What do you do when you’re out scouting with Profit Bandit and have terrible cellular reception?
If you’ve never tried it before, consider using Batch Scan Mode to save the barcodes to Profit Bandit’s History, instead of looking them up.
Keep reading to learn more.
What Causes Weak Signals?
When you’re out scouting and you see that you’re only getting a single bar or less, what’s the cause?
There’s a number of things that could be going on, but from talking with Profit Bandit users around the United States, we’ve found that in some big box stores, cell signal can be weak, or non-existent.
It could be caused by anything from the locations of the stores themselves to the types of materials used in the construction of the stores. Whatever the cause is, it can be a big headache.
Taking the First Step
Before we talk about Batch Scan Mode, there’s an incredibly simple thing you can do to improve connectivity.
Look for a wifi signal. Many Target stores are now offering in-store wifi, free of charge. Their goal is to encourage customers to showroom and then take advantage of their price-matching policy.
If you can find a decent wifi signal, use it! Don’t waste time trying to get a cellular signal connected if you have another option.
Use Batch Scan Mode
If you’ve never used Profit Bandit’s Batch Scan Mode, I think you’ll find it very helpful.
Start by opening Profit Bandit’s Settings, scroll down and enable Batch Scan Mode.
It’s easy to do, on iPhone or Android.
Now, when you scan a barcode, Profit Bandit won’t try to look up the item on Amazon. Instead, the barcode will be saved to Profit Bandit’s History (which you can access by tapping the clock icon).
Here’s what you’ll see when you scan something with Batch Scan Mode enabled:
After you see that message, just tap Scan Again and keep on scanning!
My Preferred Workflow
When I’m out scouting and run into low signal, here’s what I like to do:
- Turn on Batch Scan Mode
- Scan a bunch of items. Depending on where I am (Goodwill vs. Target, for example) and how many of each item the store has in stock, I’ll either put the items I scan in my cart or leave them on the shelves.
- Once I’ve scanned 15-20 items, I work my way back to the front of the store.
- Sometimes, I can find good signal near the exit. Sometimes I’ll need to leave my cart near the door and pop outside for a few minutes to review my scans.
- Once I’ve got a good signal, I tap the clock icon in Profit Bandit to access history and then work through the items I’ve scanned.
- After I’m done, I repeat the process.
Smarter Scanning
Believe it or not, I actually end up scanning better items when I have to use Batch Scan Mode.
When I’ve got a great signal, I find myself scanning items without thinking. I just grab and scan. And this can be a good way to find inventory, but it’s not very efficient.
When I’m using Batch Scan Mode and know that it’ll take me a few minutes to look up the items, I think more critically about what I’m scanning. I’ll try to scan only items that my experience and intuition tell me will be profitable.
Of course, this can lead me to missing the occasional bit of treasure. But when working with poor cell reception, I want to make the most of my time.
Do you have other tips and tricks to share? Let me know how you deal with poor cellular reception!
