Last night I received an email from Kerns for a bonused hardware store for Maritz. Against my better judgement, because I've had bad luck with Maritz, I decided to apply for the assignment. When I applied I stated that I would do the shop on Wed Dec 14th. I was awarded the shop at 6:08 PM last night (Dec 13).

Today, Dec 14th at 9:31 AM I get a call from Maritz telling me that my assignment was late and asking if I forgot! I tell the person that I received the assignment last night at 6 PM and that I would be doing the shop today. The person was friendly enough, but come on!

I go into the system and there's a blaring note on the shop stating "Overdue." When I applied for the shop I forgot about what a PITA it is to take the quiz (which has questions about ALL the scenarios, not just the assigned one), and to get the security code (yes, I know you can get the code without actually printing).

I do the shop and as I'm entering in the report the system went down twice. Then when I did complete it, it said that I didn't answer a question. I go back and the question was something like "is there anything else you want us to know?" at the very end. No, there wasn't anything else, but apparently I couldn't leave it blank. And then I have to go in and submit an actual invoice...OMG. Now I remember why I won't shop for Maritz. Wayyyyy too much work for little pay. Nope, never again for me.

Pretty much everything about Maritz annoys the heck out of me--except the incentives, which is why I keep going back. I'm hopeful the new app eliminates some of my pet peeves.

I've had good luck with Maritz. I work with them frequently, so I'm used to the process. If you accept an assignment and it's due soon, it always says "overdue" based on the dates. I believe the quizzes and answers are due 24-48 hours before you do the assignment most times. I've not has any issues with the system crashing, but I often back up my work and type outside the document so I can paste or ctrl C & ctrl V into the document. The invoices aren't too bad either. It's similar to MF and their CPI process. I often enjoy their incentives and fees because they pay well in my area.

I've had a positive experience and they are using direct deposit now! Woo.

I have never had luck with Maritz. I find the company to be archaic and their system outdated. If I am assigned a job for Dec 14th, don't call me that morning and accuse me of forgetting about the assignment. A quiz is not necessary for every single hardware assignment. The quiz should not test you on every single scenario. We are not morons. A security code is also not necessary. An $8 bonus is not worth all the time and energy spent on this assignment, it really isn't. I'm glad some people like Maritz, but I am not one of them.

It's all good. We all have our own fruits we like to pick. I'm just fortunate that they're a good company in my particular area. Occasionally, a shop will hit a $25, $50, or even $100 bonus due to lack of shoppers. It's one of my bread & butters so to speak. I have about five companies I've been with this year who shop in my area. I'm just glad of the extra income here and there

Wow, I never see these bonuses around here. One time a Maritz employee called me and offered me a $2 bonus on a gas station that was 50 miles roundtrip. I told her no and she acted surprised and offended. She said shoppers were "begging" for these jobs. If they're begging for these jobs, why are you offering a bonus? LMAO

The quizzes--LOL. I've received the calls about the overdue quizzes. "You can't conduct the shop until you pass the quiz." Well, actually you can and I have . . . more than once. I'm not a black-and-white person. Many of their schedulers are and I understand that it is a generational thing. I can hear the disgust in their voice. But I still don't make the quizzes a priority. As long as they and the shops get done, I'm not going to sweat it. One of these days I'm sure I will be deactivated. I won't shed a tear. But in the meantime I will take all the $50 incentives I can fit into my schedule.

And no, I'm not this way with any other company, but for all the reasons OP wrote and many more of my own, they irritate the heck out of me.

I did some gas station shops for them for years...and couldn't pass the dang quiz. And I have an advanced degree, so I know how to take quizzes. I stopped doing their shops because of the quizzes.

I offered to do a home improvement shop (which I said I would not do again, ever), for a $50 bonus, because it was due yesterday. The reply stated they were not authorized to offer more, and the bonus was $20. I've seen it bonus higher, but oh, well. Won't be doing it, even if they come back tomorrow and offer what I asked. I do have Maritz in my Nopes folders (both email and browser bookmarks), but sometimes I veer off, y'know, just to take a little peek.... I shouldn't take the time.

