For the first time in more than seven decades, drivers in Oregon are allowed to pump their own gas.
If enough people love it, then full service pumps will still hang around as an option.
Yes we all know that companies never cut out extras to reduce costs. That is why flying domestic gets better every year, when video games are released they have been properly QAed and dont need to be patched. I remember when I was a kid you had to bag and scan your groceries yourself, now every store has all these open registers where people do that for you.
Corporate world is like this as well. Back in the day I had to answer my own calls, we didn’t have security or IT, or receptionists, or secretaries, and you had to make your own coffee. Now, I go to work in my nice office (thank goodness cubicals and open office are gone) and there are so many support staff to keep me focused on getting stuff done.
I am positive that a product that is effectively irreplaceable will be the same way.
What? I honestly have no idea what you’re on about. I was kind of following your rant till the last sentence.
Companies tend to lower extras to lower costs. Once they do that the needle moves and that becomes acceptable.
Grocery stores used to offer free shop for you services. They don’t anymore. They used to have multiple registers open they usually have about two now. They used to bag for you, they don’t anymore. They used to rig you up now they expect you to do it. Heck in my state they don’t even give you bags anymore.
If people were willing to pay what it cost for those services, they would still be commonplace.
Blame the people who will drive across town to save 10 cents on a can of soup as much as the companies who have found competing on price to be a viable strategy.
You can still fly with plenty of luxury and service, but you’re going to pay more than a cheap coach seat. I can go to a store where my groceries are bagged for me, but their prices are higher than Aldi, where bags are not provided. I can get custom steaks cut to my liking, but it’s going to cost me well north of the pre cut steaks at Costco.
Who knows if full service will stick around. If it costs and extra $.50 or $1.00/gal to fill up, are more than a tiny fraction of people going to pay for it? Probably not, but at least people aren’t being forced to pay for a service they don’t value.
A full service option is mandated by law. This new law just means we can choose self serve now. The rules are different in rural Oregon where, due to the vast distances, especially in eastern Oregon, not being able to get gas can be legitimately dangerous.
