Waiting around for shop approval

One thing that irritates me about mystery shopping is that I can't self-assign for some shops. Okay, let's say I applied for the shop, can I at least hear back about it within 1-2 business days? It's freaking hard to plan shopping schedule when you don't know if the shop would be approved or not. If I have a spot to fill in my shopping schedule and I apply for the shop, I need to know ASAP if I'm given the shop.
I applied for bunch of shops within past week and did hear back regarding them. I know it's a holiday season but still I need to make my plans.
One time it took 3 weeks for one if my applications to get approved. I applied for certain dates and in 3 weeks I got a message that the shop was accepted. 3 weeks! Not even to mention that the date I applied for has passed and I was assigned the shop on a different date.
Sorry, just needed to vent.

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That bugs me too!

If they don't reply in 24 hours I cancel my application and move on.

I keep applying for Bare shops, however I eventually end up cancelling my request because days go by with no response and I end up filling the dates with shops from other companies. Since I really want to do a Bare shop, it gets frustrating.

(heart)

I intend to live forever. So far, so good.

I often forget to cancel my applications, like with that shop that was approved 3 weeks after I applied. For some companies it seems like a normal practice to make you wait for a week or more, like with Coyle.

On some shop boards, there is a text box where you have to add the date you can complete the shop and a verification that you understand the job. In this box, you are able to add text. When you insert the date, put a quick must have confirmation of shop by xx/xx/xx. This eliminates the waiting with many companies.

Sometimes, just because a shop is on the board doesn't mean it is available. This is why it takes so long to be accepted. The company is waiting to see if whoever currently is assigned the job completes is appropriately. If you needed to know by a certain date and the date has come and gone you can always cancel your application. This keeps you from being assigned jobs you didn't necessarily want on a date beyond what you planned for.

What kind of shop you are talking about? My applications with Bare seem to get approved relatively fast.

stilllearning Wrote:
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> I keep applying for Bare shops, however I
> eventually end up cancelling my request because
> days go by with no response and I end up filling
> the dates with shops from other companies. Since I
> really want to do a Bare shop, it gets
> frustrating.
>
> (heart)

Great tip, I should start doing it.

SecretAgentMom Wrote:
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> On some shop boards, there is a text box where you
> have to add the date you can complete the shop and
> a verification that you understand the job. In
> this box, you are able to add text. When you
> insert the date, put a quick must have
> confirmation of shop by xx/xx/xx. This eliminates
> the waiting with many companies.
>

<Shipping> items. I have never done a shop for them, so I'm sure they don't trust me yet!

What is "relatively fast"?

(heart)

Moderator note: Changed opening verb to something less verging on an ICA violation. Plenty of places do various shipping shops.

I intend to live forever. So far, so good.

When I do shops for Bare I am usually approved within 24 hours, more likely within hours depending on the project.

I've completed less than 10 shops for Bare and my <shipping> shop was approved within 2-3 days, the scheduler who manages these shops is super nice. Maybe it was because I applied for the most undesirable scenario (C) or maybe because in my area these shops stay on a board for awhile. Not sure...

stilllearning Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mailing items. I have never done a shop for them,
> so I'm sure they don't trust me yet!
>
> What is "relatively fast"?
>
> (heart)

Moderator note: Changed verb to something less verging on an ICA violation. Plenty of places do various shipping shops.

Really? I could only wish!

(heart)

I intend to live forever. So far, so good.

I'm usually approved within hours for these shops. As you say, it might be because you're new. If my shopping date starts to fill up I usually send them an email and cancel my request.

Bare assigned me two shops within 48 hrs.. it's not a lot of $$ so I don't hold my breath. . it's just stuff for nieces back home.

I shopped w/them when they first started out and it was easy and fun........it BETTER NOT be a PITA when I do these coming up next week. I haven't done this shop in yrs........... Personally, can't WAIT for them to go out of business.. how do you like this next increase???????????????????

(name of client removed by moderator to prevent ICA violation)

WHY would you want them to go out of business?? I mean, you just got two shops which will enable you to send your nieces a surprise.

(heart)

I intend to live forever. So far, so good.

I too applied for some of Bare <shipping> shops and not yet been approved. I usually hear from them within 24 hours, I think it's just the "end of the year" "holiday" mess right now.

Moderator note: Changed verb to something less verging on an ICA violation. Plenty of places do various shipping shops.

O.o o.O

Happily shopping New England and beyond!!!!!

I've had similar frustrating waits with other companies where I've had to cancel my applications. That's the advantage of signing up with many companies. It provides more opportunities so you can move forward with your plans with the help of the companies with quicker responses.

**********************************
Silver Certified in the Great White North
**********************************

Still learning, maybe you could write to the scheduler if you can figure out their name and tell them that you are an experienced shopper.

How do all of you keep track of your applications? I just forget about them unless I hear back.

