@melg wrote:

I remember the days of stupid questions, that's why I won't do Stater Brothers! These are sooo easy that it's really the only shop I do anymore.

The guidelines now explain the restrictions on pickups that we've had on the West Coast for a while. I guess they now apply everywhere. Lucky for me there are a lot of stores in this area and I can usually keep a daily route pretty tight.

I agree with the suspicion that competitor shops may be done. We were on a 3 month rotation AFAIK. They were due and we did not see them. Perhaps the client got what they needed (now that it's been about a year). Nice while it lasted.

and... remember you had to ask a question in produce, deli and meat department, I was sure the staff knew I was the mystery shopper or I wasn't very bright :-)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2024 08:28PM by 724PM.

Y’all can have the Kroger shops. Seems like every quarter the msc adds more requirements, yet the pay and reimbursement never increases. I can shop at Meijer and their prices are lower so I essentially save around the same amount as the shop pays. I was ok checking strawberries, bananas and salad but now you have to check several other produce items, various meats, the meat counter, etc.

Too much work for too little pay, and yet these shops get snatched up like they’re gold.

Oh I hated those stupid questions!!! “How do you tell if an avocado is ripe… what can you make with apples…” The Kroger shops are much, much easier to do now.

I used to do Publix shops and the stupid questions made the questions miserable. Many produce workers were not native Americans and did not speak English so asking the questions was torture.

@OldmanJames wrote:

I used to do Publix shops and the stupid questions made the questions miserable. Many produce workers were not native Americans and did not speak English so asking the questions was torture.

Native Americans, lol. I guess you could have tried to pick up a little Cherokee to complete the shops more easily.

Phoebe70 opines concerning Kroger shops--Too much work for too little pay, and yet these shops get snatched up like they’re gold.

Bob comments--Were I completing these jobs for my category 1, money, I would agree. For me, though, they well fit category 3, the defrayment of travel expense. In addition, I am exposed to reduced merchandise of which I would normally be ignorant. Occasionally, items will be at a wholesale level, thus permitting me to purchase to retail. During the by gone days of literal coupons, I was able, through doubling/tripling, to score quite a profit.

As to why they are snatched up as if they were gold, I have two theories. One, a household in need. Secondly, a shopper being in the store for personal reasons, deciding I am here anyway, why not?

Completely agree. The instructions can be confusing and contradictory.

@olympia tennenbaum wrote:

@OldmanJames wrote:

I used to do Publix shops and the stupid questions made the questions miserable. Many produce workers were not native Americans and did not speak English so asking the questions was torture.

Native Americans, lol. I guess you could have tried to pick up a little Cherokee to complete the shops more easily.

Maybe the store's in Sioux City?

If there are confusing instructions my scheduler has taken the time to answer my questions. I find these shops convenient and easy, and I am astonished that some people seem to find them difficult. My instore jobs take 15-30 minutes (more if I have to go back to produce or meat a second time), the pickups take about 2 minutes not counting the required "check within 10 minutes out of sight" requirement. The no narrative reports are a snap.

I'm not sure how paying for groceries is a better deal than the $300 to $400 a month I can make when I can get a full rotation. In-store I shop the markdowns, some produce (although they are getting better) and sale items that often run out ($5 Deli Turkey Tuesday today!!) Pickups are for staples and some high ticket items (with fingers crossed).

In summary, I'm baffled by the whining, lol. But it's fine to pass them up and leave more for those who want them.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2024 07:27PM by melg.

I think a lot of the complaining stems from perception and expectations. For those who did the shops when they were PITA, there is little to complain about the current shops. For those who started shopping Krogers when there were far fewer things to check, they keep seeing more requirements without a raise in pay. It's worse when schedulers don't give shoppers a heads-up about changes. A little whining is understandable.

I again took only one shop this month but there is no reason for me to complain. It's a bonused shop and I have other things to do near that location. I wouldn't have taken the shop if it didn't meet my needs.

@melg wrote:

In summary, I'm baffled by the whining, lol.

I always disliked shops with questions to employees. I did some in NY for Shop Rite long ago and the questions were rather foolish and trying to get names and answers without being detected was hard!

