There is a sunglasses mall shop I did once at $40 pay... don't remember if it was bonused or that was the regular rate.

You have to spend 15 minutes looking at sunglasses and ultimately purchase a pair between $50 and $300. OUCH. Then returning them is "optional" but come on, I do not need a pair of sunglasses that costs more than my dinette set. So then there's an awkward return, and if you DO return them you have to answer questions about that as well. And of course narrative so there's easily 2 hours in the shop.

Well I just saw in my email they're currently offering $15 for this shop. NO I am not doing 2 hours of work + driving (gas money) + laying out a big heap of money + an awkward return for $15. Are they nutso??

Occasionally these will have no purchase requirement. I did 2 of them in the same mall along with something else I don't recall and felt it was worth it. Unfortunately you very seldom see them with no purchase required.


boingo82 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There is a sunglasses mall shop I did once at $40
> pay... don't remember if it was bonused or that
> was the regular rate.
>
> You have to spend 15 minutes looking at sunglasses
> and ultimately purchase a pair between $50 and
> $300. OUCH. Then returning them is "optional" but
> come on, I do not need a pair of sunglasses that
> costs more than my dinette set. So then there's an
> awkward return, and if you DO return them you have
> to answer questions about that as well. And of
> course narrative so there's easily 2 hours in the
> shop.
>
> Well I just saw in my email they're currently
> offering $15 for this shop. NO I am not doing 2
> hours of work + driving (gas money) + laying out a
> big heap of money + an awkward return for $15. Are
> they nutso??

With no purchase requirement, no problem. It's the low fee combined with the *huge* purchase requirement that gets me.

I'm pretty sure that $15 has been the standard pay for these for a long, long time. The only time I did one there were two locations in the same mall so I shopped store A, then store B, then returned store A, then returned store B. So I was at the mall for about an hour and a half for $30. I was not thrilled enough with the shops to repeat the experience even when I see the 2 locations available.

boingo82 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There is a sunglasses mall shop I did once at $40
> pay... don't remember if it was bonused or that
> was the regular rate.
>
> You have to spend 15 minutes looking at sunglasses
> and ultimately purchase a pair between $50 and
> $300. OUCH. Then returning them is "optional" but
> come on, I do not need a pair of sunglasses that
> costs more than my dinette set. So then there's an
> awkward return, and if you DO return them you have
> to answer questions about that as well. And of
> course narrative so there's easily 2 hours in the
> shop.
>
> Well I just saw in my email they're currently
> offering $15 for this shop. NO I am not doing 2
> hours of work + driving (gas money) + laying out a
> big heap of money + an awkward return for $15. Are
> they nutso??


Oh, wow. Yes, it was definitely bonused. The normal fee is $15. I do this shop every couple of months, when it's convenient geographically. There are lots of locations where I live, and I know the shop like the back of my hand. In total, with reporting, it probably doesn't take me more than 45 minutes. (I never do the return on the same day, and I'm never asked many questions when I bring them back.) But yes, in your situation, I wouldn't do it, either!

ces1948 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Occasionally these will have no purchase
> requirement. I did 2 of them in the same mall
> along with something else I don't recall and felt
> it was worth it. Unfortunately you very seldom see
> them with no purchase required.
>

I've only seen the observation shops once, and I didn't apply because it was less money. But, I guess other shoppers in my area felt the same way, and towards the end of the month, I did take it when it was bonused!

I just did a bonused one for $25. They are always $15. They are offering a (gasp!) whopping $2 bonus right now. I have decided I will not do one again for less than $25. I agree it is a most awkward return as it is a small shop and you will probably have the same clerk for the return who sold it to you. I did about 4 at $15 last summer and then it was $12 for no purchase, which I would FAR rather do. Putting $260 on your credit card is too much hassle for the low pay, plus the return.

Carol

boingo82 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There is a sunglasses mall shop I did once at $40
> pay... don't remember if it was bonused or that
> was the regular rate.
>
> You have to spend 15 minutes looking at sunglasses
> and ultimately purchase a pair between $50 and
> $300. OUCH. Then returning them is "optional" but
> come on, I do not need a pair of sunglasses that
> costs more than my dinette set. So then there's an
> awkward return, and if you DO return them you have
> to answer questions about that as well. And of
> course narrative so there's easily 2 hours in the
> shop.
>
> Well I just saw in my email they're currently
> offering $15 for this shop. NO I am not doing 2
> hours of work + driving (gas money) + laying out a
> big heap of money + an awkward return for $15. Are
> they nutso??


They are nuts. I do the observation shop for them, but I won't do the purchase one. And get this, it goes BEGGING constantly, scheduler sends e-mails 2-3x a day.

