Fuel Surcharge

[Cubsfan]

Anyone else notice that all the companies that tacked these on when gas prices were high have yet to remove them?

Just emailed my trash company to see when they're going to get rid of it.

[Jihforce]

Yeah I was thinking of the same thing. I don't think airlines will be removing their "check-in" baggage surcharge any time soon either.

[SteveB]

Same thing at grocery stores. Prices were raised due to increased shipping charges but they haven't reduced them yet. This was commented on by local news the other day.

[Thesifer]

Because they can get away with it. Artificial inflation. Now they'll say its to make up for the lost sales because of the "bad economy."

[DarkFury]

Of course... all of these companies are gonna take advantage of the situation since they already got their foot in the door. :2far:

[johnnymk]

Uh, the new energy czars, or whatever you call them are in favor of greatly increased taxes on fuel. So get used to them in a hurry.

[clutchy]

whoa whoa guys settle down...

Here's the thing about a market economy... You have to wait for prices to go down they won't just drop overnight.


People don't just voluntarily drop their prices, they have to see that they can still make money at a lower price so they'll drop them to get more business then everyone else will to compete. It does however take a significant amount of time and it's not directly attached to gas price prices.


listen to you guys... you're all such big pussy victims...

[LPMiller]

I agree with clutchy...it's not like they put those fuel surcharges in the prices the moment they went up. They got hammered by it for awhile before they did it. There is a lag in these things.

[DarkFury]

So if we come back a year later and the fees are still there, will you guys still maintain your current stance on the position? How long would you give them to remove "fuel surcharge" fees... or should they just continue them indefinitely until fuel prices rise again and then they can raise them even more...? Where should it end? :shrug:

It was easy for them to tag them "fuel surcharge" fees knowing full well that they'd want to up the price. Pretty much calling it a "fuel surcharge" probably made it more tolerable to the spending public considering what fuel prices were over the past 6 months to a year. But honestly, do you really think that they will remove these additional fees?

'Cause we all know that in business you always pass along all of your extra fees to the customer right? And any fee that is no longer needed becomes profit in your pocket... sorta like a toll bridge that is fully paid for generating extra revenue after the bill has been paid.

[Thesifer]

'Cause we all know that in business you always pass along all of your extra fees to the customer right? And any fee that is no longer needed becomes profit in your pocket... sorta like a toll bridge that is fully paid for generating extra revenue after the bill has been paid.

Kind of like the bridge in San Diego that took them something like 20 years after payoff to actually make it free? :)

[LPMiller]

So if we come back a year later and the fees are still there, will you guys still maintain your current stance on the position? How long would you give them to remove "fuel surcharge" fees... or should they just continue them indefinitely until fuel prices rise again and then they can raise them even more...? Where should it end? :shrug:

That's a nonsense question. yeah, if they kept it up for a year, I'd bitch a little. That has nothing to do with now. It's only been a couple of months, and if you go back, most of those companies ate the higher fuel costs for 6months or more. I don't think it's out of line for there to be a lag time.


It was easy for them to tag them "fuel surcharge" fees knowing full well that they'd want to up the price. Pretty much calling it a "fuel surcharge" probably made it more tolerable to the spending public considering what fuel prices were over the past 6 months to a year. But honestly, do you really think that they will remove these additional fees?

Yes, because prices are already falling. They want to sell things for what they can sell them for. If those fees cause things to not sell....then yes. You're acting like they needed an excuse to raise prices....it's capitalism, they don't actually need an excuse. Nobody makes money by charging too much for a product.


'Cause we all know that in business you always pass along all of your extra fees to the customer right? And any fee that is no longer needed becomes profit in your pocket... sorta like a toll bridge that is fully paid for generating extra revenue after the bill has been paid.

Then don't buy. Products that don't sell get cheaper.

[guiseppewv]

I know Delta removed their surcharges on FF tickets.

[DarkFury]

That's a nonsense question. yeah, if they kept it up for a year, I'd bitch a little. That has nothing to do with now. It's only been a couple of months, and if you go back, most of those companies ate the higher fuel costs for 6months or more. I don't think it's out of line for there to be a lag time.
Why is it that any question asked that is counter your opinion is "nonsense". We all have our own times when we want things to happen and if that doesn't conform to your ideal.. then it is nonsense.

How big of you there... LP :2far:




Yes, because prices are already falling. They want to sell things for what they can sell them for. If those fees cause things to not sell....then yes. You're acting like they needed an excuse to raise prices....it's capitalism, they don't actually need an excuse. Nobody makes money by charging too much for a product.
Your opinion versus mine... can you just focus on the topic instead of "me". Thanks.



Then don't buy. Products that don't sell get cheaper.
Thanks for the advice...

