Who else rolls their eyes at company instructions? This week, I did a shop where I had to be very discreet but also take pictures of the cash register, digital menu board, food display window, the food itself, and other shots. How do I stay discreet if I'm literally the only person in the store and need to take the pictures? I am good at not being obvious but that many pictures is a bit much.

I also did another shop where the company has a known reputation for being very detail oriented including time markers. Their instructions say minimal use of smart phone and note taking. If servers see me use a phone, they threaten to not pay. It's so ridiculous.

I actually logged into the forum for this reason. I just completed a carwash shop where I was being asked to make sure I included xyz in video, yet I was driving and the instructions suggested propping my phone into my cup holder. How logical is it to drive, video someone from your drivers window and also make sure all is included in the video without the subject noticing?

This is a big reason why I wont perform certain shops twice. I once shopped an ice cream store and the MSC was asking for a lot of front counter pictures and signage. The store was super narrow and there was no way for the employee not to see me. The employees went to the back of the store when they saw me take a picture of the counter which I could not avoid since they were all standing behind the counter. I got a free ice cream sandwich for my efforts and the survey was incredibly complicated as well. Lesson learned.

Before I shift back to those days of yesteryear, a business comment. It is the obligation of MSCs to extract as much work from shoppers as possible and for the least amount of money. There is no being fair, as that word has no place in business. We are self-employed contractors, not employees.

As I was in the business when picture taking began, it has been a gradual, akin to straws on a camel's back, process of a little bit more as time has passed. I received an E-notice from Ipsos this week, although I had requested a cancellation of our contract. It offered an assignment with ONLY nine pics plus infractions; the fee was $12 + $10. It may be too late to put the evil genie back in the bottle, but you can at least make an attempt and just say NO.

@shopperbob wrote:

Before I shift back to those days of yesteryear, a business comment. It is the obligation of MSCs to extract as much work from shoppers as possible and for the least amount of money. There is no being fair, as that word has no place in business. We are self-employed contractors, not employees.

As I was in the business when picture taking began, it has been a gradual, akin to straws on a camel's back, process of a little bit more as time has passed. I received an E-notice from Ipsos this week, although I had requested a cancellation of our contract. It offered an assignment with ONLY nine pics plus infractions; the fee was $12 + $10. It may be too late to put the evil genie back in the bottle, but you can at least make an attempt and just say NO.

Shopperbob,

Just go into your profile and up near the top, request no e-mails on the Sassie platform.

I roll my eyes every time I get an email telling me about an easy money shop. These frequently have 8 to 10 pages of guidelines, which you do actually have to read, and I do count as labor. Then they take another hour just to get the required information, and then another hour to fill out the report. Oh, and the easy money shops generally pay in the $3 or $4.00 range!

@GinnyLynn wrote:

I roll my eyes every time I get an email telling me about an easy money shop. These frequently have 8 to 10 pages of guidelines, which you do actually have to read, and I do count as labor. Then they take another hour just to get the required information, and then another hour to fill out the report. Oh, and the easy money shops generally pay in the $3 or $4.00 range!

I feel mad when I even take the time to read these emails and then reach the insulting pay. I feel like Charlie Brown and Lucy has pulled the football out as I go to kick.

Rosie,

Thank you and done. I knew that was the answer. but more and more at 80 I am oblivious to a correct procedure.

Mixed messages here as well.

I went to a shop yesterday at a restaurant that was on a downtown college campus. This was my second attempt to complete the shop. I had to pay for parking both times. The guidelines encouraged bringing my children. Flat fee of $20.00 and no reimbursement. The first attempt, I checked the hours according to the guidelines and online. Stated they were open 10:30 a.m. to midnight. Went to the restaurant at 12:30 p.m. (kids in tow) just to find out from a janitor that they don't open until 4. I rescheduled the shop to a date where I could perform the shop when they were open. Yesterday, I enter the restaurant (a small location tucked behind a fraternity) - with my children once again, just to find that they only accept mobile orders. I leave the shop and look online. The restaurant's website doesn’t do mobile orders and every delivery service I could find wouldn't deliver to my house 15 miles away. I left and reported my shop. I included my interactions with staff and details on cleanliness.

I just got an email rejecting the shop. When I asked what I could have done differently, the scheduler stated "Make a mobile order." The guidelines had nothing about mobile orders as an option and in fact specifically asked to time how long it took the staff to make my order, ect. When I told the scheduler I was unable to place an order for delivery due to living outside the delivery zone (as stated in my report) and asked for partial compensation to cover my out of pocket costs from the parking fees, I was told they dont pay for attemped shops only completed ones.

I want my report back. I feel like they got all of the information they needed for their client to know that their restaurant isn't functioning properly and is dirty ect. and I got no pay. I have no clue how I would have been able to "complete" the shop under those circumstances.

Wow, that is so frustrating!!! I feel like the client would feel obligated to reimburse your expenses if they knew about it.

You made me think of the grocery store whose shop is exclusively pictures (like 50-80 pics) and non-reveal. The same store that trains their staff to look for and confront anyone taking pictures.

Yep, I have a friend who was at a grocery store taking pictures not long ago. He is not a mystery shopper. He was taking pictures of some health supplement products that he wanted to look up and read more about before he bought them. The staff would not let him take the pictures, and threatened to throw him out of the store, and I know full well that I have seen mystery shops for the exact same chain asking for MS pictures all over the store.

@shopperbob wrote:

There is no being fair, as that word has no place in business. We are self-employed contractors, not employees.

Bob, On this I must disagree. Business is dependent upon all parties being fair. Without fairness, without mutual benefit, there can be no contracting, no fair adjudication of contracts, and, indeed, no business.

Rousseau opines--Bob, On this I must disagree. Business is dependent upon all parties being fair. Without fairness, without mutual benefit, there can be no contracting, no fair adjudication of contracts, and, indeed, no business.

Bob comments--Rous, this is a matter of individual interpretation. I would see your example as business morals and completely agree with your response. As I consider my post, I should have modified FAIR with WHINY.

@shopperbob I Agree.

@tinnibopper29 I posted about this very shop a few months back. I had the exact same thing happen. Was this a Taco shop? It sounds like we may be in the same city.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/15/2022 01:50PM by gigishopper.