‘Tanks-A-Lot’ and other ploys to ease pump woes

As the summer driving season gets under way on Memorial Day weekend, hotels, retailers, and even churches are running promotions to help consumers with high gasoline prices.

New York – There is an upside to $4-a-gallon gasoline.

Yes, you heard that correctly.


As the summer driving season gets under way on Memorial Day weekend, hotels, retailers, and even churches are offering prepaid gas cards and mileage discounts. At least one auto company, Chrysler, is offering to lock in the gasoline price over the next three years at $2.99 a gallon for car buyers. And financial entrepreneurs are dreaming up complex schemes to help consumers limit their “pump shock.”

“It’s brilliant,” says Dennis Hoffman, professor of economics at the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. “The marketing people have no recourse: They have to play into this.”

Christian Science Monitor