Yesterday I received an email to do a bonused shop for "Lululemon Ivivva". I had never done a shop for the MSC, nor had I been to Lululemon before but I was curious about the store and decided to ask for the shop since I was going to that particular mall that day anyway. The scheduler immediately responded, and told me she could assign me the shop once I completed the Lululemon Retail Mystery Shop certification. I log on to the MSC's website, and complete the certification. The guidelines looked simple...I had to go to a store that sold adult workout clothing, see if I was assisted, and try on an outfit. Piece of cake, right?!

I get to the store and receive great service. I get home and write the report, which was in fact very easy as several of you had mentioned. I then get an email this morning from the editor saying I was supposed to go to a children's store called Ivivva Athletics. I look back at my assignment email, and confirm it was for "Lululemon Ivivva". Neither stores had this exact name per the mall website, so I felt that was confusing. I responded back saying I had been told to do a Lululemon certification that talked about adult clothes, and I had performed the shop to those guidelines. Furthermore, the name of the store was not clear, and there was not a phone number on the assignment. Sure, there was an address but it was one of those letter/number combo mall addresses that didn't mean anything to me. The scheduler then wrote back and told me she had sent me the guidelines for the Ivivva shop. Ok thats true, but I didn't open the guidelines in her email because I had just reviewed the guidelines 10 minutes before for the adult store in the certification she specifically told me to take!

They now won't pay me anything for the shop because they can't use it. Ahh! Oh well, I guess it could be worse. I didn't have to buy anything, I didn't go out of my way, and I really did enjoy going to the store. But I don't think I'll be performing any more of shops for this scheduler. Too bad as I would really like to do more of these...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2015 03:07AM by bedenji.

Thanks for the heads up! I've done a few Lululemon shops, and had never heard of Ivivva. Is it expensive yoga clothes like Lululemon, I wonder?

I have to keep a straight face when I do the Lululemon shops. I can't believe people are stupid enough to pay $120 for yoga pants that I can buy at Target for $15!

I've never heard of them either, Phoebe! And its children's clothing, so hopefully not "workout clothes", but who knows? Yeah I really did like trying the stuff on but the price tags were crazy...

You think they would let you go back to the correct store, and reshop it, because of the poor guideline instructions, missing the phone number and correct address.

Ivivva is a girls clothing store..

Sorry to hear but next time take better care. I have done both of those shops where two of the stores were in the same mall. From my memory, that MSC labels them very clearly ("Ivivva Althetica" and Lululemon".

Dixie, when I look at the assignments available now, they do call them "Lululemon" and "Ivivva Athletics". But the instructions in my email earlier this week say "Lululemon Ivivva", which is why I was confused. Neither store has this name, but somehow I'm supposed to know it was Ivivva they wanted shopped?

Oh well, as I said I didn't really go out of my way for this one so not much lost here. And they did offer to let me reshop, but I was kind of ticked at being misled with the certification, etc that I told them no thanks.

I've watched my DIL (who's a childless 20-something with lots of disposable income) drop serious money at Lululemon. The first time I did one of the shops I was amazed at the difference in quality between their yoga pants and the ones at Target. Not enough to spend quadruple the Target price, though.

As someone with an extensive Lulu collection I do take offense to the person who in turn therefore thinks I'm stupid..

There is a huge quality difference between target cheapos and Lulu if you work out a lot. Also Lulu takes back things if they wear prematurely or have quality issues. I have Lulu that has lasted 7 years.

Since Lulu owns both and their Guest Education Centre for both goes back to Lulu, I see why they called it Lululemon Ivviva, but that's confusing. Ivviva is cheaper and often less tax being it's a children's store. If you are a size 6 or smaller some women wear at least their leggings. I'm a 6, but didn't like the lower rise on them. The Ivviva guidelines are different, I make sure I open whatever is sent to me to double check I'm on the right page before I go shop.

@bedenji wrote:

Dixie, when I look at the assignments available now, they do call them "Lululemon" and "Ivivva Athletics". But the instructions in my email earlier this week say "Lululemon Ivivva", which is why I was confused. Neither store has this name, but somehow I'm supposed to know it was Ivivva they wanted shopped?

