As I sit here stewing over the latest BP shop returned to me for "clarification" and additional photos needed, I have begun to wonder how those returned shops affect the shopper. I wonder if there is a "tipping point" of returned shops by the editor.
Meaning, is there some point where the number of returned shops causes the shopper to become ineligible for performing additional shops?
If there is, I would question the veracity of those needed "clarifications" as requested by the particular shop's editor.
BP shops are the most egregious in shops being returned. It has become so ridiculous that I currently take 3 full shots of each dispenser and then, 3 more closeup shots of the same pump, totaling a minimum of 6 photos for each pump. That's in addition to the infractions I've found that required a photo of each.
Why? The editors seem to delight in returning shops for "additional photos needed".
For instance, during this current round of BP gas stations, I performed a shop where the dispensers are narrower than the typical BP sites.
As I was taking my photos, I remembered that during the last round, the editor admonished me that I did not call out each fuel dispenser for lacking the Crind - POP strip. Even though I remembered that narrow dispensers like these typically were not required to have the strip, I submitted the photos the editor wanted. I no longer bother challenging the editor. Why waste my time?
So, I thought, the editor shall want a photo of that particular infraction.
Surprise!
The shop's editor pointed out that there was no infraction, that style of pump was not required to have the strip. please remove the infraction from the report.
Okay
A few weeks later, I did another BP shop with exactly the same fuel dispenser - narrow. I remembered the earlier shop, took my photos and did not call out the infraction of missing strips.
That editor returned the shop, asking for a photo of each pump missing the aforementioned missing Crind - POP strip.
That is the most prominent example of editors calling out perceived infractions. Remember the illegible decals on the POP example sheet? More often than not, those get called out - or not - SMH.
And so, to end this mini rant, I am wondering if all of the returned shops add up to a "tipping point" for the shopper's eligibility.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/2026 09:13PM by French Farmer.

I've certainly had plenty of shops returned having been MS'ing for around 20 years now.

A large majority of those involved incorrect gas station receipts, with most of them occurring when attempting to do multiple reports in one sitting on my phone.

I've never run into issues or heard any blowback as long as I made the corrections within the specified time window.

I'm guessing MSCs take returned shops about as seriously as the report scores that get doled out. They need as many people as possible to take shops.

I've had editors ask for corrections that are not needed, that they were not correct. My first response is to ask in a question form. Like, "Reading instructions for question #?, CRIND are not needed for narrow dispensers. Were these not narrow dispensers? Usually I'll get, "I'm sorry, I missed that." or something to that effect. Or sometimes something I missed or misinterpreted.

If these are on the Presto app, I was told by a gas program manager that they don't keep score at all on it. If it's an MSC, I don't know the answer to that.

I’m having a ridiculous amount of shops returned this week (4 is ridiculous to me). I had one editor send one back claiming the auto shop was still big oil branded when they had removed all pumps, stripped the MID sign, and removed the letters from the canopy. There was only a canopy with their colors on it. Like what?

“Returning for clarification of no bathroom picture” was all they put in the initial email — it took me two days to figure out that I somehow just missed the bathroom. She had record of one and I marked that there was none. Oops. Just say that in the first place!

I’m having a ridiculous amount of shops returned this week (4 is ridiculous to me). I had one editor send one back claiming the auto shop was still big oil branded when they had removed all pumps, stripped the MID sign, and removed the letters from the canopy. There was only a canopy with their colors on it. Like what?

“Returning for clarification of no bathroom picture” was all they put in the initial email — it took me two days to figure out that I somehow just missed the bathroom. She had record of one and I marked that there was none. Oops. Just say that in the first place!

I’ve not attempted those shops. The 50 pages guidelines with bad pictures was enough of a deterrent. No wonder editors can’t keep it all straight, let alone us. Are they as difficult to get right as it seems they would be? It kind of sounds like it.

The bonused rate isn’t enough for me to even read through 50 pages of guidelines. They can continue to Pay crackhead wages, and get crackhead reports returned I suppose

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/02/2026 01:58AM by Antipopbritt.

In theory, returned shops should get a lower rating, and that would be the implication. Low enough rating might affect ability to get shops.