Gas station shop at permanently closed location

I just accepted my first gas station shop and figured I'd do a drive by since the location is not that far from my normal daily commute. The location is permanently closed. Instructions say to take all pictures, which is fine. Has anyone had experience with submitting this type of shop? Will I have any issues with payment?

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

More About Gas Station Mystery Shopping

The ones I do where I live, a simple photo of the overall site with the sign saying it's temporarily or permanently closed suffices. Always best to contact the Scheduler if you can before doing the shop to be sure. Good thing you did a drive by first.

Silver Certified ~ Shopping all of Toronto and beyond

I assume this is why so many shops want a pre-visit phone call to the location.

I have never had an issue with it as long as I followed their guidelines for photos of cross streets and buildings. There are some MSCs who have a disclaimer stating they will pay x.xx for closed shops and encourage you to call first to verify they are open.

I have always been paid for these closed shops. Like the others posted, take all necessary photos and the proof they are closed. I, too, have had a police officer pull up after I was finished and look around and even show up while I was photographing, but they never bothered me, just observed. I guess if I would have had a ski mask on it would have been different.

I've never had an issue with it either as long as the 'closed store' instructions are followed. Sometimes you may not be able to get a shop to submit without a receipt and for a receipt I scan a piece of paper that says that the location was closed and upload it where a receipt should be.

High point of my day when I do a gas station and it's closed!!!

O.o o.O

Happily shopping New England and beyond!!!!!

It depends on the MSC's protocol for handling closed locations, if they have one.

Some pay you in full. Some pay you a partial fee. Some would probably not pay you at all, since you had foreknowledge that the location was closed prior to arriving to perform your shop, and yet came back anyway. They would expect you to relay that information to the scheduler, who'd remove that shop from your log. (By foreknowledge, I mean that you did a drive-by prior to when you were to perform the shop, and learned on your drive-by that the location was closed.)

If they don't have a preset protocol for closed locations, then do whatever your ethics allow.

------------------------------------------------
Plan the work. Work the plan.

Followed dixie's advice and emailed my scheduler, who said to proceed. Shop is scheduled for next week. Should be a quick one!

Thanks for all the input.

I went to a famous fast food place to do a shop and when I got there, the building was draped in plastic sheeting, there were construction vehicles on the property. The location was closed.

So, I took a few pictures and then went to the strip mall next door, asking what happened to the fast food place? She told me they were remodeling. I asked when it would re-open? She told me about 30 days. I got her card, on the pretense of being interested in something in her store...

So, now I had photos, a business card verifying it closed and a name

I strive for all 3 on closed locations....

most msps have instructions for closed or de-branded gas stations. They have always paid in my experience although some may pay a reduced fee but that would be in the guidelines. I took one about a month ago that I knew was closed and had been for at least 2 years. Some quick pictures and that was it i was paid.

Shopping Western NY, Northeast and Central PA, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Have car will travel anywhere if the monies right.

I have always gotten paid. I follow the directions specific to what to do if the gas station is closed. Some MSCs require one picture, some require more. I have also been sent to a fast food location which was torn down and the site was absolutely flat. I was not supposed to call in advance. I took photos, and explained what happened (there was no "closed scenario"

and got paid. I have been to banks which have closed for the day due to a power outage. I take a photo of the sign on the door, and I get paid.

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

Gas station shop at permanently closed location

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine