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@kenasch wrote:
I actually have a drive thru Panda in my area! Very easy shop.
I might do a shop like that for $3.00!
(OK, now I'm just causing trouble... I'll show myself out
)Shopper in California's Bay Area
@CaliGirl925 wrote:
Thanks for the kind words, AG!
I hope my comments about the Cali / Call Girl mix up expressed how funny I thought it was, and didn't make it seem like I was annoyed or angry. I thought it was hysterical. Since I haven't received any PMs asking to set up a "date", I can afford to have a sense of humor about it.
It's interesting that there are take away/to go Panda shops in other areas. I've only ever seen dine in shops in my neighborhood.
I had to laugh when I read alfeg's post, because now I know that I was not the only one who blushed and laughed when you posted the Cali/Call post. I had thought I read too L's too! I thought you made the clarification in a nice, breezy, good-natured way.
In my neighborhood, each Panda location is shopped twice, once thru drive-thru and once inside. Shoppers here are limited to one drive-thru and one dining room shop (not at the same location), so I usually do one of each every month. About every other month, a couple of locations come on the board last-minute because some poor shopper's report was invalidated - and I am able to get a 3rd shop in the month - and - big wow-e-e-ee- - it usually has a whole dollar added to the fee since it's last minute. That's the ONLY time I see the fee on the Panda get bonused.
I noted the fee change and questioned it; I was told "that's the fee now." I won't take it for that. A bonus appeared on one that I like and it was snapped up before I could get my bid in. They're cheap enough. If I want the food, I'll buy it; otherwise, I'll wait for a bonus before shopping. That's not enough to pay for my time and my gas, with the price of gas going back up.
@pordener wrote:
I noted the fee change and questioned it; I was told "that's the fee now." I won't take it for that. A bonus appeared on one that I like and it was snapped up before I could get my bid in. They're cheap enough. If I want the food, I'll buy it; otherwise, I'll wait for a bonus before shopping. That's not enough to pay for my time and my gas, with the price of gas going back up.
I get ya'. None of them are so close to me, whether it be in the neighborhood or on the way home from work that I would take a pay cut for them. I think I do one when I am heading to a theater close by to do an install, but not too often otherwise. I wasn't going as far as to question it, though, because Panda is probably squeezing the MSC, too. Considering the client makes some money off of the shopper, in a sense, I'd believe that.
They put out a new series of Arby's shops. Last month, the opening shop fee was $5.75, this month, it's down to $5. My guess is they are trying to make up for losing the arches business and the check cashing/pay day loans business.
@guanadu wrote:
They put out a new series of Arby's shops. Last month, the opening shop fee was $5.75, this month, it's down to $5. My guess is they are trying to make up for losing the arches business and the check cashing/pay day loans business.
It could also be a budget cut from the clients themselves, Arby's and Panda. Who knows.
Very infrequently shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado these days.
I doubt it. Everything the company is posting in my area has a fee that is $1 less than the fees paid previously. It appears to be an across-the-board cut in shopper fees with this company..
Everybody's got problems. Here's the deal at my house. If I've been shopping for $5 and you offer me $4 I see that as a 20% cut. What I need to do instead of the $4 job is find one somewhere else for $10. Instead of a 20% cut I get a 100% raise. Yea Me!
Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.
@MDavisnowell wrote:
Everybody's got problems. Here's the deal at my house. If I've been shopping for $5 and you offer me $4 I see that as a 20% cut. What I need to do instead of the $4 job is find one somewhere else for $10. Instead of a 20% cut I get a 100% raise. Yea Me!
Factors to consider is distance to drive to location, time to commute to location, time spent at a typical shop and time typically spent on the report. If a $10 shop is found, can it compensate for the reimbursed meal that could be seen as saved money for paying for a meal?
Very infrequently shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado these days.
Having laid off a bunch of employees after losing their big fast food client, the company is now cutting costs by shaving $1 off the fees paid to their mystery shoppers. The company has made a decision to increase profits by making an additional dollar on each shop completed and reported to their profits. Bad sign.
BUT... they increased their fee by $2.00 for the NYC lunch place owned by the English with name that sounds very much French. Great food, but the report has too much redundant nonsense. And their sporting goods chain fee remains at $18.00. Don't they have enough clients to sustain them even without that fast food chain???
@Arch Stanton wrote:
BUT... they increased their fee by $2.00 for the NYC lunch place owned by the English with name that sounds very much French. Great food, but the report has too much redundant nonsense. And their sporting goods chain fee remains at $18.00. Don't they have enough clients to sustain them even without that fast food chain???
Hence, this could be dependent on the specific clients, and not just due to the major client(s) lost. I can only imagine how whiny their clients could be. If the MSC needs to lower their rates to try and keep their clients rather than losing them to the competition, maybe that's what they'll be doing.
Very infrequently shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado these days.
Every now and again they do reduce shop fees across the board. I'm guessing some of the $8 shops now actually paid $12 to $15 between 2008 and 2010. It's how the MSC balances the cost of living cutting into their profits.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
@LisaSTL wrote:
Every now and again they do reduce shop fees across the board. I'm guessing some of the $8 shops now actually paid $12 to $15 between 2008 and 2010. It's how the MSC balances the cost of living cutting into their profits.
