I absolutely LOVE when editors don't read the directions to a shop.(Sarcasm) I know we are all human and we are prone to mistakes. I just had a shop with rather strange instructions. I'm trying not to give away too much but the shop was for an apartment community. It was targeted but I was suppose to ask for a particular person in addition to the actual target. The instructions were so strange that the scheduler called me and explained them to me. His response was "Why the client didn't just put this in the instructions, I don't know." Before ending our call, I asked for clarity, "So do I complete the shop on XYZ?" The scheduler verified that information.

The day I went to complete the shop, I verified through the written instructions again. A couple of weeks go by and the editor emails me and tells me that the shop is being cancelled because the directions weren't followed. I racked my brain to try to see what I had missed out on. I finally decided to give the scheduler a call. Once again he verified the information to be correct and that I had followed through on my end. He stated that he was going to email the editor as well. The shop was approved but no word from the editor. No "Sorry." or anything.

I could be making this more than what it is but it makes me wander if they purposely want our shops to fail.

It sounds to me that the editor did not get the same information that you got. If part of the shop was explained to you over the phone, there would be no way for her/him to know. The sorry is that the correct information is not in the Guidelines.

That's just the thing, I went in and reread the instructions prior to visiting. The editor read it wrong. The email said, "You were supposed to ask for ________ and shop that person. Since you did not shop this person, your shop will be cancelled without pay."

The actual shop instructions stated to "shop (Target) and at some point ask for ______ to ask a question." The client thought that this particular person was making themselves unavailable purposely. The point was to see if when I ask for them, they would be unavailable and the video would back it up.

Schedulers and editors do not have to read the guidelines. They are not the Shopper. The Schedulers/editors have in front of them a form of the Clients requirements. They go down the list and check things off. That is why when a Shopper calls and asked for clarification, the Scheduler says---->"Just do what the guidelines says, that is what the Client wants."

I have tested this theory many times by giving the Scheduler by password to my account so that she could see and read what I was seeing. It was still what the client wants but at least she was able to see confusion of statements.

The Scheduler/Editor on the phone, is probably not the same one who graded your report, nor did they pass on your concerns. Reading the guidelines is a good idea, for them, but don't hold your breath.

I was an editor for two different MSCs and we always followed the guidelines, sojo.

In my experience, there have also been many times when the editors were not informed that the guidelines had changed, leading to rejected shops based on faulty information. In addition, there have been a few times when the shop guideline attached to MY assignment had not been changed when guidelines were updated. So, I followed MY outdated guideline. Shop rejected. In all such cases, once I got the scheduler and/or project manager involved, the MSC paid me, even if they could not use the shop report due to THEIR mix-up. We need to read the guidelines every time; we also need to be proactive and act professionally when Murphy's Law attacks. (To be clear, I am NOT accusing the OP of being unprofessional!)

What one MSC editor/scheduler does not necessarily mean all editors does. I am a shopper for several different MSCs and I always read my guidelines, whether there is confusion within or not.

I did a phone shop that involved calling Whole Foods for a holiday meal. The guidelines stated that you must call between so and so times, along with the scenario and additional questions. I have done several of these. One editor, however, rejected my shop since they said it was 3 hours past the stated time to call. I doubled check my notes when I called. I called within the slotted time period. I emailed the editor and said that I called within the time period and that I was in the Pacific time zone. The editor still stood by her decision. I emailed the scheduler and informed her of the situation. The scheduler said to approve the shop but the editor still maintained that my report was performed 3 hours late. It made me think, did this editor think there was only one time zone?

I'm sorry to hear about your experience with the editor who has difficulty with telling time. I find that some editors are just plain ignorant and it has to be their way. It's unfortunate because it affects us. I have to remind myself to pick and choose which battles I want to fight with the editor. Is it worth it to fight it or just let it go. I think you made the right choice.