In Memoriam: USPS Mystery Shops (????-2024)

ServiceAward · 2024-04-04T07:53:17+00:00

I have no idea when these shops started. I can't even recall who did them before the current company. Was it [yada yada yada? Yada yada? Yada?] It's been too many years ago, back during my initial run as a shopper. It's far enough back that the USPS still did dimensional weight shops. I have many fond memories of the USPS shops. Between my first run and current run, I'm a part of that 100+ club. I've done enough of these shops to know the HazMat phrase by heart. Back at Christmas, an exhausted clerk floundered when trying to state it. I chimed in, and said it for her. Don't worry, I wasn't a shopper during that visit. Among some of the funniest memories I have from mystery shopping, there is one that sticks out more than Santa does at an Easter party. To me, it is my funniest mystery shopping memory of all time. I've probably told the story once before, but like your favorite uncle (or your annoying friend), I'm going to do it again. And probably change a few non-important details just to mix it up. The scene was a small down nested among the Appalachian mountains. I was on a route of mostly Shell audits with a few Pandora jewelry shops and post offices tossed in. I also picked up some easy buy back jobs (think Paqui chips) for [yada yada yada]. That day, all of my post office shops were dimensional weight. For those that don't know, that is when your box size exceeds a set number of cubic feet in relation to its weight. In other words, relatively lightweight items in very large boxes are charged a surcharge. As I recall, years ago, there were a total of 4 USPS shop scenarios, with dimensional weight being one of them. Back then, the threshold to trigger dimensional weight was greater than it is today. Someone can correct me, but it seems like I remember the box had to be at least 3 cubic feet in size for that shop scenario and the weight had to be like a pound or less. Anyhow, I go into the post office with a gigantic box that a vintage window air conditioner could have fit in. I had a half-pound box of pasta in it. I go to the counter and sit my package on top. The clerk, an older gentleman, must have thought it weighed 50 pounds as he picked it up with some force, almost losing it onto the ground. He made some comments like, "Woah, what's going on here?" He put the box on the scale, and it may have weighed 2 pounds, most of which was the actual box weight. He started asking me what was inside the box. "What's inside the box," I thought. I had to think of an answer, so I said the first thing that came to mind: "Condoms." The clerk said, "What?" "It's condoms," I confirmed. Why did I blurt out condoms? Well, let's just say those [yada yada yada] jobs weren't for chips. My trunk was FULL of them. I had on my mind what I was going to do with them since I did not have to destroy them. The clerk was very puzzled, and asked how many packages I was shipping. He could not figure out why the box weighed only a couple of pounds if the box was full. The cost to ship that package, because of the dimensional weight status, was going to be like $50.00. The clerk then wanted to open and repackage them into a smaller box. The guy even pulled out a pocket knife to open the box. I scrambled to stop him, pointing to the sender's name. "I'm sorry," I said, "my wife is shipping this, and if you go to opening it and repackaging it, she is going to be horribly embarrassed and probably very mad at me. If you could just ship it as it is, it will save me a headache." The clerk ultimately complied. Can you imagine if he had opened it and found a box of pasta? He would have been even more confused, and I don't think I would have been able to keep a straight face.\ As I exited the lobby, I overheard someone from the back ask him what was in that box. "Condoms," the clerk said. (I think someone must have heard some of the conversation, hence the question.) I laughed for many miles down the road. Oh, the second-funniest memory I have from mystery shopping - the look on the CVS workers' faces as I checked out with 20+ boxes of condoms at each store. [At least I didn't yada yada over the best part of the story.] Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/2024 01:31AM by ServiceAward.

In Memoriam: USPS Mystery Shops (????-2024)

April 23, 2024 06:02PM

The only break I recall over the past 10 years was from this little thing called Covid...lol! They took about a 6 month break in 2020, but, hey so did the whole world....

"We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl -- year after year..."

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April 23, 2024 07:09PM

The new MSC posted on FB that the shops would post this week. Fingers crossed!

@AZwolfman wrote:

The post office shops took a break for about a year a few years ago. Hopefully, this is just another such break.

April 24, 2024 03:21AM

I sent an email to the current (now prior?) MSC and asked if they still have these shops. The response I received was:
Unfortunately, I have no further information other than that we’re not scheduling them currently.

Wouldn't they know if they still had the contract for these shops or not?

April 24, 2024 03:33AM

@jentheshopper72 wrote:

I sent an email to the current (now prior?) MSC and asked if they still have these shops. The response I received was:
Unfortunately, I have no further information other than that we’re not scheduling them currently.

Wouldn't they know if they still had the contract for these shops or not?

That's likely their way of saying, "We know the answer to your question, but we're sharing that information on a need-to-know basis only, and you don't need to know." Consider yourself lucky to have received a reply at all.

