I gave up on Intellishop dealerships, found another MSC that pays more and has much easier reports, although Intelli shops are closer to me, that report for 20.00, no more.

IKEA for me 2!!!
I spent 5 hours filling in their report and listening to my dig. voice recorder to get all the information correct. Covert Grocery Audits is another one... ughh

Irene,

The only other MSC that has dealerships and pay more that I am aware of is Monterey. If you found another one can you please let me know the name?

Thanks.

I will never do a Rosetta Stone language shop again. Thought I had done a great job, gave lots of detail, and I was questioned over and over on silly points. I was even called. I got a 6 rating, the lowest I have ever had. I usually get 10's.

57carol Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I will never do a Rosetta Stone language shop
> again. Thought I had done a great job, gave lots
> of detail, and I was questioned over and over on
> silly points. I was even called. I got a 6 rating,
> the lowest I have ever had. I usually get 10's.


Ah, that infamous mystery shopping company again.... I really think I'm done shopping for them.

Funny you mention Rosetta Stone. One of my kids does translation for them. We were in an airport and she went up to quiz the rep (on her own not a shop) just to see what he would say about the product and especially her language one. She was shocked to see how bad he flunked. When she was done quizzing him she said to him I am that voice. He was so clueless!

Flash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NEVER is a long time! There are a whole lot of
> companies that I will never shop for again
> until/unless there is a massive change in
> personnel and policies (and perhaps even
> ownership). There are tons of shops I will never
> perform again at the fees offered. The price
> needed to do them may be 'unrealistically high',
> but generally 'never' is not a normal word in my
> vocabulary.
>
> Most frequently the issues are way too much time
> involved for the fee. Sometimes it is the
> discovery of requirements in the shop instructions
> that make the shop not worthwhile once you finally
> get to see the instructions. Sometimes it is the
> lack of communication response or the quality of
> response from a company. Sometimes it is the
> noxiousness of the report. Sometimes it is the
> failure to pay in what I perceive to be a 'fair
> and timely' manner. Of late it is nonsense hoops
> my business is supposed to jump through to obtain
> work that I neither see as necessary nor
> appropriate.

You have to do one of these shops. The guidelines do not ask for the information that the editors come back and ask you for. They tell you to go back to the store to check again in EVERY aisle. Most of the time they are out of stock, and the item is NOT on the shelf. You were right the first time. I will NEVER do that shop or Ikea again.

Ikea has too many questions that could be answered correctly a number of different ways. If you picked the wrong answer, they invalidate the shop, and you blow three hours of touring the location, not to mention the $70 fee and the out of pocket cost of lunch. They probably use the observations that were correctly reported on the other hundred and who knows how many questions. .

I would be unlikely to do a shop that requires looking for more than half a dozen items. First off, what is in it for me? From what I understand it is not a substantial fee, nor is it a substantial reimbursement. There are shops I would possibly perform for a still smaller fee from time to time because they are locations where I enjoy browsing or buying anyway.

But as soon as you are looking for more than a half dozen to a dozen items on an anonymous shop you are making yourself vulnerable to being unmasked. Historically the companies that are as naive as to expect shoppers to do that sort of thing are also naive about fair pay and try to dodge payment as well. We all run into companies that are just gyps. On the rare occasion, in their desperation, they may bonus a shop enough to make it worthwhile putting up with their idiocy--which is why I don't say NEVER. But routinely? No thanks.

The saddest part is when there is a basically solid and thoughtful company that is being represented by an outside scheduler who does not have those same core values.

The Vitamin World shop was pretty tough.
-Must spend at least 25 min. in store (when the store is always slow).
-Payment is $15 reimbursement... must spend at least $15 or your shop will be thrown out.
-The item must be ON SALE (there were only about 5 items on actual sale when I went in).

I ended up having to add a $2.50 extra item to my shop since my purchase was non-taxed and I was concerned it would be thrown out as I was a penny short. I also didn't spend $25, so I couldn't become a member for free and had to pay full price (even though the item was on sale, because I'm not a member, I had to pay full price). I also couldn't buy what I really wanted - since it needed to be a "sale" item.

Overall, it was really disappointing. I wish I had $15 to spend on whatever I wanted and could take advantage of the member prices.

I did that shop at one of those rare moments where the stars align. An item was on sale (checked the website) that was indeed desired in the house. The cost was less than $1 more than the required purchase. Somehow I missed entirely the requirement to spend 25 minutes in the store and spent almost 5 minutes. The store was so tiny that in 25 minutes I could have fingerprinted every bottle of every item and gone back to wipe them all off. I was expecting the shop to be rejected, but to my surprise and delight it was accepted without question. I have not done it since, but if we needed the item again I would probably take it and spend a whole lot of time reading labels to kill my 25 minutes.

