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I Did and Barnes & Noble Shop and It Was Actually Fun

September 29, 2019 03:48PM
Not at base rate (bonused).

Surprisingly, I enjoyed it. The cafe part was great and relaxing. The asking about books was fine too, but I worry if I did another shop soon after that I could be outed. You have to ask about a very specific set of books and if other shoppers are also choosing the same book, I worry they might know (or could just be paranoid on this).

I'd probably wait three months to do another one if they are decently bonused. I prefer these to grocery shops actually. The questions you ask feel more natural.
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September 29, 2019 05:13PM
Yep, they aren't too bad. Just aren't worth it if you get the base fee of $0 and no reimbursement for the store purchase smiling smiley
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September 29, 2019 05:35PM
@boridi wrote:

Yep, they aren't too bad. Just aren't worth it if you get the base fee of $0 and no reimbursement for the store purchase smiling smiley

I didn't get a reimbursement for the store purchase, but they do say you can return it in the guidelines.

I just returned a book I bought when I drove by for another shop a week or so later. smiling smiley

My bonus was only $8.00, but it was fine. I got a $5 reimbursed Starbucks and it was routed with several other shops I did that day. I think the cafe part was very relaxing. I got to sit, drink a latte, and enjoy some reading and writing for a while. No pressure to really constantly observe things like a dining shop. You do have to make some simple observations, but, again, it's not this constant watching this, that, and this every second of the shop. You can actually relax! smiling smiley

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2019 05:37PM by shoptastic.
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September 29, 2019 11:53PM
I haven't done one in a while. I have an $18 B&N gift card so I probably will once the bonus makes it worth it.
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September 30, 2019 02:36AM
I have a bonused one for tomorrow.
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September 30, 2019 03:43AM
@pegleg2000 wrote:

I have a bonused one for tomorrow.
All gone near me. New ones posted with $0 fee.
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September 30, 2019 04:21AM
@SoCalMama I got an email offering me a bonus.
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September 30, 2019 05:24AM
I did two of these, never again. In my area, there's almost no one working on the floor to ask questions. The pay of $5 is not worth it.
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September 30, 2019 12:54PM
deleted
Moderator Note:

It is against the forum policy to name both MSC and Client in the same post. It also violates the ICA signed by all mystery shoppers.

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September 30, 2019 06:17PM
I did one of these years ago when the fee was $15 and it was a different msc. I think it was a new shop for that msc as it was the first month I had seen them. They pulled all the jobs a day or two after I did mine and then they popped up later as this new shop with a different msc which looks similar to mine but with the tiny fee scenario. I got paid but always wondered what happened there. Perhaps it was a test shop for that company and then another company made a much lower bid? I thought the flat fee with a purchase at $15 was at the low end of fair. My local bookstore does not have a cafe so I did not even get to enjoy a leisurely drink.
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