I always find it amusing how people approach quizzes/tests. I almost always take the Maritz and MF quizzes without even reading any of the guidelines/paperwork. For the most part, they are just common sense. MF sometimes tries to trip you up by wording the question in a weird way. That is how they get shoppers who don't [pay attention to detail or rush the quiz.

There is a very simple way to take these quizzes that guarantee you will pass. It is a commonsense approach that works everytime. I won't tell you what it is - you really need to figure it out yourself.

But, do make certain that you call a Maritz scheduler if you fail after your second try!

They used to bonus routes of the hardware stores or routes of the yellow gas station shops for me, and I would take those if I could fit them into my work schedule for traveling...that has ended, though, as the bonuses went away and the routes kept shrinking as the day approached....cancelled shops or rescheduled with 'cheaper' shoppers (more likely)...I think Maritz has got the Intellishop "low ball" disease....

For the longest time, I couldn't find out how to sign up with Maritz. I should have taken that as a sign from the MS gods not to bother. For my first shop, I didn't realize I had to take a quiz until I was ready to enter the report. I have no idea when the quiz showed up; it wasn't there when I read the guidelines initially. It seems they are full of surprises. Also, the fact that they don't email you if they have questions about the report is problematic for me. I operate under the "no news is good news" mantra, so Maritz and I are not a good fit.

As Sybil mentioned, some quizzes are testing your attention to detail. MF uses a lot of double negatives; there's one MSC (Ipsos?) that switches the order of True and False. Usually A=True and B=False. But one question 3/4s of the way down is reversed and False is A and True is B.

The problem I have with the hardware store quiz is that they ask you questions about ALL the scenarios. For example, if I was assigned the dishwasher scenario, I was asked question about the electric sander. I would be asked questions like "What is your hesitation about the sander?" I would have to read that particular scenario to know that the hesitation would be "I'm worried about cost," whereas the dishwasher scenario hesitation would be "I want to shop around." I ended up just printing the entire 12 page guidelines and using them when completing the quiz.

It's not that the quiz is difficult; it's not. But it is time-consuming and answering 15 questions on scenarios that you won't use just to be able to do a $12 assignment is not worth it. In addition, when doing the report I note that it is now even longer, asking you questions like, "What do you like about this particular hardware store?" and "What other hardware store would you shop?" Again, not difficult, just involves more time.

@Sybil2 wrote:

I always find it amusing how people approach quizzes/tests. I almost always take the Maritz and MF quizzes without even reading any of the guidelines/paperwork. For the most part, they are just common sense. MF sometimes tries to trip you up by wording the question in a weird way. That is how they get shoppers who don't [pay attention to detail or rush the quiz.

The worst ones are the questions that say "On page 34 of the guidelines, which of the following applies..."

Oh come on, You're going to make me open the book??? Do I even HAVE the book??

Hoju, love your tag line!

Maritz isn't my favorite either.

They seem to not to be able to handle any deviations from scenarios. For example, when the salesperson is supposed to be make a suggestion and you are supposed to object. They don't seem to know how to handle it if the salesperson doesn't make a suggestion.

I have gone back and forth with editors and finally got blunt and said, "It's not my job to lead the salesperson to say what the scenario says."

@Kathy in AR wrote:

Maritz isn't my favorite either.

They seem to not to be able to handle any deviations from scenarios. For example, when the salesperson is supposed to be make a suggestion and you are supposed to object. They don't seem to know how to handle it if the salesperson doesn't make a suggestion.

I have gone back and forth with editors and finally got blunt and said, "It's not my job to lead the salesperson to say what the scenario says."

YES! I had ONE home improvement shop rejected because of this and I told them to don't bother offering any more. The system is flawed.

I had one approved where a sales associate did not offer me any help. She was unwilling to get up from her desk. It was a very girly-girl type of woman who seemed more interested in looking at her new nails with a coworker than getting up to direct me towards the product I was inquiring about. I did try to engage a few times with her but she was not friendly and did not engage. I reiterated this time and time again in my report. I suppose we can lead them to water... but you know the rest.

