Gas station head scratcher comment

This is too funny/odd not to share.
Doing a gas station reveal shop, and I take a picture of the drug paraphernalia. Owner sees me taking the picture, and says, "I know we can't have that but I just want to sell the last few things first." (points out $20-$25 price tags). Then goes on to say, "They have been there for over a year and no one wants to buy it".

I could only nod while thinking, "Get rid of it then if no one buys it." Or, sell it elsewhere.

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More About Gas Station Mystery Shopping

Yes, pretty funny.

I had a station manager tell me once that he didn't care if they debranded him over the drug paraphernalia because he made more off that than from selling gas....it's near a college.

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

Mark Twain

If I get pushback on a picture of s violation that I take, I usually say “don’t worry. I don’t use all the pictures that I take” even though I’ll definitely be using that one.

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Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

I just say that I'm taking a picture of the counter just in case my editor asks.
But, what would you do if the sign next to the paraphernalia says "For Tobacco Use Only"?
Me? I take the photo and submit anyway.

I had one gas station that had the dirty mags and videos in plain sight (right beside the Christmas Tree.) The manager told me they make more money from that than gas, anyway. That was when we had to fill out that duplicate form and leave one behind.

@heartlandcanuck wrote:

I had one gas station that had the dirty mags and videos in plain sight (right beside the Christmas Tree.) The manager told me they make more money from that than gas, anyway. That was when we had to fill out that duplicate form and leave one behind.

There was one shop that was run by an old guy smoking a cigarette and a couple day's beard growth. It didn't have the dirty magazines, just videos.
When I took the photo of the DVDs, the employee questioned me.
"Why are you taking the photo?" he asked.
"I am asked to take a photo of anything considered sexual in nature," I replied somewhat redfaced.
The DVDs were explicit in their cover photos, showing men and women doing things to other men and women in various positions. I'm not a prude, but some looked like they hurt. Yikes! The titles were even more explicit.
"But they are not magazines. We do not have those!" he explained emphatically, arms waving, picking up one of the DVDs. "See!".
"Oh, okay," I said.
I left quickly.
The guy was a creep

Yikes!

@French Farmer wrote:

There was one shop that was run by an old guy smoking a cigarette and a couple day's beard growth. It didn't have the dirty magazines, just videos.
When I took the photo of the DVDs, the employee questioned me.
"Why are you taking the photo?" he asked.
"I am asked to take a photo of anything considered sexual in nature," I replied somewhat redfaced.
The DVDs were explicit in their cover photos, showing men and women doing things to other men and women in various positions. I'm not a prude, but some looked like they hurt. Yikes! The titles were even more explicit.
"But they are not magazines. We do not have those!" he explained emphatically, arms waving, picking up one of the DVDs. "See!".
"Oh, okay," I said.
I left quickly.
The guy was a creep

The only reason the 6 shops I do a few times a year DON’T sell that stuff is because they have a lot of conservative Jews as customers. This this the old “Borscht Belt” area. Porn and dope paraphernalia isn’t big with them.

today was the first time a cashier refused to honor the 2 packs of planters peanuts for $1.09(my go to) despite it saying 2/$1.09 on the package lol. i almost never run into a rude cashier, but this girl just sank the location's rating.

@jay225 wrote:

today was the first time a cashier refused to honor the 2 packs of planters peanuts for $1.09(my go to) despite it saying 2/$1.09 on the package lol. i almost never run into a rude cashier, but this girl just sank the location's rating.

I used to buy the Nature Valley oatmeal bars. they were between $0.89 to $0.99 each. Then, the as stations got greedy. They're now at $1.29 each! So, I moved on to the 2 for $1.00 peanuts (not Planters).
The employee would look at me incredulously when I asked for the receipt.

I have bought the 50 cent peanuts hundreds of times myself. LOL. I already figured it was a dead give away that I am the mystery shopper and after reading this I am even more convinced.

