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The impact of lengthening petrol price cycles on consumer purchasing behaviour

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  • Hashimi, Hasham
  • Jeffreys, Ian

Abstract

This article investigates the impact of petrol price cycles on consumer purchasing behaviour in Brisbane, Australia. By comparing the sales volume data to the gross retail margin—the difference between the recorded retail price and the average terminal gate price, relationships between price and sales volume are examined. This study found that the price cycle observed in some Australian cities has become less predictable and hence it is more difficult for motorists to take advantage of the heavily discounted petrol around the trough. The study uses fuel purchase data for the period between July 2011 and March 2013, collected by the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland.

Suggested Citation

  • Hashimi, Hasham & Jeffreys, Ian, 2016. "The impact of lengthening petrol price cycles on consumer purchasing behaviour," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 130-137.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:51:y:2016:i:c:p:130-137
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eap.2016.04.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jonathan E. Hughes & Christopher R. Knittel & Daniel Sperling, 2008. "Evidence of a Shift in the Short-Run Price Elasticity of Gasoline Demand," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 29(1), pages 113-134.
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    3. Zhongmin Wang, 2009. "Station level gasoline demand in an Australian market with regular price cycles ," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 53(4), pages 467-483, October.
    4. Valadkhani, Abbas, 2013. "Do petrol prices rise faster than they fall when the market shows significant disequilibria?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 66-80.
    5. Maskin, Eric & Tirole, Jean, 1988. "A Theory of Dynamic Oligopoly, II: Price Competition, Kinked Demand Curves, and Edgeworth Cycles," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 56(3), pages 571-599, May.
    6. Jonathan E. Hughes & Christopher R. Knittel & Daniel Sperling, 2008. "Evidence of a Shift in the Short-Run Price Elasticity of Gasoline Demand," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 29(1), pages 113-134.
    7. Wang, Zhongmin, 2009. "Station level gasoline demand in an Australian market with regular price cycles," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 53(4), pages 1-17.
    8. Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg, 1998. "The Effects of the Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency Standards in the US," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(1), pages 1-33, March.
    9. Edelstein, Paul & Kilian, Lutz, 2009. "How sensitive are consumer expenditures to retail energy prices?," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(6), pages 766-779, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Arezoo Ghazanfari & Armin Razmjoo, 2022. "The Effect of Market Isolation on Competitive Behavior in Retail Petrol Markets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-33, July.
    2. Oczkowski, Edward & Wong, Alfred & Sharma, Kishor, 2018. "The impact of major fuel retailers on regional New South Wales petrol prices," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 44-59.
    3. Siekmann, Manuel, 2017. "Characteristics, causes, and price effects: Empirical evidence of intraday Edgeworth cycles," DICE Discussion Papers 252, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Petrol; Price cycle; Gross retail margin; Consumer behaviour; Consumer welfare;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C10 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - General
    • D40 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - General
    • R40 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - General

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