Purchase/Return $12
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That is SO not enough payment for what equates to two shops!
I do those without a purchase...my Co. pays 28.00 for non-purchase and 38.00 for purchase. They are simple. Change companies.
Live consciously....
There are no purchase returns in my city in at least the last year for more than the $12.
So Irene that will not work. You are fortunate in a bigger city. I know who you are talking about asking for a non purchase...not on any of these is it allowed. I have tried that on all of them and I know they are telling me the truth. They are still sitting. So "changing" companies will not work in a small market. None is none!
So Irene that will not work. You are fortunate in a bigger city. I know who you are talking about asking for a non purchase...not on any of these is it allowed. I have tried that on all of them and I know they are telling me the truth. They are still sitting. So "changing" companies will not work in a small market. None is none!
I know all of the clients involved in both the $12 and the $28 shops. And no, the client with higher paying non-purchase is not in all that many markets while the lower paying ones are not only in more markets, often they have more than one location depending on the size of the city.
For some reason I was thinking the $12 P/R has gotten worse. The return could either be done the same day or just whenever since that portion of the shop was not included in the report so it was really just a "purchase" shop. The emails recently are showing the return must be done within 24 to 48 hours. While I rarely took the old shops, picking up a few in the same mall would sometimes work out. The reports were simple then and returns could be saved until I had another route of shops in that mall. Now they are on my 10 foot pole list.
For some reason I was thinking the $12 P/R has gotten worse. The return could either be done the same day or just whenever since that portion of the shop was not included in the report so it was really just a "purchase" shop. The emails recently are showing the return must be done within 24 to 48 hours. While I rarely took the old shops, picking up a few in the same mall would sometimes work out. The reports were simple then and returns could be saved until I had another route of shops in that mall. Now they are on my 10 foot pole list.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
In my area that same $12 shop (I know which one you mean) sits for weeks. No one takes it and so by the end of the month, the emails go to Double pay ($24). There are two locations in my area and I have taken both of them at the $24 if I am in the area anyway. One is a nice walk from my full time work and is in a mall so I go to the purchase one, go to a dinner shop, then come back and do the return. The return can be 30 minutes later and you just say you changed your mind. The report is really easy but I wouldn't do it for less than $24 (I figure then they are paying me for each of the trips.)
Shopping across Indiana but mostly around Indianapolis.
I seem to be missing something...are you talking 12.00 for two shops in the same store, or 12.00 for one shop.
Live consciously....
It is a $12 P/R. The MSC calls it one shop, we know it is two.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
Before the recession there were lots and lots of small franchises to shop and in a 20 mile trip it was not unusual to do 10-20 shops and make that same trip later in the week for another 10-20 shops. So a shop such as this, figured at $6 per visit, was not a big issue, though unpleasant as all P/R shops are.
Recently I was along that road where there used to be a shop there and there and there and there and those spaces are still vacant or have become small independent stores (like a fruit stand, a shoe shine place, a taco take out) or the building has been torn down. Franchisees lost their shirts (and homes and credit) in the recession and those folks are unlikely to ever come back. Banks are not making mortgage loans to individuals with a credit score of under 700 and for business loans they are wanting an even higher score. Talking with a franchisee recently, he was quite bitter that the franchiser cut him zero breaks even during the worst of the recession and as soon as he finds a sucker big enough, he plans to offload his franchise and reopen privately a tangential business.
Our problem as shoppers is that with fewer locations, routes become much more expensive for us. The franchiser has fewer locations to be shopped but doesn't want to pay more per location and the mystery shopping company needs to pay their bills with fewer shops without driving away the franchiser to another MSP. I think we as shoppers are supposed to be grateful when we are not being paid less for shops that are no longer viable. It is an overall unpleasant scenario. If I knew I had 2 good paying jobs going by the P/R location a day apart, I MIGHT take on a shop such as this. But in the current shopping environment there is about a 2% probability of that.
Recently I was along that road where there used to be a shop there and there and there and there and those spaces are still vacant or have become small independent stores (like a fruit stand, a shoe shine place, a taco take out) or the building has been torn down. Franchisees lost their shirts (and homes and credit) in the recession and those folks are unlikely to ever come back. Banks are not making mortgage loans to individuals with a credit score of under 700 and for business loans they are wanting an even higher score. Talking with a franchisee recently, he was quite bitter that the franchiser cut him zero breaks even during the worst of the recession and as soon as he finds a sucker big enough, he plans to offload his franchise and reopen privately a tangential business.
