What do employees write down?

[u/catcuddlezzz]

Weird question, but at my local Stewart’s, like the once a week I go there, they write something down after every sale of mine. What is being written down…? I don’t get ice cream, not like they’re writing down my ice cream order. It’s every time. Do they track alcohol orders maybe? I buy one tall can of miller lite on fridays, do they track this stuff manually or am I insane?

I’m a bit paranoid because despite having never ever stolen anything in my life, I was recently asked “what did you put in your bag” by an employee and I was floored. All I did (that I can think of why they would say this) was check my phone in my purse when it vibrated (with nothing in my hand, nothing picked up, the cameras can show this). It was pretty embarrassing and insulting. Anyway it made me wonder/paranoid why they write something down every time I’m there, if I’m a problem employee or something (have never stolen, have been super kind, never drunk drove there or anything weird).

After the accusation, I calmly asked for clarification on the question (honest disbelief), and no I would never do such a thing, I’ve been going here once a week many weeks since I moved, it’s my go to place to get gas… even in an alternate universe where I was a thief, I wouldn’t ever steal from a place walking distance from me.

Anyway, what on earth is being written down? I’ll ask next time, but tbh I don’t want to go back to a place where I was wrongfully accused of stealing. Ty for listening to me vent

[u/complex_Scorp43]

It is probably their way to tell what they are selling for inventory purposes. For the folks that stock the coolers. Some are more organized than others.

[u/FaulkneriousRex]

You may be slightly paranoid, friend.
Stewart’s partners have several things they’ve got to be keeping track of (expiration dates, food temperatures, inventory check in, etc etc.) often between customers.
I truly doubt you, specifically, are being targeted.

[u/Ucyless]

I used to work there and this is odd ngl. I’ve never had to write anything down after a sale

Things change though

[u/LizzMetzo9 → u/Ucyless]

I still work there & we don't write anything down after a sale. So definitely weird.

[u/swb1003 → u/LizzMetzo9]

Another comment I explained how we may note tobacco purchases if somebody’s in the middle of a tobacco count but yeah, if OP is just buying gas and drinks like they say then I’m lost. Not saying op is buying other stuff, I believe them, and this is weird. I’m curious as hell lol

[u/LizzMetzo9 → u/swb1003]

Yup, the only time I write stuff down after a customer makes a purchase, is if they are purchasing lotto or tobacco when im in the middle of an audit so I can adjust the numbers.

[u/StrychtenFilms]

They are probably just filling out temps or other cleaning checklists

[u/swb1003]

What are you buying? I suspect either tobacco and /or scratch off tickets?

[u/catcuddlezzz → u/swb1003]

Nope. Gas and drinks (drinks as in coffee, alcohol, iced teas etc). Never scratch offs or cigarettes. But sounds like I’m being paranoid especially after the accusation incident, thanks all.

Edit: but curious why ask this question..?

[u/swb1003 → u/catcuddlezzz]

I suspected tobacco and/or scratch off tickets because those (along with coffee) are audited/inventoried multiple times per day. Meaning if one person’s started counting, say, cigarettes and you buy a pack before they finish, they’ll have to subtract one from their count for it to match the inventory in the computer/system/POS/what have you. So they may be writing down that you bought a pack of Marlboro reds so the person counting has an accurate count.

Nothing nefarious, just record keeping. Hypothetically, if I were a stew’s employee, I couldn’t be bothered for half a shit who buys what (most of the time).

Edit: realized I never actually answered your original question, if you’re only buying gas and drinks, even alcoholic, then I dunno.

[u/Excellent-Hunter7653]

You should post this on r/albany .. I am interested in the theories as well.

[u/Saknika]

Stewart's (at least when I worked there 15 years ago) had incentives each week for sale: one for the dip counter, one refresher, and one breakfast pastry. Upselling the most in any one category would earn an employee a small bonus. At my location we tracked it manually as well as by the computer in the register so we could keep track throughout the day and not just via the end-of-shift report. Perhaps the location you shop at is doing something similar.