Happy Friday everyone!

Have any of you ever had to do a fitness center workout shop where you were required to get a day pass and the center didn't have day passes? If so how did you handle the situation with your report?

yes. LlifeTyme Fit.

was fun..

no, they always have passes.
HUGE, love it, but waaaay outta our budget

amberngriffinco Wrote:
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> yes. LlifeTyme Fit.
>
> was fun..
>
> no, they always have passes.
> HUGE, love it, but waaaay outta our budget


Thank you for responding, the one that I did the shop at was supposed to have passes, but the associate at this particular center said that they didn't have passes and no I couldn't use their equipment for a workout. Not in a mean way but I thought that it was strange. So did my editor.

Wow, I've done 10+ fitness center shops and have never encountered this! Surely most places would recognize that a potential customer would want to test the facilities? What else did the editor say? I assume they will still pay you for your shop?

If it's for the same MSC that I've done them for, the guidelines state that if they say they don't offer day passes, then you're supposed to ask if you can just workout/test the facility while you're there. Luckily, I've never had it happen to me though; they always sell me the day pass for $20.

bedenji Wrote:
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> Wow, I've done 10+ fitness center shops and have
> never encountered this! Surely most places would
> recognize that a potential customer would want to
> test the facilities? What else did the editor
> say? I assume they will still pay you for your
> shop?


She said that they would look at the video and let me know if I would be able to get paid :-( I took the tour but he wouldn't allow me to work out, what was I supposed to do just jump on their stuff lol!

Tlt14 Wrote:
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> If it's for the same MSC that I've done them for,
> the guidelines state that if they say they don't
> offer day passes, then you're supposed to ask if
> you can just workout/test the facility while
> you're there. Luckily, I've never had it happen to
> me though; they always sell me the day pass for
> $20.


I asked, he said no.

I feel like you should definitely still be paid for this. Yes, a workout is a shop requirement, but they have to allow you to do it first. This should count against the employee, not the shopper.

Tlt14 Wrote:
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> I feel like you should definitely still be paid
> for this. Yes, a workout is a shop requirement,
> but they have to allow you to do it first. This
> should count against the employee, not the
> shopper.

Yes, you should have been paid. If the Rep. wanted to, he/she could have hand written a pass. Instead, he/she wanted you to go directly to a membership contract. I would hope that the client would want to know that because the day (or 3 day) pass offers all kinds of opportunities for the club to sell you training sessions and enhanced memberships while you are new and vulnerable. The Rep. was at fault, in my opinion.

In real life, I would never pay for a 2-3 day pass.

$20 seems *really* expensive for a *day* pass. Sheesh!

A loooong time ago, I really did check out a fitness place, and ended up with a membership for a few months before I decided it was too expensive. Anyway, they let me work out that first time for free, before I joined and paid. They even stayed with me and showed me how to use the stuff, since it was obvious I was a total newb at such things.

I keep getting the emails for these, and there's one about seven minutes away from my house. However, I'm such a gimp now with my bad back/hip that I don't think I'd look natural. Although, I think some of the strength training stuff would actually help me. I just couldn't do stuff like ellipticals. (sp?)

StormCloud Wrote:
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> $20 seems *really* expensive for a *day* pass.
> Sheesh!
>
> A loooong time ago, I really did check out a
> fitness place, and ended up with a membership for
> a few months before I decided it was too
> expensive. Anyway, they let me work out that
> first time for free, before I joined and paid.
> They even stayed with me and showed me how to use
> the stuff, since it was obvious I was a total newb
> at such things.
>
> I keep getting the emails for these, and there's
> one about seven minutes away from my house.
> However, I'm such a gimp now with my bad back/hip
> that I don't think I'd look natural. Although, I
> think some of the strength training stuff would
> actually help me. I just couldn't do stuff like
> ellipticals. (sp?)


I think that $20.00 is a lot for a day pass as well especially since most clubs will give you a one week pass for free.

Yeah, I always felt like purchasing a day pass on these really flagged me as the shopper. The place only charges $10/month anyways (plus a small activation fee), so it seems very strange to charge $20/day.

bedenji Wrote:
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> Yeah, I always felt like purchasing a day pass on
> these really flagged me as the shopper. The place
> only charges $10/month anyways (plus a small
> activation fee), so it seems very strange to
> charge $20/day.


I agree, and you only have to workout for 30 minutes, who would do that? But the part that gets me is that they said that my report was good but they are going to have to verify that they don't give passes. What if they do give passes and they just didn't want to give me one? I hesitate to even post about it based on the way that some MSC's come into the thread to defend themselves but if they don't pay me I will never work for them again.

I got one of those offers. That gym in my area has far too many people in it at all hours for me to want to work out there. plus the women's locker rooms were very hot. I have gotten another offer for a well known, long established organization requesting you do a workout plus a swim for $25. I figured by the time I did the tour and circuit workout plus the swim, it would be too time consuming with the report for the pay.

Pammie- did you hear back? Are they going to pay you for the shop?

bedenji Wrote:
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> Pammie- did you hear back? Are they going to pay
> you for the shop?