With Bare I think it depends on the scheduler. I can self assign the states that my scheduler handles, but I can't self assign the state next to me that is handled by another scheduler. I'm guessing it's the same one mentioned because she almost never replies to my emails (1 out of 3 that I've sent her). I've applied for her shops 4 times and have only gotten the shops I applied for once. In fact I have a shop app out for 3 days now for the end of this week that I need to know about.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

I print them out with my passwords and any other info I think I may need, like when and how they pay, contact info, types of jobs they offer, etc. I put everything alphabetically in a big 3 ring binder for easy reference.

I applied for some of the <shipping> shops (but for Monday & Tuesday ~ I think the starting date on the ones I saw was the 4th, of all things) but haven't heard back yet, either. I've *never* seen these on self-assign in my area. But my area used to have a different scheduler, who was a bit more responsive ~ at least quick ~ then the new one seems to be. Although by "new", I mean since Summertime or so.

Moderator note: Changed verb to something less verging on an ICA violation. Plenty of places do various shipping shops.

Practitioner of the Nerdly Arts.

pony123lucy Wrote:
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> Still learning, maybe you could write to the
> scheduler if you can figure out their name and
> tell them that you are an experienced shopper.
>
> How do all of you keep track of your applications?
> I just forget about them unless I hear back.

I actually did that right after I applied for these shops. They're still pending and that was over a week ago.

To answer your question: I write them on my calendar with a question mark. Pretty old-fashioned, but, hey, it works!

(heart)

I intend to live forever. So far, so good.

I signed up with one company and it was 7 shops. I was trying to plan a route on my trip. I emailed the scheduler and told them that I was traveling through and would like to assist them. The response was that it was too early to approve those shops. Since it was a week away, I waited 3 more days and then emailed the scheduler again. I did get the shops but what a pain to explain that I am traveling. I can be tenacious when the area only has a limited supply of shops and I can't just cancel in hopes for more shops.

Just lost trying to find a fire pit in a concrete jungle wishing it was a wooded glen...

if it wasn't for bad luck, I would have no luck at all

For me, I put applied shops in my Excel spreadsheet, with a status of "applied". If I get the shop, I change the status to "accepted". Otherwise, I delete it. I need to keep track, otherwise I'd end up with more shops a day than I could handle.

Whew, ok it's not just me. I too find this very frustrating. As mentioned it makes it very hard to plan ahead. I like the idea of putting a 'must confirm by' date in the text field where available. Bare seems to be the common thread. Is there a chance the scheduler is waiting to see if one of her/his "favorite" shopper accepts the shop? Like others I finally just deleted my applications, not worth the stress of having them drop them on me at the last minute.

stilllearning Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> items. I have never done a shop for them, so I'm
> sure they don't trust me yet!
>
> What is "relatively fast"?
>
> (heart)
>
Keep applying and don't give up. You'll have a better chance if you apply for the Plant City ones.

Not my circus - Not my monkeys @(*.*)@

~Polish Proverb~

I keep a copy of the email I get. I send it into a file on my email that I created called "applied for" then at the end of the day, or a free moment to breath, I copy and paste it into the excel program. If it is a case of multiple shops for one company at a time, then I email me the info and send it to me and place it in the applied for, later in the excel program. I just know it is an extra move but it is a move for me that is fast at the moment.

Incognito

silver certified

Two business days is what I normally allow for acceptance of my application before moving on to another assignment. Schedulers?

Plusha,

Agree with you 100%. My simple solution with self scheduling is to allow it only for tenured, well rated shoppers and in terms of rotations, some msc's such as Service Sleuth and Reality Check will simply give you a rejection notice stating you already shopped the same location within x amount of days and cannot assign it to yourself at this time.

This would save monumental time for schedulers

cubbiecat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Keep applying and don't give up. You'll have a
> better chance if you apply for the Plant City
> ones.

Thanks for the advice! The three for which I applied have vanished. pfft!

(heart)

I intend to live forever. So far, so good.

I agree with bgriffin. Sometimes it is the scheduler and not the company. I think each scheduler has their own unique way of doing the shops. I had a scheduler tell me after days that the shop had not been assigned yet. This scheduler was waiting until a certain date before awarding it. In my book this gave them more time for more apps. I was waiting for sometime and the date to do it was within three days. I was about to cancel when I got it at the last moment, in my book the last moment. I need to know early on if I should keep that appointment aside or not.

A great example of this just happened to me, so, on Monday a call is going out! I got a call from a scheduler that got my name from someone else. I was asked to do a shop for her that seems easy. It is not a MS it is handing out candy? So what is that called, merchandising? She seemed frantic. I was not available in the exact time frame she needed but could do it earlier. She said great and she had to get an ok. That was Tuesday and still, NO word! I hate waiting. If a no, please let me know, if ok, tell me now.

Incognito

silver certified

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