Thierry Breton, the French Ministry of Finance, yesterday announced that on the 2nd of Jan 2007 they will open a website where consumers will be able to compare and spot the least expensive gas stations in real time...
URL will be : www.prix-carburants.gouv.fr . For US readers, it is as if the US government was launching a www.gasprice.gov !
Well, we'll see in 2 weeks time if the site is accessible (I still have in mind the geoportail ridiculus launch), user-friendly, if one really can spot in real time the least expensive gas station next door wherever in France, etc.
Sure, if a station is 2 cents lower but 3 miles away than another one, I may just be better off driving to the latter, because proximity is also very meaningful dollar-wise ! But, still, let's not jump on the easy criticism straight away, it definetly is an interesting initiative with just a tiny shade of demagogy, as it will play a role in limitating outrageous discrepancies.
In the physical brick&mortar world, you may find apparently strange price patterns, with 2 gas stations in the same street but opposite side presenting a significant gap : one is in the right trafic direction, the other is not (as a matter of fact it changes during the day) ! The one in the right direction at the right time may charge a slight premium, consumers will most probably not waste their time making a U-turn (which, besides, is often very hard if not practically impossible).
This boils down to the same mindset any good retailer/e-tailer should pursue : a constant focus on understanding customers' key purchase criteria, why they come to your store instead of going to your competitors', etc. Knowing that, you may then take some thoughtful decision concerning pricing.
there are already 4 websites doing the same on an UGC basis as the internet users will spot the prices, the gas station and put the infos on the site if they want :
carbeo
zagaz
carburant malin
prixcarburant
;-)
Posted by: seb | December 21, 2006 at 02:48 PM
would be interesting as a webservice (since it's government money no need to find a business model without ads). does anybody know if it's planned ?
Posted by: lionel | December 21, 2006 at 05:14 PM
Seb, le point était de dire que ça venait de l'initiative du gouvernement !
Posted by: Michel de Guilhermier | December 21, 2006 at 06:19 PM
Bonjour michel
oui j'avais bien noté cela, je suis d'ailleurs assez surpris par cette intiative, mais moi je voulais quand mêmen souligner le fait que des entrepreneurs avaient eu cette iodee il y a deja quelques temps..
merci
Posted by: seb | December 22, 2006 at 10:52 AM