This is similar to some practices in the stock market. It might be useful in stabilizing prices and providing some market security to sellers and buyers both.

I assume you would be willing to pay a "storage fee" for keeping this gasoline available in a location other than your garage, and taking up valuable tank space that the retailer is now unable to use for repetitive sales activities.

Nwolan means not actually taking delivery of the fuel at the time of purchase, just paying for it and accepting "delivery" as needed.

While doable, it does take some buracracy to execute and oversee.Not to mention the fuel companies taking an apparent loss when you take their fuel worth the higher price, for the lower price you prepaid. Then again, they profit the price goes down.

For home energy, it is done is places where the market is de-regulated, although some of the contract vendors are less than scrupulous.

Yes, the idea is to bring the idea of commodity futures to a household/micro level (or small business for that matter). When a gas marketer sells these 'options' (I shudder at the implications of that term)to a customer, they can roll up and hedge themselves against losses. There are probably cash-flow beneits to be gained, and would likely lead to stabilizing at some level.

Yes, if the price of gas plummets and doesn't recover before the expiration date, the consumer loses - but it may be worth the cost of budgetable certainty for this risk.

There is an outfit in St. Cloud, Minnesota that sells gasoline "futures" in this manner. Some far sighted individuals purchased gasoline years ago and locked in the price and are reaping the benefits now. I think there was an article on "60 Minutes" about a year ago on this.

You are a certifiable moron. Gas prices go up and down because the supply goes up and down. Individual stations have a hefty turnover, so they are constantly repurchasing gas. Although there is a trick that the dirty Republicans won't tell you, just hide a couple of gallons of gas in your stomach by buying it a cheaper price and ingesting it. EVERYONE WINS!