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Topaz... RE

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  • 05-08-2015 11:36pm
    #1
    Aidan045
    Registered Users Posts: 34 ✭


    So I now know what the... Re. branding on topaz petrol stations stands for.
    (Really Expensive). Medium coffee and muffin €4.00. Usually €2.50 in most places. Baguette 1 meat 3 salad €5.00. Usually €3.75 tops in most. Looks like Dennis o'brien is way ahead of the curve on overcharging due to positive economic growth.
    (Hopefully that remark goes under his radar while he's busy suing the whole country.)


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    #2
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    Moved to Rip Off Ireland

    dudara


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    #3
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,688 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    Why pay it so?

    Plenty of alternatives, I don't go to my local topaz now unless they are cheaper on petrol, it used be my default with their 3 euro deal on a coffee and pastry but not now


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    #4
    Hollister11
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,482 ✭✭✭Hollister11


    I couldn't make it to lidl the other day, to buy my 2L water for .49c. I went to topaz on my way to work, and it was €2.39


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    #5
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 69,006 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Convenience stores charge for their convenience.

    There are alternatives, even in that sector, that are cheaper.


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    #6
    Whereisgalway
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,470 ✭✭✭Whereisgalway


    Topaz are ridiculous, avoid them at all cost


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    #7
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,928 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    Every town I drive through (And that is a lot!), Topaz are always the most expensive garage around. Why people go to them is beyond me.


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    #8
    jaymcg91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,015 ✭✭✭jaymcg91


    whiterebel wrote: »
    Every town I drive through (And that is a lot!), Topaz are always the most expensive garage around. Why people go to them is beyond me.

    Because they're usually convenient. And they charge for the convenience. Not rocket science :D.


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    #9
    keithclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,208 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    Aidan045 wrote: »
    So I now know what the... Re. branding on topaz petrol stations stands for.
    (Really Expensive). Medium coffee and muffin €4.00. Usually €2.50 in most places. Baguette 1 meat 3 salad €5.00. Usually €3.75 tops in most. Looks like Dennis o'brien is way ahead of the curve on overcharging due to positive economic growth.
    (Hopefully that remark goes under his radar while he's busy suing the whole country.)

    That's the case over most of Continental Europe as well.


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    #10
    mikeym
    Registered Users Posts: 3,985 ✭✭✭mikeym


    Theres 3 Petrol Stations in my town (Esso,Maxol & Topaz) and they all charge the same price for Petrol and Diesel.

    I reckon theres a local arrangement between the companies.


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    #11
    D Trent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,341 ✭✭✭D Trent


    mikeym wrote: »
    Theres 3 Petrol Stations in my town (Esso,Maxol & Topaz) and they all charge the same price for Petrol and Diesel.

    I reckon theres a local arrangement between the companies.

    By January there'll be 3 stations in your town - Topaz, Maxol & Topaz


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    #12
    delahuntv
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,532 ✭✭✭delahuntv


    mikeym wrote: »
    Theres 3 Petrol Stations in my town (Esso,Maxol & Topaz) and they all charge the same price for Petrol and Diesel.

    I reckon theres a local arrangement between the companies.

    nope - last group that did that were fined a massive amount of money.

    Margins on fuel are tiny - more profit on a cup of coffee than a fill of fuel for most.

    Any decent business will be watching the prices of their competitors - with fuel stations that's easy as they have to display the prices.

    So if Topaz were 1.249 for diesel and Maxol dropped to 123.9 today, you'd probably find Topaz would drop to maxol price fairly quickly as a lost fuel sale may mean the loss of a sale of a cup of coffee!


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    #13
    delahuntv
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,532 ✭✭✭delahuntv


    D Trent wrote: »
    By January there'll be 3 stations in your town - Topaz, Maxol & Topaz

    Not necessarily.

    Competition authority will require some of the esso stations to be sold off and also many of the esso stations are independently owned and may be able to exit their supply agreement and go with another supplier.


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    #14
    mikeym
    Registered Users Posts: 3,985 ✭✭✭mikeym


    But any other town Ive driven to I have seen different prices at different Petrol stations.

    I know profit margins are thin.


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    #15
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,928 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    jaymcg91 wrote: »
    Because they're usually convenient. And they charge for the convenience. Not rocket science :D.

    And yet there are other garages which offer the same convenience, so maybe it is rocket science, or you just don't know the answer either.


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    #16
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,928 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    delahuntv wrote: »
    nope - last group that did that were fined a massive amount of money.

    Margins on fuel are tiny - more profit on a cup of coffee than a fill of fuel for most.

    Any decent business will be watching the prices of their competitors - with fuel stations that's easy as they have to display the prices.

    So if Topaz were 1.249 for diesel and Maxol dropped to 123.9 today, you'd probably find Topaz would drop to maxol price fairly quickly as a lost fuel sale may mean the loss of a sale of a cup of coffee!

    Have you a link to that please? The Competition authority didn't seem to know of any instances when I reported the local garages in my area for exactly what the previous poster said. They said unless you can find written agreements between the garages, its impossible to prove, even though they believe it is being done.


