Last Monday night, an employee at a gas station in Wisconsin changed their gas price to $.329 and left for the evening. It was supposed to be $3.299, but the final 9 got left off. At this gas station, gas can still be purchased after closing–pay at the pump only, of course.
42 people “stopped by” and purchased 586 gallons of gas at the 33cent price! Police saw the crowds at the pumps and contacted the store owner, who pushed the emergency stop valves.
She called the people who purchased gas at that price dishonest.
I call them broke. If the average price in my town is $3.30 and I’ve got a chance to buy gas for $.33 cents, you better believe I would. People make mistakes, yes, but accepting that doesn’t mean we think they don’t have to suffer the consequences of those mistakes!
No, purchasing the gas isn’t the most honest thing to do, but how many people are going to pull in for gas and then decide to go elsewhere to pay more? How many people are going to be told they can get gas so cheaply and just pass it up? It’s gas! We’re being overcharged for it, and we know it, so why not take advantage when opportunity knocks?!
December 10th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Damn right! I would have been all over that… and had that person not owned that gas station she/he would have to. Gas prices are ridiculous; you gotta take the good when you can
December 10th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
I would have done it as well. But then, my moral compass has been spinning for years.
December 11th, 2007 at 12:11 am
I would have bought it! And I don’t think there is anything dishonest about it. It wasn’t stolen, the people did not mislead anyone to get it for that price.
December 11th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
She went the wrong way. Instead of calling everyone dishonest, she could have played it off as a good promotion for her store. It might have gone a long way towards making everyone’s christmas a little brighter.
December 11th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
I made some captions at work today…I left them in my locker but I’ll bring them home Friday night and scan them. I think you’ll appreciate them.
December 11th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
Exactly! It’s no different than people in stores finding old sale signs still posted. It’s clear that the sale is over, but that sign is still there and the store has to honor it. Too bad.
December 11th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
I agree! I think if she’d spun it in a different light, maybe saying, “Oh well, that sucks, but at least we helped people stretch their holiday budget” I think that would’ve been great publicity for her.