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Originally Posted by Flames in 07
The RETAILER is someone who runs the site, the land may very well be owned by the name you see on the sign, but the RETAILER ... is always working on a tight margin. His cost goes up completely directly with the cost of crude.
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Okay, sure, I buy that, but then what did you mean when you agreed with this statement:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dion 
It's my understanding that no one is buying into these locations. They are owned by Esso et all and the person managing the site is paid a salary.
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If I may remind you of what you said it was:
Quote:
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As far as I know that is the common (but not exclusive) type of relationship. Particularly in urban areas.
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So then, if the person managing the site (retailer) is being paid a salary by the owner (Esso, subsidiary of Imperial Oil, subsidiary of Exxon Mobil - largest company in the world by revenue, 2007) who is the poor schmuck you keep talking about who is running his buisness on such a thin margin?
Since you said the relationship is not exclusive, I am totally prepared to accept that there are franchise owners out there who are trying to make a living on thin margins of gasoline and sundry items. However if the 'common' relationship is one of salaried manager and corporate ownership, then you have to recognize that the price at the pump is directly and irevocably tied to the grotesque overall profit margins of the major oil-and-gas companies, since they are the ones selling themselves the gas, essentially.