76 reverting to orange?

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Re: 76 reverting to orange?

Post by BillyGr »

storewanderer wrote:Meanwhile as they market fast pumps (meaningless due to the reasons already mentioned here), the 76/66/Conoco sites turned on the "zip code prompt" last November in locations where it makes zero sense to have the prompt turned on. They basically established a blanket policy that in center states all locations will have the zip code prompt, period. But in some locations out in the middle of small areas, no other gas stations have the zip code prompt turned on, there is little to no fraud, and this simply is nothing more than a hassle to the customer. Locations such as Erie, KS or Hawthorne, NV. Zip code prompting may be common in California but elsewhere outside large cities you don't see much of it. Their zip code function seems to be the worst of the major oil companies since it shows as ***** on the screen rather than showing the numbers as you type them in as most other gas stations do so you can see if you type it in incorrectly... and to make matters worse, if you type the wrong zip code in, the system automatically fails (but puts a pending on your card for $75-$150), unlike, for instance, the Kroger stations where if you enter the wrong zip code, it has a "re enter zip code" prompt and doesn't automatically fail and tie up money on your card (until you type the wrong one in three times).
We have places here in NY that require that (zip code) and some of those are in smaller town areas as well.
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Re: 76 reverting to orange?

Post by TW-Upstate NY »

I think Hess is like that in this area. That brings up another question: Hess will soon be Marathon around here. I remember filling up at one in Ohio maybe 6 years ago I think and don't recall that. Hopefully they do away with it with the conversion.
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Re: 76 reverting to orange?

Post by storewanderer »

I remember a few years ago in DC, Hess was the only one where I had to imput a zip code on the entire trip. I was a bit surprised by this. Most Hess stations in FL were converting to Speedway back in May.

Another odd one, I was in a medium size town in Missouri with two Shell stations directly across the road from each other. Different operators. One was requiring zip code, the other was not. I don't think the zip code thing is effective overall unless all stations in a given area are instituting it. Depending who you talk to, some say it is to prevent stolen card use, others say it is to prevent cloned card use.

Loves (truck stop chain) used to require input of the last 4 numbers on the card, obviously that is something to combat cloned card use. Last summer they switched to requiring input of the zip code.
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Re: 76 reverting to orange?

Post by submariner »

Digging this thread up from the grave, 76's remodels continue slowly, but I have noticed a new variation pop up. Obstinately less expensive for a station to implement, it utilizes graphics rather than the lighted orange elements of the previous incarnation. It turns the orange swoop into a broader, more dimensional stroke, and also adds blue to the mix. The overall orange/silver theme remains. With luck, this less expensive implementation could help flush out Conoco Red a tiny bit quicker.
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Re: 76 reverting to orange?

Post by a42887 »

76, while still part of the Conoco / Phillips 66 conglomerate, is going nationwide. They are licensing the brand in all 50 states. There are new sites coming online in New England, down towards Florida, and a bunch of places in between. Expect to see a lot more of these popping up.

On a side note, I'm glad they abandoned that exclusive-territory mess they tried to do. It made no sense to limit your locations to one brand (by state), especially with site density in some metro areas. Now, you can choose from Phillips 66, Conoco, or 76 anywhere in the US, and still receive your actual fuel from the same place. This allows sites in dense areas to present separate brands at the same intersection instead of seeing three Conoco stations all in one place. Along with this came the re-introduction of distinctive branding and imaging for each brand. This change came when the retail outlets and marketing were spun off from the ConocoPhillips parent company, leaving the parent to focus on exploration and refining.
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Re: 76 reverting to orange?

Post by pseudo3d »

a42887 wrote: May 30th, 2018, 3:02 am 76, while still part of the Conoco / Phillips 66 conglomerate, is going nationwide. They are licensing the brand in all 50 states. There are new sites coming online in New England, down towards Florida, and a bunch of places in between. Expect to see a lot more of these popping up.

On a side note, I'm glad they abandoned that exclusive-territory mess they tried to do. It made no sense to limit your locations to one brand (by state), especially with site density in some metro areas. Now, you can choose from Phillips 66, Conoco, or 76 anywhere in the US, and still receive your actual fuel from the same place. This allows sites in dense areas to present separate brands at the same intersection instead of seeing three Conoco stations all in one place. Along with this came the re-introduction of distinctive branding and imaging for each brand. This change came when the retail outlets and marketing were spun off from the ConocoPhillips parent company, leaving the parent to focus on exploration and refining.
I thought something up when I saw a 76 on my way to Houston. I actually haven't seen a Conoco for a while, though...there were some in my hometown when Circle K sold out, but that went away for Diamond Shamrock and ultimately Texaco (not Valero).
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Re: 76 reverting to orange?

Post by submariner »

pseudo3d wrote:
I thought something up when I saw a 76 on my way to Houston. I actually haven't seen a Conoco for a while, though...there were some in my hometown when Circle K sold out, but that went away for Diamond Shamrock and ultimately Texaco (not Valero).
When I was in Detroit at the start of May, I did notice a 76 or two, which they haven’t been seen in MI for well over a decade (in fact, none of the CP brands were present). Unfortunately the stations I did see were still using the Conoco Red livery.


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Re: 76 reverting to orange?

Post by Super S »

One convenience store in Longview, WA rebranded to 76 about four years ago, and still has the red version of the logo. Oddly enough, that remains the only 76 in Longview....there were several stations that became 76 when BP pulled its brand out of the area, most of them ended up becoming Shell (which was already present). I haven't seen Philips 66 in any state but Idaho in recent years, and by that I am talking 2009.

With the advent of supermarket gas stations, I don't think people are as brand loyal with gasoline as they once were.
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Re: 76 reverting to orange?

Post by mbz321 »

a42887 wrote: May 30th, 2018, 3:02 am 76, while still part of the Conoco / Phillips 66 conglomerate, is going nationwide. They are licensing the brand in all 50 states. There are new sites coming online in New England, down towards Florida, and a bunch of places in between. Expect to see a lot more of these popping up.

In the Philly area, a bunch of 76 stations popped up maybe 5 or 6 years ago, but for some reason, it seems many of them have since converted to the Conoco brand (many of these appear to be former BP stations, a brand which has been quietly leaving the area).
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Re: 76 reverting to orange?

Post by storewanderer »

mbz321 wrote: May 30th, 2018, 8:58 am
a42887 wrote: May 30th, 2018, 3:02 am 76, while still part of the Conoco / Phillips 66 conglomerate, is going nationwide. They are licensing the brand in all 50 states. There are new sites coming online in New England, down towards Florida, and a bunch of places in between. Expect to see a lot more of these popping up.

In the Philly area, a bunch of 76 stations popped up maybe 5 or 6 years ago, but for some reason, it seems many of them have since converted to the Conoco brand (many of these appear to be former BP stations, a brand which has been quietly leaving the area).
The distant 76s are under some sort of licensing agreement with Motiva. I wonder if the Conoco branded stations in PA have a different arrangement (not with Motiva)?

I agree the branded fuel concept has been watered down pretty heavily by the various competitors (including better c-stores who have unbranded fuel like Quik Trip, Maverik, etc.). The branded fuel concept is only as good as its operator since these brands don't operate stations of their own anymore. And I've come across some really bad operations across all of these fuel brands with these dealer sites where they simply lack control over what is being done. The unbranded "better" c-stores, supermarkets, and even club stores typically have a lower fuel price, more pumps, cleaner pumps, pumps that function better, better maintained stores, more professional employees, and more straightforward pricing (no "cash price credit price," unless you're Safeway in California).
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