If your path dictates you walk through hell, do it as though you own the place. -unknown

April 24, 2024 03:42AM

They know they don't have the contract any more, we know they don't have the contract anymore and we know who the new MSC is. Whats the question you were hoping they would answer? Just curious. Like most, I have a love/hate relationship with them but I'm sure this was a pretty massive financial blow to them to lose this. I'm fingers crossed it will not be a financial blow to all of us, since the new gang isnt know to be a great payer (in terms of pay and pay frequency).

April 24, 2024 03:57AM

@Cassiespark wrote:

They know they don't have the contract any more, we know they don't have the contract anymore and we know who the new MSC is. Whats the question you were hoping they would answer? Just curious. Like most, I have a love/hate relationship with them but I'm sure this was a pretty massive financial blow to them to lose this. I'm fingers crossed it will not be a financial blow to all of us, since the new gang isnt know to be a great payer (in terms of pay and pay frequency).

Okay, so it was discussed earlier in this thread that the big MSC and the naked MSC were once upon a time in cahoots with this client, and the contract was subbed out (or whatever terminology you'd like to use) between the two of them for a period of time, then that ended. It's entirely possible that's what's happened again. Maybe it's a coincidence that the same two MSCs are involved in this change. Then again, maybe it's not. The contract could have just been farmed out again....or taken back.

If your path dictates you walk through hell, do it as though you own the place. -unknown

April 25, 2024 03:34AM

@sestrahelena wrote:

I had good experiences with the new MSC but that was years ago when they paid more. TBH, I'm elated that the most recent MSC lost (if that is, in fact, what happened) the contract. Those who give incomplete/erroneous instructions and quickly reject shops because of it have suddenly been rejected themselves. Maybe that's not how it happened but it makes me feel good to imagine the delicious irony.

No Joke! The previous MSC would sometime reject for ridiculous reasons. I did a lot of these and even picked up lots of rural ones. I didn't have many rejections but I almost quit over them.

April 26, 2024 05:44PM

@Cassiespark wrote:

The new MSC posted on FB that the shops would post this week. Fingers crossed!

@AZwolfman wrote:

The post office shops took a break for about a year a few years ago. Hopefully, this is just another such break.

I was hoping I would see them this week. Getting tired of paying for shipping, lol!

April 30, 2024 03:04PM

Has anyone seen these shops come out in your area yet? I keep looking multiple times a day but nothing by me.

April 30, 2024 05:25PM

@siamese5555 wrote:

Has anyone seen these shops come out in your area yet? I keep looking multiple times a day but nothing by me.

[www.mysteryshopforum.com]

If your path dictates you walk through hell, do it as though you own the place. -unknown

June 13, 2024 03:59AM

Anyone have any updates? I am in withdrawal I think ????????. I loved shipping things to ppl!

June 13, 2024 09:04AM

@gringa7ape wrote:

Anyone have any updates? I am in withdrawal I think ????????. I loved shipping things to ppl!

See Cassie's last post on this thread: [www.mysteryshopforum.com]

I wouldn't hold my breath.

If your path dictates you walk through hell, do it as though you own the place. -unknown

June 13, 2024 02:03PM

I got $50 last year.

June 17, 2024 04:54PM

@fa2 wrote:

I got $50 last year.

I also got $50 for one on a military base. Had to stop at the visitor center for a pass before I could get in.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/2024 04:54PM by MisterBill.

June 17, 2024 05:49PM

Well, for those interested in doing these, I just came from checking the site....no Wednesdays allowed this week, as they're closed for Juneteenth. There's a mess of them showing up now in my southwest corner of SC, most of which I shopped before, but with no real reason to ship, why would I even consider doing this shop without any pay??? They must be crazy!!

June 17, 2024 07:28PM

I know! Agreed. Very frustrated!

June 17, 2024 11:40PM

Bare has them now. Hit the board today. Paying $15.00 with no package reimbursement. Imagine customer will be asking lots of questions as to why no one has answered their surveys. This is a new low in Low Ball.

June 17, 2024 11:46PM

It sure is. Either the new MSC negotiated a terrible contract (to steal away from the last MSC) with the client which has resulted in the no pay situation, or they are keeping all the money for themselves. The survey is a mess to do on ISS (such as enter the exact seconds you left the post office as shown on your receipt..yet seconds aren't shown on the receipt) to prompting for a GeoTag on the box picture (doesn't matter where the box picture was taken, and it actually can't be taken inside the post office). And...shipping rates are crazy high, so $15 will only cover a Zone 1-3 package on a good day.

This is a complete and total fail.

June 17, 2024 11:46PM

David - you need to edit your post to remove the MSC's name since the client is named in the Thread Topic Title.

@David Hoppe wrote:

Bare has them now. Hit the board today. Paying $15.00 with no package reimbursement. Imagine customer will be asking lots of questions as to why no one has answered their surveys. This is a new low in Low Ball.

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In Memoriam: USPS Mystery Shops (????-2024)

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