Are service stations overcharging for petrol using false denominations?

c0balt on 24/06/2017 - 12:20
Last edited 24/06/2017 - 12:56

Yesterday I looked at a receipt for petrol I purchased and it read $1.204/l. The sign at the time said $1.20 and not $1.204. I can't remember the last time I looked at a receipt for buying petrol, but I got a little irked that I can be charged a denomination that doesn't even exist.

When checking, I indeed did pay $1.204 and not $1.20 as the sign read at the front.

How long has this been happening for? Am I just being overly tight in thinking it's very suspect?

UPDATE EDIT:
I most likely mentally blocked out the last decimal point as charging this way is standard practice in my area and I'm a numpty for just realising it after filling up at servos for 10+ years.

Automotive

Comments

  • havebeerbelywillsumo on 24/06/2017 - 12:35
    +1

    ACCC?………………& yes it's a tiny amount charged but on high volume the overall invisible charge would be sizable, agree with you raising issue OP.

    • c0balt on 24/06/2017 - 12:51

      I wouldn't go to the ACCC over 12 cents!

      I just noticed the extra fraction of a cent for the first time on a petrol bill and didn't know if it was a standard practice or not.

    • retiredfeline on 24/06/2017 - 12:55

      But it's not as if they are gaining 0.4 cents every litre they sell. The bowser will charge the exact price. They are gaining only on the customers who thought it was 0.4 cents cheaper, which depends on the surrounding prices. It's about 20c per 50l. Quick way to get rich. Not.

  • cloudy on 24/06/2017 - 12:37
    +1

    I think ur being overly tight.
    It used to be the norm to charge in the tenth of a cent. But in the last decade when petrol has gone above the $1 mark, the tenth of a cent had been hard to advertised due to bill board size. But I still accept it.

  • redforever on 24/06/2017 - 12:44
    +2

    Maybe the digit 4 have fallen off the sign. As far as i can remember, servos in Melbourne always show prices in cents with 1 decimal point. In your case, I would have expected the sign to show 120.4 cents per liter.

    • c0balt on 24/06/2017 - 12:46
      +1

      I'll drive past that servo later today to confirm but I have a feeling I may have mentally blocked out that extra fraction of a cent when it was on the board.

      I feel like a bit of a numpty for just realising I've been paying petrol this way for 10+ years and never noticed it.

      • Euphemistic on 24/06/2017 - 13:18

        Before petrol regularly hit over the $1 mark it was normal for signs to have 3 digits. xx.x c/L. Then when it went over $1 it was fairly normal for a while to have a hand painted '1' stuck on the front of the sign. It's always been cents to one decimal place.

  • whooah1979 on 24/06/2017 - 18:15

    99c store wants customers to buy five items so that they can give 5c change.

  • [Deactivated] on 24/06/2017 - 19:13

    I don't mind paying a little extra but not in a sly deceitful way.

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