Yeah that SeelevelHX car negotiation sounded very... optimistic. So I ain't done it.

Fave EVER.............March 2013 when I got to MS DISNEYLAND! I was able to take 2 people withme so I took my (then) 5-year-old niece and her mother. We had a blast and to see my niece smiling all day knowing I put it there was priceless. And worth the 3-ish hour report I had t do.

Worst: Too many to name so I'll just say the few I did for Sentry Marketing. Waaaaaaay too much work to do for what little they paid and the dining shop I did with a $10 reimbursement didn't allow me to buy a drink unless I wanted to go over and I only got paid $4 for a report that took waaaaaaay too long. That is why they one of less-than-a-handful of MSC I left because they suck and are not worth dealing with. I know some SM "higher up" got wind of what I said and didn't like what I said. Dude - that is "TFB" - Too Darn Bad. Your company sucks and anyone who shops for them is stupid and asking for trouble.

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

I want to do a Casino but don't know how to play poker and you have to sit at the table for 10 minutes or so...any suggestions may help.....still an uncomfortable situation.

Most casinos have a beginner's night in the poker room. Just ask the manager.

@stormraven73 wrote:

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

I want to do a Casino but don't know how to play poker and you have to sit at the table for 10 minutes or so...any suggestions may help.....still an uncomfortable situation.

Most casinos have a beginner's night in the poker room. Just ask the manager.

Not where I have even been??? I’ve been playing poker for over 40 years.

Sorry to hear that. I never have a problem getting a beginner's game on their off nights.

@stormraven73 wrote:

Sorry to hear that. I never have a problem getting a beginner's game on their off nights.

What part of the country? Just curious, as I have played poker in: OK, WV, NY, NV, CA, WA, TX, FL, NJ.

@SoCalMama wrote:

@stormraven73 wrote:

Sorry to hear that. I never have a problem getting a beginner's game on their off nights.

What part of the country? Just curious, as I have played poker in: OK, WV, NY, NV, CA, WA, TX, FL, NJ.

That's bizarre, I know there are some in NV for sure. Maybe check the next casino for grins and chuckles to see if they have a beginner table. It probably isn't something they advertise because bad players make the casino more money haha.

@Sryii wrote:

@SoCalMama wrote:

@stormraven73 wrote:

Sorry to hear that. I never have a problem getting a beginner's game on their off nights.

What part of the country? Just curious, as I have played poker in: OK, WV, NY, NV, CA, WA, TX, FL, NJ.

That's bizarre, I know there are some in NV for sure. Maybe check the next casino for grins and chuckles to see if they have a beginner table. It probably isn't something they advertise because bad players make the casino more money haha.

Well let me know because I’m happy to play with dead money all night long.

I’ve seen classes for craps and poker, but never a beginners table.

Chris Ferguson was buying in one night. I also randomly bumped into Lon McCaren (not sure I spelled his last name correctly). Johnny Chan held the door for me at the secret room at the bellagio. I didn’t play with any of them. I’d be dead money at those tables.

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

I want to do a Casino but don't know how to play poker and you have to sit at the table for 10 minutes or so...any suggestions may help.....still an uncomfortable situation.

If there is an option, play roulette. Bet consistently one color over the other. A beginner will lose their money less quickly at roulette than poker.

There is no option, you have to sit at all the tables for 10 minutes...not taking it as I'm not a gambler and only know the slots, which I love.

@SoCalMama wrote:

@stormraven73 wrote:

Sorry to hear that. I never have a problem getting a beginner's game on their off nights.

What part of the country? Just curious, as I have played poker in: OK, WV, NY, NV, CA, WA, TX, FL, NJ.

I have shopped beginner's tables in OK & TX both.

@ArkLaMissshopping wrote:

My favorite shops are apartments and car dealerships.

The one I don't ever want to do again is the big box store where you have to walk around a store for a long period with a very large item waiting for someone to ask if you need a cart. You also have to ask an employee about an item and be walked to that area. Meanwhile, you are to remember every single employee you saw, their names, their descriptions, what department they were in, etc. And, don't forget to interact with the cashier and check the bathroom. They couldn't pay me enough to do this shop again.

Funny, I've done a few of those and they were very easy. Rubbermaid totes are big and light and very easy to carry for 10 minutes. The stores near me have so few employees inside it's not very hard to note the ones you saw.

