbing off on me... Awwwwwww!!!!

Correct! It's 9/10ths of a penny or 9/1000ths of a dollar.

 

[SkyPup]

In spite of all the fractional numerical semantics, it has got to be the WORST advertising price scam ever predicated on the American public!

They rack in billions and billions nonstop and then go to such great lengths to hassle us over 9/1000ths of a dollar????

 

[roxynoodle]

I hate it too. But, I'm also at the point where I hate pennies. So 9/10 of a penny really grates me.

Yeah we are living well in Ohio right now on gas prices. I paid $2.09 today. Is it amazing we are thrilled with this price? No, everything is relative. The $2.99 and 9/10 of a cent we saw a few weeks ago makes me appreciate closer to $2 per gallon. Last fall after Katrina it hit $3.399 and I sold one of my trucks.

Temperatures work the same way. Right now it is 65 degrees in NW Ohio and I'm cold. But, at the end of July we had a nasty heat wave with high 90s temps and I was outside working on a metal roof. At the time it seemed pretty awful, but I got used to it and now 65 makes me put on a sweatshirt. However, when winter ends, I will be running around in shorts the first time it hits 65. We constantly alter our perceptions.

 

[Gatorboy]

I hate it too. But, I'm also at the point where I hate pennies. So 9/10 of a penny really grates me.

Yeah we are living well in Ohio right now on gas prices. I paid $2.09 today.

Well, just think of it as 2.10 instead of 2.099. Now, you should feel like you are getting a deal.

Gas prices have been displayed this way all your life. Why would it irk you now?

 

[roxynoodle]

Oh, I always hated the 9/10 of a penny, it isn't a new feeling, lol!

 

[turnkey4099]

I heard last night that Ohio has the lowest cost for gasoline across the nation right now. I bought gas for $2.12 per gallon. Like always though I can still find some places where it's $2.32. Diesel is still close to $3.00 per gallon. A barrel of oil is now $64 from a high of ~ $70. I can't complain.....even if there is the extra $0.009 hidden in there

Enjoy your prices. Here we are still over $3.00. $3.06 in town this morning, just down from $3.14 yesterday. The national news has been mentioning Hawaii as highest in the nation. I got news for them. Every price they mentioned was also posted at my local stations. I see by the paper today that our state representative has brought up the subject as to why.

The companies have used the excuse 'because of the Prudhoe Bay problem as most of our gas (Pacific NW) comes from there. Strange that didn't have any effect on the big rises the were due to the hurricane last year. Our prices went up right along with everyone else but our gas was still coming out of Alaska.

Harry K

 

[dirtydan]

It is $1.97 here as a special promotion by our local casino's. Other stations are $2.13. This the 4th or 5th time they have done this usually cutting the price .15 to .20 cents. Special goes off Sunday at midnight. I go in early to avoid the lines but sometimes people have to wait 15 to 20 minutes to fuel up.

Dan