Not being able to self-assign for some shops often dissuades me from applying. It’s too inconvenient for me to apply and have to check back later to see whether my application was accepted. If it’s a fast food assignment, I usually pass on doing it because it takes too long for approval and I wouldn’t still be in the area.

I agree, applying is a pain, too hard to plan, can't plan a route, sometimes they take too long to assign. Too many unknowns there. Depending on the job, I will apply but it is not too often.

IMO, should only apply to new shoppers.

I agree. For my current mode of mystery shopping, I pretty much just select jobs once I'm in an area and feel I have some time. And the inclination.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/2025 12:13AM by prince.

Yea, I don't apply unless it's something that has to be scheduled far in advance, like some of the gas stations. When I'm out working and I need to eat I look for red pins on Presto, or QSR shops that I can self assign and do immediately.

If I can't do either of those I'll stop at Publix and order a sandwich. I always have water with me, so I don't need a drink or french fries for even more carbs. I would like to find some place around here that sells fried zucchini. It's something I miss a lot since I've been here, french fries and onion rings get a little boring after a while.

Ok, why don't I know what a QSR shop is? lol.

@BarefootBliss wrote:

Ok, why don't I know what a QSR shop is? lol.

It's BBQ fast food and regional.

QSR is a generic term for all quick service restsursnts.

@BarefootBliss wrote:

Ok, why don't I know what a QSR shop is? lol.

While I definitely prefer self-assigning, I'm OK with regular applications as well. I just keep slots in my calendar open pending acceptance when I'm putting together a route.

I will never understand why TXR are self assign yet the smoothie shop with the same company are apply only. I get emails monthly begging shoppers to apply and they are usually bonused. With only $6 pay and $8 reimbursement, these are they kind that shoppers usually do not go out of their way for. They self assign spur of the moment iif they’re in the area.

I think it might be the preference of the scheduler. For example, the Bubba's 33 shops are scheduled by someone else, and they are apply, even though it is the same company as Texas Roadhouse. The same scheduler also has applications for a different client.

I agree that applying is often annoying though and it seems like they lose out on getting the shop filled because there are times I would pick up the shops on the fly.

@gigishopper wrote:

I will never understand why TXR are self assign yet the smoothie shop with the same company are apply only. I get emails monthly begging shoppers to apply and they are usually bonused. With only $6 pay and $8 reimbursement, these are they kind that shoppers usually do not go out of their way for. They self assign spur of the moment iif they’re in the area.

Nikki is special you have to work on her schedule you can't just pick up a shop when you're ready, or in the area.

She shut me down. In the last 3 weeks, I've been getting e-mails from the company but nothing near me.

One can pick up Texas Roadhouse shops from Nikki or Elise on the fly if they are available, but Nikki can't handle reschedule requests. Most of the time to get the Texas Roadhouse shops they have to be booked 1-3 weeks in advance, and a simple and inconsequential reschedule request is met with resistance and contempt.

@wrosie wrote:

Nikki is special you have to work on her schedule you can't just pick up a shop when you're ready, or in the area.

She shut me down. In the last 3 weeks, I've been getting e-mails from the company but nothing near me.

@myst4au wrote:

QSR is a generic term for all quick service restsursnts.

@BarefootBliss wrote:

Ok, why don't I know what a QSR shop is? lol.

It was called fast food in the old days. Like everything else, it got a fancy new name like "Server" instead of waitress.

I have to apply for most because I usually want more money. They frown upon self assigning then asking for a bump. So whether I apply with a note or email regarding a self assign it is the same thing.

I understand it can be frustrating to have to apply for a spur of the moment shop. Sometimes it can be as simple as the company or scheduler just not wanting to allow it, but generally there is actually a good reason if we don't allow anyone pick it up for whenever they want.

For example, I recently scheduled a car wash project where each location would randomly have a date they were closed for maintenance. The company's system would allow me to block certain days of the week, but not specific dates. The maintenance days didn't always fall on the same day of the week, nor would every location have a maintenance day each month, so I couldn't allow self-assign because I had to make sure a shopper wasn't picking up a shop for a location that would be closed the day they chose. Yes, shoppers should call the location to make sure they are open before they attempt a shop, but you'd be surprised how very few do that and then we have headaches from shoppers demanding to be paid for their time and travel to a closed location.

Another example, which is kind of a one bad apple ruining it for everyone kind of deal, is that we can't have shoppers flaking or cancelling on a shop with base pay just to pick the shop back up when it has a bonus. We could disqualify each shopper that flakes or cancels from that location for the remainder of the round, but if we don't want that shopper permanently disqualified then we have to go back into every profile and manually remove that DQ when the new round starts. With hundreds of flakes and cancels each month, that would be extremely time-consuming.

