Hey Rusnak... a gasbuddy question?

[KFC911]

Do you post your prices on gasbuddy and/or know how it works?

[rusnak]

Yes, I have posted prices in the past. Gas Buddy is one of several gas price apps. It relies on people to report gas prices, hopefully accurately. In return they can earn points toward free gas. I don't know how the free gas thing works. Over time, you learn who is reliable and who is not. For example some people are lazy and post credit prices as "cash price", which can be off by $.10 to .15 per gallon. When you see prices posted by a person who you recognize as not reliable, then you ignore that price. I check it maybe a few times per week.

I don't really post gas prices because I found that as long as I maintain pricing credibility, people really don't care that much about $.02 per gallon. They do care about a clean store, no hobo or panhandlers, and convenience.

[KFC911]

Thanks you! I've been monitoring gasbuddy for some time now (for a few years, and a LOT lately)... more out of curiousity rather than shopping for cheap gas... LOL. I have noticed something peculiar for the zip code I enter which normally pulls up around 10 stations' prices. The price gasbuddy shows is usually spot on accurate for these stations... especially my "go to station" that I've used forever. The price is usually shown as being updated by "owner" and is almost always 1 hour old (but sometimes in minutes) even when the price is a constant. Even when the price stays the same for days.... an "owner" update 1 hour ago is typical. Then I noticed that about 7-8 of the stations had updates from the same person (non-owners).... all within an hour or less... no change to "my station", and within 30 minutes, it was back to "owner". I don't think this is automated tho' and just wondering why this happens.... the motivation behind it? BTW, "my station" is part of a low cost, high volume chain that is a first rate operation and though I've never been inside that one... their food is quite good. I was leery of getting a burger at a gas station called "Sheetz" . It was pretty dang good... but this was a location in a rural area tho' and the food area was as busy as the pumps were. These update patterns just have me curious.... thanks again!

[rusnak]

^ Yeah, I don't really stress out that much over publishing gas prices. I save my energy for keeping the place clean and new looking, and pushing the forefront of new products. I'm usually right in the middle range price wise on gas. I find my customers reward themselves by spending money in places that bring them gratification, if that makes sense. So lately it's been about bringing back old world beers that went away in the Covid shutdowns. We have some unique food items. And for some reason "Hello Kitty" stuff like bags and stuff flies off the shelves. I'm probably the only guy in my area who also does events. And we're starting the setup process for the pumpkin patch already. The youngsters love shooting their Tik Tok videos at my place too. It's a fun place.

[KFC911]

Thanks again Rusnak! I've read many of your posts about your station and punkin' patch, etc. over the years.... sounds like a first class operation in all respects . I've done some more analysis via gasbuudy.... looking at just the Sheetz stations here (and they are a first rate chain too). Looking at about 20..., all of them appear to update their gasbuddy prices every hour, automatically as the "owner", with individuals also jumping in. FWIW.... the stations vary in price as much as 30 cents/gal depending on where they are located ... and all are close by. That's the way it's always been tho'.... nothing new. My station might dip below 4 bucks soon.... yippie ... cheap gas for me.... unless I visit the one just down the street. Rich $uckerz purchase at that one. Prices vary widely in my area fwiw.... I just buy gas and pay at the pump 99% of the time.... unless I have to pee .

Thanks again!