Why the disdain for bank shops

I am fairly new to this game but am curious. Why the bank shops are a pain?

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

More About Banks

Bank shops are like gas station shops. Shoppers either love 'em or hate 'em. Personally, I love the banks and hate the gas stations.

I love bank shops. I had no idea there was disdain for bank shops.

One chain of banks I've done have decent simple reports, but they pay pretty good. The other one required extensive narrative and paid less. Go figure.

I like most of the bank shops myself. Like jpgilham I didn't realize the shops were held in disdain and low regard. Leave them sit on the board and I will take them and the bonus every time.

I didn't know that people didn't like bank shops. I thoroughly enjoy them regardless of whether they are platform or teller shops. Some are very easy, some have nuisance aspects, but I do them all from small local bank to high net worth banking at a chain based in Hong Kong. In most months, I hit the rotation limit for several brands of banks (I don't live where there are any Blue Banks, but I did some of them in the past when I visited areas where they were located and while they indeed require visiting the Blue Bank, they are not in my opionion typical bank shops at all).

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/22/2015 12:13AM by myst4au.

My biggest problem with bank shops are the stupid questions required, which make you look like either an obvious shopper/auditor, or a bank robber doing recon.

~
up, up, down, down, left, right,left,right, B,A, start.

I thought that the Blue Bank shops were stupid questions, and the bankers complied so easily that I was sure that they knew exactly why I was there and what information packet to give me. I don't think that I have had other stupid questions of note.

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

I was reading through another thread "list your favorite and least favorite shops". Several folks commented they didn't like bank shops. Some seem quite easy so I was curious if I was missing.

i will rarely do bank shops. They are too unpredicatble for extensive
route shopping where I have little time to be delayed.

= + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = +
There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==
When you try to please everybody, you end up pleasing nobody

I like doing bank shops but I can't very much due to the branches are open the same hours that I work for my full time job. I'm sure that other people are in the same situation. Gas stations though are open 24 hours a day so I can shop anytime. I do watch the neighborhoods when I shop after dark though.

Shopping across Indiana but mostly around Indianapolis.

I don't like bank shops. I did one for a small, practically unknown bank that paid well and was a piece of cake, but the major ones seem to be more hassle than they're worth to me. I'm glad there are plenty of people that like doing them; I won't stand in the way!

"The future ain't what it used to be." --Yogi Berra

I agree that banks (and gas stations) are love 'em or hate 'em shops. Both banks and gas stations fit into my system of shopping. I travel mostly within a 20 or 30 mile radius of my home and can do 7 or 8 banks or 5 or 6 stations in a little more than a half day and earn around $100. Banks average 15 minutes and gas stations 25 minutes, not counting travel time or report time. If I had a lot of distance and travel time between shops it probably wouldn't work out. But I don't.

Bonus money is available at certain times of the month and the daily income can triple (or more).

There are negatives to both kind of shops but, I believe the positives out weigh them.

Cowgirl, I suggest you try bank shops and judge for yourself if you like them or not and if they fit into your shopping career.

I don't have any problem with bank shops either. There is one MSC that requires more narrative but it also pays a bit more. I've even done an investment shop which pays $75. But as a general rule the higher the pay, the more time/work involved in doing the shop. I actually enjoyed the investment shop and it was sure fun pretending I had lotsa moola!

I love the Blue bank combo shops...did 10 in the last 2 weeks. I got lucky and was able to do three in a 2 hr period including travel time. Does not always happen! I am starting to do the "orange" gas station shops, did two a few months ago and am doing two this weekend w/travel pay. I haven't decided if I like them or not...these are reveal. And, I do not shop the quantity that you all do. I get too tired, and wonder where you get all of your energy. I tend to sit and look at the computer for hours until I get the energy to do the debriefs!

I like the bank,shops because there is no purchase required, and no cash needed. The purpose of bank shops is to document that they are complying with federal regulations (disclosure) and I rarely have a banker who does a poor job.
No negative reports make me a happy camper!

The more complicated the bank shop, the better I like it! I have never done the two step ones because those banks are not in my region. My sister did them by the dozen when she lived where they were thick on the ground, and they were her favorites.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I have done both banks shops and the gasoline stations.

It seems to me that with the bank shops, one is always doing a mystery shop, posing as a possible new bank customer. Whereas, with the gas stations, it is typically, a mystery shop and then reveal later.

