I did the shop that pays well - 55.00 from Cirrius. You have to go to a well-known store - world-wide and shop and report the teeny weeny, itsy bitsy details, down to whether the credit card application machine is working!
I did get an extension, BUT, I have an issue - and the scheduler is working hard to work with me on this. I can't finish the shop, since it's the ONE issue I can't remember what she told me to do.
Its about the returns.
ARRRGH. I'm exhausted. This store is a PITA to work anyways... even to just shop period!
Any insight? Do these folks really pay the fee? If I can get past this, and know that they will come through, well hopefully it will all be worth it!!
Thanks all!

There is a lot of discussion about this shop under the actual client's name, which, of course, I can't mention here in connection with the MSP. But search for the client and you will see this is a shop most of us would never do.

You picked a toughie my dear, and good luck. Many of us refuse to do that shop, considering the hours it takes, the $55.00 fee isn't nealy enough, and the job will come back to haunt you!!

AustinMom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There is a lot of discussion about this shop under
> the actual client's name, which, of course, I
> can't mention here in connection with the MSP.
> But search for the client and you will see this is
> a shop most of us would never do.


OK I'm new here. Question: If you can't mention the client's name how are (we) the new people to know to stay away from them?, and who is MSP?

sdaugh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> AustinMom Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > There is a lot of discussion about this shop
> under
> > the actual client's name, which, of course, I
> > can't mention here in connection with the MSP.
> > But search for the client and you will see this
> is
> > a shop most of us would never do.
>
>
> OK I'm new here. Question: If you can't mention
> the client's name how are (we) the new people to
> know to stay away from them?, and who is MSP?

We can mention the MSP and we can mention the client but not in the same thread. That violates the agreements that the MSPs require shoppers to sign. The client is irrelevant to some degree if what you are interested in is whether a MSP is one you should work for. My best advice is to apply for companies but before accepting a shop with one you have not worked for before, search all dates for that MSP and see what other shoppers have said about them. We have differing opinions on some: some of us love an MSP, others hate that same MSP. HOWEVER, if you read "never again" posted from multiple shoppers or "they don't pay" ....... stay away.

An MSP is a 'Mystery Shop Provider' also referred to sometimes as the 'company' or the 'MSC'. It is the folks who put the shops out there and pay us to do them. The 'client' is who hired the MSP to do the shops.

When you sign up with a company you sign an Independent Contractor Agreement (ICA) that is an agreement that includes agreeing to not disclose confidential information. I'm sure that Cirrus (the MSP for these shops) is not thrilled to have us refer to them as their $55 shops because that alone is a 'tell' about the shop. (And frankly I have not seen or heard of other shops from them.) But the 'quick and dirty' way to deal with the confidentiality issue is to not name the company and client in the same thread. If you read around the forum, you will figure out who the client is. That is part of the research all of us do all of the time. Now there is no point in using the "Search" feature here for "Cirrus", as at least in theory, no shopper has named the client in the same thread as that company was named.

What does make sense is to make some notes to yourself that if you sign up with Cirrus and are offered a $55 job, look very very closely before you decide to accept it. And in general, when you are offered a job that seems to pay too well from a company you have not worked with before, use the Search feature to find other shopper experience with the client and/or company.

I suspect that I won't do it again. It's been a number of days since I completed the shop - I haven't heard back from them either by phone or email.
Since the shop was completed Monday, and now it's Friday - I'm hoping that I'm in the clear on this.

WHAT?? They paid 70 for this shop before? Blah to that!!

AND should I edit my post to delete the company name?

No, you are fine on the company name since the client has not been listed--besides, you mentioned the company first so it would be the next guy who would be in violation ;-)

I have seen the shops as high as $75. They are known to be a bear. Not too terribly long ago they supposedly revised them to be 'easier' but I gather that has still not set folks on fire to do them.

I am glad I checked this board before I took that shop. I love shopping at the store it is at though. I have not heard of anybody enjoying this particular assignment.

Hey, they finally finished grading my shop - I received an -8- I'm actually delighted with that. Only one question about the shop by the editor and that was it.

While I usually receive 9's and 10's on my shop grades with other companies - I'm pleased with this one. It's involved - I won't do this shop again.

Do I need to worry about them contacting me about details still? Once this is graded aren't I done?

If the client is unhappy or has questions about the shop it could be referred back to the company and the company might still contact you, but that is rare with any shop. So basically you can consider yourself done.

Thanks Flash.. I've been doing MS for a little over five years and really haven't had issues after the shop is graded. However, with this particular shop, and the money they pay - well, I had concerns.
I'm getting more and more calls from other companies - I had avoided this shop for a long time. Now I know why and I probably won't do it again.

Easier ways to make money.

Yup, and if you have been doing it this long you are also obviously not getting a bunch of editor questions every whip stitch. I hope the questions from your editor were legitimate rather than 'power play' questions. I have absolutely no problem with answering legitimate questions, but when they are nonsense to hear themselves squeek, I tend to ignore that company in the future.

It was a totally legit question - I have my own short-hand - well my own short-hand abbreviations made it on to the form that I input - so I had to answer that question. That was the only one.
There was a one other one; earlier on regarding part of the store being closed - but other than that - nothing else.

I don't answer the phone every time they call - plus if I believe that the emails from an editor is out of line, well I explain to them the 'why's and where for's" so that they understand where I'm coming from.
Perhaps, like most everyone else here, I read the details to make sure that it's going to be worth my time and effort and also talents. I thought I would enjoy this particular shop. Sometimes, we underestimate the time and efforts that are required - but of course when the money comes in - it will be worth it!