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 08, 2024 01:37AM

@Cassiespark wrote:

Huh?

@gene wrote:

I think they will be back. The person still have such shop listed in her responcibilities and tests still set onmonthe board of tests.

My translation:

The project manager still has USPS listed as one of her projects, and the USPS regular box and hazmat certifications are still available in the list of certifications.

I wouldn't read anything into that other than the MSC just hasn't updated those areas of the portal yet.

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

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/2024 01:40AM by drdoggie00.

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April 09, 2024 09:09PM

As Mark Twain once said, "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated". USPS has moved to a new MSC and will be resurrected.

April 09, 2024 11:45PM

@Cassiespark wrote:

As Mark Twain once said, "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated". USPS has moved to a new MSC and will be resurrected.

Cassie, how'd you find this out? And a hint on the MSC, please?

Score one for USPS for finally doing something right.

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

April 09, 2024 11:56PM

The new MSC, who is plain in name, posted in a Facebook group that they had the shops this year, and that they would resume in late April.

April 10, 2024 01:36AM

@ServiceAward wrote:

A naked wild animal, of sorts.

On a secret platform.

April 10, 2024 03:00AM

The clues were good to identify the company. However, I am lost on what the secret platform means??

April 10, 2024 03:35AM

I answered my own questions. It just clicked. Not my fave!

April 10, 2024 04:52PM

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.

April 10, 2024 05:36PM

Of course, now the big question: how much are they going to lower the fee by. This type of move rarely works in our favor. Let's hope it at least stays constant.

April 10, 2024 06:19PM

I see the hinted at new company is hiring right now. So that is also a good indication they are getting a new client.

April 10, 2024 06:22PM

@KA047 wrote:

Of course, now the big question: how much are they going to lower the fee by. This type of move rarely works in our favor. Let's hope it at least stays constant.

That and the ease of entering the report. With the old company I had those reports down pat and they were getting faster at editing which meant quicker pay.

April 11, 2024 02:00AM

I'm happy these are coming back. I'm not happy with who the new MSC is, as I'm positive they will cut these down to less than $10 a shop, and they take over a month to pay. Boo. And, no, I don't have any inside info on the pay schedule, but they lowball everything so just educating guessing.

April 11, 2024 02:07AM

Facing record inflation, our fees keep going down. Where is the equity in this profession?

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

April 11, 2024 07:12AM

What is this other platform? It sounds like they will not be on the regular job site of the new company but a different platform. Can you access it by signing into the MSC the original way or is it an entirely different platform with a different sign on procedure?

April 11, 2024 02:37PM

The current MSC sub contracted them to the Naked MSC. I recall when they switched back and that was in the explanation from the latter MSC.

Do not read so much, look about you and think of what you see there.
Richard Feynman-- letter to Ashok Arora, 4 January 1967, published in Perfectly Reasonable Deviations from the Beaten Track (2005) p. 230

April 11, 2024 08:21PM

ISS

April 14, 2024 11:36PM

I noticed the box test is still up there in the drop down section of the app. I liked these shops,and hope they are back. They usually start each quarter so technically they are only 2 weeks off. Cindy H used to schedule alot of them for me pre Covid. Now that everything is automated there is no one to reach out to.

April 16, 2024 02:35AM

Any idea on when the new MSC will begin posting these?

April 16, 2024 03:02AM

Is it one of the top 10 MSC?

April 16, 2024 03:06AM

Actually years before past MSC refer me to current one when they transferred such shops.

Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009

April 16, 2024 04:36AM

I may have you beat. I took the suggestion to ship to food banks. So I started shipping baking soda (exact weight). I did for about a year until the postal inspector contacted my parents and everyone I know then sought me down in person to be interrogated. Apparently the package kept leaking the baking soda and the fire department would be called to the food banks.
I felt like I was under arrest. They didn't believe me at all. I still worry anytime I fly now I'm on some terrorist list.

April 16, 2024 01:47PM

That actualy was set up in the past.

Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009

April 16, 2024 09:00PM

Cindy H scheduled shops but for different company.

Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009

April 17, 2024 02:08AM

Still waiting for the shops. Paying for shipping sucks. :-)

April 22, 2024 03:05AM

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

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

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