Maritz Yellow Gas Stations: Redux

I note that on the yellow gas stations, there is a request for 2 photos needed for most of the required photos. Even the fuel dispenser is requiring 2 photos.

Of course, I'll comply and do so for each requirement. I've always taken more shots than necessary, keeping them in the folder for the specific station.

However, having not done a shop yet, I am wondering if they are actually required in the report.

Has anyone done these this year? How have you found the report?

I note that with gasoling being under $2, these shops are paying less than the Pegasus stations.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2015 09:25PM by Tatjana.

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They don't require 2 photos. The reports only require 1 for the required photos. I suspect they
are suggesting that, so you'll have 2 photos to choose from. I have completed many of these
shops and I did 3 last week, and sometimes the photos do look different on your computer
than on your camera. Even though the guidelines suggest 2 gal. of gas, I purchased $8 and
they had no problems with that, plus the inside purchase. The reports are shorter than last
year, you don't have to time the fuel and you don't have to count any of the items in the forecourt.
I guess you have noticed there are more photos. Be sure to get your interior photos correct,
the overall interior, the product selection and the food offer, also be sure and get a forecourt
photo.

Good luck !!!

Are you saying that they reimbursed you $8 for gas?

I did my first one day before yesterday and had a problem uploading two photos for each item. I spoke with a scheduler and was told only one photo of each is needed. I do a lot of Pegasus stations and the yellow stations seem about the same in time and effort. Strange thing though - I use the same camera for both shops and don't have to re-size for the Pegasus but do for the Yellow. I worked it out using paint but I'll look for a quicker way. I have PhotoSuiteII that I can install.

Bill, Thanks for the info, I'll check it out. I think you will need the book before you do the shop. Peerhaps you can call them Monday and get the shop pushed back.

I can't really say I like doing the new yellow station reports. Am I the only one that doesn't like grading the sites on their restroom amenities and convenience store offerings? I find it quite subjective, IMO. Also, when there's no store what exactly besides the counter or one cooler am I supposed to send them? The first one I did took me nearly an hour, but there was a large store and several issues and it was the first one. I usually submit several photos with the report, but have noticed that the editors will delete the extras and choose the one they want. I saw this when a report was returned for a missing photo. So to answer the OP's question, only one photo is needed, but you'd better make sure that one is sufficient or have a back up. I think these shops are a PITA compared to Pegasus. I can whip through one of those in 15 minutes and use the extra time to check photos and record the info in my nice warm car.

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

Mark Twain

I've done 32 of these so far this month, with 12 more to go in January. One photo is required, but it is always good to have a back up. If the gas station is more than a couple miles away, then I take 3 photos of each subject.

@MsJudi. I can't stand the ratings of the bathrooms and food offerings, etc. The bathroom can be a nasty, sh*t hole, but have a tiled floor and still score a 4. My favorite part is sending them a photo of something that is not there, like a photo of no food offering. I just take a photo of the self-serve coffee station.

The most curious question is how does the visit make me feel. I don't go to a gas station to get emotially pumped up. I go to get the cheapest gas around. And I won't use their restroom unless I am traveling. In that case I'm probably on a turnpike and I have found the attendants clean those restrooms fairly regularly.

As for the food selection, I wouldn't buy any roller food or pizza that has been under the heat lamps for who knows how long or pre-wrapped sandwiches or Mexican food or anything else for that matter. Sometimes the coffee is pretty good.

Thank you everyone!

Whilst I shall continue to take more than enough photos, I do feel better that only one is needed for each requirement.

Since the maximum reimbursement for fuel is 2 gallons, I wonder if it may be clever to fill with 2 gallons of premium rather than regular.
My husband says that with today's autos, the grade of fuel added is sensed and hence, subsequently adjusted as such by the engine's computer for correct performance. Therefore, the fuel grade does not harm the engine and does add to the return of reimbursement to the shopper. Albeit pennies.
He did say that many luxury and high performance vehicles require premium for best performance and mileage.

I've not seen in the guide that the fuel must be a certain grade, only that it musn't be diesel.

I stay away from the food on those rollers. I had a disturbing incident some time ago after ingesting something from a heated roller selection.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/25/2015 06:17PM by Tatjana.

They reimburse for 2 gal of any grade except diesel. I always use premium since my vehicle requires it.

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

Mark Twain

Before the 2015 program took effect, I was always reimbursed for two gallons of gas at the price per gallon of regular grade gasoline. I always pumped two gallons because we were required to pump two gallons for the flow rate test.
Now we can pump less if we prefer. I have not yet been paid for any 2015 stations of the "two gallon" type, but I don't expect to be paid for more gas than I pump, figured at the regular grade price per gallon. I hope I'm wrong. It would be great to pump $1.00 in gas and get paid for two gallons of premium grade gas. But really, I don't see that happening.

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

I have only done 4 or 5 of these, all last year, but I always got reimbursed for the 2 gallons of premium gas my car required.

