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I am a fairly new shopper and I had my first declined shop. The company said it was because I did not arrive on time to pick up an online order (I must have missed on the instructions I needed to be there right at the projected date). I did everything else stated on the form and the past few shops I did for them I recieved positive feedback. Is there anything I can do to dispute this/ask for reconsideration? Any information on past experiences I would appreciate.

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Sorry this happened to you. I know how frustrating this can be. I think it as happened to everyone at some point. I have learned that it is important to always check the begin and end time for shops and to make sure to get the names of anyone I interact with.

Thank you for your reply. Yes, it was my fault I must have missed that part. Is there anyway to ask for reconsideration or do you think I am just out of luck? Will this affect this company working with me again (I have several other successful shops with them).

One failed shop is very unlikely to result in the MSC not working with you again since you already have had on shop accepted. So, take a deep breath, exhale slowly and move on. Education can be costly.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Was that a Panda Express shop? I have showed up early because I have received a text saying the order is ready (ahead of the promised time.) I always make sure to explain whatever I'm doing so there is no question.

I usually don't do online order until I'm super close as I don't want to be held up for traffic. If that means I "waste" a couple minutes in the parking lot cuz I'm early, I'm happier to do that, then to risk being late and not having a shop accepted.

In this particular scenario its more of a learning experience. There are various shops you may encounter that you will have some room to counter and see about getting approved or maybe partial. Though with shops similar to online situations, part of what is being looked at is if orders are being done on time. If not, then how long does it take, is there anything that is done to accomodate. How the experience is for a customer and if the company standards are being met.

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

Was that a Panda Express shop? I have showed up early because I have received a text saying the order is ready (ahead of the promised time.) I always make sure to explain whatever I'm doing so there is no question.

I usually don't do online order until I'm super close as I don't want to be held up for traffic. If that means I "waste" a couple minutes in the parking lot cuz I'm early, I'm happier to do that, then to risk being late and not having a shop accepted.

My last panda shop I got an email my order was ready and they hadn't even finished cooking the food. But yeah I would have gone in too like a normal customer. I too wait until I am at the store to order, just to be safe.

It's not a good feeling to have a shop rejected. But if the shop is to see if an pickup order is ready on time, it can't really be salvaged if we show up late and the MSC will not be paid by the client.

I can't really see a way of salvaging this shop other than trying to reshop it by signing up again on the job board. I messed up a couple of shops yesterday-- completely blanked on doing one and then forgot to fill out the report in time for another one. I was able to reschedule one of them and then chalked the other one up as a loss.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/26/2023 09:57PM by Mellifluy.

After a while you will get to realize the reason for some rules and it is easier to remember them and to spot them in the guidelines after you get the reasoning for a question. As another poster mentioned for most pick up shops it is important to arrive at or before the scheduled pick up time as they are interested in whether these orders are ready on time and if not how long you had to wait.

@Howard, as others have recommended, just take a deep breath and move on. As a long time shopper, I can remember having a shop rejected for doing a wrong scenario. It happens to all of us. I agree with others who have said that one rejected shop shouldn't stop your ability to do more shops for the MSC. As another poster above has suggested, I would also consider doing another one of the same for that MSC...it will show them that you want to learn and to do it right. But I wouldn't try to ask them to pay you for a shop where all the requirements weren't followed....it won't happen, so just learn from it and move on. Good luck with your future shops! And hang in there!

I would stop trying to get paid for a shop when I realized I was at fault and the MSC was justified in denying payment. To keep trying to get paid may hurt my future with the MSC much more than one failed shop.

If you are worried about your standing with the company, ask them to let you re-do the job at your expense. That should help both of you.

Shopping Arkansas, Louisiana, & Mississippi.

I've been shopping a long time. I messed up last week, I offered to redo it and they let me redo it. Best suggestion I have ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching kids what counts is best.
Bob Talbert

There is a disconnect between the app and the email pick up times for Panda. The email and the app are 3 minutes different. I go inside at the time the email says to puck it up. It's almost never ready. But it would also still not be ready, most of the time, at yhe time the app says it should be ready.

And I ALWAYS add to the narrative that the pick up times are different, no matter which pick up time I choose to use.

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Post deleted for Forum violation in naming MSC in same thread where possible/actual Client(s) have been named. Feel free to remove the violation and then re-post.

Almost all of the mistakes I make I catch before submitting the report, usually while I'm filling out the report. When this happens, i redo the shop without the MSC even knowing and then submit the report with the information from the second attempt. It sucks to have to pay out of pocket for an overpriced burger, fries, and soda......AND SHAKE, for example. My mistake was going in person when it was supposed to be online order. But, in my opinion, it's easier than going back and forth with the MSC.
When it comes to the panda online orders. I always order in the parking lot because the pickup time is usually five minutes later. I always use the email pickup time since it is the screenshot of the email I use as the receipt. As you now know, it's not worth the risk ordering farther away and hoping the traffic stars align with you arriving on time.

Speaking of Panda Express shops, on a recent shop, I actually received three, different pick up times; one at the time of placing the order, a second in the email, and a third via text. I included this in my report to highlight how confusing that is.

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I started using the emailed receipt only as the pick up time and no longer go into all the variations of time explanations on my report. And they have been accepted. As @Morledzep noted, there is a disconnect between them. Because the App (or if using their website directly), issues a time once the order was placed. Then the email adjusts the time when the location gets their notification during those seconds of transmission. When the associate finishes boxing and placing your order in the bag, they scan that tiny sticker attached to your bag and that triggers the text message that your order is "truly" done.

I sit in the parking lot and order. At the time the "email" notes as the pick up time, I literally start walking toward the door and step inside on the exact "minute and zero seconds" mark. I record myself stating: "I am stepping inside now." The recording continues, so I have the exact minute and seconds of any greeting, receipt of order, and parting comment, etc. So, I do not have to keep looking at my device or watch, etc.

@a-scho wrote:

Almost all of the mistakes I make I catch before submitting the report, usually while I'm filling out the report. When this happens, i redo the shop without the MSC even knowing and then submit the report with the information from the second attempt. It sucks to have to pay out of pocket for an overpriced burger, fries, and soda......AND SHAKE, for example. My mistake was going in person when it was supposed to be online order. But, in my opinion, it's easier than going back and forth with the MSC.
When it comes to the panda online orders. I always order in the parking lot because the pickup time is usually five minutes later. I always use the email pickup time since it is the screenshot of the email I use as the receipt. As you now know, it's not worth the risk ordering farther away and hoping the traffic stars align with you arriving on time.

Panda does allow you to select your pickup time (I believe it's in 15 minute increments). So I always do that and select a time that gives me plenty of time to get there. And doing it that way avoids the confusion of multiple pickup times that apparently is happening.

Seeing if you can re-do it is best, like others said, it happens to all of us.

If already submitted, there isn't much you can do about it. In the future read (and follow) instructions carefully. Be sure to get the address right! (Especially if you do more than one location). There is a cost to the company when they have to reschedule so I wouldn't expect to be paid. When I first started I often got to do shops at the end of the period when another shopper had messed up

For pickup shops (whether Panda or someone else) the order being ready at the promised time is a critical part of what is being evaluated.

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