Purchase and returns
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I have seen many purchase and returns, but don't like them. For me the closest location to my house that I can MS is 9 miles, so only shop when I can get a least a short route or otherwise have errands to run. The P and R don't work well because then I have to return to an area that is out of the way.
I am some who always considers the usefulness of the reimbursement when determining where to shop. A shop without a reimbursement needs a higher shop fee for me to consider it.
I am some who always considers the usefulness of the reimbursement when determining where to shop. A shop without a reimbursement needs a higher shop fee for me to consider it.
I will do purchase and return shops if the "return" period can be accomodated during my entire trip to our local shopping malls. I have gone from Fossil to Clarks to Fast Food to Sunglasses back to Fossil back to Clarks and back to Sunglasses. I pass on the returns that have to take place 24-48 hours later.
My favorite jewelry place called and wanted me to do a return. I didn't know they even did them. They have been the best birthday, Christmas you name it holiday shop for my girls. I have a list of what they want me to get them. When I went in today there were 13 customers and an associate immediatly came over to talk etc. I have been out of town for almost 3 months I hope they really think I just like to shope there really often. When they started sharing customer infor with the shop 30 miles away I almost got caught the lady said I don't know how to say this but I think your husband just bought you that today so you may want to get the other one. I am thinking *** I had just bought it for one of my girls at the other store and was now buying a second one for one of my other girls. Fast thiinking. I said well I will just have to pretend I don't know and pass this one on to my daughter. They are getting to know my kids tasts in jewelry. Now for a return scenario. I hate those.
In the Hill Country of Texas where mustangs are my passion. MS feeds them.
I don't mind doing a return if the shop is close by or if I can gang it up with another shop. I try not to have to go do just a return, since it's hardly worth the gas price.
Shopping the greater Los Angeles area and beyond
Unless I have another shop that will take me back to within one walk across a parking lot from the site, I will never do a P&R.
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
I will almost never do a purchase/return.
I did one of these on Thursday and on Friday because of the 24 hour wait period. The shop paid well, but I had banked on being accepted for a couple of other well paying shops in the same mall. Those did not come through so ultimately this shop was near net-zero on making money considering the time and gas expense. It is doubtful I will do another one of these if the return cannot be made the same day or if the location is not within 10 miles of me.
I rarely do P&R shops for a few reasons.
It is almost always incomvenient to go twice.
I feel uncomfortable making returns.
There is always the risk that I won't be able to return the item.
It is almost always incomvenient to go twice.
I feel uncomfortable making returns.
There is always the risk that I won't be able to return the item.
I hate P&R. One MS company demands you get a copy of the receipt (which means leaving the mall, finding a copy machine) because they feel the associate might not give it back, so they need TWO receipts, purchase and return receipt.
After this last fiasco, no more P and R for me. And I actually stopped doing them but like a dummy I agreed to this one.... SOOO not worth the hassle and the look on the cashiers face when you return it...
After this last fiasco, no more P and R for me. And I actually stopped doing them but like a dummy I agreed to this one.... SOOO not worth the hassle and the look on the cashiers face when you return it...
If the location, routing and time to return is not too far away or long, I'll do them. They're not my favorite, but I've never had a problem on the return transaction. I always have a believable scenario to present if they question a return in a short period.
I hate this type of shop you feel so uneasy knowing that the associate know your a mystery shopper. I have done couple of them, the only good thing was they pay more.
Gold Certified
Shopping in San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles
Shopping in San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles
@ SunnyDays2: Don't you have a point-n-shoot camera or a cell phone with photo capabilities? I always have both with me. IMHO, it is much easier to hide in a bathroom stall or run back to your car and take a picture of the receipt than search for a copy machines these days.
@ ntony9: Why would the sales associate know that you are a mystery shopper just because she make a return? As a regular consumer, I have made many a return due to buyer's remorse, finding a better price somewhere else, realized I already have a very similar item in my closet, etc. I know many others (probably moreso women) who return purchases all the time.