I finally asked her if she considered bonusing it? No response. Client must be cheaper than all get out. I'd do that one for $30-45 (I live within 5 mins including park/walk in of one mall and 8 from the other) as a P/R. Closer to summer, I might actually buy the glasses I did the observation on ($115) but I want more than $15 for that report.

This one is definitely an example of different strokes for different folks! I don't mind this shop one bit, even though I think I don't think it pays well for a P/R! But I do think the report is easy and again, I never do the return portion of the shop.

I will not do a Costco food sampling booths again as you have to visit 6 booths and write repetitive narratives about all six. The pay does not match the work.

Wow those must have changed! I was doing them last year and think we had only 3 to visit--perhaps it was 4.

Yes, Flash. I did them in 2010 and it was 3 booths, with a report that was a snap. The fee for 3 booths was the same as the fee for the old 5-6 booth version. I figured that they more than paid for my Costco membership, lol.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/2011 03:12PM by walesmaven.

3 booths for me, though there are normally several more offering samples. Munch your way through the store and a light lunch can be 'on the house'. The demonstrator shop is easy, and nice when coupled with the wireless shop. No membership necessary.

I'm considering never doing the golden arches again. I do a few of these highly-bonused evaluations per month, when they call begging for help. However, this last time, the evaluation results were less than perfect and they keep contacting me for more information. How long did I stay? Where was I sitting? etc.

I just want to scream ~ the damn counter was dirty and stayed dirty the entire time I was there. Nobody picked up squat! Even if you identify me, the counter will still have been freakin' dirty!

Aaah, I feel better now

I hate that they never just accept the results we report unless they're accolades. Have they never eaten there? It's not always pristine!

It also makes me wonder just how many evaluators are not reporting their true findings for fear of being contacted for further information or having their findings denied by being "identified". Makes the whole project seem totally useless!

One story that I heard is in my area the same franchiser owns all the locations. There have apparently been many complaints to the arches national headquarters. The arches here are shopped month after month multiple times per month. My experience has been nearly all negative information is challenged by the franchisee. My wife was questioned relentlessly about the details on 2 or 3 shops to the point that she told them to stick it.
I think the pattern is for the franchisee to question all negative reports so the shopper will either be removed from further shops by the MSC, quit doing them because of the amount of questions or the franchisee will claim to have identified the shopper thus disqualifying the shopper.
Some of the follow up questions are clearly designed to identify the shopper by using store video. Being asked what kind of car you drove through the DT and whether you were the person that inspected 3 tables before you sat down are examples.



MtlShopper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm considering never doing the golden arches
> again. I do a few of these highly-bonused
> evaluations per month, when they call begging for
> help. However, this last time, the evaluation
> results were less than perfect and they keep
> contacting me for more information. How long did
> I stay? Where was I sitting? etc.
>
> I just want to scream ~ the damn counter was dirty
> and stayed dirty the entire time I was there.
> Nobody picked up squat! Even if you identify me,
> the counter will still have been freakin' dirty!
>
> Aaah, I feel better now
>
> I hate that they never just accept the results we
> report unless they're accolades. Have they never
> eaten there? It's not always pristine!
>
> It also makes me wonder just how many evaluators
> are not reporting their true findings for fear of
> being contacted for further information or having
> their findings denied by being "identified".
> Makes the whole project seem totally useless!

I was recently put through this ridiculous FF quiz after criticizing several things about the condition of the bathroom.

Recently I was chatting with a scheduler from another MSCs that does a different FF chain and "discretely" discussed my frustration with owners/managers who obviously are trying to identify the mystery shopper via video tapes. Her comment was that the FF was trying to get the entire report disqualified on other issues such as misreported timing so that the bathroom comments would also not be reported to corporate. This would then give them time to make the bathroom repairs before another shopper criticized same.

Ahh the games played all around. Each level of this business from location to client to company to scheduler to shopper has their own version of 'the dance'.

I won't do the sunglass shops, just too much of a hassle returning sunglasses. Your pretty sure when you buy an expensive pair of sunglasses that's what you want. The price is crazy low and lately that's about all this MSC has available.

I wrote both schedulers about the mall kiosk telecommunications shop. The 4 page narrative one that's $11. I explained why I would not do this shop again especially not for the pay rate.

They ignored my email, and then within 48 hours both sent 3 copied and pasted "hero, fun, easy, super shopper, etc" emails begging me to take the shop.

And upped the pay to...$15. Hey big spender! I just told you it wasn't worth it at $21. But you apparently did not read that email.

I'm crackin up with laughter....we do this for the measly pay, gotta laugh, or I'll cry!!

"Are You Ready for a Rediculously Easy Coffee Shop?" is in the subject line.

