Sure, you can buy minutes for your prepaid mobile phone at Radio Shack. But that doesn’t mean that you should. Reader Adam’s source for this information: a Shack employee, who told Adam that he should get his minutes elsewhere, claiming that employees get in trouble for selling them. Wha?

This isn’t a tip so much as a question. I recently bought a cheap phone and decided to pay per minute for it (I almost never talk on the phone and am not interested in smartphone options).

I bought the phone at radio shack. I returned to the store to buy more minutes. The guy at the store sold me a card, but encouraged me to get them somewhere else. He said the store employees get in trouble for selling minutes.

It’s a minor inconvenience for me, but it struck me as odd that their corporate higher-ups would discourage them from selling something.

I wanted to see if you guys had any insight or thoughts.

Radio Shack employees are probably discouraged from selling mobile phone top-up cards because they can’t upsell extended warranties, accessories, or batteries for them.

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.