That is still different from using the same report for the two shops. For me, that's the issue.

Irene_L.A. Wrote:
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> Sentry has a thread about this, and posted it on
> their web-site, not acceptable in short, unethical
> in long. I do the easy bank shops where you can
> only do one a day, but 5 a month. I don't take
> the same bank from the other MSC that keeps
> offering them, because, how many times can I
> evaluate the same teller, small towns only have 1
> or 2 Bankers in, and I respect Co. #1 and don't
> want to put them in harms way....without sounding
> stuffy, if it sounds questionable, it probably
> is....
>


This post got me thinking. I'm also familiar with the above mentioned bank that has at least 2 MSCs. The curious thing is that one MSC has the "client imposed" restriction of 5 per month, 1 per day. The other MSC doesn't have such a restriction.

Same client...different policies.

I've been trying to figure out why a bank would be getting multiple shops and a light bulb just went off here, the only thing that makes sense is that the other shops are competitors. That would also explain the restriction from the client. Often there aren't restrictions on competitor shops.

Boy did I ever open a can of worms! The bank I was referring to is the big blue bank. The two MSC's I know of both have the same 5 per month the same one a day the same 90 day rotation rules. The one I have shopped for for well over 1 year has not changed or relaxed their rules. I was in Tulsa OK last month and picked up two banks there. I could not do any more because that gave me 5 for the month. This new (to me) company offers a $15 bonus for doing 5 shops in one month.....oh, well. I still cannot do the ones I did on last rotation including Tulsa. Maybe next year in Tulsa I will be able to do more. It is interesting to do shops in another area when time and location permit.
I will keep watching this and other threads. I have learned a lot by "listening".

LisaSTL Wrote:
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> I've been trying to figure out why a bank would be
> getting multiple shops and a light bulb just went
> off here, the only thing that makes sense is that
> the other shops are competitors. That would also
> explain the restriction from the client. Often
> there aren't restrictions on competitor shops.


Thought of that also. The MSC without the restrictions has just as many locations, if not slightly more, than the one that imposes the restrictions.

Wow, that is just so low. Someone like that has no business being a scheduler. I could not honestly do the "double shop" mentioned above. Even if I had consent from both companies to do that I just am not comfortable with it. However, I have never had to deal with that.

Heidi

LisaSTL Wrote:
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Talking about unethucal. I heard about a shopper who took a receipt out of a trash can! Got reimbursed for the purchase and got credit for the shop... just had to get the description of the cashier.


> Mert Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If an IC adheres to guidelines, and does
> nothing
> > prohibited by the MSPs, how is that unethical?
> > Personally, if this is cause for concern, don't
> do
> > it. If I feel I'm in a gray area, I walk. If
> > not, I shop 'em.
>
> While it is rare to have the stars align, it's
> great to be able to kill multiple birds with one
> stone There are ethical and unethical ways to do
> it. When a purchase is required I don't
> necessarily get more than one receipt, but I do
> make sure to not be reimbursed twice for the same
> item. In other words, MSC A is reimbursing $5 and
> B is reimbursing $2, I'll make sure to spend $7 or
> more. Large stores with multiple departments work
> the best for this.
>
> I recently heard of a very lazy, very unethical
> shopper who got caught, lost pay and reimbursement
> for both assignments and is banned from 2
> companies. The client was changing MSCs and for
> some reason there was a month or two overlap
> between companies. The job required multiple
> interactions including the time and location for
> each. The shopper completed just one set of
> interactions and didn't even bother to change the
> narrative, just copied and pasted from one
> company's report to the other. Needless to say,
> the client was not a happy camper. What makes it
> truly stupid is the scheduler who shared the info
> told me if the shopper had actually completed and
> reported on two different shops at two different
> times there would not have been a problem with
> them both being on the same day.

beajai Wrote:
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> I ran into a situation this week. Had a call from
> a scheduler who had some bank shops and wondered
> if I could do them. A couple were too far away
> (more than 60 miles one way) But one was very
> close. Only problem was I was already scheduled
> for this bank for another company. I told the
> scheduler that I was sorry but I had that
> particular bank scheduled with another company.
> Okay, later, all the niceties.
> Yesterday I did the shop in question. Returned
> home and was waiting for my computer tech to
> install a new printer when my phone rings. It was
> the scheduler who had called earlier in the week.

I stay away from dishonest or less than reputable people. If it stinks from that far away, just imagine when you get closer hahahaha

Don in Vegas
> She wanted to know if I had done the shop yet. I
> responded yes just a few minutes ago. Her next
> comment nearly floored me. She said I will give
> you $25 over what the other company is paying you
> if you send the shop information to me instead of
> them.
> I really did not know what to think or say. My
> good sense kicked in and I said no thank you. She
> said well maybe I will call you in 90 days when
> your rotation is up.
> Has anyone had this happen?