I will not do casual dining, a step above FF, again unless they give a bonus. Just receiving reimbursement of up to a certain dollar amount for filling out a form that makes you think you are in an advanced college English/writing course is not my way of making money. The two restaurants I did were good but not worth all the work for no money.
Here is what I think of as the biggest laugh I have had in a long time. This is for the golden arches, which I would and will do again. Things here are counted in seconds/or nanoseconds. I am doing my timing very religiously as I pulled up to the last window to receive my order. It was close to or just over a minute from last timing point. When I entered it on the report I was questioned as to why it took so long. My reply was "I didn't think that was long. As I was outside in a car I could not see what was going on inside. If you think it is long question one of them." Then when I went inside, got in shortest line, one with 2 ahead of me. Questioned "Why did it take so long?" I didn't think it was long but I could have elbowed the others away so I could be first!! As I ordered, paid and received my change and receipt another employee stepped to the counter with my order. Question "How could you place your order and receive it at same time? Answer, "It could be because two employees worked on the order to get it out in time, any problem with that?" In this game I don't believe you can win for loosing." LOL They aren't that bad, the pay isn't that good but they are reliable and keep you on your toes.

IKEA...Ridiculous! I spent about 12 hours between the visit and the never-ending report. Also, they want the report submitted within 12 hours of the visit. All I kept saying to myself while at the store and while doing the report was, "Never again!" Wish I would have checked this board before accepting the shop. Now, after reading the other posts, I have to worry about my report being "rejected" and not getting paid.

Think positive. They obviously can't/don't reject EVERY shop. Hopefully you had a store that was cooperative enough that you had folks in all the various departments who actually worked in those departments and there were no nametag games going on.

SpyGirl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Edit: What I forgot to say was that after my first
> batch of 4 on one day, I didn't get paid for the
> first two because the reports didn't make it in
> the 6 hr. window of time because of doing them far
> away from home with a few other shops thrown in on
> the way back. And the ones I DID get paid for, I
> did not get full reimbursement with no
> explanation. By then I was already furious and
> didn't pursue it, I just removed myself.

6 hours is a ridiculously short window. I can tolerate 12 hour windows but I really think 24 hours from the shop time is more reasonable.

Thanks for the heads up about this.

Had to revisit this thread after this past weekend's experience. For reasons beyond my explanation, I signed up to do the IKEA shop for the 2nd time. And surprisingly, it's not as bad the 2nd time around. The report is still insane, but I became surprisingly quick at the shop portion.

I think the reason for this is that IKEA is 100% unique in terms of their store layout and retail experience. The second time, I knew exactly how to handle the store, what to watch for and scenarios to present to employees. The first time, I was in the store for about 4.5 hours. The second time, under 2.

Here's a sneaky little trick. Take the provided "cheat sheet" to Kinkos or find someone with access to a copy machine that will do "booklet" type reductions (I have access to one at my primary job). That will reduce that small novel of an instruction manual into roughly 10 pages of front/back printed material with 2 pages per side that can be folded and stapled like a small pamphlet. This was very easy to keep tucked inside of a catalog instead of shuffling full size pieces of paper.

I'm glad you figured out the mystery of Ikea, however, here they pay $50.00, just not enough for all the time required. Nothing like spending over 5 hours (total) and not have report accepted.

Consumer Connection-I tried a shop for them that I had done before and now I'm sure I won't do the shop again. Eighty questions most with comments-time-gas for $15.00-I don't think so. Also, they use HyperWallet which is a PayPal clone. You have to pay steep fees to get your cash so you end up working for zip.
Wow, Ikea sounds like a 'don't think so job' for me. I just did a car dealership-phone call, email, test drive, report- total time 2 1/2 hours for $125.
A shop like Ikea while the money sounds great, that's alot of detail to keep track of covertly and the chance of missing something increases when the shop is long, confusing and involving too many sales associates. Why take the chance? You risk your shopper rating if they determine that your report is mediocre and what if they don't accept it at all. Sounds like a waste of time and MAX stress. Why do it when there's so many great jobs out there?
Make sure you see that report before you accept the shop. I find it very unscrupulous of companies that ask you to accept and then spring this huge report on you. Check out Corporate Research with a big box home improvement store shop. 6 (count them!) employee interactions with names and descriptions, comments and purchase all for $4.00. (could it be a misprint???)

GYU KAKO BBQ.....$20.00 budget, they say you can do it alone, but you bbq your own meal at a grill, not the kind of place you would go alone too, LOUD, need 2 ala cart items LOUD, crowded, long wait to get in and by the way di d I mention it was LOUD,

paid2peek

Dear paid2peek, was it loud?

