Offer your thoughts or opinion on the input financial query or topic using your financial background.

Why do gas stations charge different amounts in the same local area?
One factor I haven't seen mentioned is volume.  Suppliers will charge a slightly lower price to the station if they buy in full tanker truck loads instead of smaller quantities.  Where I am this is probably still the largest factor in price spread with all newer bigger stations being 20-30 cents cheaper than the old small ones (often a repair shop with 2 pumps out front); the only reason it's slowly becoming less pronounced is that the old small stations are steadily closing up as their tanks fail leak inspections because they don't sell enough gas to justify repair and replacement.