On 8/3/98 9:04 am mgs-owner@autox.team.net said
>The Esso Price Watch campaign in the UK tries to persuade us that Esso
>is working hard to keep their prices the lowest in any particular area
>by monitoring the prices charged by other local petrol stations.
>
>The truth is exactly opposite of course. What they're actually doing is
>monitoring their local competitors to see what the MAXIMUM is they can
>charge on a day-by-day basis without losing business to a cheaper local
>competitor. Its all localised because you can't go very far when you
>need to buy petrol.
>
>Staying competitive on price is always achieved by monitoring your
>competitors and pitching your price at the highest level the market will
>stand, before you lose business to a cheaper competitor. In the UK
>where petrol stations offer no service to the customer requiring just
>petrol buyer beyond the bulk storage of fuel, price is the customer's
>main consideration.
>
>Esso are patronising us when they tell us that they are watching prices
>for us - they're not - they're doing it for Esso.
>
>I've no objections to making money (or capitalism in general), but I do
>object to being patronised by advertisers. I never use their
>stuff now. I much preferred it when Esso put a tiger in your tank. The
>tail always reminded me of an advertising executive's pony tail :-).
The answer to to stuff ESSO, Texaco, Mobil etc and buy your fuel from
supermarkets. Damn sight cheaper and just as good.
Philip Raby
Editor, MG World
PO Box 163, Bicester OX6 3YS, UK
Tel: 01869 340061 Fax: 01869 340063 Mobile 0467 767361
www.chp.ltd.uk
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