Just wondering if anyone here has any experience with a company called Mercantile Systems. They are on the official list here, but there's not many posts about them. I have a merchandising/ advertising type job lined up with them next week and was just hoping to get some feedback about the company. Thanks!

I've only done a few shops for them, but found the instructions straight-forward and easy to follow. They also paid on time per their pay policy. My shops weren't merchandising, they were mystery shops, but hopefully you'll find them as easy to work with as I did.

They are one of my favorite MSC's. Some of their reports can be lengthy, but they are clear and concise. The editors have been great and they pay on-time. I only wish they had more jobs in my area!

I did one merchandising shop. I had an issue and when I called Mercantile they got back to me quickly, which I appreciated. The visit was dead easy.

Their dining shops are not worth it, to me. I did a few, but decided the time spent was worth more than the offered meal. Other people like them, so it is a matter of preference.

I have done a couple of bar mystery shops for them and I have had no problems. I did notice the other day that they had joined with Shopmetrics and the shop has turned into a dinner shop and they don't pay you anything. They did not pay you much to begin with, but $10 was nice it the tab ran over.

Thank you all for your quick responses! I guess I questioned it mainly because the job involves them sending a ton of advertising materials directly to my house. This is my first merchandising shop, other than photo audits, so maybe that's normal? I don't know. They seem to have a lot of work in my area, so hopefully all goes well.

I have done their merchandising shops before. The biggest problem was that rarely did the materials arrive when they said that they would, so I had blocked out some specific dates for the jobs, only to find out a few days before that the materials hadn't been sent, and I had turned down other work for those dates, though they were quite adamant about me having to be prompt and get the materials delivered in a timely manner. One year I kept having to get an extension repeatedly, over the span of about 3 weeks, which resulted in quite a lot of missed opportunities with other companies. Also, once the materials did arrive and I made my visits (to apartment buildings to drop off the flyers and door hangers), I discovered that many of the locations had off-site leasing offices that were miles away, and some of them did not want the materials left at the site and did not want them brought to their offices, either. A few times the locations I was visiting to deliver the marketing materials weren't even apartments, though they were supposed to be, but were either single residence homes or individually owned townhomes. I also didn't like how I had to take a selfie of myself in front the locations (it was winter and windy) and upload that to my report. IMO, it wasn't worth what they paid me. I don't want to get you freaked out, though. Maybe they finally got all of the bugs worked out of that program.

I did their bar integrity shop, but I asked for and received a $20 bonus to make it worth my while. My husband and I spent $3 over on food and drinks than what the total pay plus reimbursement was ($55) so it was worth it.

Eh...I don't think they have all the bugs worked out just yet JAS, lol. It all sounded a little sketchy and that's why I initially posted; however, I will say that they gave me a heads-up that their materials could arrive late and offered extensions accordingly. They're also now e-mailing a UPS tracking number, which is nice, so I can see when the materials are expected in real time. I agree that the picture is straight up goofy, but by now, I'm just used to taking goofy, senseless pics with my phone- of random signs, food items, drinks, myself, blah blah blah. I'm doing 2 jobs at the same location (I think, I hope!) so hopefully that will make it worth my while. Doesn't so much matter for me scheduling wise as some of my other shops fell through this week

A 3 week delay is/was ridiculous.

Wow, 3 weeks! That's crazy. That would definitely throw your schedule off! According to the tracking info, mine is "in transit" so hopefully it gets here in a reasonable time frame.

At least they gave you tracking info!!! I should have been so lucky. I guess they figured out that they lost a lot of people over the snafus and have gotten better at getting materials delivered in a timely fashion. But, it was always "the client" who was to blame over materials not being sent quickly. I suppose it must have been true.

I just had a negative experience of sorts with them. I emailed the scheduler to ask if could complete a hotel shop a certain day. I was going to to have to move a few things around, but wanted to do it. I get told no problem. I move my schedule around, print off everything, and begin reading the instructions. An hour or so after being okay'd for shopping they emailed cancelling the shop because a scheduler had made a mistake. I understand mistakes happen, but if you've already assigned the shop leave it. It's always looked upon poorly on our end if we cancel or miss a shop, why is okay for them to do it? I now have wasted paper, time, and ink on a shop I no longer have.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/2016 05:16PM by tonksriots.

Has anyone completed hotel shops with Mercantile? There are several on the job board for locations I will be traveling through in August.

I applied for a hotel one 5 days ago and the app is still pending. Anyone know how long it usually takes to hear something back? It's for this weekend, so I would like to make my plans. I've never done work with them before.

