My orange vest tore the first time I put it on so I got some pins and wore it anyway. I want the bright lime green vest that some of the grocery store baggers wear. That would really show up.

I mended mine with duct tape from the inside. No mystery shopper worth his/her salt doesn't carry a roll of it in the car at all times! ; )

unitechpetro - hello. I am not a spy. How's that for an opener?

Look, sometimes I find myself feeling as the minority here. I take shops that others abhor. I get along nicely with companies that others mistrust. Different strokes for different folks. If you have a specific post that you'd like addressed, feel free. I will not hesitate to explain myself and am sure other members who've been around the block will do the same.

This forum - of which I am nothing except a member, gives me all sides of the equation, which is appreciated and valuable information. I, too, have questioned who I am listening to, and have been given answers that put my mind at ease. I am only a shopper, and don't toot horns unless they make music to me.

P.S. Okay, now I'll put a roll of duct tape in the trunk, Cettie.

Me too

The duct tape in the trunk

I assure you that I'm exactly who I say I am and so far my experience with Maritz is overwhelmingly wonderful. They have assisted me with everything thus far, gone out of their way to help me and the shops are trickling in. Not sure the amount you need to self assign. Perhaps someone else does. So, you have to prove yourself. I'm thankful my first shop was a difficult location regardless of years of experience, the shedulers, and editors have been there for me all the way. I thank them for a tedious shop and bearing with me to figure out the photo aspect. I look forward to new shops piling up. Sometimes you have to get the hang of something, but me, I like the challenge that comes with each additional shop. GOOD LUCK!!!

The first time I opened my orange vest, I laughed until the tears came rolling down. I immediately called maritz to voice my concerns. While "One Size Fits All", may work for the average chinese male, where this thing is made, it is not meant for a tall, broad shouldered american like me. I further accused them of purchasing important items from their local Dollar Store. I explained that I would not look professional with this thing tied aroung my head and my ears sticking out the arm holes!...

mrcomputer101 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The first time I opened my orange vest, I laughed
> until the tears came rolling down. I immediately
> called maritz to voice my concerns. While "One
> Size Fits All", may work for the average chinese
> male, where this thing is made, it is not meant
> for a tall, broad shouldered american like me. I
> further accused them of purchasing important items
> from their local Dollar Store. I explained that I
> would not look professional with this thing tied
> aroung my head and my ears sticking out the arm
> holes!...



I would pay money to see that!

joanhampton Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I assure you that I'm exactly who I say I am and
> so far my experience with Maritz is overwhelmingly
> wonderful. They have assisted me with everything
> thus far, gone out of their way to help me and the
> shops are trickling in. Not sure the amount you
> need to self assign. Perhaps someone else does.
> So, you have to prove yourself. I'm thankful my
> first shop was a difficult location regardless of
> years of experience, the shedulers, and editors
> have been there for me all the way. I thank them
> for a tedious shop and bearing with me to figure
> out the photo aspect. I look forward to new shops
> piling up. Sometimes you have to get the hang of
> something, but me, I like the challenge that comes
> with each additional shop. GOOD LUCK!!!


I started the gas shops with self schedule after I did one or two. One of the ff schedulers asked if I would be interested in a gas shop and scheduled it then. After that I self schedule all my shops unless they are in a bind and call me. I have found with the new website (?) that I can only schedule one at a time. If I try to self schedule two or more it will kick me to the request to shop page. THen I usually lose the shop. Next time you talk to a scheduler just ask them. I get the feeling they would rather you self schedule than they have to wait the time limit and then start calling.