By the time they figure out you are the shopper, it is too late to quickly put out POP, scrub the driveway, or fix a broken Main ID. The shop isn't blown. If they have a name tag on when I come back in, that's fair game. Sometimes I wonder if a dude's name is really "Sandra," or if he grabbed a tag at random from a drawer.

@Sobrokeigot2dothis wrote:

I have bought the 50 cent peanuts hundreds of times myself. LOL. I already figured it was a dead give away that I am the mystery shopper and after reading this I am even more convinced.

The only thing I've ever seen them do between the in-store purchase where they figure out who I am cuz I asked for a receipt for a bottle of water and the time I come back in is either put on a random nametag or go try to clean the bathroom- neither of which makes any difference because it's too late.

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Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

Arizona beverages are my go to $1.00 items. It may be a regional thing. I don't worry about blowing my cover, or more likely, being recognized from previous visits. I do only reveal visits and present the LOA shortly after making an inside purchase.

@LIJake wrote:

Arizona beverages are my go to $1.00 items. It may be a regional thing. I don't worry about blowing my cover, or more likely, being recognized from previous visits. I do only reveal visits and present the LOA shortly after making an inside purchase.

For the "Blue" shops that are at the convenience store shops with their supposed time of day they are open, there is usually 2 bananas for 0.99.
In the old days, I would buy the bananas and the oatmeal bars and make banana bread with both as ingredients.

BTW, you have to remember now (May shops) that for the inside purchase, although you may be asked about the loyalty card, you cannot use it. Plus, outside, you can only use the card once per day.

I used to manage a convenience store. At least several times a day, our customers would ask for a receipt for a newspaper, pack of gum, candy bar purchase and other little things. It is not abnormal behavior to ask for a receipt.

Sometimes when I go to the counter they will say "are you doing the audit today?" At that point I've already checked the bathroom and am seconds away from presenting the LOA so I just smile and ask for the receipt. I love Arizona iced tea. It's my go to as well.

@LIJake wrote:

Arizona beverages are my go to $1.00 items. It may be a regional thing. I don't worry about blowing my cover, or more likely, being recognized from previous visits. I do only reveal visits and present the LOA shortly after making an inside purchase.

If they act incredulous that I'm asking for a receipt for a single drink, I just tell them I need it for my expense report.

French Farmer, thank you. I had not yet looked at the new month's guidelines but now I surely will look for those changes!

French Farmer. Thanks for bringing the loyalty card to my attention.

Just to be exact about the loyalty card, if it is used inside, you are warned that you could be removed from the "site inspection program".
Outside use is requested for use only once per day at the pump. Otherwise, the user risks having their loyalty card deactivated for over use.

@shoppinalongtheriver wrote:

I used to manage a convenience store. At least several times a day, our customers would ask for a receipt for a newspaper, pack of gum, candy bar purchase and other little things. It is not abnormal behavior to ask for a receipt.

Those are 3 of my favorite cheap things to buy. The 35 cent packs of Wrigley Gum are about as cheap as you are going to find and here there is no sales tax on food. One time a couple of years ago I asked for the receipt for a 35 cent pack of gum and the clerks head snapped and he says "Oh you are the mystery shopper Huh!" This was not a reveal shop and I just stood there and looked stupid like I did not know what he was talking about. Did he know for sure I was a mystery shopper or not? The world will never know.

you guys must be talking about the munchies brand of peanuts lol... not a fan of those. i suppose if you're getting regular, it's a not a big difference, but for honey roasted(only ones i ever get) i'd rather spend the extra 9 cents on planters. luckily i always have plenty of change around... i would never break a second bill on it.

I have an older guy in my route that also sells pipes and other related items and he doesn't care when I take the photo, he too understands that he shouldn't have them and doesn't care because he makes more money off them then he does on gas.

I usually stick to the Nature Valley Sweet and Salty granola bars, oreo's, chips ahoy or rice krispie treats and sometimes little Debbie if I can get them 2 for a $1.00 and use them for fillers in my kids school lunches

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