How do you handle the many pages of things to check on in store shops? Produce, meats., milk? Do you take the notes inside the store like a shopping list? Any advice- doing a few

I do it on the app as I’m walking through the store. When I get to my car I fill in any checkout information still needed and upload my receipt.

I'm old school and carry a small notebook. I write one word reminders of what I'm to check and make notes as I go. I've had them come back to me for more details around an answer a few days after I submitted the report and that's the only way I can keep up with them.

@SueW70 wrote:

How do you handle the many pages of things to check on in store shops? Produce, meats., milk? Do you take the notes inside the store like a shopping list? Any advice- doing a few

I use "Shop It", which is an app that lets you take notes but it looks like you're texting someone. I've done the shop enough times that I can just say "all produce full fresh", "all meat full fresh", or "all dairy full fresh except X".
I do the reports in the parking lot on the MSC app so only a few minutes have elapsed since I left the store.

That said, if I'm doing multiple stores in the same day, I take more careful notes just to be sure. Trust me, the more you do these, the quicker and easier it is!

Also, if I don't have particular grocery needs right then and there, I'm very good at getting 3-5 items at just over $9, so the rest is a profit. Although I'm happy to spend up to $18-$20 when I want something particular right then.

I use the app. I've done so many that if I do not find a produce associate the first time, I check the other two departments and return for up to five minutes, keeping my results for the other two in mind (usually just the negative results).

I use my grocery list. I have it folded in half and my notes are on the inside. If something is ok i don't write anything then I know that item was ok.

@SueW70 wrote:

How do you handle the many pages of things to check on in store shops? Produce, meats., milk? Do you take the notes inside the store like a shopping list? Any advice- doing a few

When I started I made a list and took photos of everything. Now that I've done many I pretty much have it down. I photograph anything that is off like unripe strawberries or missing fluff packs. That always makes me laugh... fluff packs.

I text myself the names and anything else that might be weird. Restroom out of order, trash in lot, etc.

Edited to add - I thought it was really daunting at first but it's really not that bad. It's perfect if you can do a pickup and also an instore. Makes your trip worth $50.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/2022 01:09AM by olympia tennenbaum.

I text myself notes and do the report in the parking lot. That way it's done before I go to the next store.

@foodluvr wrote:

I text myself notes and do the report in the parking lot. That way it's done before I go to the next store.

I do it in the parking lot too. It is a nice quick report.

i have a template i made in my notes app that goes in the order of the online report. i mark my answers in the notes, then refer back to them if i can’t remember an answer when i do the report in the car.

I’m a texter too especially if the name is unique. After doing so many you find yourself taking less notes and like others, completing the shop in the parking lot. I love how fast and easy they are compared to the previous MSC

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/2022 02:58AM by Blkstorm.

First in stores tomorrow. Can anyone tell me how long on average time spent in store? I doubt I will have produce person greet me…shop Krogers all the time they never do so not thinking it will change.

@OldmanJames wrote:

First in stores tomorrow. Can anyone tell me how long on average time spent in store? I doubt I will have produce person greet me…shop Krogers all the time they never do so not thinking it will change.

Usually 20 minutes for me.

@OldmanJames wrote:

First in stores tomorrow. Can anyone tell me how long on average time spent in store? I doubt I will have produce person greet me…shop Krogers all the time they never do so not thinking it will change.

20 minutes for me also. In fact, if I'm done in less than 20 minutes, I actually browse for a few minutes longer so 20 minutes is my minimum.

The actual checking and mystery shopping of stuff I can speed through in about 10 min, but the locations around me generally have very long lines at checkout, and no baggers. So I'm usually filling out the survey while waiting in the checkout line. By the time I'm back in my car, I just need to take a pict of the receipt, update the end time, and submit. The in store shops get much faster the more you do them.

@OldmanJames wrote:

First in stores tomorrow. Can anyone tell me how long on average time spent in store? I doubt I will have produce person greet me…shop Krogers all the time they never do so not thinking it will change.

Yes expecting ling check out lines. My daughter in law shops at the 2 stores I am in storing tomorrow. I asked her if the product person ever greets her and she laughed- has been living here 10 years and never been greeted. Same for self check person- which has also been my experience- They are too busy attending to customers with issues with items checked- hoping I do not get questioned about that but I am in Krogers a LOT actually was asked a few weeks ago if I shop for other people for money- I said no just for myself and my son and his family- guess I buy a lot- I was in Krogers I am shopping tomorrow yesterday and product people were present- stocking salads- not one said anything to me. They were matching the salad taken out of the box to the place on the shelf. I hope my report if that is what happens tomorrow as I expect does not get flagged- as I will be honest and report what happens.

My notes

time in
meat all good
milk all good
produce .. No Taylor salad, employee name description
cashier.. name description, greeted, thanked
restroom.. stinks
time out

This is my method also, I usually do 4-5 Kroger's in a day. I've even uploaded the report in lobby. :-)

@grille wrote:

I do it on the app as I’m walking through the store. When I get to my car I fill in any checkout information still needed and upload my receipt.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/2022 11:41AM by ShoppingDad.

Exactly what you are suppose to do.

@SueW70 wrote:

I will be honest and report what happens.

Who is now doing the kroger
shops

@Billflu wrote:

Who is now doing the kroger
shops

Working to get folks banned or deactivated? We cannot mention the MSC and the client in the same thread and you should be aware of that by now, since it says you've been on the forum for over 2 years.

I have done a few Kroger in store shops. I check every single item, lot, carts, wipes, restroom, all the produce items required,, meat and milk items. I have not found anything out of place in any of the stores- the produce was in stock and fresh, the meats were at least 2 and not leaking, the milk was all out at least 10 plus days. I have been smiled at and greeted by produce people as well as cashiers. I report honestly yet fear that reporting that all is 100% good may look like I am not looking good enough and get me flagged? Yet I do not want to report anything wrong when there is nothing wrong. Anyone else feel this way?

