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"And it’s because Buc-ee’s is happy to break even at their massive gas pump array in Johnstown so long as you also walk inside and overspend on beef jerky, neck

by Noaidi 11mo ago

"And it’s because Buc-ee’s is happy to break even at their massive gas pump array in Johnstown so long as you also walk inside and overspend on beef jerky, neck pillows and beaver-themed sleepwear." So gas is cheaper, but you are spending more. This is not a story about gas prices, this is a story of consumer manipulation, dark patterns, monopolistic practices, etc.

mbg721 11mo ago
Enh, Buc-ee's isn't a monopoly so much as it is a tourist trap. As dark patterns go, that seems pretty mild to me.
- Noaidi 11mo ago
  I said "monopolistic practices", I did not say it was a monopoly. "In 2019, shortly after Buc-ee's opened their first store in Alabama, the company was sued for "setting unfair pump prices", because they were selling gasoline to the customers for less money than it costs to buy and transport it to a retail outlet. While it is common within the United States for larger gas station chains to use a pricing strategy where gas is used as a loss leader to draw customers and encourage the sale of other goods, the practice is banned under Alabama state law." _wiki
  - mindslight 11mo ago
    A loss leader isn't a monopolistic practice. They can be related, for example video game consoles can be loss leaders, to build demand for a monopoly on games for that specific console. But that relies on the sticky market effect from a customer owning a particular console, whereas the loss leader on gas has to convince the customer to visit the store every time. If anything that Alabama law seems a bit questionable. As long as gas stations have card readers where you don't even have to go in the store, converting gas customers to convenience store customers seems like quite the uphill battle to me. (modulo the surveillance issues of using payment cards)
- t1234s 11mo ago
  I've noticed its faster to get the full bucees experience with a tesla instead of trying to park a normal car hit the bathrooms, get drinks and junk food then get in line for gas. Also as a side note they are the only places I've seen mercedes benz charging stations that look mostly abandoned. Last time I was there people were using those spots to park ICE vehicles.
thr0waw3y 11mo ago
> This is not a story about gas prices, this is a story of consumer manipulation, dark patterns, monopolistic practices, etc. Meh. Snacks are expensive at every gas station; it's the market-decided price of convenience, not "monopolistic practices". Just get gas cheaper at Buccees and then get snacks cheaper at your nearby market if you want to optimize for price, nobody is stopping the money-conscientous consumer from doing that.

by Noaidi 11mo ago

mbg721 11mo ago

Enh, Buc-ee's isn't a monopoly so much as it is a tourist trap. As dark patterns go, that seems pretty mild to me.

Noaidi 11mo ago
I said "monopolistic practices", I did not say it was a monopoly. "In 2019, shortly after Buc-ee's opened their first store in Alabama, the company was sued for "setting unfair pump prices", because they were selling gasoline to the customers for less money than it costs to buy and transport it to a retail outlet. While it is common within the United States for larger gas station chains to use a pricing strategy where gas is used as a loss leader to draw customers and encourage the sale of other goods, the practice is banned under Alabama state law." _wiki
- mindslight 11mo ago
  A loss leader isn't a monopolistic practice. They can be related, for example video game consoles can be loss leaders, to build demand for a monopoly on games for that specific console. But that relies on the sticky market effect from a customer owning a particular console, whereas the loss leader on gas has to convince the customer to visit the store every time. If anything that Alabama law seems a bit questionable. As long as gas stations have card readers where you don't even have to go in the store, converting gas customers to convenience store customers seems like quite the uphill battle to me. (modulo the surveillance issues of using payment cards)
t1234s 11mo ago
I've noticed its faster to get the full bucees experience with a tesla instead of trying to park a normal car hit the bathrooms, get drinks and junk food then get in line for gas. Also as a side note they are the only places I've seen mercedes benz charging stations that look mostly abandoned. Last time I was there people were using those spots to park ICE vehicles.

thr0waw3y 11mo ago

> This is not a story about gas prices, this is a story of consumer manipulation, dark patterns, monopolistic practices, etc. Meh. Snacks are expensive at every gas station; it's the market-decided price of convenience, not "monopolistic practices". Just get gas cheaper at Buccees and then get snacks cheaper at your nearby market if you want to optimize for price, nobody is stopping the money-conscientous consumer from doing that.