After over a year as a MSer, I may have just been burned by the 12 hour deadline. Did shop after work last night and evening at home went sideways so plan was to do report this am. I sit down at 9:30 PST with my morning coffee and 'poof' job already off my board and I get an email that I had until 11 EST to report.

Emails to scheduler have not been responded too, yet.

Have others just quit working for MSCs with this unrealistic time frame?

I can't speak for others, but if I cannot get the shop reported by the deadline, then I do not accept it.

I find it helpful to send out an email when I know I am not going to meet the 12 hour deadline. I'm sometimes prone to sudden bouts of migraines and nausea. When an episode hits, and doesn't subside within a half hour or so, I send an email stating that I am feeling unwell, and request to write my report the following day when I am feeling better and can think straight.

Even Marketforce has been okay with it, at times. It's been hit or miss with them. When they are okay with it, I get a response back from the Shopper Advocate at the Help Desk, telling me to at least upload my receipts and CPI and start my report, even if only the first few questions, then save it as Incomplete.

When I schedule multiple (6+) shops in a day, I always ask for a report extension for at least a couple of them, if not all.

Good suggestions for notifying the MSC. Sometimes stuff just happens, though. Keep a record of what happens when you inevitably transgress a deadline, and use those consequences (or lack thereof) to prioritize the order of your reporting.

If you're doing a long-distance serial route (more than 100 miles taking eight or more hours), it's gonna be next to impossible to debrief the early shops on your route within 12 hours. Luckily, I work for several MSC's that are understanding in those circumstances and give me extra time to debrief my shops.

If you try to debrief them when you are tired, you're bound to make mistakes or leave out pertinent information. I never take shops with other MSC's when serial routes are involved unless I get assurances from the scheduler that some leniency will be granted in debriefing the shops after the 12-hour deadline.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/2014 05:19AM by Shop2LiveinFL.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/2014 05:19AM by Shop2LiveinFL.

I always have longer to enter my shops then msc's
normal deadlines. Always, always, always.
Did I mention always?

I've never been told no.

I obviously try to not make it a habit with getting my reports in near or a couple of hours past the deadline; however, things happen. Fortunately, I keep my relationships strong with the MSC's and schedulers I shop for regularly and I make sure to turn in work that almost never is returned for clarifications. If I know for a fact I'm running tight on time, I send emails out right away to the scheduler. If it's a newer MSC or a scheduler I'm not too familiar with, I tread the waters carefully and sacrifice my report quality to get the reports in on-time.

I would email the help desk and explain the situation. They are accommodating if you keep them informed. I do not mind the 8-12 hour timeframe as much as I hate waiting 2 months to get paid.

Before I got my new computer I had problems. I contacted the editors and schedulers. On occasion MSC's have had problems with their sites. (the understatment of the century). They must understand Murphy's Law. If they are not understanding I do not need them. I do not Mystery Shop because I have to buy Ramen Noodles and Mac and Cheese. I do it because shoppers have helped me with their suggestions, complaints and praise. I appreciate that and the fact that it has made a difference in my life.

Actually I mystery shop because my friends can not come out and play during the week because they are too busy working for a boss. My customers were my bosses and we had a great relationship. I enjoyed serving them and they enjoyed the experience of having the value I gave them.

What is your obsession with Ramen noodles and Mac & Cheese?

BBird0701 Wrote:
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> What is your obsession with Raman noodles and Mac
> & Cheese?

Raman Noodles and Mac and Cheese is a “unpleasant analogy” identifying those people who are starving and being taken advantage of by mystery shopping companies. Someone takes those jobs because of their desperate situation and makes just enough money to buy Raman Noodles and Mac and Cheese.

If you ever went to college or if you are a senior who thought they had retirement secure until life happened to them you would get the analogy between Raman Noodles and Mac and Cheese and those people who are forced to take shops so they can avoid starvation when there is more month than money at the end of the month

Those who are affected by circumstances know “Mac and Cheese and Raman Noodles” very well.

If I offended you, know that I am trying to make mystery shopping companiues aware of the danger of offering “Mac and Cheese and Raman Noodles” compensation.

“Mac and Cheese and Raman Noodles” is a message to mystery shopping companies. They must offer adequate pay at least equal to minimum wages or the government will offer regulations that will attempt to protect those people who are not entrepreneurial and can not figure out they are working for $2 an hour or taking money out of their pockets to perform shops. .

Obviously you are like me if you question “Mac and Cheese and Raman Noodles”. You are comfortable and take shops when you feel like it to have something to do until your friends can come out and play on weekends.

Although Mystery shopping is a hobby I take it very seriously as businesses can fail if the companies do not get the input. I make the observations and only give opinions when asked.

Businesses need to have mystery shoppers but they must compensate them as the valuable asset that they are. " Free Enterprise" does not mean that companies can get services for free or next to nothing.

(As I step off my soap box and give the forum back to you). Sorry!