Gas station photo question

I signed to do my first gas station. It’s asking for an MID photo. I feel silly but I don’t know what this is. I can’t find an explanation in my guidelines. Can anyone help me? Thanks!

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The price sign. Did you read the guidelines for the shop, for any gas station? It has examples of everything required.

MID is main ID. PID is price ID.

@KateH wrote:

The price sign. Did you read the guidelines for the shop, for any gas station? It has examples of everything required.

I agree with you! Reading the guidelines thoroughly is a must! Plus, reviewing the debrief or report prior to performing the shop can be very helpful.

However, perhaps it is to ensure the shopper reads everything or watches the complete video, but in my opinion it might be more helpful if the MSC added a key at the beginning of their Shopper Guidelines with all of their abbreviations. Maybe even a page number where it is explained.
Often, for the same type of shop, one MSC uses a set of abbreviations that are different than the other. It can be confusing.

Thank you! I did read the guidelines but it was still confusing to me. This helps a lot. So I should be taking a picture if the gas station big branded sign for MID. It doesn’t say I need a PID. It’s a 4 photo shop

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/16/2021 12:55PM by Elcrystal.

@Elcrystal wrote:

Thank you! I did read the guidelines but it was still confusing to me. This helps a lot. So I should be taking a picture if the gas station big branded sign for MID. It doesn’t say I need a PID. It’s a 4 photo shop

For an ID or MID photo, the best photo would be the complete sign, some grass or ground appearing at the bottom and some sky above it.
Sometimes the editors can be picky. A scheduler from one of the shopping companies once told me to ensure that the photo is as close as possible, filling your view. But to always make sure there is a bit of ground and sky showing. Plus, take a couple of photos, both sides too - ways have another photo to back up your first shot - only takes a minute and its better than having to return for that shot.

Thank you so much, this was very helpful! I appreciate you taking the time to respond!

MID and PID are the same thing, for all practical purposes. You want the sign with the brand name and prices. Some stations have "hi-rise" signs with the brand name and often no prices They usually don't want those unless they specify to get all ID signs, or if that is the only sign present.

@mystery2me wrote:

MID and PID are the same thing, for all practical purposes. You want the sign with the brand name and prices. Some stations have "hi-rise" signs with the brand name and often no prices They usually don't want those unless they specify to get all ID signs, or if that is the only sign present.

That's exactly why I said the price sign so a gas newbie wont get confused. The majority of the gas stations have only one sign that includes the price sign and the brand logo. Even the ones that in the guidelines state MID they usually mean the price sign. From the green company "MID – Main Identification Display or price sign"

@Elcrystal wrote:

Thank you! I did read the guidelines but it was still confusing to me. This helps a lot. So I should be taking a picture if the gas station big branded sign for MID. It doesn’t say I need a PID. It’s a 4 photo shop

I always get 2 of every shot I take for gas station shops (and other shops as well). It allows for data mishaps and it makes uploading pump photos a bit more efficient, at least for me.

Make sure you get the entire sign from top to bottom and the entire pole or poles, that is holding it up. Make sure you look for damage to both sides of the sign and take a photo of everything that you can see wrong, so if you miss something in the report you have extra pictures to fall back on.

Elcrystal, welcome to the forum.

I've been shopping well over 10 years, and every single time I accept a "new to me" shop, I run into jargon and need explanation of what they mean.

I recall my first "big box" store shop; I didn't know what "front line" was, I didn't know several other things, all jargon I wasn't familiar with. I asked the scheduler, and she nastily wrote back she didn't have time to answer my questions; I cancelled the shop (200 mile round trip drive with an excellent chance of screwing up the shop? I think not, thank you!).

To make it worse, different MSCs use differing words for exactly the same thing.

Glad you asked, and don't hesitate to ask again.

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Gas station photo question

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