what's up with the vienna bp near the VI? why is gas $.40 higher than everywhere else... all the time?

no one is ever getting gas from them and they have no store to make money - maybe they don't want anyone around

is this some kind of front for illegal activity?

could be a front, but probably not.

I think he's just an independent, and has to buy his gas on the open market.

Plus, I think he's gotten himself into a self-perpetuating cycle -- his prices are so high that he doesn't go through a shipment fast enough to keep up with falling prices. While he's still trying to sell the gas he paid $3.50 for, other gas stations have gone through a shipment at 3.25, then another at 3.00, and by the time he orders more, he's hurting so bad he can't lower the prices too much and so on and so on.

For at least three years now, that station has had prices anywhere from $0.30 to $0.60 per gallon more than neighboring stations. I think that there is something fishy in Denmark (Vienna) as well.

Maybe, but if I was going to set up a business to hide illicit income, I don't think I would set up shop on Maple Ave and set my prices so much higher than everyone else's prices.

First off, the rent is high. Second, it's too high profile. Third, people are bound to ask questions (see this thread, for example.) Fourth, if you were laundering your illicit income, you'd want to set your prices a little lower than the other gas stations so you would have more cash coming in to cover your other income on the books.

It could just be that he figures he'll get less business, but enough to make a better profit than the other gas stations in the area. Not everyone pays attention to prices, they just turn into the next gas station when they notice they need to fill up.

I've noticed the mobil (I guess sunoco, now) on Old Courthouse and 123 is sometimes 6 to 10 cents cheaper than the exxon (or whatever it is now) across the street (next to McD's) -- but there will still be just as many cars buying gas at both stations. I guess for people driving 123 towards Tysons, it's just easier to pull in and get gas 6 to 10 cents more expensive, than to make a left and pull into the cheaper station.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/2008 12:59AM by Bob.

Note the original post...there is never anyone at the pumps. Also, to address your supply/demand/location argument, it is on the side of 123 heading away from Tysons, so that does not hold water. In terms of working cash through the books,is it not possible that income from other activities never sees its way onto the books of the gas station operation?

Better Prozac? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Note the original post...there is never anyone at
> the pumps. Also, to address your
> supply/demand/location argument, it is on the side
> of 123 heading away from Tysons, so that does not
> hold water. In terms of working cash through the
> books,is it not possible that income from other
> activities never sees its way onto the books of
> the gas station operation?

The side of the road it is on is not an argument for the BP. Reading comprehension much?

I used an example of the two gas stations at the corner of 123 and Old Courthouse rd.

"I've noticed the mobil (I guess sunoco, now) on Old Courthouse and 123 is sometimes 6 to 10 cents cheaper than the exxon (or whatever it is now) across the street (next to McD's) -- but there will still be just as many cars buying gas at both stations. I guess for people driving 123 towards Tysons, it's just easier to pull in and get gas 6 to 10 cents more expensive, than to make a left and pull into the cheaper station."

The "argument" I was making was relevant only to that example. Besides, I never said there is more traffic going in one direction than the other. For people heading in EITHER direction, they'll tend to go to the station on the right side of the interection, relative to them.

Better Prozac is an apt name. You seem to have very flawed logic. Up your dosage.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/2008 01:53AM by Bob.

Perhaps a new bank or mattress discounter...
Attachments:

Bob Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Better Prozac? Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Note the original post...there is never anyone
> at
> > the pumps. Also, to address your
> > supply/demand/location argument, it is on the
> side
> > of 123 heading away from Tysons, so that does
> not
> > hold water. In terms of working cash through
> the
> > books,is it not possible that income from other
> > activities never sees its way onto the books of
> > the gas station operation?
>
> The side of the road it is on is not an argument
> for the BP. Reading comprehension much?
>
> I used an example of the two gas stations at the
> corner of 123 and Old Courthouse rd.
>
> "I've noticed the mobil (I guess sunoco, now) on
> Old Courthouse and 123 is sometimes 6 to 10 cents
> cheaper than the exxon (or whatever it is now)
> across the street (next to McD's) -- but there
> will still be just as many cars buying gas at both
> stations. I guess for people driving 123 towards
> Tysons, it's just easier to pull in and get gas 6
> to 10 cents more expensive, than to make a left
> and pull into the cheaper station."
>
> The "argument" I was making was relevant only to
> that example. Besides, I never said there is more
> traffic going in one direction than the other.
> For people heading in EITHER direction, they'll
> tend to go to the station on the right side of the
> interection, relative to them.
>
> Better Prozac is an apt name. You seem to have
> very flawed logic. Up your dosage.

Original post: there is never anyone at the pumps.

Your drivel: "It could just be that he figures he'll get less business, but enough to make a better profit than the other gas stations in the area. Not everyone pays attention to prices, they just turn into the next gas station when they notice they need to fill up."

Your misdirected analogy re: the Sunoco and Exxon up closer to Tysons: "I guess for people driving 123 towards Tysons, it's just easier to pull in and get gas 6 to 10 cents more expensive, than to make a left and pull into the cheaper station."

That is a matter of making sure you have enough gas to get to work, and not blowing 15-20 minutes and risking getting to work late to save the 6-10 cents per gallon.

That the BP is on the opposite side from the Exxon that you use in your example directly undermines the legitimacy of your argument. People going home from work (predominately on the BP side of the road) will stop at an earlier station, drive through to the next one, or cross the street (with the additional time required), rather than stop to get gas at the BP station.

At the BP station: When you get no business, you don't make a better profit, and getting no business is evidence that most consumers of the product pay attention to price. Cars drive right past that station in droves.

Bump up my Prozac. I will need it to try to make sense of your ramblings.

Whoever is posting anonymously trying to explain my "ramblings" is having serious comprehension problems, and is trying to redefine what I wrote in order to argue against something entirely different from what I said.

The reason you can't make sense of my "ramblings" is because they weren't ramblings, but based on all the nonsense you just wrote, you only understand ramblings.

You will have more fun debating those voices in your head.