Oh well, as I said I didn't really go out of my way for this one so not much lost here. And they did offer to let me reshop, but I was kind of ticked at being misled with the certification, etc that I told them no thanks.

Yeah I get why you were confused but yeah in the future, just triple check everything. Ask if you are unsure. That is the only way to avoid this from happening again

Honestly, not knowing anything about this brand, if I was supposed to do a shop for Lululemon Izziziziziaizia and I walked into a mall and saw a Lululemon, that's where I would shop too. They should be a bit clearer in their communication IMO.

would it have been reasonable for the MSC to assume you would have gotten the email...for example.. could you have gotten the assignment..and headed out the door to do it based on the guidelines you were previously given

"The scheduler then wrote back and told me she had sent me the guidelines for the Ivivva shop. Ok thats true, but I didn't open the guidelines in her email because I had just reviewed the guidelines 10 minutes before for the adult store in the certification she specifically told me to take! "

I'm sorry but this was your error. No way out of it. It's a type of mistake I might make but I'd admit I screwed up.

It was probably her fault, but really the MSC should have been clearer. If the name Lululemon isn't on the store and it's Izzizzaziaia Athletica then the scheduler should have said, can you do an Izzizizziziziz shop for me.

Apparently the names were only confusing because the guidelines weren't read. In general, quizzes don't cover one third of the information required for the actual shop and report. At least it was just a live and learn experience with no money lost beyond the fee.

yes, but the OP said she read the GUIDELINES (not just a mini quiz on limited info) through the website..and appears was under the impression that the guidelines in the email were just a copy.....sure you should always read anything in an email...even if you think you read it already.....but if you have every reason to believe you already read and studied the guidelines...you wouldn't be checking email for last minute changes if you have already left to start the shop.......and I've had shops where the actual guidelines were wrong but the info from the quiz was right!

In this case..the shop was assigned and completed in a very short time frame.....possibly not enough time for a shopper to receive and read an email......for example...in a mall near my house...i don't get reception...and my phone won't connect to their free wi fi.....i could accept a shop and read the original guidelines in the shop log..hop in my car and be there in 15 minutes...if an email comes in with a new set of guidelines....there is no way I would get them until I left the mall.....and not everyone has a smart phone to read email...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/2015 01:06AM by jmitw.

Then why does the OP keep referring to the guidelines IN the certification? Not just once, but several times. If she read different guidelines in the actual shop assigned to her then it was a miscommunication by the MSC. If she relied on the guidelines for the certification only, the error was hers.

It appeared to me that the scheduler sent her a link to the certification, which was for lululemon, and then sent a copy of the guidelines for izzizziziziziz. That is specifically why I feel the scheduler is just as much to blame as the shopper. The scheduler should have said, this is an izziziziziziz shop, it's part of lululemon. Here are the guidelines but the certification is lululemon. If someone sent me a link to a certification and a set of guidelines, I would assume they were identical also if they did not mention the difference.

I am assuming the MSC is the same one I do these shops for.. They generally don't send emails but even if they did, it is always a good idea to read what is on their site including the survey/response sheet itself. That probably would have saved some time in the long run.

There a great company to work with. I done lots of these. Lululemon is a high end yoga clothing store. Lululemon Ivivva Is the children's store and there are less of them. You might want to check the store number. We're you in a mall perhaps were both stores reside, same address different store number. Your test comes from the company I believe not the MSC it is generic.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/02/2015 05:10PM by Xzodx.

Thanks, guys...I appreciate your responses. I agree, I should have read the guidelines in the email (though as I said, I just reviewed what I thought was the exact same guidelines on their website in order to pass the quiz for the wrong store). Still...triple checking is always best. I just wish the scheduler would have admitted her error to me, b/c telling me to do a certification for the completely wrong job is an error. If you're supposed to pass a certification before being allowed to a shop, she shouldn't have even scheduled me since I never completed the correct one. Instead, when I tried to explain myself and why I completed a Lululemon shop, she just won't respond to my emails. So I don't care to do any more work for her.

That said, I found the job kind of fun to do and easy work, even for the base fee.