Airport kiosk-post security. How am I supposed to get the report in within 6 hours when I'm on the plane? My mobile internet is minimum $35.00 a month so I pay this just to do a $20 shop in the airport when I travel once a year?!?? hmmm? not rocket science

I've never noticed Trend Source had grocery shops-maybe just not in my market. But I have recently dumped them because of conflict. Get this-they email me frequently about a job in a town 40 minutes away. Once in awhile when they're desperate I've tried to accommodate them. I try to make a good name for myself with all my companies. Sort of like I'm doing them a favor, right?? Wrong. Can't get them to commit to a date so I can can work in a couple more shops to make it worth my while and can't get them to commit to distance pay until the last minute so I don't know if I'm on my dime or theirs. All in all, little to no communication, meager pay and scolding emails... well there's lots of fish in the mystery shopping sea.

I will never perform an Audit for Insula Research again. They pay just below average $10.00 per shop. but you have to write down every price on the menu and if there's something on the menu that's not on your paper then you have to add it. Or if there's an item on your paper that's not on the menu you have to ask the employee. Plus you have to pretend to be a customer too. You have to buy something. But Insula research will only cover $1.00. Then to top it all off you have to go outside and look at the DT menu boards and make sure they match all the prices and mothing is missing (because a cheese burger is not listed insidee but it should be outside ect....) And you have to take pictures too. I did them once but never again.

I understand, PMW, and those have always struck me as not worth it, though I do know shoppers who have loved them and made routes of them, taking photos and compiling the data at home later from the photos.

57carol Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I will never do a Rosetta Stone language shop
> again. Thought I had done a great job, gave lots
> of detail, and I was questioned over and over on
> silly points. I was even called. I got a 6 rating,
> the lowest I have ever had. I usually get 10's.


I did that one once and I did end up with a 9, but with a note that they could not give me a 10 because I did not capitalize "associate". I was not aware that associate was a proper noun and nowhere in the guidelines did it say to capitalize "associate". I've read from others that they are a very picky MSP.

Flash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I understand, PMW, and those have always struck me
> as not worth it, though I do know shoppers who
> have loved them and made routes of them, taking
> photos and compiling the data at home later from
> the photos.


I'm one that loves those routes. Once you make a habit of them, they are much easier than they would first seem and for some reason I enjoy the paperwork.

And just think of the HOURS the poor editor struggled to push all those 'a's up to 'A's. Obviously you deserved the deduction for making their live so wretched. (And I hope you realize I am being sarcastic.)

This is an area that drives me completely nuts! It's one thing to get deductions when there actually is a typo, etc., but when the editors are WRONG and you get the deduction, there's nothing you can do. I find that incredibly frustrating. I got a deduction for saying "bank" instead of "credit union" when the report itself used the term "bank" in it! Then the next month they added a big section all in red about not saying bank, that it's a credit union. But they still had bank in their information and questions. In my case, though, I still do the shops because they are so incredibly easy for the pay, and so convenient to do multiple ones in a day. I guess I'll just live with undeserved deductions for now.


lisams901 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 57carol Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I will never do a Rosetta Stone language shop
> > again. Thought I had done a great job, gave
> lots
> > of detail, and I was questioned over and over
> on
> > silly points. I was even called. I got a 6
> rating,
> > the lowest I have ever had. I usually get 10's.
>
>
> I did that one once and I did end up with a 9, but
> with a note that they could not give me a 10
> because I did not capitalize "associate". I was
> not aware that associate was a proper noun and
> nowhere in the guidelines did it say to capitalize
> "associate". I've read from others that they are a
> very picky MSP.

The Trendsource and GFK grocery shops are miserable and I too will not do those again.
There are several shops that I will not do.

There is one mystery shop company that has the nastiest scheduler. She is nasty on the phone and sends emails that are accusing and leave a bad taste in your mouth.
The company name starts with R.

lillian_walsh@comcast.net Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Trendsource and GFK grocery shops are
> miserable and I too will not do those again.
> There are several shops that I will not do.
>
I have to say that I believe the Trendsource grocery shops are among the simplest and most straight forward. I've done almost 100 and never had a glitch.

I do Gyu kako for lunch or very early dinner...I do them alone and did not find them loud. I think it fun to self bbq, and since the appetizers are always half off, you certainly can get a fun low calorie meal for under $20.00. I enjoy the shrimp and beef and think it fun having a varity of bbq. There are two fairly close to me, and when I'm doing a couple jobs in the mall, easy to go have a meal....different strokes in msing. This MSC is one of my favorites.