All you guys make me laugh. I'm a size 4 and laughed about the orange vest in a completely differnet vein. The darn thing doesn't even stay on my shoulders. I had to get my sewing machine out and remake the entire thing. There was almost eough to make two. I figured out about the the gas shops and received three phone call from them today on my cell phone assigning me several new shops and even a post office shop. So, I've accomplished in one week way more than I ever dreamed of. The perseverence worked quickly. All the schedulers seem very nice and respectful and appear to want to be on first name basis. I treasure that and where I'm located,can really be a positive for them. I'll be self assigning in no time at all. I enjoy the

Thanks for all your input and most of all the laughs.

joanhampton Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> All you guys make me laugh. I'm a size 4 and
> laughed about the orange vest in a completely
> differnet vein. The darn thing doesn't even stay
> on my shoulders. I had to get my sewing machine
> out and remake the entire thing. There was almost
> eough to make two. I figured out about the the
> gas shops and received three phone call from them
> today on my cell phone assigning me several new
> shops and even a post office shop. So, I've
> accomplished in one week way more than I ever
> dreamed of. The perseverence worked quickly. All
> the schedulers seem very nice and respectful and
> appear to want to be on first name basis. I
> treasure that and where I'm located,can really be
> a positive for them. I'll be self assigning in no
> time at all. I enjoy the
>
> Thanks for all your input and most of all the
> laughs.


They have a ff that is going on now if it is in your area. It is hard to schedule so different teams have it each month so when they get use to you they may call on that one also. The one you just picked up is easy. I take a stop watch just in case there is a line and that way I will have the exact minutes and seconds the report ask for. Don't be surprinsed you will be in and out the door in less than 5 miutes sometimes.

After my desiger vest tore into a dozen bits I went to Wally World and got another cheapie and it did not stay together either. They got a big kick out of that one when I told them.

Wonder what response they will give me when I tell them I spilled a coke on my name tag and need them to send me new one. The plastic sleeve part is fine, it's the paper name tag part that's ruined. Better strike while the iron seems hot and hopefully will get one sooner rather than later. I needed this company to fill in the gaps for me to allow me more freedom to justify getting out of woods and back into the real world or sorts. It only makes me appreciate what's under my nose more than ever. Any it sure beats having to work 100 hours a week solving 300 people's problems a day as an insurance adjuster.

You guys are special and I feel blessed to have encountered you all! Thanks! It all boils down to LIVE! LOVE AND LAUGH!!!

Glad to have you in the zoo with us! 2 of their 3 brands of gas shops provided me with a name tag. The third does not do so. Everytime I talk to the third scheduler I remind her how cheap they are...

You could also type a new one up. Just copy and paste the Maritz and the bp logo. Just a thought if you needed it right away.

I have found it to get easier as I do more of them.

Deech Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> unitechpetro Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Has anybody noticed that four of the above
> posts
> > are suspiciously positive toward mystery
> shopping
> > companies that are proven bad by posts in other
> > threads on this forum? Curiously enough, said
> > posts follow a warning by Flash to JohnnyRocket
> > about listing client names in his posts. In
> case
> > you haven't figured out the obvious, the trolls
> > are active on this forum, folks... Spies from
> > mystery shopping companies posing as
> > shoppers...duh! Even Homer Simpson could figure
> > this out..."Doh!" I wonder if this site's
> admin.
> > can bootlog the i.p. addresses of said posts,
> they
> > probably originate from the same network...LOL
>
>
>
>
> I have been called many things but never a spy.
> Oh Well. I still like Maritz and so far I am
> still shopping for them. As for most of the posts
> on this forum, We know who we are. We do not know
> who you are.

I also agree, although I have lost some of my pharmacy shops through Maritz, I have done quite a few for them with no problems. I'm hoping they have more of their car dealerships coming up soon. And no, I won't do their gas shops!

Are the pharmacy shops gone for good? I have not seen any since last October or November. I thought they were redoing the evaluation and would show up sooner orlater. So far it has been later and now maybe never and I need some chap stick.

rogkar Wrote:

> I also agree, although I have lost some of my
> pharmacy shops through Maritz, I have done quite a
> few for them with no problems. I'm hoping they
> have more of their car dealerships coming up soon.
> And no, I won't do their gas shops!


