ALTOONA, Pa. – Sheetz convenience stores, which have about 60 locations in West Virginia, were hoping to clear up misconceptions about the much talked about “coin shortage” in the United States. Many companies, particularly convenience stores and fast food restaurants, have posted signs on their doors looking for alternatives for making currency exchanges. Those two industries have a lot of cash transactions and are the most affected by the shortage.
According to Sheetz spokesman Aaron Ruffner, the shortage is real and is actually attributed to a couple of factors.
“There are still many companies closed by the pandemic and that is a circulation problem. But the other problem is that the US Mint has implemented some social distancing measures and has caused less production, “Ruffner told MetroNews.
The US Mint is starting to increase coin production again, but in the meantime the stores are trying to adapt. Ruffner said that for Sheetz, it is not an emergency at the moment, but they are offering alternatives that will prevent it from becoming one.
Ruffner’s first suggestion is to pay with a credit or debit card that does not require a cash transaction. The second is to consider a contribution to the Sheetz Month of Charity Program.
“July is always the fundraising month for ‘Sheetz for the Kidz’, an employee-run charity that dates back some 30 years. We are asking people if they want to round their bill or bring their own coins and collect them to donate, they will add some coins to the system, ”he said.
Some companies are automatically rounding up a purchase to the next dollar amount to avoid making changes. Ruffner said that is not the case at its more than 600 stores in the mid-Atlantic region.
“That is completely optional. All of this is completely optional. We want to be very clear that we are not in an emergency situation with the shortage of coins. We just wanted to get some proactive advice so that our clients could help us, ”he said.
The other tips he offered include the Sheetz Smart Scan app. You can shop at the store, select items, scan them on your phone, and pay for them with your phone without interacting with a store employee. The other tip is the Sheetz To Go app that allows you to order any food online or via the app, pay for it over the phone, and it’s ready and waiting when it arrives. Ruffner said the process is identical to the order at one of the computer kiosk terminals in the store.
“We have no expectation of how long this will last, so we thought it was important to deliver these proactive tips to our clients,” he said.