@ ntony9: Why would the sales associate know that you are a mystery shopper just because she make a return? As a regular consumer, I have made many a return due to buyer's remorse, finding a better price somewhere else, realized I already have a very similar item in my closet, etc. I know many others (probably moreso women) who return purchases all the time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
I do purchase and return shops on a somewhat steady basis; they are usually high end shops with higher pay. Someone in my family recently said that all these purchase and returns on my AMEX card is affecting my credit rating in a negative manner. Does anyone know if this is true? I never keep a balance on the card and I always pay on time.
P.S. I don't want to call AMEX and ask because I don't want to tell them why I am making all these purchase and returns or admit to being a mystery shopper.
P.S. I don't want to call AMEX and ask because I don't want to tell them why I am making all these purchase and returns or admit to being a mystery shopper.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
For me, it depends on the $$, shop, location and the usefulness of the reimbursement.
The last P & R shop I did didn't work out for me. When I went to do the return the next day, I did another shop and after that, I picked up a coffee. Without even knowing what happened, I found that my return parcel was missing. When I retraced my steps, it was nowhere to be found.
I also find that any of the P & R shops offered in my area don't pay enough for the return trip. I won't do P&R shops any more.
I also find that any of the P & R shops offered in my area don't pay enough for the return trip. I won't do P&R shops any more.
Most of the P&R's I have seen locally pay about the same, but with the extra time, couple of extra items to purchase and no reimbursement it isn't worth it.
If I can change my mind about the purchase and go back inside for the return within 30 minutes, I will take the shop. Otherwise, it just is never worth it. Twice the time, twice the gas...no thanks.
sail2sunset
Delray Beach FL
Delray Beach FL
Shop2LiveinFL Wrote:
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> I do purchase and return shops on a somewhat
> steady basis; they are usually high end shops with
> higher pay. Someone in my family recently said
> that all these purchase and returns on my AMEX
> card is affecting my credit rating in a negative
> manner. Does anyone know if this is true? I
> never keep a balance on the card and I always pay
> on time.
I have no idea why that would affect your credit. Pretty much all that matters there is paying your bill and not having a debt to income or available balance ratio that is out of whack.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I do purchase and return shops on a somewhat
> steady basis; they are usually high end shops with
> higher pay. Someone in my family recently said
> that all these purchase and returns on my AMEX
> card is affecting my credit rating in a negative
> manner. Does anyone know if this is true? I
> never keep a balance on the card and I always pay
> on time.
I have no idea why that would affect your credit. Pretty much all that matters there is paying your bill and not having a debt to income or available balance ratio that is out of whack.
Shop2LiveinFL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> @ SunnyDays2: Don't you have a point-n-shoot
> camera or a cell phone with photo capabilities? I
> always have both with me. IMHO, it is much easier
> to hide in a bathroom stall or run back to your
> car and take a picture of the receipt than search
> for a copy machines these days.
>
> @ ntony9: Why would the sales associate know that
> you are a mystery shopper just because she make a
> return? As a regular consumer, I have made many a
> return due to buyer's remorse, finding a better
> price somewhere else, realized I already have a
> very similar item in my closet, etc. I know many
> others (probably moreso women) who return
> purchases all the time.
Before I became the "Scan Queen"... I used to try and take a pic with my phone and it never looked good. I would use my cell phone or my digi cam and it just did not have the crisp clear image the MS companies were looking for.. so then I invested in a scanner and I would estimate I have taken 800 scanned receipts in the last year and 1/2. All good!
Now, I realize they have the new Smartphones that have a scanner on it..I am seriously looking into that one
-------------------------------------------------------
> @ SunnyDays2: Don't you have a point-n-shoot
> camera or a cell phone with photo capabilities? I
> always have both with me. IMHO, it is much easier
> to hide in a bathroom stall or run back to your
> car and take a picture of the receipt than search
> for a copy machines these days.
