Midwest Grocery Stores

A chain of grocery stores in the midwest, is being shopped by a new MSP. Instead of a simple, radio-button form there is a required narrative for every department, and the shop requires that you mark your time at every department. With no pay increase but a required photo, I sure hope this is a "test" and not a permanent switch. I used to like shopping these grocery stores but after entering three tonight- forms long enough I was prompted to save my data while there were still 34 outstanding oopses- I am not going to touch them without bonuses.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/2013 08:41AM by heartlandcanuck.

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

More About Grocery Store Mystery Shopping

Then again, this is a first round with a new company. If it is a switch and not a marketing experiment perhaps they will let up on the narratives.

There was a regional chain in the upper Midwest which had 3 dept. interactions, the usual names, times ,if they/ did they, then a large survey just about the check out section, how many open, closed, how many people in line, how many self check lanes open, how many people in line at each, how long a wait. Huge quantity of narratives. $5.00 purchase. I think they quit doing these, I didn't see them last month or this. They sat on the board forever for $6.00. I thought about doing one, then got a look at the survey. Also were time specific, like Sunday 1-3, Friday 4-6. Min. 1 hour in store required. Just too intensive, and the time frames were the busiest times for this store. Hope yours get easier. These beasts were around for about 6 months in this area.

If it's the one I think it is, they want general comments in those boxes (ie Sue in the deli was knowledgable and answered all my questions thoroughly) vs specifics. I could've saved myself a lot of time there. I did two last week and another this week. They're higher paying than my other local grocery shops, and I would interact with half of those people anyway doing my personal shopping, so it wasn't too bad.

I agree the report is a doozy though!

You know that employee grocery store that is based in Des Moines, has locations all over Iowa, some Missouri and Nebraska, and features a "helpful smile in every aisle?"

The new MSP uses the Sassie format. You have narrative for each of the areas, and even if you get the employees' names, they want complete descriptions. I just got mine kicked back from the editors because they want the gender, approx height, hair color/style, glasses, facial hair, approx age, and other distinguishing features." The OLD MSP's form was happy with a name.

There are several right around me but I will have to pass for a while.

Oh, shoot. if they didn't want specifics I sure could have saved time, too!

kissum Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If it's the one I think it is, they want general
> comments in those boxes (ie Sue in the deli was
> knowledgable and answered all my questions
> thoroughly) vs specifics. I could've saved myself
> a lot of time there. I did two last week and
> another this week. They're higher paying than my
> other local grocery shops, and I would interact
> with half of those people anyway doing my personal
> shopping, so it wasn't too bad.
>
> I agree the report is a doozy though!

heartlandcanuck Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You know that employee grocery store that is based
> in Des Moines, has locations all over Iowa, some
> Missouri and Nebraska, and features a "helpful
> smile in every aisle?"
>
> The new MSP uses the Sassie format. You have
> narrative for each of the areas, and even if you
> get the employees' names, they want complete
> descriptions. I just got mine kicked back from the
> editors because they want the gender, approx
> height, hair color/style, glasses, facial hair,
> approx age, and other distinguishing features."
> The OLD MSP's form was happy with a name.
>
> There are several right around me but I will have
> to pass for a while.

I think I'm going to cancel the one I signed up for after reading that and the posts before it! I don't need $25 that bad.

FREELANCEREPORTER Wrote:
>
> I think I'm going to cancel the one I signed up
> for after reading that and the posts before it! I
> don't need $25 that bad.

If you have a good way to discreetly write down names and descriptions while you shop without being obvious, it might not be that bad. It's kind of t like the Blue Light shops (not the beer, the store) where you have to stand beside every employee you can find to get a greeting and full description. There I am, scribbling away on my shopping list, checking times plus extra checks (with times) to say, "no I did not find anyone in produce..."

If the narratives can be general, and you are able to take good notes, it might be worth the $25. For me it is not even close.

Just to clear (I don't want to lead anyone astray) it will require more narrative than the one sentence I wrote above. I'm undecided on this shop so far. The pay is decent, but it's a very complicated shop. I just brought a spiral notebook with my grocery list on the top page, and scribbled on the next page as I went.

No BOB which felt unnatural to me! I'll report back on how I'm feeling after the third one.

Everyone's on their cell phoned these days.. Great way to discreetly write a name or two.

Silver Certified ~ Shopping all of Toronto and beyond

I did the new shop and did not like all the extra requirements and no reimbursement for the required purchase. Many of those jobs are still sitting on the job board. What do you think about the addition of the off site liquor department? Driving to 3 different places and making purchases for $25 is a bit much.

The "old" MSP let us ignore the liquor store if is was on its own. For five bucks extra, you have to go into another building and require another purchase. What can you buy for less than five bucks in a liquor store, and unless you would have bought a six-pack anyway, is there value in that five bucks? I know the "old" form only gave a couple of bucks for the convenience store, but if you did enough large stores and small rural ones they would even out.

I did get a 9 on the reports I completed Saturday, despite the editor having to contact me to add the approximate heights of the people I had names for. Since I'm not a cell phone junkie and find it rude when others are constantly tapping away in public, I will find another way to discreetly scribble down more details if I ever do one of those shops again.

I did one of these yesterday. I have a big "coupon box" that I brought with me and I had a small spiral notebook that I dropped in my box in between each one. My shop report does not require a narrative. The guidelines say for the "comments" section to explain any “No” answers and give any positive feedback. The shop itself took me about an hour, primarily because I don't know that store. I didn't have a separate liquor store and the gas station was right in front. It took me about 45 minutes to do the report - there are 13 different sections you have to report on. I have to do route shops because I live on a farm away from everything and I had other shops there and had the time so I figured why not?

Name that movie:

"Oklahoma??!!! Only two things from Oklahoma! Steers and ..."

Full Metal Jacket

Okay. I'm a sucker.... Just did another one. I always carry my own bags, so it was only natural to put them in the high part of the cart and plunk my cell phone on top so I could glance at the time without fanfare. As I always do during grocery shops, I had my regular list, crossing things off as I went, then names off to the side. Getting into a routine of jotting down the time with every interaction or when passing through various departments will take practice, but it was smoother than the shops last weekend.

Hey Cindy 55. Good guess, but not quite. Think of another military flick...

I signed up for one, looked at the guidelines, and cancelled it. It seemed like way too much work compared to the previous MSC. And as much as everyone loves to hate on the previous MSC, that was an easy report. None of this "must report employee's height, weight, age, hair color, facial hair, bone structure, ethnicity, religion, zodiac sign, and shoe size" business.

Also, I hate the "purchase required, but there's no reimbursement". Haaaaaate.

I was too detailed in my narrative, and had to go back and remove the name of the products I asked about. I had also left out some of the heights and ages because I could read everyone's name tag. I have one more to do, but don't think I'll sign up for any more. They ask for too much unnecessary detail for the money offered.

I got the same response, too detailed! I agree, they are not enough money for what they ask for, but I have to do route shops because I live on a farm in the middle of nowhere so if there's one where i'm traveling I'll go ahead and do it.

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

Midwest Grocery Stores

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine