There are three MSCs that I have a bunch of shop applications with that haven't been approved.

I've gone more than a week without approval or update before. Is a week considered standard or does that seem long?

What's the reason they go so long without a response? Just everyone being busy? Or, maybe preferred shoppers getting priority? etc.?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/2017 03:03PM by shoptastic.

In some cases, I'm sure they may be just busy and applications sit. In other cases, it could be that the client has put a "hold" on the shop and they are going to be performed a bit later than the date in the initial application.

In most cases, I would say the scheduler is fishing for the best he can get. If he thinks he can do better, the scheduler can leave the posting sitting. If the shop just sits there with only one or two applications, the scheduler might settle on the one who applied. Typically, "preferred" shoppers are those who have a proven track record of success. They do get priority, because it is good business to work with the best possible candidate for a job.

Shoptastic, each MSC has its own shopping schedules. I'm not sure about your applications that haven't been approved. I deal with my schedulers most of the time or self-assign. I'm not sure that I understand your approval, either you get the shop or you don't. Schedulers want the shops done as soon as possible. I request shops ahead, give the dates and locations where I will be and usually receive a response within a day or two.

"Best possible candidate" is a phrase shoppers puff up their egos with. It's code for "pet." Most shops are simple enough for any shopper to accomplish. Outside of a handful of shops, it's not difficult at all to complete a shop. Applications sit because schedulers wait for their favorites to get a chance to apply, because they've assigned the shop and hold your application as a back-up, or because they don't need all the posted locations shopped. I couldn't care less what schedulers do, it's their job and they do what works for them. They'll fill a shop with any warm body when they need to. But the apps that sit waiting aren't because they are waiting for super shopper to apply.

This is business, not grade school. If the scheduler wanted a specific shopper, they would contact that shopper directly, not post the job with the hopes they apply. If you believe most shops are easy enough, spend some time reading about all the screw ups or the shoppers who feel the guidelines don't apply to them or editors having to completely rewrite reports. I agree this business is not rocket science, but disagree just anyone can do it and do it well.

@shopper8 wrote:

I'm not sure that I understand your approval, either you get the shop or you don't. Schedulers want the shops done as soon as possible. I request shops ahead, give the dates and locations where I will be and usually receive a response within a day or two.

Some MSCs don't have self-assign for some projects they offer. Instead, I only see "apply."

In those cases when I've clicked apply, I'll see the shop pending approval for over a week sometimes with no response. At the same time it's pending, I'll get emails saying there are open shops to choose. I'll look and it's the same one I've already submitted an application for. I've had it where I've gone multipel days seeing emails for those same locations I just applied for with no response.

Granted, I was a new shopper in each case and hadn't completed a single shop yet. So maybe they wanted an experienced shopper and didn't want to assign me or were super busy and couldn't get around to assigning people yet.

So I dunno. Just thought it was weird. I didn't want to email a scheduler with a duplicate request. I figure if I already clicked on "apply" that I didn't want to annoy a scheduler asking if I could get the location, b/c I assumed they already could see someone (me) had applied for it.

Shopper8 was describing being proactive in getting shops rather than just letting an application sit. It is too hard to just cobble together assignments across multiple companies because dates and/or locations rarely match up. I don't want to apply for a bunch of jobs in a specific area only to end up being assigned one. To prevent it happening it takes contacting the scheduler directly to let them know it is a package deal, all or nothing, and that I will be in the area on a specific date.

I see this quite often with certain companies. I have worked for them for a long time. Maybe they are hoping someone new will take those locations. A new set of eyes as opposed to me month after month.
I can only guess why the applications sit, but it is certainly normal for some companies.

@shoptastic wrote:

@shopper8 wrote:

I'm not sure that I understand your approval, either you get the shop or you don't. Schedulers want the shops done as soon as possible. I request shops ahead, give the dates and locations where I will be and usually receive a response within a day or two.

Some MSCs don't have self-assign for some projects they offer. Instead, I only see "apply."

