vlade5394 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'll check out some.

Thank you, Vlade! Please check your PMs.

(heart)

What is the magazine called?

Mystery Shopper Magazine... scroll down to the very bottom of any page... see that big blue box on the right? That says "Mystery Shopper Magazine"? Click that, and you'll start getting it.

And have access to back issues, to see all the articles and MSC write-ups and interviews. I think there's been 80-some issues by now.

We would love to be added to the official list of Mystery Shopping Companies. We exclusively do video mystery shopping in retail including convenience stores, grocery and general retail such as furniture stores. We are currently seeking new shoppers for the furniture store opportunity.

Eagle Eye Retail Intelligence
[www.eagleeyeshops.com]

Eagle Eye Retail Intelligence:

Business started: 05/02/2005
BBB: A+ Rating (no complaints)

You've been added to the list.

(heart)

Status Report:

In all, twelve people have generously volunteered to help clean up the list. Currently, it is half way done and by Tuesday, we should be able to print a list of companies, which are going to be removed and a list of companies remaining, with ???? denoting the questionable ones. Everyone will have an opportunity to weigh in on the Yays and the Nays.

LisaSTL also suggested that we have separate categories for MSCs, Merchandising companies and Scheduling companies. Great idea! So SunnyDays2 has volunteered to help with updating the merchandising companies and identifying the questionable ones.

Does anyone else have any more suggestions or ideas?

(heart)

StillLearning. Thanks

We have a lot of excellent and active video shoppers on the forum, so you will feel rich, Eagle Eyes!

(heart)

stilllearning Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
"Currently, it is half way done and by Tuesday, we should be able to print a list of companies........"

Thanks for the update on the deadline

The deadline for the outstanding lists is Monday, if that's what you meant. (I actually thought all of the volunteers understood this.)

(heart)

Nope. When we were discussing it on Wednesday you just told me you didn't need it that day. Without a hard deadline how could I be sure I was procrastinating long enough?

LOL Don't give yourself so much credit; you're not that good of a procrastinator!

(heart)

Ha! You totally underestimate my procrastination skills

So Sunday it is, right?

(heart)

Yeah, yeah. That's the ticket.

stilllearning Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Status Report:

> LisaSTL also suggested that we have separate
> categories for MSCs, Merchandising companies and
> Scheduling companies. Great idea! So SunnyDays2
> has volunteered to help with updating the
> merchandising companies and identifying the
> questionable ones.
>
> Does anyone else have any more suggestions or
> ideas?
>
> (heart)

Great idea, another category could be apps as people seem to be thinking of these as similar enough to mystery shopping to have a place here.

Here's my contribution,

National Shopping Service – Valid.

National Shopping Service Network – Valid.

Nationwide Services Group (two listings for the same MSP) Take it off the list! The link goes to a page that says the domain may be for sale. The facebook page is not updated. However the Sassie page is active. On Volition – the MSPA is asking for names of shoppers that need to be paid. Just need a death certificate to be sure.

New Image Marketing – Valid.

Nimble Support Services -- Take it off the list! It seems deceased since 2011. The link goes to another company.

Northwest Loss Prevention Consultants – Valid.

Onion Insights – Uncertain. More research required.

Palm Scheduling Services – Valid.

Peak Techniques – Take it off the list! It seems deceased since about 2009.

Person To Person Quality Mystery Shopping – Valid.

Pinkerton Compliance – No longer valid. Changed to Global Complaince Services. Not to be confused with Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations, Inc. d.b.a. Pinkerton Corporate Risk Management at [www.pinkerton.com]

Pinnacle Financial Strategies – Valid

Premier Service Inc – Valid.

Private Eyes Online – Valid. (Note: This is a scheduling company and it goes by the name “Private Eyes Scheduling.”)

Provantage Corporate Analytics – Valid.

Also, one valid one not on the list at all is Quality Assessment Mystery Shoppers (QAMS) at [qams.shopmetrics.com]

Vlade, the "apps category" suggestion is great! I agree we should have a category and, hopefully, Jacob will add it after the list is updated.

