If you thinking of boycotting your local BP Gas Station - DON'T!! Wrong person being hurt!

I know we're all pissed at BP, but I read this intesting tidbit about the so-called "Boycott BP Gas Stations" and learned alot from it. If you think you are hurting BP the corporation by boycotting BP the local gas station, the only person you are hurting are the ownres of that gas station. Why would we want to boycott small business owners.

Please read this:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/30/gulf-oil-spill-myths-debu_n_629616.html#s107504

Boycotting BP Gas Stations Boycotts BP

Myth. Lady Gaga is among the leading proponents of a BP boycott, as musicians on summer tours shun the stations, along with Public Citizen and tens of thousands of Facebook fans of a boycott. But while the brand may be offensive and permanently tainted, BP disinvested in its U.S. gasoline chain in 2007, leaving independent owners invested most heavily in local stations. They pay BP a licensing fee and may (or may not) be more likely to carry BP gasoline, but the economics of wholesale oil and gas is such that BP, Britain's largest company, is unlikely to suffer much from a retail gas boycott, but BP the local station owner could. Anyway, what's the better alternative? And unfortunately, oil ends up in a lot of products other than gasoline, under a lot of different brands, making it difficult to avoid one company's product.

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So please do NOT hurt small business owners with a boycott. I mean seriously what are my options out there - Exxon? Shell? Valero?

That is what is inside YOUR head, not mine.

Try not putting words in other people's mouths.

You are not welcome here.

The best thing to do is reduce your use of refined oil products by 50% asap.

I mean I can still pick up a Snapple or late night loaf of bread at the local mini-market.

Every BP station I've seen within 40 miles of here has been doing this for as long as I can remember, so I've been "boycotting" them since well before the spill.

Only (losers) those with no credit cards go into those fucking places anyway. Why the fuck would you want to wait in line while some asshole decides what lotto bull shit they are going to buy ...while they hold a case of beer and feed their kids Twinkies.

Get a fucking clue: They (BP) are mass murderers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxDf-KkMCKQ&sns=em

http://www.floridaoilspilllaw.com/dead-oil-coated-baby-dolphin-carried-to-shore-by-tourist-photos-dolphin-was-crying-as-people-oil-off-coast-guard-unclear-on-cause-of-death/comment-page-2#comment-1797

http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/gulf_oil_spill/oiled-dolphin-found-near-ft-pickens

Yea ...watch that and then post your shit about BP ...fucking heartless

BP is killing us RIGHT THE FUCK NOW as I type this. I hate BP and anyone associate with that fucking piece of shit company FOREVER!!!

DEATH TO BP!!!

You need to separate the two.

That guy that owns your local BP station made an investment into a Franchise name - no different then if I opened a 7-11, a Wa-Was, A McDonalds, etc. etc. etc.

That's his money he is losing, not BP's. The owner paid for the franchise so that his store can be listed in the directory and he can take advantage of the credit cards available. So when you boycott your local BP station, you're hurting the local business owner that owns that station, not BP.

And seriously, outside of walking, you have a better option of a gas station that has a brandname that is all 'clean and pristine'?.

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that completely ignore anything you've presented and go back to knee-jerk accusations and faction-building.

I have no intention of starting now. Since I never supported a locally-owned BP station, I'm not really boycotting now.

This meme is being pushed by BP.

I can't remember visiting a gas station other than BP over the last decade. The last time I filled up, I went to a gas station across the street. I won't be going back to BP.

As someone mentioned, the store owners could theoretically sue BP for damages and lost revenue, much the same as some businesses are doing in on the Gulf coast.

Better yet, if the individual stores are the ones hurt, pull the BP name from their store. From what I understand, "BP loses money" from the stations they own, and they want to get out of that market anyway. Win-win for everyone, right? But it's not happening, most likely because BP does profit from having their brand plastered everywhere.

Oh well. Sort of a rambling rant, but I won't be frequenting BP gas stations in the future, no matter who it does or does not hurt.

and your'e right - the owners of the gas stations could go after BP for lost business.

As for the other poster that suggests it's a BP "Meme". I think Huffington is a pretty reliable news source that is not right-wing propagated. Owning a BP gas station is just like owning any other franchise, so it's sad to think DUers would want to punish those who have invested into a franchises that has very little connection outside of the name.

I mean other reasons not to shop at BP were very valid (one said it was always 2 cents more than the station across the street). But I for one will not hurt small business owners.

"But I for one will not hurt small business owners." WTF so you are going to buy gas from BP stations to help the "small business owners". You are actually going to choose a BP station for your gas to make up for their loss? WTF ...pffft

They have to have the money to pay for the cleanup after all.

