Shops for This Gas Station

I've never done the gas station shops for the yellow station with <let's not get carried away here, now>.

It seems that those stations are never being picked up by shoppers on the Maritz site. The information on how they should be performed seems scanty - yet the overall pay seems worth it, especially the ones that say they are "Night Eligible".

Don't they pay enough for the work performed?

Mod note: Historically colors have been used when discussing the gas stations, but the added description up there got just a little too specific.

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The work at the site is fine. It usually goes well and the photos required are not overwhelming like some, But... the report is the longest, most repetittious, boring waste of time imaginable.

You'll get a 78 page book plus instructions you print off the website on how to do those stations. Also there will be updates and changes on each wave. The first few will likely be overwhelming but you'll catch on and then you'll be challenged to get better and better as you try to make them pay off for you. They want a lot of information and the report is unbelievable. The upside is you can usually get all of those stations you want. For the time required, the pay is all right but not exciting. The company is good to work with you and readily available by phone if you need help on location.

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

These Gs are also pick up by another MSC. I don't know how intense the report is but I guess you have options.

I took one of these, got the materials, and then promptly dropped it. The deal-breaker was having to go into the women's room to take photos during the unrevealed portion of the shop. Being 100% male, I had no desire to get arrested. That, coupled with the insane amount of details - and the fact that the pay is lower than other gas stations - means I will not do one any time soon. I even bought an orange vest. Oh well.

shpilkus Wrote:
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> I took one of these, got the materials, and then
> promptly dropped it. The deal-breaker was having
> to go into the women's room to take photos during
> the unrevealed portion of the shop. Being 100%
> male, I had no desire to get arrested. That,
> coupled with the insane amount of details - and
> the fact that the pay is lower than other gas
> stations - means I will not do one any time soon.
> I even bought an orange vest. Oh well.''

You have to take photos during the unrevealed part of the shop? Was that an old requirement?

You have to print 78 pages?! The most I've seen is in the six to 15 page range. How many do you have to do just to recoup paper and ink.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You have to print 78 pages?! The most I've seen is
> in the six to 15 page range. How many do you have
> to do just to recoup paper and ink.

No, they mail you the 78 page book.

Whew. That sounds a lot more reasonable!

Ishmael Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> shpilkus Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I took one of these, got the materials, and
> then
> > promptly dropped it. The deal-breaker was
> having
> > to go into the women's room to take photos
> during
> > the unrevealed portion of the shop. Being 100%
> > male, I had no desire to get arrested. That,
> > coupled with the insane amount of details - and
> > the fact that the pay is lower than other gas
> > stations - means I will not do one any time
> soon.
> > I even bought an orange vest. Oh well.''
>
> You have to take photos during the unrevealed part
> of the shop? Was that an old requirement?

That's common, taking the bathroom photos before reveal. That's no problem during the mystery portion. Other gas stations have that requirement. What they don't have is a requirement to photo the opposite gender restroom. No thanks.

shpilkus Wrote:
> What they don't have is a
> requirement to photo the opposite gender restroom.
> No thanks.

The opposite gender restroom photo is during the revealed portion of the audit. I've done hundreds of these, and its never been a problem.
Haven't done any at the base price since my first round of them several years ago.

I do some convenience store brands that require the opposite gender restroom. I always bang on the door, yell "Maintenance!" a couple of times, and if I don't hear any response go in. That usually works.

Once I approached the opposite gender restroom and the door was standing open, so I walked on in without my usual "Maintenance!" routine. A man was standing at the urinal taking care of business and I said, "Oh, I'm so sorry." He replied, "It don't make no difference, Ma'am."

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

I love southern gentleman. Such wonderful manners.

cindy55 Wrote:
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> I love southern gentleman. Such wonderful manners.

Thank y'all!

My idea of an agreeable person is a person who agrees with me.
Benjamin Disraeli

Why, you're just welcome as the rain.

MDavisnowell Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Once I approached the opposite gender restroom and
> the door was standing open, so I walked on in
> without my usual "Maintenance!" routine. A man
> was standing at the urinal taking care of business
> and I said, "Oh, I'm so sorry." He replied, "It
> don't make no difference, Ma'am."

Taking "revealed audit" to a whole new level.

I'm a newbie and was hesitant to take on one of these yet. There are a lot of these posted in my area and there doesn't seem to be many mystery shoppers here. Doesn't seem too daunting now either. Just might give these a try. Thank y'all for the info.

Ishmael Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> LisaSTL Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > You have to print 78 pages?! The most I've seen
> is
> > in the six to 15 page range. How many do you
> have
> > to do just to recoup paper and ink.
>
> No, they mail you the 78 page book.

It's quite a nice book too!

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

bgriffin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ishmael Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----

> >
> > No, they mail you the 78 page book.
>
>
> It's quite a nice book too!

Hah! The pages are starting to come out of mine, and I've only done ten shops. But it is beautiful full color.

Yes the paperwork is kind of repetitious but overall once you get the swing of it you can complete the shop in 15-20 minutes.(Unless its a huge truck stop/travelers center type of location). I did a 12 shop route last week ending it in 5 night shops. worked out financially good but physically exhausting.

Irequim Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes the paperwork is kind of repetitious but
> overall once you get the swing of it you can
> complete the shop in 15-20 minutes.(Unless its a
> huge truck stop/travelers center type of
> location). I did a 12 shop route last week ending
> it in 5 night shops. worked out financially good
> but physically exhausting.

Wow! Where did you put all the gasoline? Or, did it involve that much driving?

Involved that much driving plus on audits where I get gas I always make sure to have less then a half tank before I start Or I will reverse my route to do the farthest one first then my closest one last

I got an email about a route on these shops--or a similar shop. They were going to mail out all of this info, I had to get a vest, etc., etc. There were 15 shops in the route, 2 at the same place, so had to be done on 2 different days, $10/shop, with the closest point 90 miles from my house. They said I could counter their offer, I did with a reasonable fee for what was required--at least from a shopper's standpoint figuring in time, mileage, etc.--but a gas purchase was reimbursed $6/store---add in that my gas tank couldn't take $6/gas times 15

---never heard back from them.

You have 7 weeks to do the route in most cases. They won't accept your counter offer unless noone else accepts the route. The $6 gas is the green gas station, for me they are much easier than the yellow.

Yes, you do, however, it's still how many trips back and forth to complete them all....I don't remember which color gas station it was....if I get the route for my quoted price, great, if not, I'm busy enough

pamala Wrote:
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> You have 7 weeks to do the route in most cases.
> They won't accept your counter offer unless noone
> else accepts the route. The $6 gas is the green
> gas station, for me they are much easier than the
> yellow.

If the, 'green stations' are the same as I am thinking of, most in my area have changed to another brand, due to all of the lawsuits from the 'spill'.

Wrong "green stations"

My idea of an agreeable person is a person who agrees with me.
Benjamin Disraeli

I didn't even know there was another green station. Must not be in my part of the country.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

Thanks, cpburt

bgriffin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I didn't even know there was another green
> station. Must not be in my part of the country.

Another green station is out of San Antonio

My idea of an agreeable person is a person who agrees with me.
Benjamin Disraeli

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