I've completed several hotels with them. They were all for the same client that they just posted a large number of shops for, although I couldn't say if the requirements are identical or not. The ones I did were not terribly difficult, especially if they don't require you to evaluate food/bar (I've had some that require a food evaluation, some that give a food allowance but not evaluation and some that offer no food allowance).

That being said, the round I did typically had a fee on top of the reimbursement. Plus, the reimbursement was paid via check instead of a reversal to my credit card. Everyone's different, but I prefer the reimbursement by check because then I can keep my points on my credit card (which can be substantial since I'm a rewards member for the client). Unfortunately, for this round of shops, there was no fee and, according to the scheduler, reimbursements were reversed back to the credit card. For me, it's not worth it, but if you'll need the room regardless and don't mind putting in some extra work to get the room for "free", it might be worth it to you.

I did a hotel shop for them. It was one night and all I had to evaluate was the check in, check out and room service.( I did have to "forgot" to order a beverage when room service was delivered and add that later). I think they were trying to see if the employee's were stealing. I also had to pay for the hotel in cash. The reimbursement was very generous, I was also paid 35.00 for the shop. I'd love another shop like that. I even earned hotel points.

I have done a couple shops with them. I will continue to do shops with them. I like them.

I have worked for them for 9 years, (my first company), doing their famous restaurant, and find them honest, straight forward, and when you do a good job, they are full of compliments, making you feel an important part of their system.
I just got the nicest (ever) review on my job. They pay when they say, and are a really good company to work for.

Will you work for them for no pay? I just realized that 80 percent of their jobs now have no fees attached to the jobs. Even the hotel shops, which can take a while to report and upload photos, are no longer paying $35.00 which is on the low end of the hotel pay fee. Their new client includes lots of work, but there are plenty of locations, and a low reimbursement and again no more pay. They are getting them filled. Is everyone going to keep working for no pay with them. I loved working with them for many years, but "0" pay for everything but their bar integrity, is everyone ok with this? Is it just me.

Beware of the hotel shops for Elite's which are all fully booked. I wrote to the hotel company as I did not get my points, and, I am not getting them. Make sure, since there is no fee, that you give your rewards number again at check out, and if you don't see it credited to your elite account, make sure to send the folio to their customer service, if you wait too long, they can deny it since its reversed, very sad. No pay and no points this round, again, everyone needs to do what they have to, to be happy and survive, but its not that easy that there should be no pay and no points. So many shoppers, just will work for nothing, and its growing.

I'm not saying all Sassie companies are winners--but I've had great luck with anything Sassie related so far.

I've done the restaurant shops with them. The reports are very easy compared to some other MSC that are very lengthy and required alot of narratives. There are no shop fees, just reimbursements for a certain amount. One of the steak restaurants had a reimbursement of $75.00. I was able to take my two adult children with me. We ordered the required items, beverages and the entrees for each person. Bill came out to over $100 including tip. So I was out of $25 which is okay since this restaurant was pricey.

Sorry I haven't kept up with this thread since I've never worked with Mercantile and have no room for adding another Merchandising company to my plate.

Your concern about having items sent to your home is quite common in the merchandising arena. I have had everything from full on video displays to Michael Phelps in his underwear sent to me (life size cardboard cut out). Often advertising material is sent to us to insure it gets put out as the store visual manager gets dozens of boxes of signage weekly that is often the wrong size for the fixture they have it on or put aside then lost because they weren't ready for it.

I haven't experienced delays in delivery times but have amassed quite a collection of tape guns, taggers, pricing paraphernalia, multi-sized stickers that go over prices, spray bottles, WD-40 cans, hangers for anything you can imagine and a bunch of other miscellaneous tools of the trade. It's amazing what you can multi-purpose with some of this stuff as the post a few years ago about mannequin parts highlighted.

These projects are the easiest in the merchandising area because it merely requires placing the signs and straightening rather than a reset.

Want to sell a tagger? The kind with a needle that sticks the plastic through the tag and the fabric? Busted the needle on mine and they no longer make that model. So I tossed it and am keeping an eye out for a different one.
I had 3 of the M&M's Haunted House displays in my living room last summer into fall. They shipped in August! The darn shipping boxes were so huge they wouldn't fit in my car, so it was easier to build them at home and take them assembled to the stores.

I used to work for them-I can't remember how long ago-they were great. But I do not work shops that will not pay something even if I get something "for free." All in all, the shop must pay at minimum $15 an hour which includes travel time, report, job, and any waiting I have to do while performing/interacting. I figure out the cost per hour myself. I do include the "freebie" but rarely will it work out without some pay. There are so many companies and jobs, you CAN afford to be choosy (unless you live in a rural area, that's another story, and I have dealt with it).

@cindy55

PM me about the tagger. I'll send it to you for shipping cost.