Kroger question - had a problematic pick up today. Ended up with my order after going in. Did not end up getting the receipt. I keep checking online and it seems like the order hasn't been completed. For others who have experienced the same, do you fill out the form and say you don't have a receipt? Do you contact the store? This one is a little awkward. Thanks!

@olympia tennenbaum wrote:

Kroger question - had a problematic pick up today. Ended up with my order after going in. Did not end up getting the receipt. I keep checking online and it seems like the order hasn't been completed. For others who have experienced the same, do you fill out the form and say you don't have a receipt? Do you contact the store? This one is a little awkward. Thanks!

This has happened to me a few times, where they forgot to close out the order when the order was picked up. If an order doesn’t show as picked up toward the end of the afternoon, I have called the store and spoke to the pickup department. I just tell them I need to print out a receipt and am unable to since it wasn’t closed out. They close it out right then, and then you can then access the receipt.

what Hampton said. check under past purchases, see if your order is there, then if it's not, call the store. You can also do a screen shot of your order confirmation email, and explain that there was a problem and the purchase wasn't finalized, so there is no receipt. It might require a couple follow-up emails with the lady that questions everything, even when they don't need to be questioned.

@Morledzep wrote:

what Hampton said. check under past purchases, see if your order is there, then if it's not, call the store. You can also do a screen shot of your order confirmation email, and explain that there was a problem and the purchase wasn't finalized, so there is no receipt. It might require a couple follow-up emails with the lady that questions everything, even when they don't need to be questioned.

You mean like, what was the reason the produce associate did not smile, and or make eye contact, and if greet you? Lol

Or tell me more about the trash in the parking lot?

@Morledzep wrote:

what Hampton said. check under past purchases, see if your order is there, then if it's not, call the store. You can also do a screen shot of your order confirmation email, and explain that there was a problem and the purchase wasn't finalized, so there is no receipt. It might require a couple follow-up emails with the lady that questions everything, even when they don't need to be questioned.

I can not imagine getting a human at this grocery store. They have been so bad at just filling orders. But, truth be told they have been improving!

@hamptonroadsva wrote:

@olympia tennenbaum wrote:

Kroger question - had a problematic pick up today. Ended up with my order after going in. Did not end up getting the receipt. I keep checking online and it seems like the order hasn't been completed. For others who have experienced the same, do you fill out the form and say you don't have a receipt? Do you contact the store? This one is a little awkward. Thanks!

This has happened to me a few times, where they forgot to close out the order when the order was picked up. If an order doesn’t show as picked up toward the end of the afternoon, I have called the store and spoke to the pickup department. I just tell them I need to print out a receipt and am unable to since it wasn’t closed out. They close it out right then, and then you can then access the receipt.

Thanks to you and @Morledzep. I did go ahead and submit the job and used a screemshot of the unfinished order. I'm sure there will be questions. I hate when things go wrong because it seems more likely that they'll remember you when you have to spend 10 minutes at the front of the store waiting for your order when people radio around and call your make across the store. Sigh. Oh well, I guess them's the breaks.

@olympia tennenbaum wrote:

Thanks to you and @Morledzep. I did go ahead and submit the job and used a screemshot of the unfinished order. I'm sure there will be questions. I hate when things go wrong because it seems more likely that they'll remember you when you have to spend 10 minutes at the front of the store waiting for your order when people radio around and call your make across the store. Sigh. Oh well, I guess them's the breaks.

Did you check the Kroger website again to see if it's been closed out? In one instance my order wasn't closed out, and when I called, the employee said they were having issues with their order system, and that my order would be closed out overnight when they reconcile the day's orders, and the next morning I saw that it was. So maybe it's been closed out and your receipt will be available. Also check to see if that shop has been accepted or is still in pending. Kroger shops usually get approved within a few minutes, and if it's still pending, then they may have to follow up with you. If it's been accepted then you are good to go

@hamptonroadsva wrote:

@olympia tennenbaum wrote:

Thanks to you and @Morledzep. I did go ahead and submit the job and used a screemshot of the unfinished order. I'm sure there will be questions. I hate when things go wrong because it seems more likely that they'll remember you when you have to spend 10 minutes at the front of the store waiting for your order when people radio around and call your make across the store. Sigh. Oh well, I guess them's the breaks.

