Has anyone else received information regarding the availability of JobSlinger's new IC PRO registration for shoppers? I saw it mentioned today on Sassie sites that I was using. It's free, and is touted as a way to get more shops.

Thoughts?

I saw it today, twice. Haven't had time to investigate exactly what it is.

I saw it yesterday while applying for a shop with a Sassie company. I didn't do it yet, but I bookmarked the link in case I want to go back to it.

I tried to complete it, but it takes you to the jobslinger plus sign up site.

The jobslinger site is fantastic, tried the plus for awhile, but It was a cost.. the free one you can still use. This shows jobs from other companies that need shoppers. The jobslinger plus had a fee when I tried it.. maybe i will check it out again.. it is a very cool application.

The way I see it is that the government wants to be able to track the earnings of mystery shoppers from one general site. It is possible that shoppers work for many different companies and never make $500 from just one commpany. Thus, the income is not reported to the IRS. This is sassie companies way of keeping shoppers as IC's and not employees. Sassie can appease the IRS and submit incomes from ALL sassie companies as a whole. Of course, we ALL want to pay our taxes...but I haven't enough information to decide if this is good for me.

Sassie cannot, by law, report shopper earnings, period. This is a new idea that has some merit, unlike the self-serving MSPA requests that we all lobby our members of Congress to defeat an update to the laws concerning independent contractors. MSPA is worried that they might have to treat their schedulers as employees if the law is strengthened, and are using scare tactics to encourage shoppers to think that we are endangered by the proposed amendments. In contrast, the IC Pro concept provides even stronger evidence that each of us recognizes and accepts our IC status as shoppers.

SASSIE is only a tool for reporting shops and Jobslinger.com is only a job board. In neither case are they the responsible payer for work done so IRS would not give much of a hoot what they say or have on their records. It does, however, allow ABC company the opportunity to support their claim that Suzy Shopper is not an employee because she works with multiple companies. This has always been one of the basic requirements for an IC as opposed to controlled employee. Many companies already address this issue by asking on applications for you to name other companies you currently work with.

I have tried signing up for this since I first saw it posted here, but for some reason it won't accept my information. I am registered with Jobslinger and have tried to contact the company with my situation, but keep getting the same answer you're doing it wrong. The last response I got from them was not very pleasant as it included several words in all capital letters.

The problem seems to be with my SS#, but it hasn't changed and sassieshop doesn't have a problem with it. Any ideas who I can contact and get this resolved?

Went back and tried again and all my information was accepted, so I'm in.

I had the same problem with the soc number being accepted. The system says it needs to be verified with another Sassie company. Several Sassie companies have verified me before...so not sure what the issue is. Maybe they are verifying with social security database? The IRS?

Copied and pasted this explanation from their FAQ's "Why do I need to register" (https://www.jobslinger.com/ICPro)

****
In a nutshell, registering for Independent Contractor Pro status will:

* Get you more shops (especially over other shoppers who aren't IC PRO) - the higher your IC Pro rating, the more likely that you'll receive shops.

* Help keep your shop fees as high as possible

* Help the entire mystery shopping industry (and the shoppers, the MS Companies and the companies that pay for mystery shopping) stay profitable and thriving as a whole

At the federal and state level, government agencies are challenging independent contractor status ("IC" status) in many industries. By declaring more workers as employees instead of IC's, these government agencies can collect more taxes and other revenues from you (as mystery shoppers) and mystery shopping companies.

While mystery shopping is not the intended target of this pending legislation, our industry is in definite danger of getting caught up unless action is taken from all sides.

This is why mystery shopping companies are giving preferential treatment to shoppers who support keeping the mystery shopping industry as free as possible by declaring themselves as mystery shopping professionals running independent businesses.

IC Pro registration is 100% free!

ijdk, marcia and others,
There is a thread on another forum where the jobslinger folks are working with and explaining the kinks in the system. The Social Security Admin does NOT verify SSNs for such purposes, nor does the IRS.

* Help keep your shop fees as high as possible

Could you explain ijdk? I thought this is a supply and demand thing. If noone take the shop, the pay may go higher. If someone took the shop at $3, then too bad...

I have yet to see the details on how it gets me more jobs and better fees.

I sort of figure it is feeding the pet paranoia of the MSPA. Obviously if ICA status goes out the window they are going to need to figure out how to hire shoppers as employees all over the country. And for that shoppers would need to be paid minimum wage, be covered by worker's comp, etc. etc. When I first started shopping 40+ years ago it was as a part time employee of a local market research firm. Things evolve. The notion that any change is a disaster is poppycock. It just means that new ways of doing business must emerge.

I haven't yet read the other thread mentioned by Walesmaven, sorry if it's covered, but...

Is there any danger in giving all personal information to this and other sites? I upgraded to IC PRO, giving them my Company Name, Logo, Address, EIN and filing status. Roboform has my entire log in's and form information.
Not sure what other "time saving" sites I've recently added, but I'm getting the "Big Brother" scary feeling.

Yes, I voluntarily signed up for IC PRO, and I voluntarily authorized them to generate statements and to verify my EIN, and I can just as easily remove my authorization -- I'm not asking anyone to judge my decision either way.
What I AM asking:

1. Is there any real danger, and if so, what is the danger (other than fraud)
2. What, if any, negative repercussions may develop (other than fraud/ID theft)
3. How does this increase my jobs? I already use an EIN; do MSC's need Jobslinger for that?
4. What's in it for Jobslinger?


Also, there are many MSC's who refuse to use my EIN, much to the dismay of my CPA. My SS# is still being used, with income reported outside of the business.

I think this is an interesting topic with lots of potential repercussions for us all.
What are everyone’s thoughts on this?

I am only at 60% of out 100, because it will not accept my SS (worth 30%), and I cannot seem to design a logo (worth 10%).

Carol

This is what is on the website regarding getting more jobs; "Mystery shopping companies will give shops to you (operating as a professional independent business) instead of a much riskier shopper who operates less professionally as an undeclared individual".

I don't know, to me it seems they are saying if we do not sign up for IC Pro, we are less professional and will not get jobs because of this. Unless I am being me again and reading too much (or too little) into something. If that is what they mean, it is a little offensive. I would want to know much more about it before I signed up. Their explanation on the site is still fairly vague.

I got 100% ( yippee) and it still doesn't show up on my profile that I registered all my information on IC PRO. Not even with the MSC's who are touting its praise, and I'm not getting any other offers.

Maybe it's a work in progress, but so far I'm not convinced that there's any benefit to me.

Carol,
Why don't you take them up on their offer to design a logo.
I was thinking of letting them design a logo for my company, just to see what they came up with -- My advertising company designs logos for $500 a clip, so a free logo is quite the deal.

I have tried to let one of the logos work. It will not upload. But at least that's better than a couple of days ago when I couldn't even see the site to upload. Maybe they are gradually working out the kinks. I bet those of us on the West Coast will be last, ha ha.

I'm a little skeptical about the value of this, as well as the reason for it. Until I find out more info., think I'll pass.

Is it basically just used for Sassie companies?

One of life's great mysteries :^)

Yes, at least at the moment, it's a Sassie thing.

I'm going to pass on this until it until and unless it shows itself to be worth it.

The signup page has the Volition name on it, which makes me suspicious. I'm not inclined to do anything that might enrich Ray Sola.

I would like to enrich Ray's butt with a boot mark.

Since we are not paying for anything, how are we enriching anyone? On another forum there is a Q&A about who, if anyone paid for or is making money with this. You might read before jumping to confusions.

It's strange that most posts on "the other forum" have taken a different tack.

I don't find it 'strange'. It really is a different environment when a forum is moderated.