Our problem as shoppers is that with fewer locations, routes become much more expensive for us. The franchiser has fewer locations to be shopped but doesn't want to pay more per location and the mystery shopping company needs to pay their bills with fewer shops without driving away the franchiser to another MSP. I think we as shoppers are supposed to be grateful when we are not being paid less for shops that are no longer viable. It is an overall unpleasant scenario. If I knew I had 2 good paying jobs going by the P/R location a day apart, I MIGHT take on a shop such as this. But in the current shopping environment there is about a 2% probability of that.
Plus you have to factor in that gas has gone way up in that time.
No kidding. I was watching some old 'Law & Order' shows the other night. In one scene, they were at a gas station. The gas prices were $1.35, $1.45, and $1.55. I checked the date of the show with the 'info' button, and it was from 1996 (or 7?). It wasn't *that* much worse in the early 00's.
I continue to think it's ridiculous that fees haven't increased much, if at all; with those increased expenses. I still fail to understand why so many accept them! I mean, I have and do acknowledge certain circumstances, like it's the store you always go to anyway, or you really really just want to eat there; but for many shops its just kinda sad that people value their time so poorly. :/
I continue to think it's ridiculous that fees haven't increased much, if at all; with those increased expenses. I still fail to understand why so many accept them! I mean, I have and do acknowledge certain circumstances, like it's the store you always go to anyway, or you really really just want to eat there; but for many shops its just kinda sad that people value their time so poorly. :/
Practitioner of the Nerdly Arts.
I think part of the problem may be the economy. Many places that used to be shopped no longer are. Some have gone out of business. Some simply have stopped their MS programs. Others have scaled down. I'm seeing a few new clients who are now shopped that were not shopped previously but not very few. SteveSoCal wrote a great post awhile ago about all the retail purchase shops he used to do, getting great clothes......but I can't find it.
Meanwhile, there are more and more shoppers every day. In many areas, the supply of shoppers is enormous while overall shops are reduced. There are fewer shops to go around and more shoppers available to the MSCs. Of course, this is not true in all areas. But it becomes easier and easier for MSCs to find and recruit new shoppers. And in a lot of cases, I think this looks like payments and reimbursements will not rise, and there is a real possibility that many may be lower in the future.
I'm not saying it is right or fair, but I think it's moving that way. Of course, that's just IMHO and I could be wrong. In this case, I hope I am wrong.
Meanwhile, there are more and more shoppers every day. In many areas, the supply of shoppers is enormous while overall shops are reduced. There are fewer shops to go around and more shoppers available to the MSCs. Of course, this is not true in all areas. But it becomes easier and easier for MSCs to find and recruit new shoppers. And in a lot of cases, I think this looks like payments and reimbursements will not rise, and there is a real possibility that many may be lower in the future.
I'm not saying it is right or fair, but I think it's moving that way. Of course, that's just IMHO and I could be wrong. In this case, I hope I am wrong.
I hope you're wrong, too; but I fear you may be right. Hopefully, though, the economy will take a turn for the better over the next few years, improving our business opportunities.
I've been unable to do much MS'ing since mid-January, because of lack of a car. It took a crap, and while we've been able to borrow one sometimes, not often/reliably enough to plan much work. So just a little here and there. We couldn't afford a new (to us) car right away, but looks like we'll have one by week's end.
So. Anyway. I've just been starting now to look at job boards and try to figure out routes and stuff like that. Several jobs I used to do regularly, just LAST YEAR, for cryin' out loud, don't seem to be there anymore. There's others, like the big blue hardware store, that doesn't pay a fee you can build an out-of-town route around, like I used to, anymore. Not to mention I don't think that's an MSC I can work with. One of the big office supply stores used to get great bonuses for the out-of-town, more-remote locations, too; I don't even see them with the same MSC anymore. Other jobs, they're still there; but they won't bonus the out-of-town remote locations to the same level they used to ~ and I mean just a year or so ago. In our area, gas *has* gone down a little (and then back up again a little ~ but it's still less than the $4 or so it was at it's peak) but not enough to justify lowering bonuses for those ton-of-driving shops.
