I think fuel surcharges are bogus. Got no problem with prices going up due to operating costs. But labeling that increase as a 'surcharge' is a bit suspicious to me. I personally think anything labeled as a surcharge is just an excuse to charge you more, more than the increased price of fuel.
The only reason I'm even weighing in on this is because it just happened to me. I'm shopping for one of those little metal roofed carports. Went to one place and got a quote. Went to the next place and got a quote, which was about the same except that they added a $55 surcharge. Now these two places are less than 1/4 mile from each other.
I wanted to tell them that their surcharge just cost them a sale. But I'm not the type. I'm not here to help people mend their poor business practices. I smiled, said thanks and walked out.
But make no mistake about it, it wasn't just the $55. Tacking it on as a 'surcharge' as if I'm supposed to think, "oh yea, fuel prices are high aren't they" and buy it anyway.
I think retailers really ought to think long and hard about 'fuel surcharges'. Everyone gets pinched by fuel prices. I've got less to spend because of fuel prices too.
