Experienced Shoppers - Can I Do This?

I'm writing a paper on mystery shopping, providing some guidelines. Can I include the MSC if I am only mentioning the type of industry that the MSC has shops for? The only reason I ask is because there are some MSC's that are begging for shoppers in certain industries. Of course the Client nor the location would be provided. The shopper would have course have to sign up with the MSC to get the full information. Trying to help out the schedulers here. My understanding is that this is not a violation of the ICA. But I want to be sure.

When you learn, teach, when you get, give. Maya Angelou


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2017 10:59PM by CureMS.

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writing paper for what? school? newspaper? online? not sure why you'd want to create more competition for yourself. r u getting paid to recruit new shoppers for the msc? i totally keep my mouth shut when it comes to this biz.
Yes, you can, for sure, mention what MSCs do shops in what industries. We do that all the time on the forums and it happens openly at shopper conferences.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
@MSNinja wrote:

writing paper for what? school? newspaper? online? not sure why you'd want to create more competition for yourself. r u getting paid to recruit new shoppers for the msc? i totally keep my mouth shut when it comes to this biz.
It's to present at the IMSC conference. I't;s not recruiting. Plus I don't mind sharing. So many shoppers have shared with me shops that I really like. And I know of shoppers that have been given shops that I wanted (BG), but I don't mind. There's still more work around here than we all can do.

When you learn, teach, when you get, give. Maya Angelou
I TAKE EVERYONE'S SHOPS!!!!
When did I take a shop you wanted? :/

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
@CureMS wrote:

@MSNinja wrote:

writing paper for what? school? newspaper? online? not sure why you'd want to create more competition for yourself. r u getting paid to recruit new shoppers for the msc? i totally keep my mouth shut when it comes to this biz.
It's to present at the IMSC conference. I't;s not recruiting. Plus I don't mind sharing. So many shoppers have shared with me shops that I really like. And I know of shoppers that have been given shops that I wanted (BG), but I don't mind. There's still more work around here than we all can do.

This is so much me. I will not do all the shops near here or in places I like to go. I believe that some people would be excellent as shoppers or in other roles in this industry. I don't mind telling them about it. Since I am cutting way back on assignments, I am not concerned about competition. Why not try to match people with gigs?

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu
Guess what! Many of us view other shoppers as colleague rather than as competition.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
You took several of my shops! Although, they weren't in my area and I really didn't know I wanted them, until you took them.

@bgriffin wrote:

I TAKE EVERYONE'S SHOPS!!!!
When did I take a shop you wanted? :/
it wouldve been helpful if op said that shes presenting at imsc conference instead of just writing random paper. i honestly thought it was for school. networking in biz setting is totally different than randomly telling people on the street what u do.
i remember reading that mser tried to recruit homeless people for msing so they could earn money. realistically how would most homeless be a good recruit. not always able to take shower or have clean clothes. computer or internet or cell phone or car? no perm address. public libraries arent open 24/7 & many have much shorter hours & not open every day anymore.
@MSNinja wrote:

i remember reading that mser tried to recruit homeless people for msing so they could earn money. realistically how would most homeless be a good recruit. not always able to take shower or have clean clothes. computer or internet or cell phone or car? no perm address. public libraries arent open 24/7 & many have much shorter hours & not open every day anymore.

Hmm. These are good points. I have not attempted to recruit a "homeless" person for this industry because I am not certain of who is and is not homeless. I strongly suspect that some people who "look homeless" are testing the types and numbers of responses to their appeals and reporting this information to researchers or including it in school papers. But I am not heartless. In fact, I wonder if some truly homeless persons do this job and be paid and/or otherwise compensated for their time, expertise, and contribution to sociological or anthropological documentation of this aspect of homelessness for some persons in some places? Debriefs could be as simple as oral conversations with talented interviewers. Payment could involve money, meals, or something useful and meaningful for contributors. This is such an individualized thing in that all homeless persons are unique and have rights. Don't some of them have a strong underlying or overarching intelligence that has burned out or otherwise been diminished by other types of living and demands? Aren't some truly homeless people bored with the "typical" society" and over time have preferred perceived benefits of homelessness? Anyway, accessing them would be a delicate undertaking. But could it be done?

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/2017 03:43PM by Shop-et-al.
@MSNinja wrote:

it wouldve been helpful if op said that shes presenting at imsc conference instead of just writing random paper. i honestly thought it was for school. networking in biz setting is totally different than randomly telling people on the street what u do.

Sorry about that Ninja. I should have said presentation. You're a good "editor" lol.

When you learn, teach, when you get, give. Maya Angelou
Cure,
And YOU are a most understanding person!

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Pessimistic optimist or optimistic pessimist. One is never disappointed, and the other is always.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2017 08:12PM by 2stepps.
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