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Perfectionism + Video Shopping = AARGH!!!!!

July 10, 2018 05:49AM
So... I lost a video shop in South Dakota last week as my microphone died and I was too foolish (arrogant?) to think that I needed to have a back-up audio recording. Yes, I had absolutely perfect video - in a silent movie. So be it: lesson learned. It was only $50 and I was passing through town on vacation anyhow.

Today, I took on six video shops with my other camera. I tested it for sound. I checked angles on my DVR screen. etc. I then shopped all day. When I got to my hotel to upload videos, write reports, etc., I found an issue:

The lens on my new camera seems to be slightly too large for the button hole! I thought that, perhaps, I had not attached the button well enough to the lens. So, I played with it for an hour and was not able to avoid having the button round off the corners of the video I captured. So, I have six shops, all with mediocre video quality. At least the angles are good...

The shops should be fine, but the perfectionist in my is really hacked off.....

To beat it all: My hotel wi-fi connection is "adequate." in other words: In another hour my videos files should be uploaded and I'll be able to go to sleep. (I've already been uploading for almost two hours.)....

I feel better now... I just needed to rant a little. #?@!

Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.
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More About Video Mystery Shopping
July 10, 2018 12:24PM
You haven't lived until you try uploading a single video in a hotel where the estimated time to complete is 18 hours. That's when you end up mailing or FedExing your SD cards to the editors!

btw, the wiring for the mic and cam is the weak point for the entire rig. Even if you do not have a 2nd recorder unit, you need an extra cam/mic set.

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.
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July 10, 2018 01:51PM
I lost a shop with no sound months ago. I still don't know if it was the SD card or the mic because the shops before and after were just fine. I really like that Shopper's View actually requires shoppers to use a back up audio recording device and have now been doing that for all my shops.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
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July 10, 2018 01:54PM
Until you are no longer going to do video shopping you always need a minimum of 2 cameras but in my opinion you should have 2 full rigs plus the phone app that's out there.

Reason being if anything breaks you're no longer earning for the day and then you still have to buy another camera anyway while having lost money and time

CEO The Mystery Shoppers Depot
US Wide route shopper with 12k+ shops completed over 48 states and 6 countries.
Airbnb host based in Chicago and 10% discount if you mention this forum
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July 10, 2018 01:59PM
Sounds like MFJ has a 2nd rig.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
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July 10, 2018 02:47PM
Redundancy.

I feel your pain, and hope the rant helped (BTW, it was a very mild rant. Closer to a vent!)

But you know me and tech -- while I sympathize, I cannot truly understand, as I will never have any of this equipment.
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July 11, 2018 09:51AM
Do most MSCs require you to transcribe everything onto a report? I tried years ago with supplied equipment but having to still write an essay after the shop was not for me so I gave up after a few. Most other types of shops have been simplified since then ( shorter questionnaires, less narrative) so I wondered if video, in general, has too.
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July 11, 2018 12:06PM
The amount of narrative required for video shops varies widely. Yesterday I spent 45 minute writing up the report for a video bank shop, but it paid $100. Some apartment shop videos have no narrative and 5 simple questions.

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.
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July 11, 2018 03:58PM
Thanks! I am considering trying again.
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July 12, 2018 12:58AM
Yes, I had a second rig, which means I am still in business - I just lost the one shop.

I figured out the issue with the new camera: The camera was ver slightly angled wrong inside the mount, causing it to always catch the inside button edge when worn. However, it could be tightened enough when not used with a shirt that the defect was not noticeable. (The shirt fabric in the buttonhole made the difference.) I Managed to take a very small file to the camera hole in the button and enlarge enough to solve the issue. Four of my apartments today were video and it worked like a charm. And, yes, I made an audio backup for every shop today.

Time to buy a new back-up...

Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.
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