Gas station sued for low prices

[KingPriest2]

Interesting.

javascript:cnnVideo('play','/video/law/2006/04/26/sillman.sc.gas.station.lawsuit.wyff','2006/05/03');

Go to www.cnn.com and if this link does not work.

[Saulbadguy]

:spock:

[jspchief]

Seems like a legit lawsuit. I'm guessing just about every state has a comparable law in place.

[morphius]

Seems like a legit lawsuit. I'm guessing just about every state has a comparable law in place.
Though, if they bought their fuel before the prices went up, and hadn't needed to resupply they could actually be selling above what it cost them. Especially if they didn't raise their price just because the next purchase was going to cost them more.

[ChiefsFanatic]

You can't sell gas at a price under cost in the state of Missouri.

[Demonpenz]

yeah why give anyone incentive to sell it at a reasonable cost. fing bush

[morphius]

yeah why give anyone incentive to sell it at a reasonable cost. fing bush
These are state laws, not federal...

[Fish]

These are state laws, not federal...

But they're still stupid laws! Why ohh why have we become so dependent on our technology........

[Chiefs Express]

In many cases the guys that own the gas stations/convenience stores do not own the pumps nor the gas in the ground. The gas is owned by the distributor until it is dispensed. They set the prices. Some of the distributors have "spys" that travel around to the stations they supply and inform the distributor when anyone is charging a price different than the suggested price from the distributor.

[jspchief]

But they're still stupid laws! Why ohh why have we become so dependent on our technology........The laws exist for a reason.

Big companies could come in and sell gas at a loss for a month or two, and it would drive smaller companies out of business, giving them a monopoly on the area, which in turn would allow them to charge more down the road without fear of competition.

The short term reaction is that they're keeping us from cheap gas, but the long term effect it has is to stimulate competition keeping gas lower over an extended period of time.

In the long run, we all benefit from these laws.

[unlurking]

The laws exist for a reason.

Big companies could come in and sell gas at a loss for a month or two, and it would drive smaller companies out of business, giving them a monopoly on the area, which in turn would allow them to charge more down the road without fear of competition.

The short term reaction is that they're keeping us from cheap gas, but the long term effect it has is to stimulate competition keeping gas lower over an extended period of time.

In the long run, we all benefit from these laws.
Agreed.

It seems strange, but just think of it as the anti-WalMart law.