It seems there's others I used to do regularly but don't see anymore, too; I just can't think of them right now. Of course, almost anything that's still left with CORI (or whoever they are now) doesn't pay as well as they used to, either. There was a check cashing store that used to come up regularly with good fees, that rarely shows up anymore either, and when it does, it's with not-as-good fees. Not to mention not as many bonused fast foods and gas stations as there used to be ~ at least in *my* area.
I'll do what I can with MS'ing, and hope things will improve again; but I've been looking at starting some other income streams for a while now... why haven't I yet? Just because I'm afraid of investing a lot of time and not having those turn out, either! I'm just too chicken. (But NOT goose-chicken.
)
I've been unable to do much MS'ing since mid-January, because of lack of a car. It took a crap, and while we've been able to borrow one sometimes, not often/reliably enough to plan much work. So just a little here and there. We couldn't afford a new (to us) car right away, but looks like we'll have one by week's end.
So. Anyway. I've just been starting now to look at job boards and try to figure out routes and stuff like that. Several jobs I used to do regularly, just LAST YEAR, for cryin' out loud, don't seem to be there anymore. There's others, like the big blue hardware store, that doesn't pay a fee you can build an out-of-town route around, like I used to, anymore. Not to mention I don't think that's an MSC I can work with. One of the big office supply stores used to get great bonuses for the out-of-town, more-remote locations, too; I don't even see them with the same MSC anymore. Other jobs, they're still there; but they won't bonus the out-of-town remote locations to the same level they used to ~ and I mean just a year or so ago. In our area, gas *has* gone down a little (and then back up again a little ~ but it's still less than the $4 or so it was at it's peak) but not enough to justify lowering bonuses for those ton-of-driving shops.
It seems there's others I used to do regularly but don't see anymore, too; I just can't think of them right now. Of course, almost anything that's still left with CORI (or whoever they are now) doesn't pay as well as they used to, either. There was a check cashing store that used to come up regularly with good fees, that rarely shows up anymore either, and when it does, it's with not-as-good fees. Not to mention not as many bonused fast foods and gas stations as there used to be ~ at least in *my* area.
I'll do what I can with MS'ing, and hope things will improve again; but I've been looking at starting some other income streams for a while now... why haven't I yet? Just because I'm afraid of investing a lot of time and not having those turn out, either! I'm just too chicken. (But NOT goose-chicken.
)Practitioner of the Nerdly Arts.
Maybe SallyGFK will make her way in here to tell us all how our expenses are a cost of doing business and a tax-write off making them not expenses at all and we should be thankful for $12 instead of nothing.
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Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.
I have been mystery shopping for a number of years but not as long as some but what struck me at first was that so many of the companies accept all comers. Perhaps it was not always this way. I remember my first (and only for a long time) company required a writing sample. I was accepted right away and thought that since I write well I must have passed. Later on I referred a friend who lived in an area they were having trouble finding shoppers for. Her writing skills were not very good. She wrote a short paragraph and she too was immediately accepted. So, that kind of answered my question as to whether they were even looking at the writing sample.
I guess they recruit shoppers the way the airlines do baggage and ups delivers packages now. If one or two or three are stolen due to lack of someone checking tags against the bag you pick up or in the case of ups not ringing the bell and making sure someone accepts a package and they need to make up for it in $$ it seems it is a lot cheaper for them to operate that way then to pay people to stand at the airport exit all day and night or wait for you to answer the door. So for the msc they must have decided allowing anyone to try a job once and reshopping when necessary is less expensive than spending time and money on weeding out shoppers who do not cut the mustard. So, especially for the companies that have only check boxes where it is difficult to really tell if the person really did or understood the job, they must have many more shoppers at the lower end of things than they used to when you needed to qualify in some way to get this job. That is a whole new level of person competing for jobs that may be willing to accept lower pay than you are. And for some of the shops that pay low, they might not want to pay for whatever expertise the "better" shoppers have because they have plenty of people who do a job that is good enough for them at a lower price. So, look it as a different tier of jobs. We all have to sort through offers we do not want to get to the ones we do want but we need to accept that there seems to be different tiers now in expectations of job performance in this industry. Personally with the economy getting better little by little I think that better jobs may be coming back one of these days....but then I have been expecting interest rates to rise above .001% in the bank for the past 3 years to no avail.
