now I don't see these anymore....they're all gone and before there were dozens of them around me.... unless Brad took them all lol

I did some a while back but here in NYC they were tiny bodegas and smoke shops a lot of the time; very tough to take pictures without arousing suspicion. There were two I didn't get paid for - one was a restaurant with no take out (scheduler told me I should have sat down and ordered a soda) ...The other was PARTLY my fault. I had two scheduled about a block away from each other, and I opened the wrong one and filled it out. I only realized it when I got to the second one. However - I say only PARTLY my fault because these shops require a GPS check in and the GPS wrongly confirmed that I was at the right location. Anyway - I haven't seen them in a while so maybe I'm just missing them or maybe they're not in this area anymore.

I did quite a few a couple months back for $10-15 each. I had 2 that they only gave me $5 for even though the pay was supposed to be $15.
Some were easy, just going in and asking for a takeout menu and asking about fees while taking pictures with the side button of my camera. Some were awkward, but I left so quickly that they didn't have time to ask questions although I'm sure they were confused.
The ones that they lowered the fees on were places that I couldn't go inside of - one had a gate and a security guard out front (I still don't know what they do there) and the other was a firearm manufacturing plant. The names of both didn't give any indication of what kind of business they were, and I got pics of the outside with a narrative that clearly they don't charge fees because the public isn't allowed in so I was hoping for at least $10 for the information but no luck.
If any more come available, I will do more research on the locations to make sure I will get paid.

@CorrieCJ @BarefootBliss It is not you, these shops are off the boards right now. Shoppers were turned off to these since they required more work for the same pay, more shops were declined the last two cycles, and the slow review time - up to 10 days. Last time they said if certain criteria was met, make a purchase, but only purchase one item. Why? If they are going to charge a fee, how does buying two different items change that? The nature of instashops means that they get reviewed and paid quickly.

That delay in feedback meant that you could've at best simply wasted your time and at worst gone out of pocket and not get reimbursed doing these.

Towards the end of the last round, when they denied a shop, they did not give you the customary 24 hours to correct and resubmit. So before where they would say your picture of X is blurry, do you have a clearer picture that you can send, this time they said the shop is denied and they might say there was an issue with a picture, but they wouldn't tell you which one. They said they did not have time to give you more hours to correct the shop.

Earlier this week I was at a location that had a sign about charging a fee on all card transactions, clearly not a shop, and I asked if it meant there was a charge for a debit card. She told me yes. I used a debit card and there was no fee on the receipt. I asked her why and she told me that she overrode the system to not charge me. I think there are times when the cashier doesn't know or might give bad info on purpose or by accident.

If the client wants an honest assessment of what is happening in the field, they should remove the asking of questions so that it doesn't influence the cashier in any way and give you a reimbursement for each shop so that you buy something and the receipt tells the story.

@BarefootBliss wrote:

now I don't see these anymore....they're all gone and before there were dozens of them around me.... unless Brad took them all lol

They periodically go poof! They will be back, probably soon. Last time it was around 2.5 weeks, and it is been around that long now I think. But yes, I hit them HARD!

With how difacukt last time I wouldnt hit them hard

If the client wants an honest assessment of what is happening in the field, they should remove the asking of questions so that it doesn't influence the cashier in any way and give you a reimbursement for each shop so that you buy something and the receipt tells the story.[/quote]

I 1000% agree with this. Just make a required purchase with whatever card they want to know about. Then for the ones that are oddball, where you can't possibly make a purchase, you should still get paid a fee for the travel and the information provided.

@Momomomo wrote:

Earlier this week I was at a location that had a sign about charging a fee on all card transactions, clearly not a shop, and I asked if it meant there was a charge for a debit card. She told me yes. I used a debit card and there was no fee on the receipt. I asked her why and she told me that she overrode the system to not charge me. I think there are times when the cashier doesn't know or might give bad in

While I have also had one or two employees (for some odd reason) decide to not charge the fee they just said 10 seconds ago was going to be charged, I noticed at some places, the line item for "sales tax" was clearly higher than what it should have been - and they are apparently hiding the debit/credit card fee % surcharge with the 'tax'. I assume this would be illegal in some areas.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/31/2023 05:43PM by STL_shopper.

That is an interesting point about sales taxes. I noticed some places would wrap the surcharge into the cost of the item. If the shelf price was $2 and they have a 3.5% fee on all debit and credit card purchases, then the receipt would show that the cost was $2.07. I guess that is why they wanted an itemized receipt and a picture of the shelf price of the item.

