Q – So whaaa’s up with the propane prices John… how come I’m having a tuff time finding propane prices listed on the site?

I hear you and you’re not going to believe it!

1st off we get millions of page views on this site from people just like you searching to buy propane. You’d think a honest straight forward propane company would be anxious to get in front of you and make you an offer in order to gain more customers right?

That’s what I thought too…

So off I went calling propane companies and offering them a chance to try the site out for a whopping $1.00 (one dollar for a full 30 days PLUS a full money back guarantee after 60 days) to see if it would work for them.

Pretty reasonable would’nt you think?

Here’s what happened…  No one wanted to try it out.

I couldn’t understand it.

I dug deeper and this is what I found

Some propane companies have differnet prices for differnet customers. YUP and it’s not what you think!

If you’re a new customer or you’re thinking about it they make you great offers to get your business. In other words they drop their prices to get you in. BUT once you’ve been a  customer for a while they jack up your prices and you end up paying through the nose.

So because of this poor version of  “propane marketing” some of these propane companies refused to post their prices on line or even to have their company listed.

Now look…  I’m a marketing guy and I get the concept of an “irresistable offer” to get new customers. BUT COME ON!

The way I see it is you take care of your long term customers you don’t wack them! There’s other ways to promote your company with out taking advantage of your old customers and it’s better for the consumer and the company.

Bottom line…. many companies in the industry dont want to EXPOSE their prices in fear off pissing off their old tried and true customers.

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So in my opinion the companies that list their prices online are true, honest, decent companies that we need to spend our money with. EVEN IF their prices are a little higher at least you know what they are and what you’re getting and you know they treat customers right.

YEA I may have just signed my death warrent in the propane industry but hey… if they used a little imagination and really thought about what they could do to help their customers things would be a lot different don’t you think?

Some great companies in some areas are taking up the torch and setting themselves apart in the industry and are begining to post prices online.

In the mean time I’m calling companies directly and posting their prices so either way the you and I will get the information wether I call or you call. Besides, one way or another if a company wants to sell propane they need to tell us what their prices are.

In my opinion 1 price makes more sense. After all once the older tried and true customer finds out that the lil ol’ sneakey propane company is playing with prices… that’s a sure bet that that tried and true customer will feel used and abused and will bail out on that company so fast that the CEO’s head ul’ spin.

So what’s your take?

P.S. I’m adding prices and doing the best I can to keep up so if you have any info I’m happy to post it.

Just off of yeasterdays post direct … from todays herald tribune

Back in Willmar, Willis is quick to point out that farmers like him pay much of their revenue right to their suppliers. He has been told to expect the price of the liquid propane that runs his corn drier to be 30 percent higher than last year. The cost of fertilizer could double. The price of diesel fuel for his tractors rose nearly one-quarter last year and has risen further since.

Food prices in the United States rose about 4 percent last year, the fastest rate since 1990, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Prices on some foods rose much faster. The price of white bread rose 13 percent last year, bacon 7 percent, peanut butter 9 percent. And food inflation is picking up speed, running at an annualized rate of 6.1 percent as of April, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported May 14.

Meanwhile, a weakened dollar makes U.S. produce less expensive abroad even as poor harvests in some foreign countries have generated regional scarcities. Countries with emerging economies like India and China are creating nations of consumers demanding higher-quality in ingredients and food.

The rising prices are forcing changes at food makers like Kraft Foods, which saw its commodities costs rise last year by 9 percent, or $1.3 billion. This year, Kraft expects to see an even bigger increase in its costs, and it is raising prices across the board. But it is also changing some product packaging to save money, switching its classic Miracle Whip jar from glass to plastic, for instance.

Like I said food prices are going to skyrocket… Just watch

Stay warm, stay safe and save money

John

So what’s your take?