I initially signed up on Gigspot. I had one id and password and could sign up for multiple companies. I'd have a few problems with my password program. I might get one for companyx but their address would have the domain name for gigspot and my computer would try that. I've spent a lot of time resetting passwords. Some companies would let me sign in through gigspot and others through their own portals.
I then added presto/sassie and I could no longer rely on my password program. It felt like every job had different requirements to sign in. Then companies want me to add more platforms and at last count, I had ten or twelve different platforms. Some companies are on multiple platforms. It seems the same job may be listed by different agencies and some schedulers seem to work for more than one agency. My head is spinning. I love computers and have worked with them for years. I understand networking and communications.

Granted I have signed up with way too many agencies. Until I started unsubscribing, I was getting over 100 emails a day.

Am I the only one overwhelmed? Is it me? Is there someone who could explain the differences between these platforms and perhaps offer some clarity.

I, too, feel overwhelmed.

Especially when you try to update the "app" and the "app" store says you can't because your phone is too old.



And Gigspot is especially problematic. Seems I recall if you use Gigspot, you cannot sign into the company (the MSC) on their individual website anymore, only Gigspot.

Confused to the MAX.

I'm not sure what type of clarity you are looking for, but I can try.

Platforms - databases for mystery shopping companies (there are a few major players such as Prophet, Sassie) that are used to post shops, input reports, keep track of accounting, and offer clients a portal for their completed reports to be viewed.

Some mystery shop companies use their own software they developed. They figured it would be cheaper to pay a programmer once rather than a monthly fee to a platform (think buying a car versus leasing). They could also have had special requirements that they could not find in a "out of the box" platform, but most likely it's about the fees.

The above was here pre-smartphone days. Now that almost everyone has a smartphone, along comes middleware such as GigSpot. They retrieve the data from platforms and offer it up in a "one stop shop" fashion and get paid a fee to do so. Mystery shop companies win because their shops are advertised.

As for the password issue, yes, I have the same issue. Since similar website names are used (shop company prefix and then the platform name dot com) the password keepers get confused. You can either use the same password per platform, or download a separate app to keep all your passwords encrypted and not store them in the web browser. I use Password Safe which I have on Windows and Android.

I am a part time shopper and full time IT person. I have signed up for lots of companies over the decade I've been shopping, and do receive tons of emails. I understand your frustration.

Thanks. I go back to the days of punch cards and CPM and still am more savvy than average (except with my texting speed).

Prophet is a new name to me. What about Presto? Maybe I've just had the luck to find the more complicated jobs/agencies. I've now stocked up on balls of string and breadcrumbs and military gps devices.