I am so annoyed right now. I spent a half-hour finding every missing item at this store and another half-hour writing the report. The job paid $3 and $5 in items. I did not see a restroom. I did every other aspect of this lengthy report. I offered to go back. They did not accept that, but invalidated the shop. There was a lot of valuable information for the client in that report. I am beyond mad they won't even pay $3 for the amount of work this took.

Is that how this normally works?

Yes. Of course, there is a lot of variation in how different MSCs handle the problem of shoppers not following the guidelines, but, generally speaking ..... yes. There is specific information that the client expects as part of what they are paying the MSC for. If the shopper misses that information, the client will be disappointed with the report. So, the MSC rejects the report because they can't send it to the client. Sometimes, the MSC determines a shopper mistake is not a big deal and accepts the report and submits it anyway, knowing the client will be disappointed but will accept the report. Sometimes the MSC is not sure whether the client will accept the report and they submit it to see if the client will accept it, and, if the client accepts it, the shopper still gets paid. If the mistake is not one the MSC thinks the client will accept, it is outright rejected.

Speaking specifically to Aldi reports, the bathroom check appears to be important to Aldi. So, this makes the mistake in question a big mistake. The MSC can't use your report. That's why they won't pay even $3. Regardless of the good information you think it provides, it's worth nothing to them because the client doesn't want the report and won't pay for it. The MSC will have to send another shopper to do the shop over and that shopper will be paid. Okay. You made a mistake. Deep breath. Take it as a learning experience and be glad all you lost was $3. It could be much worse. This could have been a restaurant or hotel shop and you could be out far more money for the mistake.

Thanks. That's what I was wondering about. The $8 does not make much of a difference, but it made me wonder if you spend hours and possibly hundreds of dollars, that one thing will void a report. The most expensive shop I have done had a reimbursement of $76, and that was approved, but it makes me hesitant to take something like a hotel shop.

The guidelines say: "Evaluate the restroom. Ask where it is if you cannot find it on your own." I have always found the restroom in Aldi. They are located usually at the front (newer stores make it even easier to find) from the older stores, you have to walk through the checkout to get to them.

I did not see a bathroom at this Aldi's. I also did not ask either, so it was my own fault.

Don't feel alone in this, Niner. We've all made mistakes that cost us the shop pay or reimbursement money. And even though I've been shopping a long time, I still make one every now and then.

I shopped a wrong location last week for a grocery store (not Aldi). I realized my mistake when I got home and scanned the receipt, noticing that it had a different address than the one in the online report. I do these shops so frequently that I know the guidelines and report form very well, so I hadn't printed out any paperwork in advance and just took notes on my phone, therefore not noticing the address discrepancy. What messed me up was that it was the same client and I knew the area, but they wanted a competitor shop for the store across the street (very similar street number on the same road). I needed the groceries I purchased that day anyway so no big deal. Anyway, I did not submit the report and was able to reschedule for a reshop.

We do all make mistakes. Owning them and fixing the problem to the best of your ability is the key to success.

Also for that Aldi shop...the first couple of times that I did this shop I listed ALL the items missing from the shelves. You don't have to do the "seasonal" or "Aldi finds" just the regular items. This is much easier.

My town has three Aldi's and two have been remodeled and are SO great to shop in. The produce and bread sections are like the stores in Europe.

My first Aldi shop was rejected because I too, didn't see the restroom nor ask.