@Momomomo wrote:

That is an interesting point about sales taxes. I noticed some places would wrap the surcharge into the cost of the item. If the shelf price was $2 and they have a 3.5% fee on all debit and credit card purchases, then the receipt would show that the cost was $2.07. I guess that is why they wanted an itemized receipt and a picture of the shelf price of the item.

That’s a good catch! Makes sense now why they ask for a photo of the shelf price.

They are posted now at $10 each with new instructions. You make two exact same purchases - one debit, the second cash. You can book them now but can't start till 11/6. Guess how I found out (I missed it somewhere in the overview).

@sestrahelena wrote:

They are posted now at $10 each with new instructions. You make two exact same purchases - one debit, the second cash. You can book them now but can't start till 11/6. Guess how I found out (I missed it somewhere in the overview).

In thinking they have simplified the shop, somehow I think they have managed to make it more confusing and awkward. A lot of these places do not provide itemized receipts. What then?

I guess I'll find out... I just took three that are all a block or two from my home. I doubt very much any of them give itemized receipts. It's two pharmacies and a bodega so at least I'll be able to get things I need.

After having done a few of these new ones, I believe these stores have been tested on previous rounds and possibly warned because they seem to be on high alert. And none that I've done this time have signage yet all have surcharges.

Pros:
You don't have to ask any questions.
You get to make two purchases.

Cons:
Two purchases nearly doubles the amount of ways your shop can get rejected and you're stuck with over priced stuff.
Coming back into the store after three minutes for the exact same thing is suspicious. It would make more sense to make the second buy as soon as you get the first receipts ("You know, I think I'm gonna need another one of those. BRB"

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/2023 10:32PM by sestrahelena.

Yeah the two purchases was a little odd. I pretended to be on the phone when I came back... grabbed the duplicate item (ice cream in this case) and said, "my husband just told me to pick up an extra... let me just give you cash to make it easier..."

except most of the time cash isn't actually easier....making change.

Quick question...i just took one of these shops for visa debit...I have not done presto shops before. Will the report just be within the presto app or website? It looks like it will be. And will I be able to just attach the photos from my gallary? I have an android phone with google photos.

Charging incorrect sales tax is definitely illegal and something that can be reported to most states dept of revenue.

@STL_shopper wrote:

@Momomomo wrote:

Earlier this week I was at a location that had a sign about charging a fee on all card transactions, clearly not a shop, and I asked if it meant there was a charge for a debit card. She told me yes. I used a debit card and there was no fee on the receipt. I asked her why and she told me that she overrode the system to not charge me. I think there are times when the cashier doesn't know or might give bad in

While I have also had one or two employees (for some odd reason) decide to not charge the fee they just said 10 seconds ago was going to be charged, I noticed at some places, the line item for "sales tax" was clearly higher than what it should have been - and they are apparently hiding the debit/credit card fee % surcharge with the 'tax'. I assume this would be illegal in some areas.

@sandyf wrote:

Quick question...i just took one of these shops for visa debit...I have not done presto shops before. Will the report just be within the presto app or website? It looks like it will be. And will I be able to just attach the photos from my gallary? I have an android phone with google photos.

Yes, you can report on either the app or phone's web browser. You'll need location on to check in. You can take pics first then upload later from gallery when you get back to the car or where ever. Not like Field Agent or other apps where the pics can only be taken within the app.

So my two shops yesterday were interesting, to say the least. One wasn't too bad, it was a cheesy NYC gift shop. The only issue was that the proprietor kept following me around to offer discounts. No big deal and both transactions went smoothly (I think he was pleased to see me return for the second item. The second, not so smooth. Was supposed to be a convenience store but it's now one of the (mostly illegal) cannabis/smoke shops that have popped up EVERYWHERE in NYC. A very tiny store with completely transparent door, all glass shelves, lit up like a Christmas tree (if you've been anywhere in NYC lately, you know what I'm talking about). Nowhere to hide. I bought a Snapple because it was the easiest thing to grab but I knew taking pics would be difficult so I waited until the return trip. I paid in cash and asked for the receipt, which the cashier refused to give me (asked twice). As if that (and my middle aged, business-casual self) wasn't suspicious enough... I pretended to get a phone call and snapped the pic while I was "answering" -- then walked out with the phone to my ear. I could hear the guy come out of the store behind me yelling "Why'd you take my picture? Why'd you take my picture??" I did NOT turn around, just kept walking!!! Believe it or not, I got paid for that one, despite no receipt for cash purchase and somewhat blurry photo.

Yep, pretty sure they know what we're doing. Fees went up, though.

And my yesterday shop that I was so excited about finding...the only one in all of the west side of Los Angeles, turned out to be a store that had a car drive through the front several months ago. The front window was boarded up and the door was locked. Evidently they are slowly remodeling it. I took the pics and submitted the report then looked at the guidelines to see if I will get paid anything at all. Could not find information on that. I actually spent more time on that shop than I would have had it been open.

