Gas station shops
Yes, those are the Phillips 66 gas stations. There have always been two versions of them. There is the 15 minute tops mystery shop (the super easy one) that you usually need to grab at base price if close to a city or they will be gone. There is the audit as well that is more detailed that is worth doing if it is nicely bonused (I usually want twice the amount of money for an audit than I would for the mystery shop only). You can tell which one it is based upon the screening questions (be sure to answer yes that you understand this so you will not be disqualified for the rest of the shopping period!!). If you have already gone through the screening questions, it will also say whether mystery shop only or revealed audit on the screen where you pick your shopping date. Watch which one you are accepting to be sure so you avoid needing to cancel.
Shopping across Indiana but mostly around Indianapolis.
I went ahead and accepted them because it was listed as just a shop. Did it in a hurry as I did not want them to disappear. But, I went back in a bit later to enter all of the dates in my phone, and it is was one those audits that require a lot of time, for the same price and the easy ones. $9. Once I realized what it was, I went in and cancelled them all out. Hated to do that, but I was not going to do all that work for $9. The last time I did one of those audits there were 20 pumps and at least 10 pics. They changed it this month. FYI
Take it as a lesson. The audit is what you'd typically see for many other gas stations for other MSC's. The mystery shop only version of the shops your previously took is a decent-paying shop for what they're asking for. So I understand your frustration. I found it unusual that the pay for the audit AND mystery shop combo pays the same base rate as the mystery shop only version of the project.
Very infrequently shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado these days.
I looked at them. The audit does say in the Brief Scenario field "Mystery shop followed by an announced audit."
The lesson is to watch when you do the screening questions and select the date to be absolutely sure you know what you are accepting when you hit the "Accept Assignment" button.
The lesson is to watch when you do the screening questions and select the date to be absolutely sure you know what you are accepting when you hit the "Accept Assignment" button.
Shopping across Indiana but mostly around Indianapolis.
Are we allowed to use initials for mystery shopping companies?
Do you mean when discussing shops? The rule is we can use the name of the mystery shopping company OR the name of the client. Both cannot be mentioned in the same thread, even with initials only.
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.
I was thinking more of 3x's pay. The notes state it may take an hour, more pictures to upload and longer report.
I'm delving into the simple non audit gas station shops....the MSC I am doing one through, the gas station is literally 1/2 block from my workplace. I'm going to see how easy it is and then perhaps pick up more of these as this particular chain of gas stations is plentiful in my area and they are always looking for folks to to shops in the more rural areas of Illinois.
Silver certified (since 2009) and willing to do shops all around the greater Chicago, NW Indiana, and Southern Wisconsin areas (including airports!.
I was ready to jump on all the gas shops, but when the first screening question stated in was a mystery shop and a revealed audit, for the same usual fees, I thought hell no, laughed, and logged out. Then I thought, I wonder how many people didn't bother reading the questions thoroughly enough, thinking it was the usual shop, and accepted them. Most of the gas shops in my area got snatched up quickly, but I am waiting for the revelations to kick in, and the shops to get cancelled and dumped, because the fees are no where near close enough to be doing 5 times the work. lol
I've done these audits many times. They say it can take an hour, I call BS. I'm in and out in 20 minutes or less. They're not particularly difficult.
They are not difficult but I want more money than the $9 plus $5 reimbursement. Like LauraLynn, I hold back and let the newbies take them (as I take more profitable shops). When the newbies mess them up or give up, they are usually back on the board for more money. Just got to be sure to keep checking the board for when they pop up.
Shopping across Indiana but mostly around Indianapolis.
The audit is not hard and some I have been able to complete within 15 - 20 minutes. A question came up on one of my reports asking how I could get in and out in 15 minutes. The location had one pump island with two pumps and was a very small corner store. The extra pictures take time, the extra questions take time and the longer report takes time. While they don't usually take a full hour, I agree, I am not doing this for the same pay of a true 15 minute visit. If they start to bonus I might bite, but an hours worth of time would cost 4x the MS only shop fee and for that small corner store a little less.
You know I have not been Mystery Shopping that long and I should have know better since I have done several of the gas station shops. I "assumed" that since it was for the same amount of money, surely it was not as detailed as the much longer one. I snapped them up so I would not loose them. Once I realized what they were, I cancelled them out. I did feel bad canceling. I also sent them an email apologizing and told them I would be willing to do them for an increased rate, if no one picked them. They are still there.
I have done just one of those audits and it was for a station that had 20 pumps. And, it was missing the signage that they were looking for so I had to take a pic of each pump and submit them. Along with the other many pics they required. It took some time! And then I had to upload all of the pics? Not for $9!
I pick and choose which stations I do. My minimum is $15 plus reimbursement. These stations in my area generally have no convenience store, so that entire part of the evaluation is skipped.
Wow the Phillips 66 shops I did were $20 + $5 reimbursement.
I am waiting to hear back on counter offer. 
@jbarnes0226 wrote:
Wow the Phillips 66 shops I did were $20 + $5 reimbursement.
Wow, lucky you!!
Very infrequently shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado these days.
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