:silly:

What was it, $41 BILLION in pure profit in the last three years? I think they can spare some of that...

BP would not be wailing about the boycott, would not be advertising against it, unless it was hurting them. The notion that BP doesn't count every dollar is simply not true. They do. That's why they're in this mess - because they cut corners and squeeze every dollar they can get from the market.

All BP has to do to "save" their struggling retailers is set them free. This is like listening to a plantation owner complain about conditions for his slaves, when he's the one who can set them free.

BP is the albatross around the outlet owners' necks. If BP would sell the rights or simply set free their indentured servants, those operators would be free of BP's negative weight.

Usually it's the small business owner that is putting out his money investment and buys into the brand name in hopes of getting some promotion. To equate the small business owner with slaves is just very very very very pathetic.

Your inability to understand the analogy I gave is unfortunate.

To use the small business owner to defend BP is very, very, very, very pathetic. I strongly suggest you learn to better understand business and economics, and stop being so easily led around by the likes of BP.

an investment of liquid capital at a minimum of $700,000. That is a large amount to have to invest. The fact is, the franchisees are contractually protected and BP has to pay them for losses created by BP. These are contracts involving millions of dollars. This is not something a guy bought online, for 5k.
To equate investors placing hundreds of thousands of actual dollars into a franchise operation as 'small business owners' is simply not very accurate. The Arco in my town is owned by people who own many of them. Groups of investing professionals are also common owners of such expensive franchises. Famous athletes. Rich people.
Tell me about how the little guy gets this near million in cash to invest. Did he clip coupons or what?

they get loans.

Loans need to be paid.

That is the liquid capital they have to bring to the table. That is not the amount of the loan that they will be taking. The total investment is much larger.
Tell me of these million dollar loans, with no down, which can then be used as leverage for another larger loan?
Here is a definition of liquid capital: Liquid Capital, or Fluid capital is a readily convertible asset, such as money or other bearer economic instruments, as opposed to a long term asset like real estate.
That 'small business owner' needed at least $700K and up to a mil and a half to buy in to that franchise.
Is that small to you? Over half a mil cash on a 2 million dollar opening? Small? Ok. We live in different worlds I guess.

so the argument that they leverage their home is also false. These are people or groups of people who can lay down huge amounts of money, cash, unhindered by debt in any area of their lives. It is that simple.

to refrain from inflicting economic damage on BP simply because they are well protected and the asses of station owners are on the line. Ultimately if you continue to boycott the station owners, you will damage BP (they don't give these franchises away). To use a war metaphor: you gotta go through a lot of soldiers before you get to stop the guy in charge of the enemy forces.

and frankly, I don't care whether you or anybody else likes it or not..

part of the territory.

The boycott of South Africa hurt a lot of innocent South Africans who actually were working against apartheid.

:boring:

..which gas station should I buy FROM? I'm sure the majority, if not all other oil companies are involved in horrific behavior.

Hess?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jun/29/bp-pays-cleanup-bills-offers-help-pump-owners/

Meanwhile, the oil giant is floating a financial lifeline to the owners, operators and suppliers of the gas stations around America that bear its name and have been struggling because of boycotts prompted by the Gulf spill.

The head of a trade group that represents distributors of BP gasoline in the U.S. told the Associated Press in Houston that the company is in the process of informing outlets that they will be getting cash in their pockets, reductions in credit card fees and help with more national advertising.

John Kleine of the BP Amoco Marketers Association said the cash component will be based on distributors' volume and will be more for outlets in the Gulf than for those elsewhere in the country.

He estimates the total package BP is offering at roughly $50 million to $70 million.

I don't see this as a coordinated boycott...and I'm one that is extremely cynical about the effectiveness of such boycotts; especially against multinationals. What I think we're seeing is a passive boycott...a reaction from the American public to BP's own avarice and lies that has turned the brand name into a pariah (unless you're a rushpublican politician with lots of oil cash in your pockets). People are angry, but more importantly, disgusted...and as long as the oil gushes, the backlash will continue.

Sadly the vendors are a victim of guilt by association...that green BP logo is now a joke. It's not their fault but they're the most visible symbol of this corrupt company. If this continues and forces stations to shut down, these operators should be entitled to escape their current contracts and affiliate with another company while being compensated by BP for losses due to what would be termed "bad will" with the consuming public.