@CorrieCJ wrote:

So my two shops yesterday were interesting, to say the least. One wasn't too bad, it was a cheesy NYC gift shop. The only issue was that the proprietor kept following me around to offer discounts. No big deal and both transactions went smoothly (I think he was pleased to see me return for the second item. The second, not so smooth. Was supposed to be a convenience store but it's now one of the (mostly illegal) cannabis/smoke shops that have popped up EVERYWHERE in NYC. A very tiny store with completely transparent door, all glass shelves, lit up like a Christmas tree (if you've been anywhere in NYC lately, you know what I'm talking about). Nowhere to hide. I bought a Snapple because it was the easiest thing to grab but I knew taking pics would be difficult so I waited until the return trip. I paid in cash and asked for the receipt, which the cashier refused to give me (asked twice). As if that (and my middle aged, business-casual self) wasn't suspicious enough... I pretended to get a phone call and snapped the pic while I was "answering" -- then walked out with the phone to my ear. I could hear the guy come out of the store behind me yelling "Why'd you take my picture? Why'd you take my picture??" I did NOT turn around, just kept walking!!! Believe it or not, I got paid for that one, despite no receipt for cash purchase and somewhat blurry photo.

Well, this gives me some hope of getting paid! Today I went to a similar establishment., also a "convenience" store. No prices at all on the shelves. First purchase I got a card transaction slip only. Second cash purchase, no receipt at all. Nothing is actually scanned and run through a register and the only receipts that are generated are the ones from the little card reader. For my second receipt upload I submitted a picture of both of my packages of Oreos as proof of purchase, lol.

Interestingly I shopped this place on the last round and was told there was no surcharge so I didn't make a purchase. Today I got charged 6.24 on the card, and 6.00 with cash, so yup, there actually is a surcharge.

You will get $5, it has happened to me a couple of times.

I just heard from Presto and they said my shop was denied. They did not give a reason but they gave me a chance to appeal it. So now I am waiting for that. I don't hold out any hope of getting paid even tho I spent a good bit of time doing this non shop. Maybe it will be my last. I do not even know which company is doing these.

@sandyf wrote:

I just heard from Presto and they said my shop was denied. They did not give a reason but they gave me a chance to appeal it. So now I am waiting for that. I don't hold out any hope of getting paid even tho I spent a good bit of time doing this non shop. Maybe it will be my last. I do not even know which company is doing these.

I hope that they will give you at least a partial payment. I've not done one of these under the new guidelines. I know it used to be if you researched the location before going to it and determined the business was at a location where entry was not possible (e.g. the business was run out of someone's home), then you could receive a partial payment. I had a couple nights a while back where I was board and all I did was look for the shops that were based out of someone's home or some other location where entry wasn't possible, then I'd plot it on Google Maps and submit a screenshot of the mapped location. It would seem to me that you went to the location and, for a situation beyond your control, determined entry was not possible. You took appropriate photos to show this. I can't see why they would not pay you at least a few dollars. I hope that overturn it for you.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/16/2023 08:58AM by ServiceAward.

They (client, MSC, whoever) want the transactions done and proofs of them. Anything less is useless to them. So there will probably be no shopper pay since the goal was not achieved. I'm sorry. That's just how they do business.

So basically they want 2 shops done for the same fee. More time in and more reporting.

@sestrahelena wrote:

They are posted now at $10 each with new instructions. You make two exact same purchases - one debit, the second cash. You can book them now but can't start till 11/6. Guess how I found out (I missed it somewhere in the overview).

Did these a year ago and made a kill. However I stopped caring about their response to me. That’s hard. I just snap the pic right in front of them and walk out. I’ve had a couple come after no and ask why I took a pic. I just said I thought your sign was funny and keep walking.

@Swilli wrote:

So basically they want 2 shops done for the same fee. More time in and more reporting.

@sestrahelena wrote:

They are posted now at $10 each with new instructions. You make two exact same purchases - one debit, the second cash. You can book them now but can't start till 11/6. Guess how I found out (I missed it somewhere in the overview).

No, they want proof that the store is charging extra on debit card purchases but not on cash purchases. From what I've googled, they can surcharge CREDIT card payments if there is signage but can never surcharge DEBIT cards under any circumstance. Per google, that is illegal. So we are creating cases for the CC company to go after small businesses (fines, lawsuits, who knows) who are in violation of that rule.

Sidebar - the MSC and CC issuer are making a killing on this project, no doubt. We are out there, risking our necks, getting their evidence for peanuts.