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    #17
    jaymcg91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,015 ✭✭✭jaymcg91


    whiterebel wrote: »
    And yet there are other garages which offer the same convenience, so maybe it is rocket science, or you just don't know the answer either.

    No, go and read a business book - look under Supply and Demand. That will help you :rolleyes:.


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    #18
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,928 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    jaymcg91 wrote: »
    No, go and read a business book - look under Supply and Demand. That will help you :rolleyes:.

    Or if you learn to read first it may help. With eyes rolling like that, you probably can't.


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    #19
    jaymcg91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,015 ✭✭✭jaymcg91


    whiterebel wrote: »
    Or if you learn to read first it may help. With eyes rolling like that, you probably can't.

    How would I respond if I couldn't read?

    You must try harder next time :):):):):):):confused:.


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    #20
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,928 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    mikeym wrote: »
    Theres 3 Petrol Stations in my town (Esso,Maxol & Topaz) and they all charge the same price for Petrol and Diesel.

    I reckon theres a local arrangement between the companies.

    All 4 garages - 2 Topaz, A Texaco and a Maxol all charging the same in Midleton today at €1.29 for diesel. Garages between Midleton and Dungarvan from €1.22 to €1.18, also today.


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    #21
    TallGlass
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,935 ✭✭✭TallGlass


    I make it my business not to give that bully Dennis O Brien anything. Avoid Topaz and Esso like the plague.

    How he was allowed take over Esso to begin with is on par with the Three, o2 take over! Yet Mick O Leary can't take over Aer Lingus !


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    #22
    Hollister11
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,482 ✭✭✭Hollister11


    I'll go where ever is cheapest, or if i need it and it isn't to expensive. I don't care if DOB owns it tbh.


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    #23
    TallGlass
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,935 ✭✭✭TallGlass


    Hollister11 wrote: »
    I'll go where ever is cheapest, or if i need it and it isn't to expensive. I don't care if DOB owns it tbh.

    Well that's the benifit of where we live.

    I can't knowingly give a man so arrogant my money.


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    #24
    Hollister11
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,482 ✭✭✭Hollister11


    TallGlass wrote: »
    Well that's the benifit of where we live.

    I can't knowingly give a man so arrogant my money.

    Don't get me wrong, if there is another garage/shop near by i would go to it. But like some people i know, i wouldn't boycot his garage, and have to drive another 10/15 minutes for fuel.


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    #25
    delahuntv
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,532 ✭✭✭delahuntv


    whiterebel wrote: »
    Have you a link to that please? The Competition authority didn't seem to know of any instances when I reported the local garages in my area for exactly what the previous poster said. They said unless you can find written agreements between the garages, its impossible to prove, even though they believe it is being done.


    http://www.ccpc.ie/enforcement-mergers-enforcement-mergers-criminal-enforcement/members-home-heating-oil-cartel

    2 year in jail (suspended) and fines ranging from €30k to 1.5k

    12 people indicted.


    But always remember that margin on fuel are TINY, a well priced garage makes 2c - 3c a litre, a full priced garage, probably 7c - 8c.

    At the end of the day, most retailer watch other retailers. Suppliers give a recommended price. If 3 garages in a town can survive along side each other and charge similar prices, that's not price fixing as competitor prices are displayed on huge signs. It just each one happy to be at the same level.

    Same with key groceries - check brennans bread, same price in aldi, dunnes, tesco & supervalu.


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    #26
    delahuntv
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,532 ✭✭✭delahuntv


    TallGlass wrote: »
    I make it my business not to give that bully Dennis O Brien anything. Avoid Topaz and Esso like the plague.

    How he was allowed take over Esso to begin with is on par with the Three, o2 take over! Yet Mick O Leary can't take over Aer Lingus !

    He doesn't own esso yet. Also, Topaz own 40% capacity of oil import strorage, so other fuel companies buy off them including TOP & Applegreen.


    As for bully - if some eejit of a TD started blabbing off about your private financial dealings which are all above board, would you just lie down and allow it?


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    #27
    whiterebel
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,928 Mod ✭✭✭✭whiterebel


    delahuntv wrote: »
    He doesn't own esso yet. Also, Topaz own 40% capacity of oil import strorage, so other fuel companies buy off them including TOP & Applegreen.


    As for bully - if some eejit of a TD started blabbing off about your private financial dealings which are all above board, would you just lie down and allow it?

    All the garages are vastly over-priced all in Midleton, so they aren't making 2-3c/litre, they are making 8-11c on top of that.

    Garages were putting big signs on their cars, but because they were keeping the price high they were found guilty of price-fixing. I don't see the difference with garages on fuel just because they put it on a big sign. Its an anti-competitive practice at best. It seems from your link that the Competition Authority have no teeth when it comes to investigating.

    And Catherine Murphy "blabbing" has started an investigation into very serious accusations on malpractice, which doesn't seem to bother you. How do you now his dealings were above board? A judge found they certainly weren't before.


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