Thinking of applying for one or more of these and I've never done one. I have read some not-so-great things about them, though. Any thoughts? Is it that hard to get the photos accepted?

The photos HAVE to look exactly as the examples. I performed one shop and that was enough. One side of the pizza was cropped off and that was enough to reject. No more.

My son works at a pizza place and he said they can tell who made the pizza when they look at the pic. I could not believe it but he said each person there does something a little different and they can tell who made it. I thought that was very interesting and funny too.

I did one. One picture was directly over the pizza, but out of square by about 1/2 degree and I had to resubmit it. Thank God for Photoshop. I love pizza but this one was like cardboard. Made up my mind not to do anymore because, IMHO, the risk of rejection is too high. If it was a different chain, I'd do it because they actually make a pizza I like and wouldn't mind not being reimbursed if the report was rejected.

Thanks for the tips! I might try one just to see if it's something I'd want to fool with again or either mark it off my list.

Vicky, you can use coupons on this shop. They have BOGO here on Thursdays with the coupon. So you end up with two pizzas, but just have to take photos of one.

Ooh, thanks for letting me know that. I am a coupon queen. lol

There are at least two pizza shops requiring photos -- the pizza pizza place and Papa John's. The deep dish at Pizza pizza wasn't bad; the regular pizza I characterize as ketchup on cardboard. Papa johns is probably okay pizza but by the time you get all the pictures it's not very hot any more. But it's edible and will fill your stomach and if you're feeding kids they probably won't care. Try one, take lots of pictures, get the angles right. All three pizza shops I did were accepted but you need to read the directions and do the pictures right because the pictures are what these shops are all about.

One of the pizza pizza shops did not require pictures; that shop was about customer service and I think there were three questions about the pizza, one about the shape/symmetry, one about thickness, and the other was the number of pepperoni slices. So I was able to eat that one hot in the car after doing a visual observation.

I did one each of the photo shops and wasn't happy with the taste of the pizzas by the time I got the pics done.

I do the pizza pizza carryout every time it comes up. It's close to my house, cheap, and my family likes it. They don't require any pictures - it's just about timing, customer service, and cleanliness. You can be in and out in less than two minutes, and the report takes about 10 minutes. It's just reimbursement (no shop fee), but it saves on groceries for a day or two. I like it on my way home from a day out because you do it 4-8p, and it really is a no-brainer.

Based on what I've read here, I will never do a Papa John's as long as this 'pizza surgery' process is required.

I think they are great. Unless you live near me. If that is the case, stay away, they are terrible.

Mystery Shopper Magazine published an article about doing pizza assignments recently, in Issue 12. You can check it out here to learn more:[www.mysteryshoppermagazine.com].

I used to do a lot of these. But I got tired of dealing with the arbitrary photo acceptance/rejections. The pizza carryout assignment with no photos is quick and easy.

I do the delivery shop once a month and have never had a shop rejected. I've had the scheduler email me back saying the picture I uploaded wasn't acceptable, but I have an iPhone and take about 50 pictures, so I have plenty to go back to. After the first couple you learn exactly what they want, so I find these really easy. Plus I look like a hero since I share the pizza with my coworkers.

I did one Papa John and took the pictures exactly as they wanted them taken, a big pain in the butt. My report was accepted, thank God, but the pizza was the worst I had ever tasted.

I have never done another.

Robinv

Do not waste your time they pay nothing unless of course you can put that pizza in your gas tank.

These shops are specifically worth it when you do one for two different MSCs and grab PAD on the one and ask for a bonus on the other. I love when things like that come together.

They certainly don't "pay nothing" when the MSC really, really needs them done (which is always in our area). I usually make $40 and a free pizza each month.

Score, Jen - I've never seen anything like that in my area! Be sure - I'll be looking for that in the future.

A few years ago, I did a Papa John's pizza delivery shop. After taking what I thought were the 'correct' photos (8) just-in-case, all were rejected and I was not reimbursed.

[edited to remove MSC], in general, is a least favorite of mine. Years ago they wanted a photo, which I though was unusual, however, I did send a photo from my expired passport. "Oh no, we need a CURRENT photo - in other words a copy of my driver's license and/or passport. Too much personal information for me, so I don't do them.

Am I just being overly cautious? This instance occurred prior to needing to give out my SSN which I also feel (personally) is 'too much information'. Hell, if the US government can be hacked, a MS company must be small time bait.

Lainerz
10 yr. shopper
No. CA

Are your doing this on purpose? You actually changed the subject line to include the name of an MSC and then included it again in the body of the post along with the client name. Since you are a veteran shopper you know that is a violation of your ICAs.

Yes, LisaSTL, this is intentional.

If you'll look through other posts - especially those regarding Compliance Solutions a few years ago - you'll note that I did an extensive amount of research and, finally got paid because I named not only the company, but the client and the subsidiary of the client. Check out the very long thread. . .


Lainerz

I don't see how what you have done here and on the GFK thread have anything to do with the previous thread and have no intention of going back to read the other one. It is certainly not fair of you to place the burden of editing your posts on the moderators who do not get paid for their work.

It is also extremely disrespectful of Jacob since he has made it clear that clients and MSCs are not to be linked. Would you like it we came over to your house and peed on the carpet?

Hey Lainerz,

I don't think you understood what Lisa was saying (or maybe you're intentionally trying not to?).... you're naming the MSC, plus the client in the same post. Your response to her about... some mythical thread (you left no link, so it's not like someone would go trolling through five years of message board posts for this... whatever you're talking about =)) makes no sense. =X You got paid ... because?? you posted about the client and the MSC (and apparently a "subsidiary" of the client-- what does that mean?). -shakes head-

To answer your earlier question-- I would think if you've been in business for yourself for ten years, you'd understand why you need to provide the MSC with your social security number (tax purposes). Of course, you don't need to provide your social if you're willing to get an EIN. Most MSCs accept the EIN and then you're not in danger of having someone hack an MSCs website for that information.

As for the photo, that's more for identification purposes. If a client needs to go back to tape to check the validity of a shop (and why shouldn't they, they're putting out money to be sure this mode of verification is actually functional), they need to know who they're looking for. You can say that you're six feet tall with brown hair, but how many customers actually match that description? In a retail setting, probably a lot. =))

So, the short answer to your earlier question is that I _do_ think you're overreacting. I can understand wanting to protect your privacy, I can be like that, too, at times (though... as you can tell by my username here, that doesn't bother me too much ). Anyway, the information we provide is important for business purposes, just for differing reasons.

In addition to everything else, the MSC that stopped paying their shoppers was Franchise Compliance NOT Compliance Solutions.

After you get done molesting the pizza, by flipping it over, side shots, top shots, sun shots, hood shots, shoo'ing the flies away and trying to get all those before the "cheese gets crusty"--- the pizza shop to me is not really worth it.

More often than not, I take tons more pics than they require and they always ask for more and "then" I get paid.

Will I do one again?

The next blue moon...when is that?

Lainerz, how do you work without providing a number?

If you're concerned about your driver's license, check with the MSC. Most will let you black out the license # and your address--they mainly want name, DOB, and the photo.

the thing is, if you don't want to provide any part of the information asked for, you are free not to provide it, and the MSC is free not to give you any jobs that require it.

Waste of time and money can you put pizza in your tank? They make it impossible to except a picture right so they make more money on the job and you make nothing

I can put a pizza in my stomach. I get four meals out of a pizza. I still have a hunk of my last pizza pizza... maybe I'll have it tonight.

It helps attract customers' traffic. It's is ok but abuse of photoshop. The real pizza should be looked like 80% of the photo. Otherwise, customers are dissapointed