Did you check the Kroger website again to see if it's been closed out? In one instance my order wasn't closed out, and when I called, the employee said they were having issues with their order system, and that my order would be closed out overnight when they reconcile the day's orders, and the next morning I saw that it was. So maybe it's been closed out and your receipt will be available. Also check to see if that shop has been accepted or is still in pending. Kroger shops usually get approved within a few minutes, and if it's still pending, then they may have to follow up with you. If it's been accepted then you are good to go

Thanks, everything you predicted has come to pass. Lol. I got a receipt notification late last night. I also saw that my job was still pending so I emailed the final receipt to the scheduler and let her know what happened. So, hopefully it'll be resolved soonish.

Thanks for sharing your experience and advising.

I had that happen once and let Amy know. I never did get an accurate receipt but based on my order summary got full reimbursement.

@melg wrote:

In summary, I'm baffled by the whining, lol. But it's fine to pass them up and leave more for those who want them.

I used to get $10 bonuses on these every time, 3-5 years ago. So, now that prices are 40% more than they were in 2019, why would I do these for the current pay? So, yes, I will leave them for others to do. I'll grab a bonused location on occasion, or I'll do one or two while traveling, but I am not sitting by the computer at a set time to self-schedule these. That's time wasted to me. I also won't do one in an area that I am likely to get bipped. I will do the competitor shops in the nicer areas.

The questions never bothered me. The produce guy who was more interested in flirting with the 18 year old baggers told me that, "Lettuce was a good vegetable for the grill," was my favorite reply ever. It was followed by a close second with, "Potatoes will last 2-3 days." Creeper.

The hour after these shops post is among my least favorite hours of the month.

@jgardn02 wrote:

The hour after these shops post is among my least favorite hours of the month.

My least favorite hours of the month are the ones waiting for the shops to post.

Seriously though, it is getting to be a pain to have to guess what time the shops will be released. There are 12 Krogers within a 20 mile radius of my home, and because of the amount of shoppers in this area, they all get scooped up within an hour. Because of that, you have to keep checking all morning and sometimes afternoon to be able to get in quick and grab. That's getting really old, and I'm getting more tuned into BayShopper's way of thinking, it's not worth it. I have other independent contractor work that isn't shopping related which I can pick up anytime. so I may have to increase that work to compensate for not doing as many grocery shops.

I am planning to relocate later this year to a more rural area in a different state, and I see those shops sit on the board for well over a week or two with little competition, not to mention they usually get bonused into the $20 range.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/2024 02:44PM by hamptonroadsva.

@hamptonroadsva wrote:

@jgardn02 wrote:

The hour after these shops post is among my least favorite hours of the month.

My least favorite hours of the month are the ones waiting for the shops to post.

Seriously though, it is getting to be a pain to have to guess what time the shops will be released. There are 12 Krogers within a 20 mile radius of my home, and because of the amount of shoppers in this area, they all get scooped up within an hour. Because of that, you have to keep checking all morning and sometimes afternoon to be able to get in quick and grab. That's getting really old, and I'm getting more tuned into BayShopper's way of thinking, it's not worth it. I have other independent contractor work that isn't shopping related which I can pick up anytime. so I may have to increase that work to compensate for not doing as many grocery shops.

I am planning to relocate later this year to a more rural area in a different state, and I see those shops sit on the board for well over a week or two with little competition, not to mention they usually get bonused into the $20 range.

Any chance you could share what other IC work you're pursuing? If not, no worries.

I'm also in a competitive, albeit bigger, area. I keep seeing too many fees go the wrong direction. I was looking over my spreadsheets for the past couple of years and seeing some shops paying much less or just not around at all this year. I know I'm definitely feeling the pinch.

@olympia tennenbaum wrote:

Any chance you could share what other IC work you're pursuing? If not, no worries.

