Has anyone done these shops? I haven't yet, but I just signed up for one for next week. I hesitated, as it sounded a tiny bit like the IKEA assignments. You have to go through the store, and note who did and didn't acknowledge you, and get a name or a description of each. Other than that, the actual assignment is to shop for a specific item, just like most other stores.

As the store is fairly close to home, I thought I'd just do a walk-through over the weekend, just to get a feel for it, as I have rarely even gone into the stores. There are quite a few of them here in the city, so it could be a good source of shops.

One requirement struck me as quite odd, though - I'll be shopping for cookware, but actually have to ask if they sell TELESCOPES!! That could be a bit awkward! I thought I'd just say something like, "Well, now that I've got this item out of the way, the next thing on my list is a telescope for my grandson's birthday. You don't happen to sell telescopes, do you?" (Little chuckle). One of their other assignment I checked out was the "blender" scenario, where you had to ask if they sold PET CARRIERS!! Who comes up with this stuff?

I did one yesterday. It was fairly painless.

Did they get rid of the gift registry part of the shop? I have always avoided them for that reason. Other people on the forum have said that the bogus gift registry you were supposed to ask about was a dead giveaway that you were the shopper. If that isn't part of it anymore, I might pick them up. I have no difficulty acting dumb and asking if they have oddball items that they probably don't. Although some might say I'm not acting

IMHO, the OP is revealing too many aspects of the shop criteria. I am pretty sure part of the agreement is to not do this. Also, someone from the client stores could use this information to identify us.

And did you ask about telescopes? If so, how did that go?

The bizarre questions is one reason why I don't do these anymore. Check the website...they do sell unusual items online only.....but asking the question would let any knowledgeable employee know you are a mystery shopper as a typical customer is unlikely to ask about these items......but that is the way the MSC and client want the shop to be done...so you make yourself look stupid and collect the paycheck.

It used to be less work and about $20 pay plus $8 reimbursement for ANY item...now you can only purchase a 'gift item' and not something from the Harmon section if there is one. And it is not clear what is or is not a gift. They have some cleaning products, but would that be a gift? One of the other major changes is that you have to carry a bulky item until you are offered a cart or you finish the shop...all while continuing to take notes..so either you have to grow another arm or keep putting the item down and pulling out a notepad and pen..which seems to draw attention to you..it is much easier to casually check a shopping list without having to juggle a bulky item...you used to only have to carry it for a short time....also in the past, the old MSC encourage you to use a cell phone to take notes so you don't stand out, that could be done 1 handed..now you can't use a cell phone..

BBB does have a small pet item section.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2016 10:22PM by jmitw.

Perhaps you could use a micro recorder. Then you would just be the crazy person talking to yourself and asking for alligator collars. But then no one will probably come near you.

The shop and report are super easy. They got rid of the registry requirement. The odd request is just to see how they respond. Whether they send you to the website, offer to order it for you, send you up the street to Petco, etc...

Thanks, jmitw. I really don't feel comfortable at all with this shop, so I just cancelled my application. It's still pending anyway - after about three days. But I'm still going to do a walk-through at one of the stores nearby, just to get a feel for it, and then decide if I want to do any of the shops for real. They have lots of them all the time, so it's not like I'm in a hurry to grab assignments before they're gone.

If they would be more flexible on what you could buy and let you put the item down or get your own cart after walking around the store 2x and passing an employee (even the same employee multiple times if that is the only one on the floor not helping a customer) at least 5x I would consider taking a shop now that the gift registry isn't required. I wouldn't do as many as I used to. They used to split up the scenarios between months. One month the scenario would be the gift registry, but the next month it would be a return, and the next month a department such as appliances...and they would rotate....and I could still get them for $20 cash.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/2016 03:58AM by jmitw.

They have several scenarios and in my area still have the registry one as I did it on Tuesday. I have also done the blender and cookware and they are all easy but the registry was not worth it, ie; time consuming. I like these as I am getting a $10.00 reimbursed item on each of them. Easy Peasy

Yeah and I like shopping there anyway.

