How do you feel about pay cuts? Yeah, me too. Sucks right?

Cost of life is rising, economy not doing great, gas prices are through the roof and guess what? My very favorite MSC, the one I go on and on about being the best, has gone and cut shopper fees. The kicker is the reason why they've done it: in areas where shops were quickly being taken and reported, they've cut fees. One reveal shop is cut by $1 - from $15 to $14. A FF shop has gone from $12 to $11. A grocery shop has gone from $43 to $27.

To make this even more concrete: I usually do 12 reveals (out $12), 1 FF (out $1) and 8 grocery stores (out $128). In just one month, I'll "lose" $141 doing the same shops with the same requirements I've been doing for more than 1 year. Over 1 year, I'll be losing $1692!! That's a lot of money!

When I asked a scheduler what was going on, I was told that, because of the competitive market, they didn't feel the need to pay as much since the shops were getting taken anyways. When asked where the extra money was going (i.e. was the client keeping the extra or the MSC), I was told that the extra would be going to bonuses to pay for those shops nobody ever wants - like getting an extra $1 is going to make anyone want to drive an extra 30 minutes.

I'm a little ticked. To me, this is taking advantage of good shoppers who select their shops as soon as they are released and complete the reports on time. This makes me just want to leave the jobs on the board and wait for the bonus offer, except that there really is someone who will take it at the lower fee.

What do you think?

Sounds like whoever made that decision is a cheap bastard, to me. Especially on the grocery store shop!

But then, whoever decides shopper pay on most shops, for most MSC's, is apparently a cheap bastard.

Not sure how I would handle it, either... especially since, as you say, some sucker out there will take it at the lower fee.

I think as long as they can get away with it they will....and I honestly believe the MSC gets that extra money.

Supply and demand ...... they realize there is an overload of shoppers in many areas and they are able to get the shops done at a lower cost to them ..... more money in their pocket or extra money to use on the shops in areas they have difficulty getting shopped.

My favorite company went from paying 20.00, down to 10.00. They lost their main account so I can understand, but can't they cut the report back. They now allow you to do 6 shops instead of the usual 2, you make up the $$, but add so much more work
to what was a desirable easy job. Trying to decide if I want to continue with more work for same pay, just made my decision,
no, hell no!! Pay cuts, who would be for it?

AustinMom Wrote:
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> Supply and demand ...... they realize there is an
> overload of shoppers in many areas and they are
> able to get the shops done at a lower cost to them
> ..... more money in their pocket or extra money
> to use on the shops in areas they have difficulty
> getting shopped.


Thats why I wish people would stop telling other people to become shoppers. I think many of the fees are near bare minimums because of so much competition. In my area if certain jobs are not grabbed in the furst 2-10 minutes they are gone. I sometimes do not even have time to look up an address.

The one with mandatory purchase and return at the speciality cookware shop told me
they can find plenty to do it cheaper... Go for it. My gas is not free. My time is not free.
Just like the check cash went down to $16. Was $20.
Then it will be bonused to $20 at the end of the month in a rush.

I like when they tell me they can find someone to do it for less, then they cant or even better, that person flakes on them, then they come back to me, guess what? my price just went up.

"A grocery shop has gone from $43 to $27."<MtlShopper>

How the heck do you get those kind of grocery shops?

I see only two kinds. The "Force" shop which pays $4+$5 and the "C" company which pays $3 Reimbursement and a $10 shopper fee.

I need to get out more! lol...and find some better grocery shops...

There was one MSC that emailed me asking if I had a particular skill as she wanted to determine how many shoppers she had with this skill. Who wants to bet that this was to find out how low she could pay since if a lot of shoppers responded yes, it would start at a lower fee.

SunnyDays2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "A grocery shop has gone from $43 to $27."
>
> How the heck do you get those kind of grocery
> shops?
>
> I see only two kinds. The "Force" shop which pays
> $4+$5 and the "C" company which pays $3
> Reimbursement and a $10 shopper fee.
>
> I need to get out more! lol...and find some better
> grocery shops...


----
There is a grocery store on the west coast that has a $27.00 pay, but you have to talk to about 25 people. Just simple stuff, did the greet you, help you and give a parting remark. I can usually do it in under an hour. When I started shopping again in January, that shop was $27.00. I'm not sure if this is the same one that used to be $43.00 though.

I do a different grocery store that's about an hour from my house and I get a $40.00 bonus, $5.00 pay and $14.00 worth of groceries. The groceries are wicked expensive though so $14.00 of groceries is more like $7.00 if I went to Wal-Mart. I usually pick up something yummy in the bakery that I wouldn't normally get. I know I'm getting the money back, but I just can't spend $2.50 on a can of soup that I could get at Wal-Mart for $1.25.

jschilz, I think I know the grocery store that pays $27 & you have to talk to about 25 people... I first started shopping in late 2010, and it's paid $27 flat fee since then. It takes me an hour & a quarter to an hour & a half, depending on the size of the location. But... that's because I walk slow due to my bad back & hip, and I often do a little actual shopping as well. Still, I enjoy the shop and the report isn't too bad. Just have to be sure to write down all those times you talked to everyone!

