I received a call today, I put in for two gas station shops on Maritz three days ago. The person that called me, from Martiz, started by kind of asking and also stating I appear to be interested in shopping for them. (I guess so, I applied for two shops and have been registered for over 6-months with them.) I told her it was a while ago that I registered, I am not sure any more what the requirements and guidelines are. She then asked if I passed the screener, followed by recognizing I had to pass that to have the shops waiting for assignment.

I again asked her to provide me with the guidelines, and stated I sent a email two days ago asking for that information. She seemed lost, told me she found the information but can not send it to me. She stated she would be happy to read it to me and to answer any questions I may have. Shen then provided some useless information, like it was a gas station shop and it would require some pictures in a required format. I suggested that she just assign me the shops so I could read the guidelines. She suggested I call her back when I have time to talk about this over the phone. I gave her one more opportunity to find a way to send me the information; so I could look it over and make an informed decision. She again told me to call when I have time, then told me they work bankers hours, no weekends. I took this as her informal way of telling me they do not care to use my services unless I spend a long time on the phone with her.

I have been called by them in the past, asking me to take shops. I never thought that it would actually be this difficult to be provided with the guidelines; like pretty much every other company feels is reasonable to provide to make sure the IC is only requesting assignments they understand.

Is this how they always operate? Is there an actual way to review the guidelines and requirements BEFORE accepting an assignment from them?

No with many, most companies generally scenarios but rarely are specifics are available first.

I have been registered and "working" for MCX for a least 3 years. I don't remember if I had to jump through hoops, like what you describe. The day I registered was the day I received my first assignment. No waiting 6 months or even a week.

I would suggest you go to the website and "update" your profile. While schedulers have called me, and have wanted to explain "one" of their shops to me. There has never been a time in which I needed to be on the phone to get the guidelines. After describing the guidelines to me, the scheduler let me assign one shop, so I could read the guidelines for myself. Because there was time between the due date and the current date, the scheduler allowed me to cancel the assignment if it proved to be to "hard or ridiculous."

I don't know what to suggest more to you, except it may not have been MCX. As for passing a screener--------->most of there shops come with a review quiz to see if you, the shopper, read the guidelines. If the GS shops are showing up on your job board, ..........assign one and see what happens.

I thought Maritz didn't allow self-assign until a certain number of shops had been completed? Actually my experience was similar to the OP's when trying to take a shop four or five years ago. I know some like the "personal touch" involved in phone calls. They are not for me. In the time it takes for the call I could actually be somewhere making some money. Not to mention my reading comprehension is strong, but when someone reads guidelines to me all I hear is, blah, blah, blah.

If you want to pursue it I suggest you call them back (chances are you will get a different scheduler) and have them assign one or the shops to you with the proviso that you have the option to cancel it if you so desire. Once assigned to you, you should be able to read the guidelines and make your decision then.

I signed up with them a few weeks ago and did two bank shops. Had trouble submitting them; that was my first issue. Then, received numerous phone calls from them from multiple people on multiple days. That turned me WAY off.

the same thing happened to me about 6 months ago. they called me wanting to take shops, i wanted guidelines before accepting to see exactly what i needed to do, she gave me the run around for 10 minutes saying the same thing she said to you. i ended up saying screw it, and not taking any. basically, they won't send you the guidelines before they assign the shop.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/05/2016 01:40AM by jay225.

MCX has a policy in effect that a shopper has at least three times to decline a shop before accepting it. AND, one time that we can delete the shop after accepting it. "Cannot conduct this shop as scheduled".

When we click on "GET SHOP", we are first given screening questions to qualify us for the shop. Then we are given preliminaries about the shop. and all it entails. With the shop fee and reimbursement factor. If that does not appeal to US, then we can--->DECLINE. As we move forward during the screening process we are given the days of the week and the times allotted. Again ------->NO LONGER INTEREST is allowed us. If we choose to continue, we pick a date and wait for the TEAM to assign or decline us. If the TEAM assigns us the shop, we can see the Guidelines and all other pertinent documents pertaining to the assignment. Plus the evaluation, the security code and the review quiz.

Now after seeing this information and the TEAM is waiting for response back. We can still click on---->CANNOT CONDUCT THIS SHOP AS SCHEDULED.

When someone says they can't accept a shop without see the guidelines, We ARE afforded partial guidelines to evaluate, if the shop is meaningful to us. The phone calls are a way to answer or ask questions. I see the phone calls as a way them saying ------>"We got someone to take that shop, maybe they will take all the rest'". MCX can't get paid if no one preforms their shops. Some Scheduler try harder than others.

On the JobBoard, I assign shops I will do and ignore all the others

Thanks, this is helpful. Based on your information, I should have been assigned the shop(s) and afforded the opportunity to review the guidelines and perform the shop; without having to commit to the shop, over the phone, before the shop would be assigned. I will go check the status of my requests on their website.

@sojo917 wrote:

MCX has a policy in effect that a shopper has at least three times to decline a shop before accepting it. AND, one time that we can delete the shop after accepting it. "Cannot conduct this shop as scheduled".

When we click on "GET SHOP", we are first given screening questions to qualify us for the shop. Then we are given preliminaries about the shop. and all it entails. With the shop fee and reimbursement factor. If that does not appeal to US, then we can--->DECLINE. As we move forward during the screening process we are given the days of the week and the times allotted. Again ------->NO LONGER INTEREST is allowed us. If we choose to continue, we pick a date and wait for the TEAM to assign or decline us. If the TEAM assigns us the shop, we can see the Guidelines and all other pertinent documents pertaining to the assignment. Plus the evaluation, the security code and the review quiz.