I did two of these, and didn't find them difficult. Carrying the bulky item is a PITA, but I WAS actually offered a cart by employees in both places, so that helped. I slipped in the telescope question this way: "I know this is a bit of an oddball thing, but my husband asked me to find out if you stock telescopes. He's interested in purchasing one." They didn't seem to consider the question weird presented that way. You have to buy something that might be found on a gift registry for $10. That wasn't too hard. A bride can want some pretty weird things, right?

@mysiteisgreen wrote:

The shop and report are super easy. They got rid of the registry requirement. The odd request is just to see how they respond. Whether they send you to the website, offer to order it for you, send you up the street to Petco, etc...

The one I did was with the cookware scenario and there was no registry requirement, but I took the window treatment certification and it stated in those guidelines that with that scenario I would have to walk around with the registry list. I chose to not apply for that one, though I passed the certification.

And did anyone else find the certification tests odd? I went back through and I was certain I answered them all correctly according to the guidelines, but I did not make 100% on any of the tests (I think it was 97.5%). I think the test was off...did anyone get a 100%?

I love shopping here, too. But I was also wondering how to fit in the odd request. Thanks for the suggestions.

I did one and it was medium- Not my favorite but not the most tedious shop ever. It was a bit complex for the money, but not terrible. My only complaint is really that our BBB is kind of compact and very crowded all the time so it was hard to sort of just move around the store inobtrusively getting all the different requirements met. I had to make a couple laps around the store just to get out of people's way and still observe the things I had to observe and ask the questions I had to ask.

For the "bulky item" I chose a fabric woven laundry basket. Lightweight and if you have to carry it for a while you can put a little item in it.

And actually the item i chose to purchase on this shop was a pair of mini oven mitts that are now my faves!

I don;t mind doing this job as there is always something for me to buy there. I don't find it that difficult. Find a bulky item that is not too heavy.

My only problem (perceived)_ was finding someone in different department that could walk you to a different dept. One "dept" could be the length of the store!

I never managed to pass the blender quiz, but somehow passed the cookware quiz.

In Puerto Rico use to have that kind of shops. I like the style of mysterry shop scenarios, I missed those mystery. Which company is now doing them?
Mod note: You are asking forum members to break the forum rules by telling you which MSC have which clients. Please read the Forum rules before posting again

I did the shop when I needed to get something for my kitchen and it was covered by the reimbursement. The report was much easier than the guidelines made it seem. No one offered me a cart and everyone was wearing name tags that I could see. The telescope, spaceship or bobblehead I had to ask for identified me (I think) as a mystery shopper and that employee went above and beyond.

These come up for a store about 10 minutes or less from me, but the fee doesn't seem worth it. I love shopping there, but can usually find the same or similar things elsewhere for less money. I'd do one for $20, but not for the $13.50 they're posted for now!

Yes, the gift registry is gone! Hooray. I also avoided these shops, until I saw recently that you didn't have to do the gift registry part.

I used to do the BBB stores when they were with another company and paid much more but I think this store is overpriced so I really don't enjoy shopping there. I do have a rhetorical question though, why is it that they call it mystery shopping when 9 times out of 10 they want us to do something that will reveal the fact that we are a mystery shopper? Questions like 'I want to serve a ham for dinner how many slices will I get out of this one?'

@cindy55 wrote:

Perhaps you could use a micro recorder. Then you would just be the crazy person talking to yourself and asking for alligator collars. But then no one will probably come near you.

That is exactly what I did. I used an old cell phone, set it on top of the coffee maker I was carrying, when no one was around I described all employees I came in contact with,

I just did 2 and the lady caught on that I was the secret shopper for the 2nd one, I believe. It was after I asked her to escort me, she helped me and then overheard me asking someone else about the weird item. She came and eavesdropped on our conversation and then ran ahead to the registers to warn them I think. I felt super uncomfortable, though I can't explain why!

Re the dog collars or other pet items, that is not completely unheard of. I once bought a hard-to-find type of dog leash at my local BBB. This was several years ago, but as I recall they had a number of Animal Planet items for sale.

Now if I only knew the MSP that had the shop...