Don’t play games says boycott group
Don’t play games with consumers – this is the message to the petrol industry from Boycott BP Rototuna spokesperson Colin Williams.
“Consumers ain’t silly. The squeaky wheel will demand the oil and I think our followers are going to squeak plenty.”
The boycott group was started in retaliation to Rototuna petrol prices and he is pleased with the way the campaign is going.
“First of all we saw Rototuna back off on their pricing tactics, then we saw a big interest in the concept of boycotting in general as people started ‘price spotting’.”
A Facebook page was set up in early May to monitor prices charged by the stations, and keeps gaining members – it is currently just over 500. Members are able to share information on what is being charged elsewhere, advising where to avoid and where to go.
A story in Saturday’s Waikato Times and endorsement by the Automobile Association also helped make traction and the group has taken on a new life, he says.
“The petition has morphed into a watchdog situation, but this is what people seem to want. We are aware and we are watching.”
Colin Williams takes over from Jennifer Babich, who started the petition. She told Number 8 Network the campaign resulted in the Rototuna community coming together.
Visit the Boycott BP Rototuna Facebook page here.
The Waikato Times filed the following responses from the petrol stations –
Z Senior communications advisor Sheena Thomas
Does social media pressure cut your prices: “Our margins are so small there’s no room to drop them just because our customers don’t like it. It doesn’t have a big impact because it can’t have a big impact.”
How often do you revise prices: “Once a day”.
BP communications and external affairs manager Jonty Mills
Does social media pressure cut your prices: “We’ve got to compete on local competition as well as consider that we’re a national player…we won’t always necessarily be the cheapest in town.”
How often do you revise prices: “Once a day”.
Gull general manager David Bodger
Does social media pressure cut your prices: “There’s so many online forums about price that it’s physically impossible to talk about them all…Our mantra is “to bring the best fuel prices we can. We try to do that and probably about 99.9 per cent of the time we do that.”
How often do you revise prices: “Continually”.