Things I don't need (like Airline Tickets at the moment..) I don't buy. Things I do need, I have to buy.. and it's my right to complain. Neither you nor the companies can stop me from that as that is my perogative.

But thanks again for trying to tell me what to do with MY time and money.

[Thesifer]

Things I don't need (like Airline Tickets at the moment..) I don't buy. Things I do need, I have to buy.. and it's my right to complain. Neither you nor the companies can stop me from that as that is my perogative.

But thanks again for trying to tell me what to do with MY time and money.

Oh stop lying.. sheesh. You don't need food, or food for the kids, or clothes for their backs. Send them to school naked without food, until they lower the prices!

[LPMiller]

Why is it that any question asked that is counter your opinion is "nonsense". We all have our own times when we want things to happen and if that doesn't conform to your ideal.. then it is nonsense.

How big of you there... LP :2far:



Your opinion versus mine... can you just focus on the topic instead of "me". Thanks.


Thanks for the advice...

Things I don't need (like Airline Tickets at the moment..) I don't buy. Things I do need, I have to buy.. and it's my right to complain. Neither you nor the companies can stop me from that as that is my perogative.

But thanks again for trying to tell me what to do with MY time and money.

:rolleyes: Yes, that was exactly what I was telling you.

[Daedalus]

Nobody makes money by charging too much for a product.

Bingo. Does it really matter if they tack on a fuel surcharge, or a "loss compensation tariff," or a "bankruptcy prevention measure?" They still have to be competitive. At the end of the day these companies are probably scraping by on very slim margins at best, and a lot of companies will be reporting losses in the current quarter, as they haven't been able to reduce their cost structures as fast as revenues have been dropping.

[InfiniteNothing]

Is there nothing to be said of raising awareness and putting societal pressure on these companies to drop those fees? That's at least part of how capitalism works right?

[cheapie]

speaking as a member of the industrial complex, it's hard to keep prices updated to reflect the price of commodities. it's wreaking havoc on our cost and profit structures. it's exceptionally hard right now to keep our contracts correctly reflecting the price of raw materials. if a company is locked into a losing position for a year or six months, you can bet they're going to do the same on the plus side when possible.

[DarkFury]

Oh stop lying.. sheesh. You don't need food, or food for the kids, or clothes for their backs. Send them to school naked without food, until they lower the prices!
OMG... no more food... no more clothes... :eek:

I'll go to my corner and cry now. Thanks Thesifer.. I hope you are happy now. :cry:


:rolleyes: Yes, that was exactly what I was telling you.
Par for the course for you... I suppose. :shrug:

[DarkFury]

Bingo. Does it really matter if they tack on a fuel surcharge, or a "loss compensation tariff," or a "bankruptcy prevention measure?" They still have to be competitive. At the end of the day these companies are probably scraping by on very slim margins at best, and a lot of companies will be reporting losses in the current quarter, as they haven't been able to reduce their cost structures as fast as revenues have been dropping.
Being competitive is one thing... however right now, they'll need to call it something different than "fuel surcharge" since fuel prices have been cut in half (not that it probably stay that way for long... at least I personally don't expect it to.)

EVERYONE is losing now... I haven't seen any increases in MY pay due to the current economic crisis. Maybe I should charge my employer a "fuel surcharge" to make it easier for me to come into work every day... Hmmm... (Honestly, I don't think that is gonna fly very far.)

So what now? Should EVERYTHING stop because the cost of living is going up faster than earnings? Where does it end? (or does it ever end?) Therein is the "catch 22"...

BTW... if EVERYONE appears to be losing money, then who currently "has the money"? Someone out there must be gaining if everyone is losing... if not, then how can EVERYONE be losing all at the same time? So confusing... :2far:

[Cubsfan]

At least for me, I can understand raising prices. I mean, that happens. I might not like it, but sometimes it's necessary. But don't hide behind any "Temp Fuel Fee".

If you're going to raise prices, then raise prices. I see calling it out like that as trying to say "Look, we don't WANT to raise your prices, but we have to because of this". Again, fine, but start repealing it when prices go down.

[Daedalus]

So what now? Should EVERYTHING stop because the cost of living is going up faster than earnings? Where does it end? (or does it ever end?) Therein is the "catch 22"...

BTW... if EVERYONE appears to be losing money, then who currently "has the money"? Someone out there must be gaining if everyone is losing... if not, then how can EVERYONE be losing all at the same time? So confusing... :2far:
It's called a recession. Sorry, life isn't fair. And it's not a zero-sum game.

[DarkFury]

Ok.. if that is your point on it. Still, I feel the way I feel.

And yes, I already know full well that "life isn't fair". Hell, I'm surprised that isn't tattooed on my forehead. :D