I dont perceive it as threatening... its literally a promise. They have not fulfilled their obligation to provide me with the resources necessary to do the job, have lied to me about when they shipped, and said it was up to me to track down a package that had not even been sent to my town yet. She has responded to none of my questions regarding the actual shop, I would rather just cancel the shop and not get paid, than do the the shop and not get paid because I couldnt do it properly due to their negligence. IE No Gift Cards for the Grocery Store, None of the required clothing, and no answers on what I should do with one shop that I took for them two days ago, but now she says must be done by Tuesday with no materials for that one. They also changed the procedure for being paid and did not inform me about that.

Also I appreciate the feedback Sybil. I really do. I know this stance with them may burn bridges, but I'm sure of my ability to get other ones, and also I dont need these jobs, its really just something to get me out of the house.

@mikehoughton2010 wrote:

Clearly you have an attitude problem, step off. Try not being rude C

Wow, dude! You need to step off. And what exactly is the C supposed to mean? Talk about an attitude!

The c was me typing on my phone and not correcting a typing error. That one is on me, but her attitude with her initial response is what in talking about.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/2016 05:51PM by mikehoughton2010.

@mikehoughton2010 wrote:

@SoCalMama wrote:

@mikehoughton2010 wrote:

Clearly you have an attitude problem, step off. Try not being rude C

OK. Good to know. I have an attitude problem.
You have a common sense problem. Why would you take cheap work like that from a company that is unresponsive? I was trying to give you information that you clearly don't have. I'm not new.

Cheap work? It pays 40 dollars for an hour. Explain the common sense problem. I read multiple threads about this company with mixed reviews. I sought advice on what to do, not an attitude from some troll. I dont care if you are new or not, I dont care that I have only done this a week, I know enough about life to know when someone can word a response with something useful and without rudeness.

Based on the amount of time you have wasted trying to get the required materials and responses to your emails, you are not getting $40 an hour. Additionally, you have been doing this for two weeks. Do you think that this is some sort of amazing job that they wanted to give to somebody who is completely new? They have thousands of shoppers who have been shopping for years. Why are they not scrambling to do these?

If you think that I am a troll or new, you would be wrong about that too.

@mikehoughton2010 wrote:

I appreciate that and all the positive responses. I want to do this as a hobby, I dont need to do it. I have a great job. Im going to wait to see if she responds again. If I dont hear anything before the date of the shop (now the 31st) I will just cancel and send back and write it off as a learning experience.

You clearly do not have the temperament for this kind of project. You should be professional and cancel the project now so the scheduler has enough time to find a reliable shopper to take over. Better yet, since many Intellishop schedulers read this forum, maybe your scheduler will see this thread and take matters into her own hands.

Mike,

Since you did your research on this MSC, you know that the reviews are mixed. You seem to be very perplexed when things didn't run 100% smoothly, but you really shouldn't be that surprised given all the prior threads about this issue, shop, and company. There are countless previous threads, which I'm sure you read since you researched this previously, that discuss communications issues.

To jump all over long lime forum members like SoCal and others just because they haven't jumped on your pity-party train shows poor taste. Your comments to SoCal rally deserves an apology.

My advice, either roll with the challenges you have encountered and do the job you signed up to do, or cancel it and move on. Either way, get over it. Yes, it sucks that things haven't worked out as planned for you, but you are literally preaching to the choir on issues that have been hashed and rehashed.

No. I Signed up for these and have done all the correspondence while I was doing other tasks or working. I've spent a total of 1 hr maybe between here and messaging here
..and that time I was multi tasking. They may have thousands of shoppers who have been doing these for years but I live in an isolated part of a barren state. There aren't thousands around here. Every shop I see on the ones I'm part of stays there for days.

You absolutely are trolling. No one said you were new. You said you weren't new, I commented that I didn't care if you were new or not... I'm not taking snark from some keyboard warrior.

I'll listen to advice and criticism all day long... As long as it comes out respectfully and not from some elitist web troll.

I won't apologize her initial response was a piss poor attempt at snark.
If I was rude to anyone else I do apologize, but I'm not going to apologize, to her until she realizes her initial response could have been worded a better way and got her point across. I'm not one for net tough guys or gals. I'll treat anyone with the same respect they treat me. I went back about 8 months on threads here.... So I definitely missed the ones from last year. But that's also why there is such a forum...for people to come and get advice or seek answers... Everyone else in this thread has been remarkable. Except her.

@mikehoughton2010 wrote:

Also I appreciate the feedback Sybil. I really do. I know this stance with them may burn bridges, but I'm sure of my ability to get other ones, and also I dont need these jobs, its really just something to get me out of the house.

Why don't you do volunteer work then? Maybe helping out other people would give you an attitude adjustment.

How in the blue blazes do I have an attitude because I responded to someone being snarky with me? Seriously read her respond and tell me legitimately how that response was laced with attitude.

And I do plenty of volunteer work..... Plenty. I also make numerous charitable contributions...I have a fine attitude until poked.

@mikehoughton2010 wrote:

How in the blue blazes do I have an attitude because I responded to someone being snarky with me? Seriously read her respond and tell me legitimately how that response was laced with attitude.

Well, you are talking to the Queen of Snark so SoCalMama's initial response was just a blip on the radar. Your follow-up posts have been rude to most people reading this thread. Time for you to get over yourself.

Some examples please? Go ahead I'll wait.

