Pamplin’s Corner: Would you pay $6.69 per gallon of gas?

Published 1:55 pm Thursday, March 30, 2023

Serving as our community’s best local news source is our goal and our compass. We strive to connect neighbors and the community daily through our commitment to delivering trusted, local news.

An example of this is the work of the Woodburn Independent and its recent coverage highlighting the deceitful, albeit legal, pricing tactics of the Woodburn ARCO station.

The station has a banner reading “Open 24 Hours” wrapped around the sign that shows the price per gallon, which is always significantly higher than other area stations (most recently $6.69 a gallon).  This tactic is legal as long as the price per gallon is indicated on the pump.

Thanks to a challenge put forth on his social media page, a Woodburn resident stood in front of the ARCO gas station with a sign that showed the price of gas. The Woodburn Independent highlighted his stand against the station’s aggressive pricing practices in a news story and ran a letter to the editor from a Bend resident who unsuspectingly pulled in after visiting family and filled up to the tune of nearly $100.

This tactic is especially egregious since ARCO is generally a less-expensive brand, so unsuspecting motorists pull off the freeway and reflexively drive into the ARCO, assuming it’s cheaper than other nearby stations.

By highlighting the practices of this local business, the Pamplin Media Group has hopefully educated readers to be more aware the next time they purchase gas at not only the ARCO in Woodburn but any gas station.

Knowledge is power.