>
> @ ntony9: Why would the sales associate know that
> you are a mystery shopper just because she make a
> return? As a regular consumer, I have made many a
> return due to buyer's remorse, finding a better
> price somewhere else, realized I already have a
> very similar item in my closet, etc. I know many
> others (probably moreso women) who return
> purchases all the time.
Before I became the "Scan Queen"... I used to try and take a pic with my phone and it never looked good. I would use my cell phone or my digi cam and it just did not have the crisp clear image the MS companies were looking for.. so then I invested in a scanner and I would estimate I have taken 800 scanned receipts in the last year and 1/2. All good!
Now, I realize they have the new Smartphones that have a scanner on it..I am seriously looking into that one
SunnyDays2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I hate P&R. One MS company demands you get a copy
> of the receipt (which means leaving the mall,
> finding a copy machine) because they feel the
> associate might not give it back, so they need TWO
> receipts, purchase and return receipt.
>
> After this last fiasco, no more P and R for me.
> And I actually stopped doing them but like a dummy
> I agreed to this one.... SOOO not worth the hassle
> and the look on the cashiers face when you return
> it...
I take a picture of the receipt with my iPhone. If it's the shop I'm thinking about, the cashier always give back the receipt.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I hate P&R. One MS company demands you get a copy
> of the receipt (which means leaving the mall,
> finding a copy machine) because they feel the
> associate might not give it back, so they need TWO
> receipts, purchase and return receipt.
>
> After this last fiasco, no more P and R for me.
> And I actually stopped doing them but like a dummy
> I agreed to this one.... SOOO not worth the hassle
> and the look on the cashiers face when you return
> it...
I take a picture of the receipt with my iPhone. If it's the shop I'm thinking about, the cashier always give back the receipt.
Not my circus - Not my monkeys @(*.*)@
~Polish Proverb~
~Polish Proverb~
Shop2LiveinFL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I do purchase and return shops on a somewhat
> steady basis; they are usually high end shops with
> higher pay. Someone in my family recently said
> that all these purchase and returns on my AMEX
> card is affecting my credit rating in a negative
> manner. Does anyone know if this is true? I
> never keep a balance on the card and I always pay
> on time.
>
> P.S. I don't want to call AMEX and ask because I
> don't want to tell them why I am making all these
> purchase and returns or admit to being a mystery
> shopper.
Frequent purchasing and returning will have absolutely zero impact on your credit report or with American Express. It might get you blackballed from a few stores, but generally that only happens when you frequently return merchandise without a receipt.
As for doing p/r's, I don't mind so long as there isn't an extremely long waiting period before doing the return. I can generally pick up another shop within a half mile to go perform and kill a half hour or so.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I do purchase and return shops on a somewhat
> steady basis; they are usually high end shops with
> higher pay. Someone in my family recently said
> that all these purchase and returns on my AMEX
> card is affecting my credit rating in a negative
> manner. Does anyone know if this is true? I
> never keep a balance on the card and I always pay
> on time.
>
> P.S. I don't want to call AMEX and ask because I
> don't want to tell them why I am making all these
> purchase and returns or admit to being a mystery
> shopper.
Frequent purchasing and returning will have absolutely zero impact on your credit report or with American Express. It might get you blackballed from a few stores, but generally that only happens when you frequently return merchandise without a receipt.
As for doing p/r's, I don't mind so long as there isn't an extremely long waiting period before doing the return. I can generally pick up another shop within a half mile to go perform and kill a half hour or so.
I'll readily accept a P & R shop, but, due to my fees, the MSCs aren't usually interested in my services. Last year, though, I bi-monthly completed an assignment paying $35, with a return in no more than 15 minutes. If the MSCs are experiencing problems with shoppers accepting this work, they've merely to double to pay for the extra visit.
I will do a P and R only if the compensation is double the usual shop and the location is within the subway line. Other than that, I bypass it. It is just not worth my while.
I rarely do a P/R because that means I either 1) have to return the product shortly after purchasing it or 2) I have to make a special trip to return the darn thing. Plus, they often don't pay enough to justify the extra work for the return. If I'm going to do a P/R, it better pay well.
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