@Sybil2 wrote:

@mikehoughton2010 wrote:

I appreciate that and all the positive responses. I want to do this as a hobby, I dont need to do it. I have a great job. Im going to wait to see if she responds again. If I dont hear anything before the date of the shop (now the 31st) I will just cancel and send back and write it off as a learning experience.

You clearly do not have the temperament for this kind of project. You should be professional and cancel the project now so the scheduler has enough time to find a reliable shopper to take over. Better yet, since many Intellishop schedulers read this forum, maybe your scheduler will see this thread and take matters into her own hands.

The right kind of temperament? Because I want answers on where the rest of the required material is, why I was lied to, and what I am supposed to do about the seventh shop? Please oh great and mighty Sybil show me the way? Now I'm being rude...I work for a Fortune 300 company. I expect a decent amount of professionalism and follow through with a project. If I make a mistake on a shop I would be reprimanded. Why shouldn't there be some level of expected responsibility on their end? Seriously. You have a lot of attitude but no actual answers here.... Please provide some...

@mikehoughton2010 wrote:

How in the blue blazes do I have an attitude because I responded to someone being snarky with me? Seriously read her respond and tell me legitimately how that response was laced with attitude.

Stuff happens. Sometimes it's a comedy of errors. Sometimes it's just that you thought something would be easy and it wasn't. Sometimes you thought the job would be one you would love and you hated it. As you work longer as a mystery shopper, you will realize not every shop is successful. Sometimes it is because the MSC does something incompetent, sometimes the post office/Fed Ex is incompetent, and sometimes you will make a mistake. You will get the "feel" for what shops are a PITA, which are too time-consuming to make money, and which you simply won't enjoy. But, even when you are experienced, sometimes it just won't come together.

Keep in mind that you are running your own small business, working as a independent contractor. The MSC is your customer. Even if the MSC employee seems rude, it would benefit you in the long run to be gracious, polite, and professional. While this particular project may be a total loss, you may want to create a good impression with the company so you will qualify for future work. And how you handle a bad situation might be a reference for you that is given by this company to other companies.

Just as we shoppers have this mystery shopping forum and we name company names and describe our experiences, MSC schedulers have a Schedulers Forum on Volition.com. They name names on their forum and describe situations. On our forum, anyone, including schedulers and editors, can read what we post. On the Scheduler Forum, shoppers are excluded. My point is that the company can read on our forum what you say about them. You will not be able to read on their forum what they say about you. It pays to keep it positive. Just saying.

@mikehoughton2010 wrote:

Some examples please? Go ahead I'll wait.

You can read, can't you? Read the forum. It is full of snark. I am sure you are well on your way to becoming one of PCB's Snowflake and Cupcake Brigade.

Ahh so no examples if me being rude to anyone other SoCal and now you.

If BubbaBubba has all this mystery shopping wisdom, why are so many of his posts being moderated and quickly getting smaller and smaller? Things that make you go hmmmm.

That's ok Bubba. I read it and appreciate the words of wisdom. Im still waiting for Sybil to provide me any evidence of me being rude to anyone other than socal, and then her after she copped a 'tude

I like Intelli-Shop but there are issues with communication from them, Truth. Shannon and a few others are terrific about replying to ?, but there are others who do not bother replying at all or reply days later. This does not make for a good working relationship when communications are ignored.

Thanks. I appreciate the reply

Maybe you can call someone else on the team to try to get answers?
IntelliShop
2025 Michael Owens Way, Perrysburg, OH 43551
(419) 872-5103

@sbobgal wrote:

Maybe you can call someone else on the team to try to get answers?
IntelliShop
2025 Michael Owens Way, Perrysburg, OH 43551
(419) 872-5103

Thanks so much. I got ahold of them and the receptionist explained the situation to me, and will have the scheduler email me. I will obviously be apologizing once I receive that email.

Did you get the issue resolved? A lot of times I just keep calling until I get someone. The receptionists are usually very keen and helpful on these snafus.

@sbobgal wrote:

Did you get the issue resolved? A lot of times I just keep calling until I get someone. The receptionists are usually very keen and helpful on these snafus.

The receptionist was wonderful. Explained the whole thing to me. They ran out of hats and visors, I won't be in the hook for them. They noted how many cards I was sent versus what the letter said.
I also am allowed to leave after I give out my two cards for each location.
Sadly of the 5 I have done today I was only able to give out three cards so far. :/
One employee did try to hustle for one...its a good story l'll post later.

I've had good luck with them. I did run into a snag using the site to get a reply, but when I went through a specific person that I saw an email from, good reply, quickly. They said that I could skip the khakis and wear black pants if I needed to and they said that since they forgot to ship a hat or vest, to just put on a ball cap if I had one and use my safety vest from a regular gas station visit. Had some good experiences so far, honestly. And some shops where places were shut down-- they still paid me. Overall, good experience in the 2 years I've been at this part time.

PS YOURE NEW!!! Here's what I do-- I have a book of shop info at my house. I took an address book -- one of the nice thick ones with plenty of pages and I sorted my shopper sites out using it by alphabetical order. I also bought a pack of post it tab notes to add my own tabs and I use that to A) put my shopper info and shops I've done with success and high pay and 2) list company associates. Sometimes a shop associates/scheduler who isn't yours can help you out immensely when you have a need. I go to S and I have shopmetrics-- SHoppers Critique, Strategic Reflections and so forth. C has Coyle, T has Trendsource blah blah and I have a few schedulers, phone numbers, and emails listed that have worked out for me! I bought it at the Dollar Tree for $1.06.