Hi, new to this site! How common is this scenario? A MSC send's one of their reliable MS a request to perform a shop thirty miles away with a $5 payout asking her "to buy and return something to evaluate how well the employee handled their transaction".

Some fees are incredibly low. Most of us consider a purchase/return to actually be two shops so this fee is definitely lower than most. On the other hand, the MSC is not asking you to drive 30 miles to perform a $5 assignment. Fees are not set according to how far an individual shopper would be driving and shoppers are never required to take an assignment at the posted fee or to take an assignment at all.

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Ridiculous, but I'm sure someone with justify taking it.

Didn't someone have $1 phone shops last year?

I feel like we have options. We aren't forced to take just anything. If the distance is too far, why take the shop?

I was sent a personal email asking if I could do it because they did not have anyone in the area to perform this and time was running out on their due date for the company they work with. I said I was already doing some other Shops with someone else. They hinted "this is the way to move up the ladder by accepting this type of job to prove my loyalty". Not trying to be disloyal, its just a very low payout to drive 30 miles and I am sorry if nobody else is willing to accept it.


Is this how loyalty is proved by driving 60 miles(round trip) and working over one hour and a half doing the Shop and Return with all the forms for $5.00? I agree "we all have options that make paying us $5 insane" but is this the direction everyone is heading? I see Uber and Air BNB driving prices of their contractors and drivers lower and know by studying Micro Economics wages usually stagnate or go lower. Our Industry is highly competitive and the best MSCs are under pressure by ruthless start-ups willing to cut rates 50% just to get inside the Manufacture, Retailers and Hotels doors. Our MSCs experience disloyalty from their clients all too often, the thin margin our MSCs must endure has to get passed on to us or they go out of business. That's why I posted this was to ask if companies willing to offer insanely low "offers" are doing this because they are getting nothing or taking a loss just to get inside a company's door?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/2016 06:56AM by Pennies4Shops.

The competition from the smartphone apps has to be biting into some MSCs. In the past week I have seen a pizza shop for reimbursement and $4.00, the home improvement shop with interaction for $6.00. The reports are somewhat shorter, with more yes or no answers, but still do have some narratives and photos.

I'll admit I've driven miles for a couple of my scheduler's and 9 times out of 10; immediate money in my pocket did not happen.

I have built goodwill. I have received references for jobs that would've taken another couple of years or more just to get new opportunities.

I will say that not one of my scheduler's have ever used this particular bribe/threat the OP suggested. And if they had I would've dumped them and their MSC in a hot New York minute.

Any scheduler that would try that on me, would get a paraphrased version of 'Hit The Road Jack'. Maybe even take your job and shove it.

If I'm supposed to be a professional, then I have full expectations of my scheduler and the MSC show me the same respect.

Taking a loss from one of my favorite scheduler's, no big deal. Passive aggressive threats from a scheduler, I rarely work with; not going to happen.

Without knowing the MSC it is hard to say whether they are the type to reciprocate or the type to quickly forget your name. I don't go too far out of my way for vague promises.