It's not how easy or hard it was. It's that I didn't like the shop at all. These kinds of jobs are not for me. :-)

@thegov2k2 wrote:

@ArkLaMissshopping wrote:

My favorite shops are apartments and car dealerships.

The one I don't ever want to do again is the big box store where you have to walk around a store for a long period with a very large item waiting for someone to ask if you need a cart. You also have to ask an employee about an item and be walked to that area. Meanwhile, you are to remember every single employee you saw, their names, their descriptions, what department they were in, etc. And, don't forget to interact with the cashier and check the bathroom. They couldn't pay me enough to do this shop again.

Funny, I've done a few of those and they were very easy. Rubbermaid totes are big and light and very easy to carry for 10 minutes. The stores near me have so few employees inside it's not very hard to note the ones you saw.

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that one shopper's cup of tea is almost always another shopper's misery.

@ArkLaMissshopping wrote:

It's not how easy or hard it was. It's that I didn't like the shop at all. These kinds of jobs are not for me. :-)

@thegov2k2 wrote:

@ArkLaMissshopping wrote:

My favorite shops are apartments and car dealerships.

The one I don't ever want to do again is the big box store where you have to walk around a store for a long period with a very large item waiting for someone to ask if you need a cart. You also have to ask an employee about an item and be walked to that area. Meanwhile, you are to remember every single employee you saw, their names, their descriptions, what department they were in, etc. And, don't forget to interact with the cashier and check the bathroom. They couldn't pay me enough to do this shop again.

Funny, I've done a few of those and they were very easy. Rubbermaid totes are big and light and very easy to carry for 10 minutes. The stores near me have so few employees inside it's not very hard to note the ones you saw.

Best: I shop a hotel chain for Data Quest that only exists in my state and usually get reimbursed anywhere from $200- $600 worth of rooms, drinks, and food. The staff at the hotel chain are awesome and even when there have been issues (food not cooked right, dirty hotel bathroom) they are quick to resolve them. The editors and schedulers at Data Quest are also super great to work with. There's also a local state-wide pizza/game place that reimburse generously that I like to do.
Worst: I haven't had any super terrible experiences. But the worst was a bowling alley/entertainment place I did for ACL. The employees didn't wear name tags but I needed to get the actual name of everyone- from the person I bought lanes from to the person who greeted me for all of two seconds at the restaurant. Got dinged for not getting the latter. The server at the restaurant was awful and I'm pretty sure he was high. Brought out real honey for the salad versus honey mustard and said thats what it came with. Having to write that up made the already long report narrative even longer. Editor was terrible to work with and sent me about 2 dozen follow-up questions with things I had explicitly put in the narrative of the report. Asked for pictures of things that weren't listed as a photo requirement (she actually scolded me for not taking a picture of my water, even though the guidelines said only food pictures were needed). Report also took about 3 hours to write up, and I only had a 12 hour deadline after doing the shop (and it was an evening/night shop) so I was up until about midnight writing it. Left a bad taste in my mouth for ACL so I only do the one bar/dining shop with a super short report for them now.

My last two best were in Vegas...Kiosk for credit card and Brook Bros...both took 10 minutes and paid nicely + bonus + pay was in my account 5 days later.

@Eric in Tampa wrote:

My all-time worst assignment may have been shopping trailer park homes for a certain client when they were video shopped several years ago. The professionalism was good at some locations, and very, very bad at others. I stopped altogether, and vowed never to do them again (due to the level of aggravation) no matter how much money was offered.

Shopping Hyundai sales is up there on my do not shop again list as well. The sales professionals that I've encountered are beyond ridiculous when it comes to aggressive sales techniques.

I agree with the Hyundai assessment. Last week I did a Hyundai shop, on the phone the salesman called me honey about four times. I asked what colors they had available in the model I was assigned to shop and he replied "what's your favorite color honey?"

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2018 02:46AM by tstewart3.

@LW wrote:

I was just looking at one of the tax shops. What do you call your self employment/hobby income when you're shopping the tax preparer? Sales Consultant?

just say auditor if they ask what type just say contracts.

@tstewart3 wrote:

@LW wrote:

I was just looking at one of the tax shops. What do you call your self employment/hobby income when you're shopping the tax preparer? Sales Consultant?

just say auditor if they ask what type just say contracts.

Many years ago I had a badge for an airport. It was the Summer time so I wore a polo shirt and shorts since I wanted to blend in like all "fellow travelers." I had a badge and thus went thru the employee line. The TSA person was a real "brasspole" and asked me some questions. He asked me what my job was that required a badge. I looked him dead in the eyes and said: It is my job to rate customer service at this airport. EVERY. SINGLE. ASPECT. OF. IT. He immediately gave me back my badge and wished me a good day. I still laugh about it all these years later. Say you work: Customer Service.....because you do.

@MalibuMum wrote:

I often seen assignments posted for shoppers to go into a shop and purchase an item only to have to return it later that day! Do people actually take these jobs on? I love jobs where I not only get paid but I also get something to keep. Even if its only a £3 grocery shop reimbursement on top of the payment fee, I often group several together and I purchase the basics my family needs like bread, milk and vegetables or sometimes use it to purchase a few goodies/treats.
I also love the DB&B assignments, I don't get paid any extra but I do get to go and enjoy a night away with my hubby or sometimes even my family and its paid for by the company. We have recently had 3 nights away in the past 6 weeks and in total we spent £24.00 of our own money which paid for additional drinks in the hotel bar. One hotel bill was £469.00 and at that hotel we only had to buy one round of drinks from our own pocket because we wanted them. These assignments are great and its very easy to complete the report as they are mostly tick boxes!
So what assignments do you like taking on and which would you not consider?

I don't take on assignments of which the pay stinks, especially if it has an increasing long narrative.

Reply to MsJudy on golf shops...I gotta get me some of that!!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2018 06:39PM by snarf47.

@tstewart3 wrote:

[ Last week I did a Hyundai shop, on the phone the salesman called me honey about four times. I asked what colors they had available in the model I was assigned to shop and he replied "what's your favorite color honey?"

That's likely just a Southern thing. I have a friend who calls everyone "honey." Nothing meant by it.

I get called hon, babe, dearie, love, and darlin' regularly by servers and gas stations clerks, always female (I am also female). They are just trying to be friendly.

Does Disneyland still do shops? I know you can’t say who, but that sounds amazing!!

@Figament2 wrote:

Does Disneyland still do shops? I know you can’t say who, but that sounds amazing!!

The visit was AT Disneyland but it was done by another company that has Amusement Parks. In this case a competitor of Disneyland. Obviously i can't say why the competitor is or the MSC who assigned it to me but I can say I have not seen D-land up again for any of the zillion MSC i shop for. It was awesome to do and while it was a lot of work it wasn't as much as I expected.

@Figament2 wrote:

Does Disneyland still do shops? I know you can’t say who, but that sounds amazing!!

No they don’t. I shopped Disneyland for over a decade every two weeks. It ended in 2013.

I am love-love-loving my post-security airport shops and bonused apartment shops. It still pains me to this day thinking about my worst shop a few years ago--a revealed photo audit for a hotel chain requiring dozens of photos, together with a lengthy report, for a mere pittance.

That’s sad! I’m glad you got to enjoy!

@SoCalMama wrote:

@Figament2 wrote:

Does Disneyland still do shops? I know you can’t say who, but that sounds amazing!!

No they don’t. I shopped Disneyland for over a decade every two weeks. It ended in 2013.

BEST--On 12/31/12, I arose at 05:00, drove 187 miles across Ohio to my first of 17 Chase Banks for the day, and with a waiver, entered the last branch at 17:55. I covered 437 miles and logged $917 for the visits, but that included the reports on 01/01/13.

Worst--After completing 191 shops for EPMS over an 11 years period, my final was a new client with a report time of one hour and 51 minutes; there was repetition that staggered even my experience. 31 days after submission, I was informed I had visited the wrong community. From a logical standpoint, it definitely does not take that long to inform me of such a mistake. My attempt to explain the error was not on my end completely failed, so I promptly fired that MSC and I am certain neither party has missed the other side. My reason for terminating the relationship was that any one can screw me once, but none can twice.

Easy question.

Worst - IKEA. Pay to work and report ratio was way off.

Best - an online Rent-A-Center inquiry that I got twice with a "make an offer" for $25. The shop and report took about 10 minutes and I didn't have to move from the chair.