(heart)

A Closer Look - Valid
A Step Above Service Evaluations - No valid link, Google search inconclusive
A Top Shop - Invalid, purchased by Mystery Shopper Services
About Face - Valid
Advanced Feedback Inc - Valid
Advantage Sales and Marketing - Valid, appears to be a Merchandising company
Albatross Global Solutions - Valid
All Star Customer Service Inc - my browser reports "This webpage has a redirect loop" when using the link here or through Google. Unless a member has up to date information and/or a link, recommend removal.
Amusement Advantage - Valid
Ann Michaels & Associates - Valid
Anonymous Insights - Valid
Apartment Shoppe - Valid
Ardent Services - Company valid. My browser displays warning site is not secure. Does anyone have an updated link?
Associate Consumer Evaluations / ACE Mystery Shopping - Valid. Maybe should be listed with ACE first since someone didn't realize the company was on the list
At Your Service Marketing - Valid. Appears to be all demos and merchandising. Recruiting in limited (9) states.
Ath Power Consulting - Valid
Automotive Insights - Valid

Could someone please clarify this, if you can:

Mystery Researchers acquired Insula and Beyond Hello and, from what I understand, and please correct me if I'm wrong, all MS profiles, from all three companies, will be moved to the Beyond Hello site. Since no date has been mentioned for this process to be completed, in the meantime, do shoppers continue to look for shops on all three websites?

Did I say I'm confused?

(heart)

As long as we are on that subject, should links be provided to previous discussions on companies that have been absorbed? It seems much of what was written before would become irrelevant. I still like the idea of keeping the names on the list for a while to make it easier for returning shoppers, especially when the MSC is as old and large as a Beyond Hello.

Another suggestion for a separate category is one for the invalid names. That way the old names of existing companies or names of deceased companies could still be referenced.

As far as I can tell, all of the former Mystery Researchers shops now appear on the Beyond Hello webiste.

This is what the Beyond Hello website says" "New projects for all 3 companies will be posted on the Beyond Hello system going forward."

stilllearning Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Could someone please clarify this, if you can:
>
> Mystery Researchers acquired Insula and Beyond
> Hello and, from what I understand, and please
> correct me if I'm wrong, all MS profiles, from all
> three companies, will be moved to the Beyond Hello
> site. Since no date has been mentioned for this
> process to be completed, in the meantime, do
> shoppers continue to look for shops on all three
> websites?
>
> Did I say I'm confused?
>
> (heart)

Yes, it is confusing. You have it correct, according to emails I have received. In addition, the log on page from Beyond Hello states what you have written and more. All projects from the three companies will be moved to the Beyond Hello website. However, they seem to be slower in implementing that process than their communications suggest as I still see new shops on MR. Maybe they are completing the projects per their contracts with the client's on the original websites. However they are doing it, it is a slow process to merge everything.

To clarify further:

So should we cross reference the MR and Insula listings to Beyond Hello?

(heart)

Is there any choice at this point? Do we even know what the name will be going forward? Once everything is cleaned up as best we can do based on information now, ongoing updates will be necessary so it doesn't become another huge project again.

I'm still confused....the combined company is named Mystery Researchers and they're simply using the BH website for mystery shopping assignments or are they retaining the BH name for their mystery shopping services, like a subsidiary?

(heart)

Good point, Lisa. I'm trying to figure out what link should be used for Mystery Researchers and Insula.

(heart)

Further confusing the issue is the fact that the "Official List" still list has them listed as "Research Services Group" with a web link to Mystery Researchers and Paypal payments for both Mystery Researchers and Beyond Hello are coming (as of mid-November) from Mystery Researchers.

My suggestion for cross-referencing was because of both ongoing mergers, which seem to take a long time, and how multiple names are being used between links, actual home pages and PayPal. Where mergers may cause previous discussions to become irrelevant since payment terms change, etc., companies choosing to just change there names should included discussion under their previous name because it is unlikely other changes will occur. ICCDS is now using North Fork while the basic assignments and payment terms remain the same.

It just hit me. In all these years I have never seen a year with so many mergers and name changes. It really is hard to keep up.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/07/2014 04:41PM by LisaSTL.