It is easy, though not ridiculously so, but it pays peanuts and is not close to anything routable. The editorial department of this MSP should be cringing. And, not due to the shopper's report.

I never say never, but certainly won't do it for the "rediculously" low pay.

Guess it's all a matter of perspective. I didn't think this one was bad at all in terms of requirements, and after doing 6 of these over the past two months, have never had an issue with the client's charge and refund both posting to my credit card within 2 days.

There's also a quick way to double up on these shops, depending on malls in your area. I've run across 3 malls that have shops at both a standalone store location and an anchor department store that has a small mini-location/kiosk inside. I do one shop, stash that purchased pair in my pocket or a different shopping bag, do the 2nd purchase (good way to eat up the 30 minute requirement between purchase and return), then return pair one, usually have to kill 5 minutes or so, and return pair 2. I can generally have both purchases/returns done in under 90 minutes, depending on mall foot traffic.


boingo82 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There is a sunglasses mall shop I did once at $40
> pay... don't remember if it was bonused or that
> was the regular rate.
>
> You have to spend 15 minutes looking at sunglasses
> and ultimately purchase a pair between $50 and
> $300. OUCH. Then returning them is "optional" but
> come on, I do not need a pair of sunglasses that
> costs more than my dinette set. So then there's an
> awkward return, and if you DO return them you have
> to answer questions about that as well. And of
> course narrative so there's easily 2 hours in the
> shop.
>
> Well I just saw in my email they're currently
> offering $15 for this shop. NO I am not doing 2
> hours of work + driving (gas money) + laying out a
> big heap of money + an awkward return for $15. Are
> they nutso??

Doing 2 at once sounds very good. We only have 1 mall in the area, a small single level one.

Never ever shops:
IKEA. Film warehouse audit. Trailer shops at multiplex theaters.

As for being challenged on a bad report ---
I use a DVR. I have a little camera. When a shop is really egregious (look it up!) I document it and keep the wav file and pictures on my computer for a while. Any question comes up I ask if they would like to hear/see the shop. It usually shuts them up. (The only one I didn't get paid for was the 'mouse in the restaurant' shop. They just ran away from me.)

I have found the Trendsource grocery shops to be super horrendous myself. I think it almost took me almost two hours, and I still didnt get all the correct information. I like to think of myself as relatively intelligent, but my goodness, two hours is a very long tome

I would not do the mattress shops that JM Ridgeway has unless they increase the fee. I did it once and found the report too much work for $10.00.

Corporate Research shops are such a joke. Lowes is offered at less than $5.00 for a 20 minute report, 30 minutes in the store and gas. I'm paying for the privilege of doing this shop!!!! I made a pact with myself (CLIMB ABOARD!) that I just don't leave the house and start up my car for under $10. If we all did that they would quit insulting us.

bec Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have found the Trendsource grocery shops to be
> super horrendous myself. I think it almost took
> me almost two hours, and I still didnt get all the
> correct information. I like to think of myself as
> relatively intelligent, but my goodness, two hours
> is a very long tome


The comparative pricing one, or the regular shop?

Pricing competitive shops. Btw, they always challenge some of the pricing if the last shopper reported it higher or lower than what you did. If it's exactly what the last shopper reported, they leave it alone. Won't do those! With company A, the scheduler is a sweet person and really believes it will take 30 minutes or less to do it. The scheduler never gets it -- it takes a LOT longer than that AND the prices get challenged! With company B, the scheduler just calls and continually asks, "Are you sure? Was there a sales price listed?" Um, it doesn't matter since you are only asking for the regular price.

IKEA - no way, no how, nuff said.

Company C bank shops. If there is anything negative (no matter how black and white and on video it is), the company will NOT allow it to go through to the client.

Company D DC locations. For this company, they actually had the balls to tell me I was suppose to engage the cash register employee to talk more. Um, first of all, she didn't speak English as a first language. It was questionable if she even spoke it as a second language. She could NOT understand the simplyest (sp) of questions! (What is your name? How much does this cost?) I explained all of this in my report. I asked a question and she could NOT answer it. Not even tell me the price of something. *eye roll*

HDE - still have not been paid for October and November 2010 work. And I had 3 shops scheduled, did the work, submitted the work, and it was accepted. Then suddenly the pay dropped by $2.00 from the originally quoted price. Then one shop disappeared. Then one shop was "cancelled" AFTER they had accepted it two weeks prior. So far, this company has not responded to repeated requests for more information about what is going on.

Freeman Group - despite the "new management" and "new accounting department" and "new schedulers" they still haven't paid for a shop from 2009 that had been accepted, highly praised, and given to the client. They are always passing the buck to someone else in the company.

I should stop now.

ijdk,
For others to profit from your experiences, please name the MSCs.