I do their gas shops on a regular basis, I take no less than 5 of them at a time, and they all have to be within a 10 mile radius. I get almost a full tank of gas, a few bottles of Faygo, and a chunk of change for an afternoon of work, and a couple of hours of reports.

I go through a tank of gas a week, so if I can do this twice a month, it cuts my gas bill significantly.

It's kind of a "stick it to the man" thing for me. I get reimbursed for gas, but I still get to claim the mileage on my taxes, because, after all, gas isn't the only cost of driving a vehicle.

The key to Gas shops is bundling. It makes little sense to just do one, unless you are going there anyway.

Of course, living in a heavily populated area helps. This strategy may not work so well for those who live in a more rural setting.

rogkar sorry you have had such a bad time. I assure you I am not a spy. Also, some may have problems with some companies, whether others may not. I have only reported my findings from mystery shopping with Maritz. Yes some of us may have positve responses that is possible.

That's exactly what I did. Thanks for the idea!




sella Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You could also type a new one up. Just copy and
> paste the Maritz and the bp logo. Just a thought
> if you needed it right away.

I love doing the red and blue gas mystery shops. I'm thrilled to have them to fill in with my other shops. I've found that everyone one of the schedulers are human and even if there are special teams to reach for the different assignments, we should be glad. I've found them all to be wonderful. I agree the green and white ones need more pay for the work required, but go do it for one of the many others out there and you get very little support when you need it. You have to take the good with the bad in everything in life. If it wasn't for bad we wouldn't have a clue as to what good even is.

I'm certainly not a spy and since my so called screen name is my real name, then I obviously don't have anything to hide. I agree a couple of my assignments are about as far from the book as one could get, but then hopefully that's why we are here to help make this world a tiny bit better. I was at one location for over two hours and ended up having the best time. It was a very small community and this building was so far off the mark it took total creativity to accomplish the job. As I was in and out of the store, etc I realized that everyone knew everyone by name and it was like the community gossip spot. They were very friendly to me, and let me assure you I looked about as much as a fish out of water there, than I have in a very long time. I merely reported that this location had a class all of it's own and the money that needed to be put into it would be well worth it to preserve and serve the entire community. I will admit the moment I got out of my car after reading the book, seeing the form, put on my orange vest, and then burst out laughing. Three people asked me if I was counting cars. I told them I wished it were than simple. But, it's an experience I'll never forget and it certainly left a lasting impression. They do get better. But, be prepared to spend the time when needed and hopefully you'll make it up on the next one.

I have one more word of advice as a new comer to these type shops and that is, if you're having problems with a particular quiz, call up and ask for guidance. Chances are you aren't reading the updated attachments, which completely override what's printed in the books. It's called patience everyone and it's up to us to follow the directions that are put in place for a reason. If it's not for you, then there are so many other companies... you never haver to look at a gas station again, unless you need to fill up your own car to go somewhere else. Best of luck! Thanks for everyone's input and HANG IN THERE. I did and it's paying off for me. I appreciate having everyone here to compare notes with and I think it's great that schedulers are participants. Only goodness can come from honesty.

I'd pay money to see that, too! mrcomputer101, maybe you've found yet another side job!!!! On me my lovely orange vest could be a maternity shirt, if I was in a jam. Since I'm 50 I suppose if I needed it for a maternity shirt, I would be in a real jam,. Thanks for the laughs!!



Cettie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> mrcomputer101 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The first time I opened my orange vest, I
> laughed
> > until the tears came rolling down. I
> immediately
> > called maritz to voice my concerns. While "One
> > Size Fits All", may work for the average
> chinese
> > male, where this thing is made, it is not meant
> > for a tall, broad shouldered american like me.
> I
> > further accused them of purchasing important
> items
> > from their local Dollar Store. I explained that
> I
> > would not look professional with this thing
> tied
> > aroung my head and my ears sticking out the arm
> > holes!...
>
>
>
> I would pay money to see that!