It's still sitting.

I am scheduled to do two of these shops- I was contacted by a scheduler who works for the scheduling service who is representing the MSC of this fitness center.

I am now very hesitant: I have to fork over 20.00 for each day pass; the MSC is one that pays very slooooooowly and has a reputation of rejecting shops.

In addition, when I have been "spammed' with these fitness shop offers, I would delete them because I am a member of this fitness chain. The requirements state only non-members may apply for the shop. When I was very recently contacted by the scheduler, I told her this, but she replied that I could do the shop if I DON'T have the franchise-wide membership. She stated that as long as I am not a member of the fitness centers I shop, I am okay.

I am having some real concerns:
I think the scheduling service is getting desperate to fill these shops (there has been a lot of spam) and will take anyone, even members of the fitness center. This increases the probability that my shop will be rejected as management would recognize me after they view the video. The guidelines state the video will be reviewed. I know for a fact that one person owns several of the franchise's fitness centers in my area.

I am afraid of being shorted my pay and 40.00 for the day passes, not to mention the time I put into the visits and reports.
Does anyone have any insight for my situation? has anyone else been in a similar situation? Again, the MSC involved has a spotty reputation, initials SS. I have been mystery shopping part-time since March.
Thanks.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2014 01:10AM by Spork.

I have shopped two of the fitness clubs. One attendant stated it's not to busy, you don't need a pass.
The other charged me the $25. I got reimbursed from the MSC. Never had a problem. I did the 30 minute work-out room. Worked out perfect for the 1/2 hour you need to spend there. Enjoyed the shops!

Thank you for your help! Was SS the MSC representing the fitness club?

I did a number of those fitness shops and not one provided me with a pass. However, the agent or associate toured me around and let me try the equipments. If they want you to sign up for membership, they should let you try the equipment or demonstrate on them. I would think that would be a major selling point. Or they could invite you back for a full day free use of the facilities. At least those were the things I got when I did those shops.

Yeah, I think getting a pass flags you as a shopper. I often ask if the cost of the day pass can be applied to membership. One of the fitness centers said I could use the tanning bed and massage chair with my day pass and I said that alone makes it worth the money!

FrugalCat Wrote:
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> Yeah, I think getting a pass flags you as a
> shopper. I often ask if the cost of the day pass
> can be applied to membership. One of the fitness
> centers said I could use the tanning bed and
> massage chair with my day pass and I said that
> alone makes it worth the money!


I know that if I were not doing a shop there is no way that I would pay $20.00 for a day pass when most gyms will give you up to a week for free, it just doesn't make sense imo.

I have done 2 of these shops, and yes they were by SS. For both shops I was charged the $20. I tried haggling them down to $10 and both times was told no, but the price of the day pass would be applied to my membership if I signed up. At the second shop I asked if I could use their massage chairs with the day pass and they refused. I work out every day anyway so if someone is paying me to do what I already do somewhere else I'm down. But I think this specific gym is shady as hell and would never join. Any business that refuses to let you pay with a credit card or pay a membership in full up front is probably doing something unethical when members try and cancel.
I think it's the gym and not the MSC people should be wary of. I have not had any shops I've done with this MSC rejected, however I just started shopping for them last month so I can't confirm if they pay as expected.

There's another MSC that is doing fitness shops that require you to take a hardcore kickboxing class. I LOVE those!

pammie8223 Wrote:
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> what was I supposed to do just jump on their stuff
> lol!


yes. imagine his expression. lol.

but seriously... $20? do they have saunas and a pool or something? my gym is a local and it offers a 3 day free pass.

I've done these shops recently. Had to fork over $20 each time. The employees will not budge on the cost of a day pass. The workout part is fun. What is not, however, is having to almost beg to use the massage chair. I paid $20 for a day pass and I was allowed only 10 minutes on the doggone massage chair.

What I can't stand is not knowing what criteria is used to grade your report. They force you to comment on all YES/NO responses. Then they tell you that you did not provide enough details on simple yes or no issues. On one report I got a 10, but was told that some of my comments were not in the right order. I'm tempted to ask for a sample report of what they want.

ShoppingGuru Wrote:
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> I've done these shops recently. Had to fork over
> $20 each time. The employees will not budge on the
> cost of a day pass. The workout part is fun. What
> is not, however, is having to almost beg to use
> the massage chair. I paid $20 for a day pass and I
> was allowed only 10 minutes on the doggone massage
> chair.
>
> What I can't stand is not knowing what criteria is
> used to grade your report. They force you to
> comment on all YES/NO responses. Then they tell
> you that you did not provide enough details on
> simple yes or no issues. On one report I got a
> 10, but was told that some of my comments were not
> in the right order. I'm tempted to ask for a
> sample report of what they want.


They have left comments for me on my homepage, maybe there are some on yours.

Update: I did two of these shops and paid for the day pass each time. The communication was great with my scheduler at KSS and i was paid very quickly. Positive experience all around.