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

All right, then I have a Q about that. In the report where it asked for the price of a gallon of regular grade gasoline, did you put the price of the regular grade or did you put the price of the premium grade that you actually pumped? Possibly you put the price of the premium and they paid based on that answer in the report. Or possibly they pay based on the per gallon charge on the receipt even though the report asked for the regular grade price. Maybe?

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

I put the price of regular gas on the form where it asked. My receipt showed the price of premium because that's what I pumped. I was reimbursed my receipt amount.

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

I believe they refer to regular gas (as opposed to diesel) rather than regular grade as opposed to premium.

I put the price of regular gas on the form. On the receipt, I figure the cost I paid for the 2 gallons of premium and circle the reimbursement amount so they can be sure to see the amount I'm due since I usually buy more than two gallons unless I'm doing a ton of them. Lately I've been asking for $6 or $7 worth depending on the price. I did one last week where the price of premium was terribly high compared to regular..$3.49/gal. with a credit card as opposed to $1.83 for regular with cash. I wanted to get the full reimbursement amount so I asked for $7. (NJ - we don't pump our gas) I also did one last week where I told the attendant I wanted $6 of gas, knowing it might not take it. It only took $5 of gas so I don't expect to reimbursed for the full 2 gallons and wrote the amount of the 1.8 gallons on the top of the receipt. The amount for regular that you put on the form does not have anything to do with your reimbursement amount. I don't know about other places, but around here most have separate prices for cash and credit. I record the cash price for regular on the form. It also irks me that we can't pay with cash and have to pay the higher price for credit, but now that it's getting cheaper it's not so much of a difference, usually.

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

Mark Twain

I'm not really sure about the gas reimbursement. I know the reimbursement shows up to $10,
so I would think you will get reimbursed up to $10 regardless of the price of gas and the
inside purchase. If I don't get reimbursed for the $8 in gas, I'll immediately quit doing
these stations. If they only pay for 2 gal. and the prod purchase, they won't be worth
my time.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/26/2015 01:41AM by txguitar.

Okay, I think I get it. They pay for up to two gallons of whatever you pump, as shown on the receipt. For me everything in the report and in the payment is regular grade because that's what I pump. I don't think they'll pay for $8 in gas unless you pump $8 in gas. Any thoughts?

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

I don't think they'll pay for $8 in gas unless 2 gallons costs you $8. Actually 2 gallons of premium might have cost me $8 when I did them. Now I'm curious.

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

My thought - They'll reimburse up to two gallons at the price per gallon on your receipt, or up to $8 if gas prices go back up.

Yes, that appears correct. There's a $2 inside purchase right? I had 4 of them at the end of June 2014. 3 Of them my reimbursement was $10 even and 1 was $9.97, so it looks like I only got $8 for gas even though premium was more than that then. Regular would have been less though. I'm FAIRLY certain the $.03 short was because I only spent $1.97 inside on one of them. Bag of Lifesavers Gummies if I remember correctly.

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

All right then, thanks for the clarification. I don't care what the gas costs as long as I get reimbursed for it. I can go the same distance on two gallons of cheap gas as I can on two gallons of expensive gas, so for me the yellow stations are paying the same as always on the gas: 2 gallons of miles per station. It makes no difference whether the gas reimbursement is $$$ up or $$$ down as long as it is two gallons.

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

@txguitar wrote:

I'm not really sure about the gas reimbursement. I know the reimbursement shows up to $10,
so I would think you will get reimbursed up to $10 regardless of the price of gas and the
inside purchase. If I don't get reimbursed for the $8 in gas, I'll immediately quit doing
these stations. If they only pay for 2 gal. and the prod purchase, they won't be worth
my time.

txguitar, they will only reimburse for 2 gallons of gas. If you bought more than two gallons, they won't pay for more. They also pay for the inside purchase up to $2. I'd hate to be the person who has to figure out how much each shopper needs to be reimbursed for their 2 gallons.

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

Mark Twain

@MsJudi wrote:

I'd hate to be the person who has to figure out how much each shopper needs to be reimbursed for their 2 gallons.

Seriously! I mean you can stop exactly on 2 gallons and still get the flow rate test done right. I went slightly over on all of mine.

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

Doing my first one tomorrow; I'll let you know how it goes. I wanna get my foot in the door so I can get some of the tastier bonused ones as we get to the end of project period.

Somewhere in the Midwest, shopping / auditing full time since 2014. Will use PV-500 for food!

You don't have to do the flow rate anymore,that got changed for 2015.

bgriffin, Since we don't pump our own gas in NJ I can't bring myself to ask for 2 gallons. We buy it by the dollar here, not the gallons. The flow rate test hasn't been done in NJ for a few years and has been discontinued completely this year. Now there's a lot more cockamamie (sp) photos involved.

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

Mark Twain

I note that many of the yellow stations are "evening eligible". However, it appears that if one decides to perform the shops at night and receive the additional evening incentive, the timing must be after 7 pm.

Is that correct? Sunset now occurs where I work at 5 pm. And, it is dark.

Seems unnecessary to wait 2 more hours.

No, they don't have to be done after 7PM; it just has to be after sunset.

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Maritz Yellow Gas Stations: Redux

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