$40 bonus on a grocery shop is excellent! I got one for that last month, it was a little over an hour away, but the bonus was, it's right on the ocean, just about! I hadn't gone to the coast in years. And they had decent prices... besides the $40 bonus, I got $20 reimbursement and $17 regular fee, I think. Or something like that. Anyway, the combination was $77.

I know what you mean about paying 2x the price you normally pay for something... even if it *will* be reimbursed! In those cases, I try to look for really good sales, or, do like you do ~ buy a special treat!

I understand supply and demand but undercutting the shopper who gets the job done on time, every time just seems .... cheap.

The $43 grocery shop was split into 3 reports: 1 report for talking with a manager ($8), 1 report for 3 depts & cash ($10 + $7.50 reimb), 1 report for 3 depts + self check-out ($10 + $7.50). Now, they've combined all the reports into 1 report but we have to talk to 3 more depts. The 1 report now pays $12 + $15 reimb. It's more work since there are more depts but less pay - 40% less! And that's just this one company.

Another company was paying $20 + $10 for a large dept store. A different MSC picked them up but now only pay $12 flat fee.

Another company was paying $20 for hardware stores. A different MSC picked them up and now pay $12 for the same report and interaction.

This is starting to look like a pattern and not a very nice one at that. And, there's really nobody to complain to is there? Sure, I'm venting here a little but the shops will still get taken by someone, somewhere.

Shoppers in Montreal, y'all need to find real full time jobs so that I can continue with mine lol.

Although I'm gaining more and more experience along with a stellar reputation, it's getting more and more difficult to select shops and get decent wages for reports. I've heard of pay staying stagnant but decreasing pay as cost of living goes up is new to me. Accounting just for the price of gas, I need a raise not a pay cut!

MtlShopper, the pay cuts you describe are just insane. MSC's who do this type of thing really are cheap bastards. Modern-day Ebeneezer Scrooges. The problem is, as many have stated, that there are always those who will do those jobs that cheaply. I think they're lacking brain cells, but whatever.

Now, a brand-new shopper who doesn't know what they are supposed to pay, I could maybe understand... but even then, I mean, figure out the math of time versus pay ~ not that difficult. But experienced shoppers who know what they're *supposed* to pay... well, I guess there is the matter of desperation, but really??? If the good experienced shoppers just refused, would it have any impact at all?

I know we're all just contractors, but there is such a thing as fair pay. MSC's who don't feel obliged to be reasonable, well, I would figure they could just suck it.

The MSCs are in business to make a profit. If they can find a contractor to accept an assignment and complete it satisfactorily at a lower rate, then like it or not - that is what they are going to do. There is nothing "fair" or just about it - it's just business. If I come across a situation like that and I find that the new and reduced pay is no longer worth my time investment, then I move on. Period.

I completely agree with pcs; folks, this is BUSINESS. If you're to be successful in this industry, strongly consider tossing the word "fair" out the window. MSCs have a responsibility to their shareholders to increase equity, not to their contractors to pay an unnecessary amount to be nice.

@ Goofy ~ Do you live in the Orlando area?

South Florida is completely saturated. Bonuses barely exist anymore. And the newbies are snatching up jobs with a low starting pay not realizing that many of the MSCs will increase the pay the longer the shops sit on the board.

Goofy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> AustinMom Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Supply and demand ...... they realize there is
> an
> > overload of shoppers in many areas and they are
> > able to get the shops done at a lower cost to
> them
> > ..... more money in their pocket or extra
> money
> > to use on the shops in areas they have
> difficulty
> > getting shopped.
>
>
> Thats why I wish people would stop telling other
> people to become shoppers. I think many of the
> fees are near bare minimums because of so much
> competition. In my area if certain jobs are not
> grabbed in the furst 2-10 minutes they are gone. I
> sometimes do not even have time to look up an
> address.

Few people want to pay more than they have to. If shoppers are available who will work for less, then less is what the MSCs will pay. The lower their fees, the more they make. If they can increase or keep the same the fees their earn from their clients while they lower shopper fees without sacrificing quality, or without noticeably changing the product they provide to their clients, they come out ahead.

When you shop for groceries or clothing, do you deliberately purchase the most expensive you can find? Let's say you are purchasing a new tablet. You go to Best Buy and Fry's and you find the tablet you want for $435 + tax, and you can pay an added amount for a warranty if you choose. So then you check online at Amazon to see how much you could save by ordering instead of buying locally. Amazon has the exact same tablet as Best Buy and Fry's and free 2-day shipping for $299 instead of $435 - no tax and you can purchase the warranty cheaper. How many of us don't want to be cheap so we spend $435 + tax and buy at Best Buy or Fry's? Not me. I save a dollar wherever I can. If I can buy a comparable product cheaper, I will.