Used to be as late as two months ago you would see a roast beef shop for $15 and reimbursement for $9. Not this month and when they would call to see if you would take a Hedge Hog shop they will start at $9 or maybe $10. They were starting at $11 and you could get it for $15 now the max is $11. Guess the $80 gas and $50.00 Hedge Hog shops are gone. And this 8 hour report window is ridiculous.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/20/2016 11:32PM by 2stepps.
Any shop I pick up is on a string with other shops so no matter where it is, it has very little individual mileage from another shop. I don't do all day onesies unless they pay $150 up. The meal I'm required to order that we're discussing is of little interest to me. If I choose to eat there, I can eat for $5.80 plus tax and get everything I want. Therefore, they are now paying me a total value (to me) of $9.80. An advantage to most other $10 shops I would pick up is that I'm in and out much faster than on this food shop where I have to eat in.
I understand they need to cut costs all possible with the goal of maximizing income. Same here. I'm all for everybody looking out for themselves. I get it. I'm in.
I understand they need to cut costs all possible with the goal of maximizing income. Same here. I'm all for everybody looking out for themselves. I get it. I'm in.
@Tarantado wrote:
Factors to consider is distance to drive to location, time to commute to location, time spent at a typical shop and time typically spent on the report. If a $10 shop is found, can it compensate for the reimbursed meal that could be seen as saved money for paying for a meal?
Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.
I'm not seeing anywhere near the amount of shops that they used to offer, even when I stretch my radius pretty far. As for the Panda locations - I saw it once back in January, grabbed it, and tried them out for the first time ever. LOVED IT! But, I have not seen them since, no matter how frequently I check. They must be picked up immediately. I can now see why!
The thing with this company and the reasons their fees are so low is because their reports are so easy and require virtually no narrative. You want to get the big $$, do a narrative heavy shop and earn it. JMO.
What is YMMV, anyways? Your mileage may vary? I couldn't figure it out.
The thing with this company and the reasons their fees are so low is because their reports are so easy and require virtually no narrative. You want to get the big $$, do a narrative heavy shop and earn it. JMO.
What is YMMV, anyways? Your mileage may vary? I couldn't figure it out.
@Chix wrote:
I'm not seeing anywhere near the amount of shops that they used to offer, even when I stretch my radius pretty far. As for the Panda locations - I saw it once back in January, grabbed it, and tried them out for the first time ever. LOVED IT! But, I have not seen them since, no matter how frequently I check. They must be picked up immediately. I can now see why!
The thing with this company and the reasons their fees are so low is because their reports are so easy and require virtually no narrative. You want to get the big $$, do a narrative heavy shop and earn it. JMO.
What is YMMV, anyways? Your mileage may vary? I couldn't figure it out.
YMMV = Your Market May Vary.
Very infrequently shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado these days.
Am I crazy or did this same company also cut the reimbursement on El Pollo Loco by $1?
Not being acquainted with you, I can't give an opinion on your sanity. I do believe that all the Mexican food shops for the MSC have been reduced by one dollar.
I schedule low paying food shops with other higher paying shops. For example, last week I performed 3 shops in the same city, on the same day. I added a fast food shop so I could eat for free while I was over in the area. I don't schedule the fast food place first. I look for the food place after I have a route established. I like free meals with easy reports.
Isn't it nice to be a mystery shopper? The unbiased report offered by a trained and seasoned secret shopper such as yourself counts a lot more than the simple one the average diner can do via the survey on the bottom of the receipt.
Shopping SoCal and Maui.
I am going to have to eat when I'm out, so it's just figured into my route. In N OUT shops pay very little also, but I take them because I probably would eat there anyway and the reports are quick and easy.
Isn't it nice to be a mystery shopping company paying a trained and seasoned shopper a few pennies more than the average diner who fills out the survey on the bottom of the receipt
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2016 02:50PM by LisaSTL.
@PuaM wrote:
Isn't it nice to be a mystery shopper? The unbiased report offered by a trained and seasoned secret shopper such as yourself counts a lot more than the simple one the average diner can do via the survey on the bottom of the receipt.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2016 02:50PM by LisaSTL.
I don't understand exactly why I'm so ticked off the bitty bear place went down $1. After all, we're talking about $1 here. Although I think it's cheap to go down $1 on a low paying shop, would that not mean I'm cheap if I balk at doing it for $1 less? This is highly confusing to me. Emotionally, I mean. We are, after all, talking about $1 and I wouldn't pick up 100 random pennies if you piled them up at my foot. I don't understand why I didn't feel a blip at $5 plus RB and now at $4 plus RB I'm in a snit. I cannot get a grip on why I would happily do this job at $5 and now that it's at $4 I'll go in there and pay cash for whatever I want. Maybe I've cranked up my cranky level. Can anybody explain this? Is anybody else really ticked over this $1? I don't mean disappointed or disgusted, I mean ticked off seriously.
Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.
In all honesty, I don't have a dog in this hunt. That said, lowering fees for no other reason than they can tends to burn my ass.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
Wingstop also just went down $1. They'll get what they pay for in terms of report quality from me.
I love Panda and grab food for myself or my kids at least once every two weeks. So to me, it's a free meal for something I would have paid for anyway. I have several that are on my way home from work. Other shops that have low fees I won't do if I don't care for the food. If the fee is high enough, hey, free meal even if I don't love it, but if the fee is low I would rather spend a few bucks and eat something I like.
It's not a free meal. It's part of your compensation for a professional service.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
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