@Funny oldgal wrote:

I have done a few Kroger in store shops. I check every single item, lot, carts, wipes, restroom, all the produce items required,, meat and milk items. I have not found anything out of place in any of the stores- the produce was in stock and fresh, the meats were at least 2 and not leaking, the milk was all out at least 10 plus days. I have been smiled at and greeted by produce people as well as cashiers. I report honestly yet fear that reporting that all is 100% good may look like I am not looking good enough and get me flagged? Yet I do not want to report anything wrong when there is nothing wrong. Anyone else feel this way?

No I don't because it is very rare that the produce person smiles or talks to me. I have had shops where there is missing produce, milk or meat dept items.

Funny oldgal, you must have very nice Kroger stores! The ones I shop are mostly decent, but I am rarely greeted by the produce associates. Plus I've found mold on the produce now and again (usually strawberries) and sometimes chicken breasts are out of stock (which I don't blame the store for; I think it's supply chain issues, but still I have to report it).

(That said, their pick-up service has been outstanding! I usually have my order within 2 minutes of parking my car and there is almost never a mistake. Plus the associates who load the groceries into my car are among the nicest I've encountered.)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/05/2022 01:19AM by amyann2.

I did a Kroger pick up shop today and am really annoyed. I placed an order that came to over $27 with the pick up fee waived due to the amount. I get to the location and the ditzy female wearing a man's name tag comes out and told me that she had to substitute 2 items without saying anything about the other items in the order. When she placed 2 bags in the trunk I realized that my paper towels were not in the order. They were a nearly $10 item so that I was looking for them as they were going towards the $25 minimum. I asked and she said there were none to substitute. In the end the pick up came to $15 in groceries and a $4.50 pick up fee. I went into the store after the pick up and looked around. The towels were a nearly $10 item and I really wanted them and needed them! There were PLENTY of other brands of towels to substitute. Other items she did not substitute were in good supply also. I am SOOO angry. If not a shop I would have called Krogers Customer Service to tell them their pick up service is poor and to charge me a $4.95 fee when the pick up order was done so poorly. Still fuming. This is the first time this ever happened to me. I am very annoyed! I wrote the scheduler- the shop has already been approved but it is just not fair that I got cheated out a complete up to $25 by this ditzy idiot. Has this happened to anyone else?

SueW,

Go to the store manager, if your initial order was over the amount they are not supposed to charge you for thr pick up fee. AND if you did not exclude sustitutions on your order, and if there were other brands of papertowels on the shelves when your order was picked, the manager is supposed to get them for you and add them back to your order.

Your shop is not done when they close the trunk of your car. You have to follow up. That's why they ask you the questions about getting everything you ordered in the questionaire. No matter if you are doing a shop or not, you are a paying customer and deserve decent service.

I have never experienced this on a shop but can understand why you are so upset. I have had personal grocery pick-up orders go wrong and the mistakes were costly.

Your negative shop report will likely get that employee in bigger trouble than a regular customer's complaint.

@SueW70 wrote:

I did a Kroger pick up shop today and am really annoyed. I placed an order that came to over $27 with the pick up fee waived due to the amount. I get to the location and the ditzy female wearing a man's name tag comes out and told me that she had to substitute 2 items without saying anything about the other items in the order. When she placed 2 bags in the trunk I realized that my paper towels were not in the order. They were a nearly $10 item so that I was looking for them as they were going towards the $25 minimum. I asked and she said there were none to substitute. In the end the pick up came to $15 in groceries and a $4.50 pick up fee. I went into the store after the pick up and looked around. The towels were a nearly $10 item and I really wanted them and needed them! There were PLENTY of other brands of towels to substitute. Other items she did not substitute were in good supply also. I am SOOO angry. If not a shop I would have called Krogers Customer Service to tell them their pick up service is poor and to charge me a $4.95 fee when the pick up order was done so poorly. Still fuming. This is the first time this ever happened to me. I am very annoyed! I wrote the scheduler- the shop has already been approved but it is just not fair that I got cheated out a complete up to $25 by this ditzy idiot. Has this happened to anyone else?

Yes, I have definitely had this happen in the past. Usually, I've been charged the full pickup fee of $6.95. I once had an $18 roast not substituted. That one hurt but I no longer order bigger pieces of meat or larger items so that I lessen the risk of one item really diminishing the reimbursement value of the shop.

I have read about others writing and asking to reschedule the shop when this happens. That might be a possibility in the future rather than submitting the shop. You might be able to get the store to refund the whole order. I always wondered what happened if you refused the whole order. Online, there is a chat customer service that you could try using too.

One last thought, I usually get a text with the receipt link when they are about to come out. You could try to quickly check it and see if there are any issues to try to head off.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/2022 12:03PM by olympia tennenbaum.

Plenty of times they say a product is out of stock. When I go in, I find plenty.

I take picts of the produce employee and cashier, and write their names on the photo for my notes. And I'm glad you've found them easier over time! See, it's really pretty straightforward!

@olympia tennenbaum wrote:

@SueW70 wrote:

How do you handle the many pages of things to check on in store shops? Produce, meats., milk? Do you take the notes inside the store like a shopping list? Any advice- doing a few

When I started I made a list and took photos of everything. Now that I've done many I pretty much have it down. I photograph anything that is off like unripe strawberries or missing fluff packs. That always makes me laugh... fluff packs.

I text myself the names and anything else that might be weird. Restroom out of order, trash in lot, etc.

Edited to add - I thought it was really daunting at first but it's really not that bad. It's perfect if you can do a pickup and also an instore. Makes your trip worth $50.