ComplaintsforWilson Home Heating

• Initial Complaint

  11/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I get home heating oil from Wilson Home Heating Inc. The day I order, the price is locked in. This year was no different when we ordered 300 gallons about October 5 for $ 4.57 per gallon. The owner said delivery in a few weeks with no mention of a price change. I checked in with the owner when we were going away October 19th to 22nd since we need to be home for delivery. Again no mention of price change. Then since it was almost a month since we ordered the oil, I called again this past week and talked to workman who gave us delivery date of November 4th or 5th, again no mention of price change. On November 3rd the owner called to confirm November 4th delivery and made a point of explaining price no longer $4.57 per gallon, now $5.35 per gallon and no price lock-ins after October 1st. I made at least phone 3 calls in October about our delivery and this was never disclosed to me that the policy had changed. The owner was rude on the phone even though I have bought from them for years. I was told to take it or leave it, holding us over a "barrel". They withheld our delivery for 4 weeks while prices increased, never informing us of this new retroactive policy. It seems like price gouging in an inflated economy. As a result, I had to lower my amount ordered from 300 gallons to 150 gallons.

  Business response

  11/29/2022

  Dear Sir or Madam, 
  

  Wilson Home Heating Inc. has been in business for over 40 years. When a customer calls our office for pricing or to place an order, they are quoted the current market price for that day only. Market pricing can change hourly, daily, weekly, based on the global market. When the delivery is made within a few days of the order, pricing will remain the same. Our company has never had a policy with locked in pricing. 
  

  This season, there has been volatile market swings, limited supply of oil, OPEC cutting production by half as well as shutting down pipelines. On the world news the public was told there would be shortages of heating oil this season. Until then, no one knew this was coming. In turn, the terminals in the OPIS Market, (Pittsburgh Terminals), had increased our price drastically and immediately. At the same time we took in hundreds of call and orders which put our deliveries behind for weeks. 
  

  We notified our customers when delivery would be made and explained that the pricing had changed from the time they had ordered. They were told what the new price would be at that time before the delivery was made. We have done everything we can to offer our customers the best possible price and service! 
  

  In the last 40 years, this has only happened twice, 911 and now. Because petroleum is a commodity and traded on the New York Stock Exchange, our prices can change at anytime. We have no control over the major oil companies in this matter. 
  

   

  Sincerely, 
  Chuck C****** 
  Operations Manager 
  Wilson Petroleum Products 
  

  
  

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