A few days ago those against the boycott called them 'workers'. You understand that the owners of such franchises pay BP for their store sales? Do you realize these 'small business owners' were required to pony up at minimum $700,000 in liquid capital to even enter into the agreement?
In my neighborhood, we have small businesses. They start with a few thousand bucks, not near a million. They open a wee store, not a huge 24 hour market and fuel station. Those who invest their money in a franchise do so because they think it will profit them greatly to do so. They never intended to share those profits, or to lower prices in thanks. This means that like the profits, the losses are also their own.
That is called business. You take a risk to make profit. But sometimes, that risk does not pay off. Please offer me some other examples of things people should buy against their will for the sake of those who own the service or product's profit margin? Name things you buy that you don't want to buy, which you buy just to hand profit to those involved. Name a store you hate, that you use because the owner has a right to your money.

to be honestly, haven't bought gas from them in years since they aren't on my usual driving routes to & from work (when I tend to buy about 95% of the gas I use. I use a local Liberty gas station or Hess/Shell stations that I pass near where I park.)

And you are not answering questions posed to you.

Her 75,000 posts are an elaborate act to gain "street credibility" amongst liberals.

NOTE: This post is sarcastic.

I am aware of her posts. Here she is clearly misinformed, heart in the right place, but wrong about all of the details. This is why I asked her direct questions. To lead us to some facts.
It is not really cricket to imply that I said anything like what you are saying here. All I am saying is that she is incorrect. And I am offering reasons for my disagreement. How exactly is that a problem?

I don't care about the owners. Heartily unrecced

I don't have to do business with them if I don't want to.

And besides, since BP itself is getting heat from the boycott, that means it's working, and I will continue.

The people who own the two "small businesses" in my area that are BP stations do nothing for their community other than hire a few people at minimum wage and treat them like garbage.

I'm from this town and have been here a long time, I know the business owners and the two that own the BP stations are true repug pieces of shit, I could care less what happens to them.

A gas station, running 24 hours a day and taking in thousands in daily revenue is not what I consider a small business.

Boycott BP!

and that makes her premise even more offensive.

Or how much do you want to bet that they moan and complain endlessly about having to pay their workers one penny above minimum wage? Or how many of these greedy assholes write letters to their reps to vote down any type of pesky legislation that may force them to provide any sort of even bad health-insurance for their staff? How many of these "small business owners" think that they should get rid of any type of environmental restrictions whatsoever and just DRILL-BABY DRILL!! How much money are any of them are paying out of their pockets for the gulf cleanup?

Now, all of a sudden the invisible hand of the free market that these jerks seem to always use an an excuse to justify all of their earth-raping, employee screwing, tax-cutting, deregulating horse shit is not the greatest thing ever created? Fuck them. Let them swallow the crap that they have been trying to shove down everyone's throat since Reagan was in the White-house.

But as you can see, it's falling on deaf ears among the knee-jerking, hyperbole spewing "wing" of the party.

As I've said a dozen times...if I don't buy my gas at BP, which multi-national oil and gas company should I be buying my gas from, and how are their business practices any different from BP?

Shell:
http://www.essentialaction.org/shell/issues.html

Hess:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/environmentdec/42589.html

Plus we know about Exxon/Mobil.

They are all crooks.

I think cutting back is the only road forward.

By this line of reasoning, King & Co should not have boycotted the Birmingham bus line, etc.

I've seen it happen less than a mile from my house. A gas station with one brand name suddenly pulls a quick signage remodel and becomes a gas station of a different brand name.

So let these gas station owners switch providers, stop paying their licensing fees and percentages of their profits to BP, and then the rest of us can watch as BP continues its oh-so-well-deserved death spiral.

and BP gets nothing in return?

:rofl:


What are the Minimum Financial Requirements to Obtain a Franchise?
The estimated liquid capital required is $700,000 - $1,000,000 based on an estimated investment of $1,787,704- $7,595,178 which includes the costs for real estate. A good credit record / credit history is also required, evidenced by prompt payment of all financial obligations.

http://www.bp.com/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9006865&contentId=7013479

Those franchise owners can start a class action suit against BP if they're that concerned. No sympathies. Boycott still on.

Some were as much as .15 higher per gallon than any other, and their electronic PPG signs were some of the easiest to spot. I have never seen a BP station making it onto the lowest prices list in my area on the gasbuddy website either.

I have lost several "career" jobs over the years because of technological advancements, automation, and customer apathy/changing preferences. My entire region suffered when foreign automakers with little to no LEGACY costs, smaller/fewer benefit packages, and lower wages were permitted to sell vehicles w/o any competitive tariff burdens in the US, while their own government protected and supported them from the get-go.

So why should I care if all BP franchises completely disappear from the commercial landscape in the US?

Don't need to top it off at a station.

Never going to use their pumps. Or Exxon.