Business is business. If a MSC scheduler can get a shopper who will work cheaper, he will. If an MSC scheduler posts a fee that is too low, don't accept the job.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2012 09:52PM by AustinMom.

I'm not sure if this will put things in perspective or not but I work a full-time job with a major newspaper. We have been in a Chapter 11 "reorganization" status for over three years now. We have not had a pay increase, a holiday party, quarterly employee bonuses, awards banquet, etc. in over three years. When someone is fired or quits or accepts the early retirement package, their job responsibilities are split up among the remaining employees in that department instead of hiring a new person.

Again, more work for the same amount of pay. But when I voice my opinion, I'm told that I should be happy to have a job at all in this economy. Oh ya, I have to use my own car and pay for my gas and tolls with a reimbursement of half of what the federal guidelines say it should be.

So it goes to show that this is NOT just a MS'ing thing.

Definitely not solely related to MSing.

I teach full-time and I make less today than I did five years ago. In addition, I've been working on completing a Master's degree, but according to state law there are no longer allowed to give me a pay increase once my Master's degree is completed. However, there still allowed to require us to get it within a certain number of years as a condition of employment. When I started the program I assumed I would have a pay increase of about $700 a year which isn't huge, but now will get nothing. The cost to get through my Master's program, was over $17,000 so it's quite disheartening to realize that there'll be absolutely no return on that investment in any sort of monetary.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2012 11:46PM by Shelly.

Good afternoon,

I have done car sale shops at $20 and now they are placing it $15. I have not taken them because why do the same assignment for less money?


Savana23

My favorite MS Company (Sinclair) reduced their fees across the board and have increased some requirements...........their decision. As a result, shops take much longer to fill because shoppers like me will not take them as often............my decision. Most companies are privately held and do not have "shareholders" but have certainly responded to the soft economy whether justified or not.

My feeling is at some point, they will cut fees so low, they won't have good shoppers, and even the flakes will get tired of it.
I just got two emails for jobs I used to do for 20.00, now cut to 10.00. These jobs take awhile, and for 10.00, no thanks.
I do the upscale grocery store talked about above, and while a 5.00 fee and 14.00 reimbursement doesn't seem like a lot,
it fills my fridge with the best coffee beans, some great pastry, some other goodies, and I have lunch. I enjoy shopping
there, and always add another 10.00, so, for me, it's a good job, I also do 2 to 3 a month....looking at it that way, I get over
60.00 for groceries of top quality food, then I do an amazing farmers market for 19.00, well worth it for me, plus no freeways.
The 10.00 jobs are now off my radar, although I will do a 15.00 job close to home with no out of pocket $$. Getting much
harder to make $$ (the way I see it), but the perks are beneficial.

Small matter, but one of my favorite companies for theater trailer checks used to pay $10.00 for a "first showing report," meaning checking the trailers for the first time scheduled on a screen. Now they have dropped that down to $7.00, still "requesting" that they would prefer a first show. I'm wondering why someone would go ahead and get there early for less money?

Just got an offer for the sunglass shops - new MSC. You don't have to buy glasses and return them anymore, but pay with other MSC was $15, new MSC is $10. I'll bet the report is just as lengthy as the old MSC's.....

I got an e-mail today for a P/R on the sunglass shops. I assumed it was the same MSC even though the e-mail came from a scheduling company. The non-purchase shops were always $10.

Kathy C stated:

Most companies are privately held and do not have "shareholders

BOB'S REPLY:

Whether a corp. established on a for profit basis is private or public, they must have at least 1 shareholder.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/28/2012 09:35PM by shopperbob.

Just got an email for a shop where they want the following:

"This shop requires you to make at least a .50 cent purchase inside the convenience store. You will be reimbursed up to a $1 for your purchase.

You MUST get a receipt and attach it to your survey form before submission.

You must evaluate the customer service, restroom, inside, and exterior during your visit.

You MUST quote the greeting and closing statements you received during your transaction. Give details if there was no greeting or closing offered. Explain any circumstances that occurred that might account for why either a greeting or closing wasn't given. Was the associate interrupted by another customer? Was the associate talking to another employee? Did the phone ring? Please give us an explanation in the comment field of exactly what happened. "NO GREETING WAS GIVEN." OR "THERE WAS NO CLOSING REMARK." ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.

You must get the complete description of the associate. If the associate does have a name tag on please provide their name too.

Please list on the survey where the credit card applications were located within the store and/or outside of the store."

And the compensation (drum roll, please) a big $4!

Savana23 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Good afternoon,
>
> I have done car sale shops at $20 and now they are
> placing it $15. I have not taken them because why
> do the same assignment for less money?
>
>
> Savana23

I know I saw that company, they now sit at the board until they pay a decent amount. If we all start shutting up and letting them sit then we send the MSC a message we wont take that pay. Newbies, now there is something to say about that. Someone who is in it, most of them drop out within a year. Give it time, the shops will come back to the experienced people.

I've really cut down on shops since all the pay cuts have happened.