tdgeek:

 

Oblivian: Also believe that is why Qld work on spot pricing. It is generally raised during the start of the week. And then lowers as stock consumption adjusts. Time your fills right and you are home and hosed.

 

How can they spot price, they cant buy on Saturday off the refinery that bought much earlier and sell on Monday?

 

So what have we done in past years

 

Thats the big unknown that leaves most the nation scratching heads

The retail outlets are big with words like 'forecast' etc when questioned as to how they can afford 10c days on 1 particular day. The 'budget forecast allows for it' was posted a lot on the flybuys 10c days posts.  As if they can calculate how much of the population will A. take up the offer B. actually be in a place to use the offer. And know if the one down the road will or won't match it in the next 2 days or same day (which often happens) to effect those figures. One would expect daily consumption averages only are known. Not the details of market share of all cars on the road.

And yet there are pump price changes that were not 'forecast' despite having the underground tanks reserve, the 30-90 days reserve at the bulk storage, and then the shared reserve at partners. Before even going into if the refined product needs to be topped up or could last a bit longer till it flattens out. But still, are able to up the pump price 3x in 5 days (3 weeks ago for example - 3c,1c,2c if I recall) across all companies. And point the finger at import costs and price of crude or refined (depending on who in the media team is on at the time)

In one way, australia could have made an investment. Fill the bulk tanks up. Day 0. Fix a rate at known retail point. Next day, consider the overall consumption of prev 24hr. Adjust rate to replenish bulk (or local) at differential. 

I'm sounding like a conspiricist, But don't mean to. Only like others, observant of how many factors there are to get from overseas to the handle. And how it conveniently gets adjusted across the board at the same time, knowing there are reserves and room for movement. But come review, conveniently gets adjusted (along with noted spikes in margin differences).

Not to mention since the announcement last year, you can now see from the thread the differences in the broad range across the country have been separated even more for some reason yet unexplained that I could find. (did anyone notice the difference between 91-95 also increased to 9c last year..)