Shell gas shops

Has anyone done these? I am going to try a few. Feedback please!

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Exactly what do you want to know? If you check everything you're supposed to check, this audit will take longer than you expect. Like all other convenience stores, if the location is in good condition it won't take as long. If it's really bad, it will take much longer on site and reporting. Skimming over the top, you can probably get off site in 30 minutes. Taking a really thorough look at a small station runs me about 45 minutes and at a larger station about an hour. I know some posters say they can do a station in 10 to 15 minutes, and that OK with me for them. Just not OK with me for me.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.

If these are the $10 ones offered by the company who also does the "5-minute" bank shops, then I would not advise taking any of those gas shops. They are lengthy and as MDavis stated, they can take up to 30-45 minutes on site, then there is the reporting time. They are not worth the money, IMHO.

I do these if in a route. I can't get out of a "clean" station in less than 30 minutes. Usually longer. I don't really like them, will pick up if in a route with other stuff.

Edited to add more thoughts:

I also don't like these because of the gas card reward. The employee hears that question and knows they are being shopped right away. They seem to always forget to ask me for my rewards card or if I have one. Then they argue when they don't get the gas card because they got one last time with the "other girl".

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2012 04:55PM by SecretAgentMom.

It depends which msc. They are shopped by 3 different ones and many overlap the same stations. Some are easy, and others are not worth the money as others have said.

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There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots
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When you try to please everybody, you end up pleasing nobody

I did these for a while but just found that they were a lot of work for a relatively small amount of pay. I might pick up one now and again if I'm in the area but otherwise I won't bother.

I like doing them, because on a route I end up with a tank of gas I will be reimbursed for. It is a lot to do for $10, but the gas makes it worthwhile. There are not a whole lot of shops in this area, so I am glad to do them. I can also pick up shops in the areas I go to, as SecretAgentMom said. Shops are flying off the boards this summer like I have never seen, since I began shopping. I am talking about Cori and Market Force jobs mainly.

It takes me at least 40 minutes, but I am a senior citizen. I also have the problem with the gift cards and the CSR not asking if I have a card.

MDavis, no way could I do one in 15 or 20 minutes. Guess we just move slower. I know I do.

I enjoy those shops. I do wish more cashiers would ask for our card...feel bad when they're perfect in every other way but don't do that. I've never had one argue about not earning the prize.

And..be careful about taking any that are a distance from you, even on a route. If you miss a photo, you'll be going back.

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The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain

The one I did was easy, but I didn't get a tank of gas out of it. If the MSC that assigned it had more, I'd do more. Four photos and 10 minutes of inspection.

No fee, no shop.

You don't get a tank of gas out of one shop. You take several and the gas adds up. BTW...the one you mention isn't the one that others were talking about.

I've done one of these and I don't remember seeing anywhere in the guidelines that you're supposed to tell them that they've messed up and are NOT getting the gift card... did I read the guidelines wrong or misunderstand these posts?

I've haven't noticed anything in the guidelines about telling them they didn't win the gift card. If they don't qualify for the gift card, I don't mention it. Experienced cashiers may ask about an award because there's been one in the past, and if they haven't been updated on the new requirements they may feel they qualified.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.

Just make sure you get enough photos and scrutinize everything twice because some editor might think he/she spotted an infraction, change your answers and THEN send you back for more photos based on what they thought they saw.

Her Serene Majesty, Cettie - Goat Queen of Zoltar, Sublime Empress of Her Caprine Domain

I decided a while back to only do a given project if there are at least four or five locations I can do. The tests can take a long, long time and you have to factor that in as p[art of the time doing the shop.

Cettie - Your post is so, so true. I had a followup request on a Shell station. A bright reader board sign was visible at the far end of the property in the overall shot. The MSP wanted a close up of the sign. It was an out of town shop, 80 miles round trip. I called the station and asked them about the sign, and it wasn't their sign. I was able to convince the MSP the sign did not belong to the Shell station. I'm sure they called and checked on it, but they accepted my report. I learned a valuable lesson there. I now stand in the middle of the lot and take pictures in all directions. This is a quick fix for peace of mind.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.

With my iPhone, iPad and portable wireless hub these shops take me 30 minutes, tops.

I just hop out of the car, have the report pulled up on my iPad, and start snapping my photos with the iPhone, whih I have synched to the iPhone so the photos arrive in a folder alll ready to quickly resize and upload.

Note: The iPad, iPhone and personal wi-fi hotspot were all paid for with the multitude of $10 infamous two-person electronics shops I did endlessly this spring. And I was a bit of an old-school MSer with paper and pen before seeing the light.

Hi friends i planned to start the shell gas shops pls give any suggestion ???

Yes. They will take longer than you think, and the first one will take twice as long. It would be a good idea to make a tick sheet with every piece of information you need and every picture listed. If you have time to do this, go into a Shell station you are not auditing and try to walk yourself through this. It will help.

Book all your first shops close to home until you get comfortable with this audit.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.

@justmymemories,

This is very good advice from MDavis.

You WILL get a lot faster with time, and more accurate spotting infractions.

After 100+ of these, I get them done accurately and completely in 20-30 minutes.

BUT --- my first one took 2-1/2 hours! Second one, 2 hours. And so on.

Be patient. Keep trying to streamline and make efficiency your goal. It will pay off!

MissyH71,

What portable wireless hub do you use? And what costs are involved with it? I'm looking into getting one but haven't done much research yet so I'm interested since it sounds like the one you have is good. Thanks!

The shell shops here in Canada are different even with Marritz and do not require photos or gift cards. I am in and out in 10 - 15 minutes depending on the line up.

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