For my scenario, I had to object to the price. Which was funny, because the tool that the employee recommended was the least expensive of all of them. $39 for an electric sander. I felt pretty foolish objecting over the price. The only thing cheaper would be to buy sandpaper and manually do it. Some of these scenarios are really goofy.

@DareWright wrote:

For my scenario, I had to object to the price. Which was funny, because the tool that the employee recommended was the least expensive of all of them. $39 for an electric sander. I felt pretty foolish objecting over the price. The only thing cheaper would be to buy sandpaper and manually do it. Some of these scenarios are really goofy.

This one made me laugh as I just did this IRL. I was sanding down a piece of furniture by hand. Believe me, NO ONE is going to object to $39 to get out of that. I went and bought the sander I had shopped earlier in the month.

I have had several associates who were anything but helpful. I did my part in trying to get them interested but when that failed I just explained it thoroughly. I hate when that happens, it makes more work for me reporting it. I haven't had one denied yet.

I did my first of these shops this evening because it was bonused up to $25. The time spent in-store was relatively painless and I was feeling pretty good about my bonus. That report though ... whewwwwwwww. Different than I've ever done! I started questioning if I was doing everything right but it's finally submitted along with the invoice. Fingers crossed!

The overdue notation could be due to a couple of things. Overdue from the original due date, and the system has not updated. Overdue as the shopper has not reviewed the requirements or taken the quiz.

I agree that their quiz is a pain. If the bonus is good enough, I put up with the pain

@DareWright wrote:

Today, Dec 14th at 9:31 AM I get a call from Maritz telling me that my assignment was late and asking if I forgot! I tell the person that I received the assignment last night at 6 PM and that I would be doing the shop today. The person was friendly enough, but come on!

I go into the system and there's a blaring note on the shop stating "Overdue." When I applied for the shop I forgot about what a PITA it is to take the quiz (which has questions about ALL the scenarios, not just the assigned one), and to get the security code (yes, I know you can get the code without actually printing).

Simple solution for the pita quizzes. After you've done it for the first time print it out (before you submit it), make any corrections necessary and keep a copy. They usually stay the same for the year.

Maritz is one of the worst with the pay. They are not honest about the scenarios upfront, e.g. hiding the lengthy job in the "easy peasy" description before you apply. I stopped working for them because of the lack of transparency.

I gave a negative report one time for the store, but I made sure that I said it was store management's fault by putting one employee in a department on a very obviously busy day. Meritz accepted the report with no problem.

The editors seem to be finally understanding that many times the employees just stand there and watch the customer look at the products, and do not offer any product information or suggestions. They've stopped asking for more detail when I explain it that way.

Maritz is one of my favorites. I can easily self-assign when the shops were posted on the Maritz's site, not through that scheduler's site.There's a way to go about those quizzes. It gives you 3 chances right? Take it the first time without looking at the guidelines since most of the questions are common sense ones. I usually get a 80% without reading it. When you score at least a 80%, it will show you which question you missed. Most answers are T or F. Or if the question was very detailed, you can open that tab, "Print/View Other Project Documentation", press that, then go to the "Shopper or Client Guideline.pdf" while on the quiz page.Find that section which relates to your missed question to find the answer.Once you find your answer, closed those tabs and return to your quiz to complete it correctly. You don't need to print out the whole entire pages of the guidelines. When I did the hardware shops, I just printed the section for that particular scenario and hand printed some notes on what I needed to observe.

I avoid Maritz since one old employee told me with her rude voice "you accepted the assignment and I don't care you had to wait extra 2 hours in the bank, I won't give you any bonus after the fact". Had I waited one more day, that bank would have a bonus but she wasn't willing to compromise. Now she keeps calling and asking if I can do shops for them. I don't even answer... how is that working for ya, lady??

just finished the report for the kitchen sink scenario. would've rather had someone hit me with a kitchen sink.