In those cases when I've clicked apply, I'll see the shop pending approval for over a week sometimes with no response. At the same time it's pending, I'll get emails saying there are open shops to choose. I'll look and it's the same one I've already submitted an application for. I've had it where I've gone multipel days seeing emails for those same locations I just applied for with no response.

Granted, I was a new shopper in each case and hadn't completed a single shop yet. So maybe they wanted an experienced shopper and didn't want to assign me or were super busy and couldn't get around to assigning people yet.

So I dunno. Just thought it was weird. I didn't want to email a scheduler with a duplicate request. I figure if I already clicked on "apply" that I didn't want to annoy a scheduler asking if I could get the location, b/c I assumed they already could see someone (me) had applied for it.

Coyle is famous for letting their jobs sit and sit...they schedule far out and have the time. I need to know ASAP, and being sought after is the best way. They want to assign and get the jobs done, so your waiting a week doesn't seem right for the majority of MSC's. Do some difficult to assign jobs and prove yourself, once proven your reliable and follow instructions, you will be able to self-assign. I don't understand what your saying, have you gotten a few jobs and can't get more, or are you a total newbie? Can you self-assign anything?

@shoptastic wrote:

What's the reason they go so long without a response? Just everyone being busy? Or, maybe preferred shoppers getting priority? etc.?

There could be many legitimate reasons. Based on the timing of your question, I would suggest a very simple one. It's the end of the second quarter. The only more stressful time of the year for most schedulers is the end of the 4th quarter. Monthly projects are ending, quarterly projects are ending, and some year long projects that run July - June are ending. If you have applied for July shops the schedulers are probably not the slightest bit interested in looking at those applications yet.

It could also be a simply priority thing. Most shops have a monthly window or quarterly window. Most schedulers focus on monthly shops (because they have less time) and assign quarterly shops during down time. If you applied for quarterly shops this could be the case.

You mentioned you were new to these MSCs. It's very possible that you are in an area with many shoppers. I think you have mentioned before that you live in a city of 500k. There are probably several established shoppers there. It may not be that the schedulers have favorites there, but it could be that they have plenty of shoppers they know are good and don't have a need to cultivate another one. Since you have not worked for them before they are most likely simply waiting to see if an established shopper asks for it.

It's at this point that I would suggest to a shopper who wouldn't reply by calling me a jerk and telling me to shut up that perhaps being proactive instead of reactive would yield better results.

It's very reasonable and dare I say kind, of you, bgriffin to continue providing explanations and context at this point.

It is essential that someone provide context, since so much editing has been performed by others.

@CoffeeQueen wrote:

It's very reasonable and dare I say kind, of you, bgriffin to continue providing explanations and context at this point.

I think I'm just a glutton for punishment. :/

@bgriffin wrote:

It's at this point that I would suggest to a shopper who wouldn't reply by calling me a jerk and telling me to shut up that perhaps being proactive instead of reactive would yield better results.

Why do you have to do this stuff?

You've needled me before with unnecessary comments like that and should know I dislike it, so why STILL do stuff like this?

edit: I'm aware of being proactive vs. reactive. Right now, it's more important that I resolve interpersonal things rather than mystery shopping, b/c I won't be focused on anything business-related when there are moral and "people" issues involved.

I can learn about mystery shopping in time. That doesn't bother me if I don't know everything right now. What does bother me is rudeness, insults, people needing to get the last word and insult/needle others, etc.

edit 2: What I mean is, if you're in the wrong for having a history of messing with me or being rude, why seemingly try to take the "upper-hand" or "high ground" and make it seem like everything is my fault and I'm the one whose done all this wrong stuff?

I called you a jerk and told you to shut up b/c of the way you spoke to me. I'll deal with that in a post later. But if you wanted to talk about that incident, it should be done separately. Why throw in a jab like tjat?

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2017 12:19AM by shoptastic.

@shoptastic,

Is it possible that you are out of rotation for some shop and the scheduler is waiting for you to become eligible again? If you are close to eligible, they might wait to see what happens with other shoppers and the waiting time for you. Yes? No?