I guess they recruit shoppers the way the airlines do baggage and ups delivers packages now. If one or two or three are stolen due to lack of someone checking tags against the bag you pick up or in the case of ups not ringing the bell and making sure someone accepts a package and they need to make up for it in $$ it seems it is a lot cheaper for them to operate that way then to pay people to stand at the airport exit all day and night or wait for you to answer the door. So for the msc they must have decided allowing anyone to try a job once and reshopping when necessary is less expensive than spending time and money on weeding out shoppers who do not cut the mustard. So, especially for the companies that have only check boxes where it is difficult to really tell if the person really did or understood the job, they must have many more shoppers at the lower end of things than they used to when you needed to qualify in some way to get this job. That is a whole new level of person competing for jobs that may be willing to accept lower pay than you are. And for some of the shops that pay low, they might not want to pay for whatever expertise the "better" shoppers have because they have plenty of people who do a job that is good enough for them at a lower price. So, look it as a different tier of jobs. We all have to sort through offers we do not want to get to the ones we do want but we need to accept that there seems to be different tiers now in expectations of job performance in this industry. Personally with the economy getting better little by little I think that better jobs may be coming back one of these days....but then I have been expecting interest rates to rise above .001% in the bank for the past 3 years to no avail.
The company I'm referring to shops 2 different departments in the same store with 2 separate reports, cosmetics and upper retail, which is 14.00 per report or 28.00, no P/R.
Live consciously....
Maybe if they would add the famous $2.00 bonus, the scheduler would think we would do these $12.00 P/R shops. LOL
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/2014 02:49AM by newyorkdan1.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/2014 02:49AM by newyorkdan1.
Re the question of how things have change due to the economy... I wondered about that too. But also, more and more companies have customers fill in surveys using codes on the customers' receipts.
I wonder how many companies have reduced or eliminate their mystery shopping fees by using that kind of direct customer input in addition to/ instead of paying an MSC.
I wonder how many companies have reduced or eliminate their mystery shopping fees by using that kind of direct customer input in addition to/ instead of paying an MSC.
CANADAMOMMY Wrote:
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> I have a whole pile of these in email . Every
> single one is a total of 2 visits for $12. And I
> see them day after day after day.
> Schedulers-GAS IS NOT FREE. Purchase and return
> please bid higher to the company in the first
> place and then schedulers you would not have to
> keep begging!
The scheduler has absolutely nothing to do with the fee of the mystery shop.
The scheduler is given a project to work and they work it.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have a whole pile of these in email . Every
> single one is a total of 2 visits for $12. And I
> see them day after day after day.
> Schedulers-GAS IS NOT FREE. Purchase and return
> please bid higher to the company in the first
> place and then schedulers you would not have to
> keep begging!
The scheduler has absolutely nothing to do with the fee of the mystery shop.
The scheduler is given a project to work and they work it.
I live in a rural area and shop in a small city 50 km away. There is one P/R shop that I know of there. I have never taken it because the return can't be made on the same day and I'm not going to do a trip of 100 km to make that return. I don't know who eventually does it.
Last week I was going to be in town 2 days in a row and I tried to take that job. - it pays $20 or $25.
The dates to choose from were like this: 04/05
06/07 etc.
I was going to be in town on the 5th and 6th. I contacted the company to ask if I could do it on those dates. They couldn't change it, so I couldn't do it.
They only want to assess returns on certain days of the week?
Last week I was going to be in town 2 days in a row and I tried to take that job. - it pays $20 or $25.
The dates to choose from were like this: 04/05
06/07 etc.
I was going to be in town on the 5th and 6th. I contacted the company to ask if I could do it on those dates. They couldn't change it, so I couldn't do it.
They only want to assess returns on certain days of the week?
Now I have seen it all. A $15 P/R, merchandise minimum $135, return a different day and it is a targeted shop.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
Ay, yi, yi. Lot of time and money for little pay. (What if the store doesn't allow you to return the item?)
Walking Store: $12 fee, purchase mandatory. Shoes in this store are high end - $200 and up. This MSC should stop requiring all mandatory P/R and strongly advise their clients to do the same.
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