Now after seeing this information and the TEAM is waiting for response back. We can still click on---->CANNOT CONDUCT THIS SHOP AS SCHEDULED.

When someone says they can't accept a shop without see the guidelines, We ARE afforded partial guidelines to evaluate, if the shop is meaningful to us. The phone calls are a way to answer or ask questions. I see the phone calls as a way them saying ------>"We got someone to take that shop, maybe they will take all the rest'". MCX can't get paid if no one preforms their shops. Some Scheduler try harder than others.

On the JobBoard, I assign shops I will do and ignore all the others

Isaiah, have you performed 10 shops for them and gotten self-assign ability yet? It sounds like maybe you are still required to request shops.

I absolutely hate having to talk to a scheduler after requesting a shop, but the first 10 shops I did for Maritz required that. It was painful but I got through it. New shoppers with Maritz must request the shop on the board and wait to be contacted with the assignment. It's awful, because established shoppers with self-assign will take the good shops you have requested before you get the call-back. So it ensures that the first 10 you do will probably be the crummy shops. Once you get through 10 shops, you will be able to self assign.

If I were you, I would check the job board and request shops rather than taking their calls. The schedulers who phone me never seem to know anything about the jobs or requirements, they just have a list of dogs that must be filled. They will bed, plead, demand, and insist "our other shoppers do it just to help us out." They don't call about the really good shops - those are self-assigned. I've heard in some areas, good bonuses are offered - but not in my area, so I don't accept the dogs they call me about on the phone. Check the job board and pick out the better shops - if you wait for them to call, you get the dregs. (And I'm not saying there might not be a bonus or two in those phone calls, but it hasn't worked that way in my area.)

If you can make it through the required 10 shops that must be assigned by one of their schedulers and get to self-assign ability, Maritz is a pretty good company to work with. Their shops make a nice filler.

The thing is, I requested the shops online. The next step was the personal screener, followed by directly requesting the shops. There was no between step that went over the basic requirements or that allowed me to select days/times I am available.

I registered with them six months ago, this is my first shop request with them. Why they can't assign a shop without treating me like a child is my concern.

I've only been working with MCX for a month now, I was able to assign myself my first 2 bank shops and I had trouble with both of them and the scheduler was very kind in helping me submitting the correct information. Since then I have done a dozen more bank shops with no problems and have moved my way into the gas shops. My first gas shop didn't go as planned and I called my scheduler right away to inform them of what happened and they reassured me everything would be ok and to make to report in the comment section what had gone wrong. I have been very impressed by MCX so far and I was even more impressed by the prompt payment for services I received. Now if I could just figure out how to resize my photos to that 640 x 480 jpeg format I would be able to do even more assignments.

I feel like Maritz is really good for people who want to talk to a person and be walked through new things, and really bad for people who just want to be left alone to do things themselves.

Many cameras can be set to take all pictures in 640 x 480. If you don't know how to set your camera, I recommend Best Buy or Walmart to help you out.

Hey Joy122ce, you can also ask Maritz how resize your photos to fit their format. I had some difficulty getting the materials downsized. I called Maritz and they walked me through the steps to resize my materials. Maritz is one of the nicest MS to work with. They call me from time to time to fill a shop.

I love Maritz! I've done home improvement and a couple other things for them. My favorite shops are their bank shops once they've been bonused!

Well, Maritz never tried to call me back. The way it was left, if I wanted to do the shop, I needed to call them back and spend time on the phone being interviewed by someone; including having them read the guidelines to me.

That indeed sounds like Maritz. They like to have shoppers call and talk to them on the phone.

@isaiah58 wrote:

Well, Maritz never tried to call me back. The way it was left, if I wanted to do the shop, I needed to call them back and spend time on the phone being interviewed by someone; including having them read the guidelines to me.

I must say that Maritz is the most phone friendly and reachable MSC. The initial pay rate that is offered is not minimum wage and will almost always be a negative wage once you figure in the govt allowed mileage deduction.. I never check the website and only wait for them to call me.

@Joy1228ce wrote:

Now if I could just figure out how to resize my photos to that 640 x 480 jpeg format I would be able to do even more assignments.

I use Image Resizer for Windows by Brice Lamdon. You can find it with Google. It will resize the batch of photos for you.

Thanks! I'll check it out.

Maritz is really a hit and miss. All their schedulers are nice. Some don't conceive the fair bonus concept. They do not communicate via email so you must always call. They are open till 7pm cst m-f and till 5 pm cst sat so I don't get the only banking hours quote. Once in a while you can find stuff on their job board with a bonus that makes the shop worth it. None of their jobs at base rate are worth it in my opinion. If they call you figure out what you need to make the shop worth it and ask for that bonus. I do enough work to get a 1099 from them each year so they are okay if you can get past their antique style.

its true. dealing with maritz is like going through a time warp to the pre text era. gotta brush up on the phone skills.

Hi. I've quite a few shops with them. Whenever I request an extension for a shop date, I will always get a phone call to confirm my request before they change the dates. They don't send a confirmation through emails. The banks shops are one of the easiest shops to do and so are the reports. When I schedule their bank shops, I will make it a route with other shops in the area to at least cover my gas.