"Right now, it's more important that I resolve interpersonal things..........."

Okay, so edify us. What is it going to take to resolve all these interpersonal issues?

I'm still waiting for an apology for saying I put in both the client and MSC....I answered your accusation, please,
answer. Having interpersonal issues is a real thing, then why come on asking more questions you really don't care about. Scratching head and wondering what I'm missing.
Want to stay out, but, temptation got the best of me....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2017 12:48AM by Irene_L.A..

@shoptastic wrote:

@bgriffin wrote:

It's at this point that I would suggest to a shopper who wouldn't reply by calling me a jerk and telling me to shut up that perhaps being proactive instead of reactive would yield better results.

edit 2: What I mean is, if you're in the wrong for having a history of messing with me or being rude, why seemingly try to take the "upper-hand" or "high ground" and make it seem like everything is my fault and I'm the one whose done all this wrong stuff?

I called you a jerk and told you to shut up b/c of the way you spoke to me. I'll deal with that in a post later. But if you wanted to talk about that incident, it should be done separately. Why throw in a jab like tjat?

Hey, bg

I apologize for the post above. I shouldn't have said, "...having a history of messing with me or being rude..." in it, b/c I might have you mixed up with someone else. I'm not sure. I have been attacked by so many people that I think it's all a blur sometimes. I have to go back and find what each individual said (although, I know some of the stuff specifically, I don't always have a good recollection of the exact poster).

I do recall a post you made previously that bothered me, but it probably wasn't for rudeness so much as mistaking my position on something and speaking to me in a way that bothered me. I'll try to address that later, but wanted to first apologize for possibly ascribing to you things that were not done by you.

I'm sorry and shall get back to you/others later on when things are more cool.

You're welcome for the well thought out and easy to understand explanation of the issue you are having.

Speaking from experience there were two MSC's that I would continously apply to and never got accepted or eventually the app would just fall off being undone. One day I applied for one assignment, but it was again given to someone else. Later in the week the original person cancelled and the scheduler reached out to me and I accepted and completed the assignment with perfection. I have been getting jobs with them ever since. Like someone else said with some MSC's you have to prove yourself until you are able to self assign. Don't ever be afraid to reach out in appropriate circumstances as well.

never mind.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2017 01:50AM by CoffeeQueen.

Op
If your new to the msc reach out to scheduler and sell yourself.
Ex although I have yet to shop for you I have been shopping for several other mscs and such and such a time. I was wondering if you could assign me shop abc for date xyz.
This often has worked for me when working for a new msc although there are very few I have not worked for nowadays. The scheduler is either on the email sent on the job or sometime in the job description on the job board. This is one way of being proactive.

Once you have done jobs and have a relationship with an msc or scheduler that is when you can start asking for bonuses even when none are listed.
Ex I see job so and so and could help you out if you could add a bonus of $x. I would do it on date xyz.

Remember this is a business and sometimes you will get acceptances, sometimes refusals, and sometimes counter offers. It is the counteroffers that you need to know where you stand willing to come down and meet in the middle or forced to stand your ground. Sometimes you may even counter a counter offer. The hardest one for you may end up being the few who won't respond to your offer.

At the end of the day try to remember it's just business.

OP,
You get excellent advice here. Virtually everyone who is replying is saying, in essence, don't be surprised that you will have to be proactive in order to gain what you desire.

OP, folks are providing real answers to your question. You are ignoring those responses and reacting to perceived insults instead. Plus, you can't keep the players straight. Your quote: "I have to go back and find what each individual said " Why? I can't imagine wasting time doing research on anonymous posters who pissed me off. The need to keep your anger fresh is puzzling. Everyone who posts on any forum will get responses they didn't anticipate and probably don't like. If you can't accept that as fact, then don't ask for advice. Being a lurker is beneficial. Or if you feel the need to post, stick to "best burger" and "best breakfast" posts so that you won't be personally insulted by the responses.