Court Opinion

ID: 9827948
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-01 17:57:22.957231+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:42:39.964707
License: Public Domain

On Motion for Rehearing.
Upon rehearing, appellee asserts that there is no evidence that The Texas Company used the “posted service station price” less “posted discount to dealers” in determining the wholesale price of gasoline which it sold to Gossen, but, on the contrary, the “posted dealer’s price” was employed for that purpose.
If the “posted dealer’s price” be taken, then it appears from Gossen’s testimony that the retail price at which Gossen sold gasoline to the public was said “posted dealer’s price” plus a so-called commission. In other words, the differential between the wholesale price set by The Texas Company and the retail price generally charged by Gossen was either a discount, in case the “posted service station price” was employed, or “a commission” (to use the term employed by Gossen) in case the “posted dealer’s price” was used.
We quote from parts of Gossen’s testimony, first with reference to the “posted service station price”:
“Q. You understood, didn’t you, that the Texas Company would sell you these products at their service station price less a certain discount they would give you, the discount fixed in this contract? You understood that? A. Yes, sir.
“Q. And that discount would be how much profit you would get on it ? A. That is right. * * *
“Q. Now, then, Mr. Gossen, under those circumstances if you sold gasoline for less than the current posted price you would lose money by that? A. Yes, sir.
“Q. It would come out of your pocket? A. Yes, sir.
“Q. Was that a pretty good reason, insofar as you were concerned, for continuing to sell gasoline at the posted price? A. Yes, sir.
• “Q. In other words, you couldn’t make much money by selling under the posted price? A. That is right.”
With reference to the “posted dealer’s price,” Gossen testified:
. “Q. Who would you consult with to keep the price together? Didn’t your information and instructions as to what the retail price to sell at would be, come from the Texas Company? A. I would ask them.
“Q. How much commission did they allow you? A. Four or four and a half cents.
“Q. The Texas Company had a regular posted dealer’s price, didn’t they? That would vary at different times, but they had a posted dealer’s price? A. Yes, sir.
“Q. How much did you add, — how did you know how much to add onto that for your commission? A. Whatever the cost of gasoline was and whatever my commission was supposed to be.
“Q. Who would tell you what your commission was supposed to be? The Texas Company would, wouldn’t it? A. Yes, sir.
“Q. Representatives of the Texas Company would tell you that, wouldn’t they? A. Yes, sir.”
The evidence shows that Gossen generally sold gasoline at the “posted service station price,” or at the “posted dealer’s price” plus whatever Gossen’s so-called commission was.supposed to be, according to information received from The Texas Company.
Appellee’s motion for rehearing is overruled.