I'm also in a competitive, albeit bigger, area. I keep seeing too many fees go the wrong direction. I was looking over my spreadsheets for the past couple of years and seeing some shops paying much less or just not around at all this year. I know I'm definitely feeling the pinch.

Oh I don't mind sharing what my other work is, for you or anyone else looking for IC work. I was always taught that everyone should have multiple streams of income, and that can usually be filled by working with many MSCs as well as non-shopping work.

I am an IC courier, and most of my work is either medical (blood and body parts for transplant) or tech (computer parts) which have to be delivered same day. I contract with two courier companies, and the pay is around 70 cents to $1 per loaded mile. So for a 100 mile trip (200 round trip), you are looking at $70 - $100. But where the good money comes in is when you get two or more deliveries going to the same area, then you make that full amount per stop. I've made as much as $300 for a 200 mile round trip by having three deliveries to the same area. You can choose to do just local deliveries or long distance, and since you are an IC, you can turn down work if you get called and you don't want a particular run. I cut back on the courier work last year because you can get burn out from driving so much, and I started colleting retirement. The only disadvantage is that this kind of work is not usually scheduled in advance, so you are basically on call. The huge advantage is the tax deductions for mileage, so your actual income is higher considering the big tax break.

If you live in a larger city, there are probably several local courier companies in your area, and trust me, they are always looking for drivers.

@hamptonroadsva wrote:

@olympia tennenbaum wrote:

Any chance you could share what other IC work you're pursuing? If not, no worries.

I'm also in a competitive, albeit bigger, area. I keep seeing too many fees go the wrong direction. I was looking over my spreadsheets for the past couple of years and seeing some shops paying much less or just not around at all this year. I know I'm definitely feeling the pinch.

Oh I don't mind sharing what my other work is, for you or anyone else looking for IC work. I was always taught that everyone should have multiple streams of income, and that can usually be filled by working with many MSCs as well as non-shopping work.

I am an IC courier, and most of my work is either medical (blood and body parts for transplant) or tech (computer parts) which have to be delivered same day. I contract with two courier companies, and the pay is around 70 cents to $1 per loaded mile. So for a 100 mile trip (200 round trip), you are looking at $70 - $100. But where the good money comes in is when you get two or more deliveries going to the same area, then you make that full amount per stop. I've made as much as $300 for a 200 mile round trip by having three deliveries to the same area. You can choose to do just local deliveries or long distance, and since you are an IC, you can turn down work if you get called and you don't want a particular run. I cut back on the courier work last year because you can get burn out from driving so much, and I started colleting retirement. The only disadvantage is that this kind of work is not usually scheduled in advance, so you are basically on call. The huge advantage is the tax deductions for mileage, so your actual income is higher considering the big tax break.

If you live in a larger city, there are probably several local courier companies in your area, and trust me, they are always looking for drivers.

Thank you so much for your willingness to share. You were taught well about having more than one stream of income. I've always had a money making hobby that became one of my main sources of income post pandemic. I'm always looking for ways to monetize my life and make money more organically.

Thanks again, it's something I'll definitely look into!

Morledzep comments--.......the lady that questions everything, even when they don't need to be questioned.

Bob states--Excluding the Kroger shops completed with the current MSC, I have a hair under 4K jobs finished. My best guess concerning after submission contact is 1/2 dozen. For the present work, though, my contact ratio is approx. 1:10. I had thought it was the client, but after reading Mo's words, now I wonder. The situation does not bother me, but I am curious as to the why?

Bob, There is an editor that seems to like to ask unnecessary questions. At one store, I've been questioned about my answers several times. There is a really bad manager there (or was) who lies and blames others for her failure to manage. I highlighted two instances and commented on them in the report. And had to be questioned after the fact because the manager said that I lied. Another time the same manager claimed that the person I identified as my bagger didn't work at that store. I took a screen shot of my notes and sent it to the editor, and I told her simply that even if he doesn't work specifically at that store, I know for a fact that he is a Kroger employee because I've seen him and spoken to him before. It's only the one store, and it's been a couple rounds since the last time I was questioned about my report, so there is a slight chance that the manager is no longer there.

I Second that.