IMO, recognition of a returning shopper is often based upon something that may stand out - an unusual accent, their appearance, etc. Therefore, with the bank shops being what they are, a mystery shopper may become recognised as a returning customer, asking the same questions over and over, thereby exposing them as a mystery shopper, not a possible new customer. I once sat through a very long session with a banker that threw my route timing off completely.

Gas stations? Even if they recognise you, it really does not matter. You are there and they cannot correct the areas in which you are mystery shopping .

That is why I only take bank shops sporadically.

I do a lot of banks and gas stations of all varieties. I just opened my 4th checking account so I'll be eligible for teller shops at the new to me bank. I like the blue banks but lately, I've noticed the banks are not staffed like they have been in the past. This week I waited 45 minutes to meet with the banker, who happened to be the branch manager. She was the only one in months that did a horrible job explaining the required bs. My head was spinning and I wanted to say the spiel myself to move things along with her. She also did not provide the rates, which, considering she was the branch manager, I thought was hysterical. Love my gas station audits and yes, many of them recognize me and my car as soon as I arrive. They are always pleasant and friendly, but I don't cut them any slack if something is amiss. I'm not crazy about the seashore orange ones, but I do a few each quarter. They are the biggest PITA to me. I did a Mobil Lube Express shop last week that was all photos, no narrative and paid well. Wish I could find more of those.

*****************************************************************************
The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain

I do both gas stations and banks. They are not my favorite shops but there are always some available. I like the banks because there is no outlay of cash. They can become a pain if you are time limited since you may have to wait for 30 minutes before a representative can help you. That has only happened to me once. They usually help you within 10 minutes. If I had to choose between a bank and cell phone shop I would do the bank.

I personally, don't like going into banks period. If I could do everything online or at the ATM, I would.

I like people and interacting, just don't like banks in general.

@MsJudi wrote:

I do a lot of banks and gas stations of all varieties. I just opened my 4th checking account so I'll be eligible for teller shops at the new to me bank. I like the blue banks but lately, I've noticed the banks are not staffed like they have been in the past. This week I waited 45 minutes to meet with the banker, who happened to be the branch manager. She was the only one in months that did a horrible job explaining the required bs. My head was spinning and I wanted to say the spiel myself to move things along with her. She also did not provide the rates, which, considering she was the branch manager, I thought was hysterical. Love my gas station audits and yes, many of them recognize me and my car as soon as I arrive. They are always pleasant and friendly, but I don't cut them any slack if something is amiss. I'm not crazy about the seashore orange ones, but I do a few each quarter. They are the biggest PITA to me. I did a Mobil Lube Express shop last week that was all photos, no narrative and paid well. Wish I could find more of those.

I like the bank shops, too, and am in the process of opening new accounts, to be able to qualify for more of them.

I love the blue bank shops (when they are bonused well enough, which happens frequently in my area). What I DON'T like is that I have done them so many times that I am seeing the same customer reps over and over. It is awkward and obvious. But... I am following the rotation guidelines of the client and MSC so I guess it doesn't matter to them. So, I'll keep going through the charade as long as the checks keep coming.

i like bank shops, easy to do but im alway slight afraid if
the bank is getting robbed while doing my shop
i wonder how that report would go?

Hmmm I never see the blue banks bonused in my area no matter how long they sit on the board. Always the same fee

In my area more gasoline convenience stores seem to get rubbed than banks.

@laura007 wrote:

Bank shops are like gas station shops. Shoppers either love 'em or hate 'em. Personally, I love the banks and hate the gas stations.

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

I also like bank shops. I only open savings accounts, checking is to complicated, bank checks, etc. The job offers are the same.

I will and have done almost every banks shop out there. I will do most gas station shops. I will not do shell.

Shopping Western NY, Northeast and Central PA, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Have car will travel anywhere if the monies right.

I like bank shops, especially the complicated ones. The teller shops are so easy but they pay very little.

The bank shops are fine until they want you to scan in every pamphlet that came with that account opening and type in the form numbers that are written in micro printing. Spend 20 minutes in the bank and 40 minutes feeding the scanner and uploading the scans.

The account closing is much less scanning for the same bank and company. Next time I think I will make an excuse and open two accounts at once so I can snatch up two of the close account jobs when I see them.

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

Why the disdain for bank shops

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine