A couple years ago I had 2 storage building to do in the same city. I had to use a fake name and phone number for each one. I got to the first one and the general manager was there behind the counter and kept wanting to chit chat with me. I was finally able to do the tour and finish the shop. I drove to the next storage building, went inside gave them another fake name and phone number, get on the golf cart to do the tour when the General Manager from the other store pulled up. I knew she would catch me when I had to go back inside and use a different name, so before we could take the tour, I pretending my phone was blowing up and excused myself saying there were problems at work and I had to go and promised I would be back. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. I had no ideal they were owned by the same company because they had different names. LOL

I had a account opening inquiry at a bank which I could have done on Friday, but due to my "day job" schedule, I decided to do it on Monday. At the time I was a fire department dispatcher at my "day job." Saturday night, when I was working at the fire department, there was a huge fire that started in a clothing store, which spread to the rest of the connected row of stores. The bank that I was scheduled to go to was about 5 stores away, on the corner. At the time the fire was going on, I thought, I think that bank is close to that fire. I did not realize how close!

When I went to the bank on Monday, they were closed. I took a few pictures of the burned out shell of a building making sure the bank on the corner was in the picture!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2019 06:27PM by skua54.

Not really a reason for not doing a shop but I walked into a location where I was assigned a lunch shop and immediately an employee shouted "shopper!" She said it quite loud and I knew I was spotted. Pretty dumb of her to shout it out and not discretely tell her fellow associates.

I could not finish a shop at the IRS - yes, IRS! - because the fire alarm went off while I was waiting to see the person I had to see. It was close enough to closing time (about an hour away) that they told us to just go home and come back tomorrow. When I told the scheduler, she laughed and paid me a minimum fee for my time, but did not send me back.

I live in Hawaii, on Oahu. We have one community that has only one major road connecting it to the rest of the island. Because the state is a collection of volcanoes, most of our roads follow the coastlines. Like your experience with cattle drives, one major accident can stop traffic for hours or even days. I have had mystery shops in that community and I have been stuck in traffic when the only road to my destination is blocked. Watching a cattle drive sounds much more interesting than sitting in traffic.

I remember an apartment shop I wanted to do had a murder there in the parking lot. I never applied for it. I saw the shop was never taken and thought of asking for a bonus to do it.

Then, I started wondering and looked up the location. It was in an area with a reputation for violence and someone had been shot in broad daylight in the complex's parking area. Rodent infestation, mold in the buildings, cock roaches, etc. I said, NOPE.

Not worth it!

Well I did end up completing this shop even though the location was technically closed. It was a fast food location where you drive up and take pictures of the menu board. I'm not familiar with this city nor this part of it. The area starts going downhill fast with more and more people walking around in the street in the middle of the work day. The building has a burnt interior and completely shut down with graffiti everywhere. I whip my camera phone out and take a roll through series of photos as fast as possible while I see some unsavory individuals crossing the street in my direction. I rapidly left and felt the five dollar pay was not worth the terrifying cost.

@ceasesmith wrote:

I live in a rural area. I try to allow plenty of time for stuff that happens -- flat tires, emergencies, you know, STUFF. I'll stop and help a stranded motorist, stop at a ranch house to tell them their cows (or goats!) are on the road. Common happenstance in the country.

I wish I could post pictures, because I have them: twice in ten years, I have been stopped because of cattle drives.

What happens is every cop/trooper/sheriff in Western Nebraska is lined up for miles, with flashing lights. No traffic till all the cattle cross the road.

I really enjoy it. Did you ever watch the John Wayne classic, The Cowboys? Some of the "cowpokes" on these drives look about 8 years old, in their stetsons and kerchiefs and on their cow ponies. I always have my camera, and always take pictures. Some are absolutely stunningly beautiful women or young girls. (Nothing like a pretty girl on a horse, LOL!)

Oh, yes, why don't I detour? We are in the COUNTRY, folks! There's ONLY ONE ROAD FROM HERE TO THERE!!! There are no "side roads", no alternate routes, no shortcuts
(well, maybe if you have that 4WD stuff, LOL). You just sit there until those cows are across the road, or down the road, or where ever they are headed!

What's your best one?

@French Farmer wrote:

Some years ago (before my "French Farmer" partner came along)...

This is, without a doubt, the best story ever told on this forum.

I was laid off from my corporate job in November one year, and completely forgot that I had a job scheduled with Intelli-shop after work that day. I was unexpectedly laid off at 10:00am, and was completely stunned for the entire day.

A day later, Intelli-shop deleted the shop, and issued a flake citation. Remembering that I had committed to doing this $8 gas station job, I called Intelli-shop's Ohio office and explained my situation, as well as asked to reschedule the job. They wouldn't reassign the job, nor remove the flake citation.

This occured 11 years ago. To this day, this is my lone flake citation with Intelli-shop. I'm still with them as a shopper, yet I've had a love-hate relationship with them ever since.

I had a shop at a luxury car dealership, had to show up in another luxury car. I drive a 20 year old chevy so I borrowed my brother's Mercedes. Borrowed some bling from my sister in law and showed up with my head high and ready to convince the sales person I could afford the $90,000 vehicle (riiiiight).
I was browsing the lot when approached by the sales person. It took a moment but then to my complete horror I recognized my steady boyfriend from high school....40 years ago. Oh the uncomfortable questions, 'how have you been? Doing well I see' etc etc. My face flaming red as I tried to bluff my way outta there. Cancelled shop.

Kwey, too funny I wouldn't have let that stop me, lol. These stories are great. I don't quite have any stories nearly as colorful. I personally refuse to do shops in Atlanta since I live in central Ga. If I go south and GPS says it takes X amount of time in between locations, it pretty much takes X. IF I go north and have to go around Atlanta, it can take X+ y or X+Z. So one day I was headed up I 75 and google had a red icon after red icon along the route marking traffic accidents. Each icon said +10 or +25 (minutes). So I switched to 'avoid highways' to avoid the traffic and go around. Once I get about parallel with the last red icon I'll remove the 'avoid highways' and complete the drive right? A two and a half hour drive turned into 5 hours. Fortunately, for me, though most of my assignments are usually nighttimes because I know I can't get up north at a reasonable time unless I leave at 8 am which I rarely do. IF I have shops up by the Tennessee line I usually cram it and make it an overnight route so I go up and do a couple or a few nighttimes and check-in a hotel and wake up the next day and do my daytimes and work my way back south.
A couple of years back I did a college shop. The person tried to trick me into filling out the application, even though I declined. He told me it was just a form, to "talk to financial aid". I couldn't let him run me through financial aid anyway because I have already been to college! So then later like last year I go to do a Cricket audit. The guy who was working at the college was now working at Cricket! He identified me and made a point of telling me, "I didn't get fired or anything from that". I blew his comment off like I had no clue what he was talking about and continued with my audit. The ironic thing is when he worked at the college he was clean-shaven and well-kempt and exuded a totally different persona. Now he looked haggard and was not clean-shaven. He looked like he had dropped a few income brackets. (That school ended up being shut down anyway because they lost their accreditation.)

@ceasesmith wrote:

Wow, Kate, just wow. You couldn't pay me enough to drive through those mountains on I-70 at any time of the year.

And if I had, I would have turned around to go home, and called or texted the schedulers.

To me, road closed due to avalanche would be an adequate reason for allowing a reschedule!

I sent a text to the owner of the mystery shopping company immediately, and she replied that three different shoppers had already flaked on SLC, and that she might lose the account. I love driving in mountains and have an AWD, so I kept going.

When I got paid the following month, there was a big bonus (unasked for) in my account. Enough to take a trip to Florida and thaw out! :-)

I've bought two houses from seeing them on open house. Im a realtor and like we say, it only takes one buyer!

Yes, as a Realtor I can tell you that cyber-staging is completely legal. Vacant homes don't show well because most buyers lack the vision of furnishing the homes.

Can't you appeal it? I mean, it's been 11 years without a strike since...

@Eric in Tampa wrote:

I was laid off from my corporate job in November one year, and completely forgot that I had a job scheduled with Intelli-shop after work that day. I was unexpectedly laid off at 10:00am, and was completely stunned for the entire day.

A day later, Intelli-shop deleted the shop, and issued a flake citation. Remembering that I had committed to doing this $8 gas station job, I called Intelli-shop's Ohio office and explained my situation, as well as asked to reschedule the job. They wouldn't reassign the job, nor remove the flake citation.

This occured 11 years ago. To this day, this is my lone flake citation with Intelli-shop. I'm still with them as a shopper, yet I've had a love-hate relationship with them ever since.

I love shops that schedulers beg me to do after suburban shoppers drive by and run for their life when they see the neighborhood. I get my "ghetto mobile" It is so old it is not worth stealing or striping the parts off the car. . I pass the panhandler asking for change and offer him my hamburger on the way iut, which he refuses He only wants "change". Then you pass the "Lady of the evening in brad daylight. Most her teeth are missing and she looks years older than she is. She wants to service you for the price of a fix. You go inside and the napkin holders are welded to the counter. You have to ask for refills and condiment at the counter because the vagrants would have them for lunch. You have to be buzzed into the rest room. Usually an undercover cop will ask you if you are buying or selling drugs. I was trained ON THE JOB to blend into the demographic. The fast food company does not offer those shops anymore. .I love salespeople who try to count my money to see if it is worth waiting on me. They allow me t o seek their jewels and drive very expensive cars and I can even eat in very nice restaurants. IF I LOOK LIKE I BELONG to the $150 lunch club. .

Irene, staging properties is all the rage just a few miles south of you in Los Angeles. The real estate agents are keen on telling all clients this is the best way to get a good price from their property and quite possibly a cut of the staging price as commission. People spend thousands staging their houses. If I ever sell I do not see myself doing that or falling for the pressure. Those houses look pristine and wonderful but wonderful like a fairly land and not like a house someone can live in. Although I must admit I have been to houses where people I know live that look as though the housekeeper just left every second of every day. Not a thing out of place.

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

I am not sure what you mean by "staged properties". The company selling my property sent over a professional photographer with my consent to take a few pictures for the computer as they are partners with Zillow. Everyone today looks at Zillow when buying, it saves time and is not against any law. I as well love Architecture and last year took the Chicago Architectural boat tour. Having worked with an Architecture when building our home, I have a appreciation of planning your ideas and watching them grow into a reality. This is a real growth experience and very creative. Zillow is fun and an escape.

I am not piling it high or deep but this sounds like what goes on in every neighborhood around here with 58,000 homeless and counting, many of them "living" near the beach communities where house prices are in the low millions.

@Piled Hip Deep, PHD wrote:

I love shops that schedulers beg me to do after suburban shoppers drive by and run for their life when they see the neighborhood. I get my "ghetto mobile" It is so old it is not worth stealing or striping the parts off the car. . I pass the panhandler asking for change and offer him my hamburger on the way iut, which he refuses He only wants "change". Then you pass the "Lady of the evening in brad daylight. Most her teeth are missing and she looks years older than she is. She wants to service you for the price of a fix. You go inside and the napkin holders are welded to the counter. You have to ask for refills and condiment at the counter because the vagrants would have them for lunch. You have to be buzzed into the rest room. Usually an undercover cop will ask you if you are buying or selling drugs. I was trained ON THE JOB to blend into the demographic. The fast food company does not offer those shops anymore. .I love salespeople who try to count my money to see if it is worth waiting on me. They allow me t o seek their jewels and drive very expensive cars and I can even eat in very nice restaurants. IF I LOOK LIKE I BELONG to the $150 lunch club. .