I'm sure the veteran shoppers know this, but for the new shoppers, a helpful thing to do would be to reach out to the scheduler directly immediately before or after applying. We are not notified that someone applies, and we don't just sit on application pages clicking refresh all day hoping someone applies, so reaching out will alert us that you are in the area and ready to go right away. I can't speak for all schedulers, but the good ones have their emails connected to their phones so they get email notifications even after hours and days off. Personally, if I'm awake, I'm able to be reached and willing to help 7 days a week. You may also ask the scheduler if they have multiple ways to contact them, especially if it is a project you shop regularly and sometimes during nonbusiness hours. Not all schedulers will give their personal cell phone numbers, but hundreds of shoppers have mine.

Sorry for the novel, but I hope this helps and provides some understanding of why a project sometimes won't allow self-assign!

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/2025 01:31PM by KSSPete.

Yea, it’s hard to imagine why some people would prefer ‘Automotive Technician’ instead of ‘Grease Monkey’ or ‘Flight Attendant’ instead of ‘stewardess’, right sestrahelena? I mean, why professionalize their profession?

@sestrahelena wrote:

@myst4au wrote:

QSR is a generic term for all quick service restsursnts.

@BarefootBliss wrote:

Ok, why don't I know what a QSR shop is? lol.

It was called fast food in the old days. Like everything else, it got a fancy new name like "Server" instead of waitress.

Wow, thanks for explaining some of the reasons that shops may not be self-assignable.

I’m surprised to hear someone would provide their personal phone number to hundreds of people and respond to work issues before/after work. That sounds like someone who is extremely dedicated to their work or insane (probably at least a little of each). Jokes aside, I sure hope you receive some significant financial incentive to that 24/7 availability!

I can also definitely appreciate the perspective of the Mystery Shop Companies/Schedulers with navigating independent contractors who cancel or just don’t perform assignments. But unfortunately that solution still leaves other shoppers (like myself) who will choose not to apply for some assignments due to the inconvenience waiting to see whether we are assigned causes us. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t ONLY perform self-assignable shops, but I certainly skip some that aren’t.

@KSSPete wrote:

I understand it can be frustrating to have to apply for a spur of the moment shop. Sometimes it can be as simple as the company or scheduler just not wanting to allow it, but generally there is actually a good reason if we don't allow anyone pick it up for whenever they want.

For example, I recently scheduled a car wash project where each location would randomly have a date they were closed for maintenance. The company's system would allow me to block certain days of the week, but not specific dates. The maintenance days didn't always fall on the same day of the week, nor would every location have a maintenance day each month, so I couldn't allow self-assign because I had to make sure a shopper wasn't picking up a shop for a location that would be closed the day they chose. Yes, shoppers should call the location to make sure they are open before they attempt a shop, but you'd be surprised how very few do that and then we have headaches from shoppers demanding to be paid for their time and travel to a closed location.

Another example, which is kind of a one bad apple ruining it for everyone kind of deal, is that we can't have shoppers flaking or cancelling on a shop with base pay just to pick the shop back up when it has a bonus. We could disqualify each shopper that flakes or cancels from that location for the remainder of the round, but if we don't want that shopper permanently disqualified then we have to go back into every profile and manually remove that DQ when the new round starts. With hundreds of flakes and cancels each month, that would be extremely time-consuming.

I'm sure the veteran shoppers know this, but for the new shoppers, a helpful thing to do would be to reach out to the scheduler directly immediately before or after applying. We are not notified that someone applies, and we don't just sit on application pages clicking refresh all day hoping someone applies, so reaching out will alert us that you are in the area and ready to go right away. I can't speak for all schedulers, but the good ones have their emails connected to their phones so they get email notifications even after hours and days off. Personally, if I'm awake, I'm able to be reached and willing to help 7 days a week. You may also ask the scheduler if they have multiple ways to contact them, especially if it is a project you shop regularly and sometimes during nonbusiness hours. Not all schedulers will give their personal cell phone numbers, but hundreds of shoppers have mine.

Sorry for the novel, but I hope this helps and provides some understanding of why a project sometimes won't allow self-assign!

@Jimmyp I agree with you that they do seem to lose out on getting the shop filled by those that would pick it up on the fly. They do seem to bellyache that they can't fill shops. When you make it so that established reliable shoppers can't self assign, they are missing out from people willing to do the task.

@KSSPete It is late and I may be missing something in your car wash example, but it could be that your system needs some sort of update or tweak. Many of us are aware that with other providers you can only pick certain dates on the calendar for a particular location and the rest are grayed out so that a shopper can't self assign it on those grayed out days. It doesn't matter what the reason is, the shopper can't perform the shop on gray days. In your car wash example, once the maintenance is complete for each location, will you have it as self assign or will it remain as apply?

Isn't there a way that you can white-list certain shoppers so that when they apply they are immediately assigned, no human review required? The white listed shoppers would be the ones you deem as reliable due to a documented history of following through. That is wild how many flakes you have a month. Maybe tell them - hey we need to have a conversation before you can get any more shops. It doesn't seem worth the trouble to deal with that many flakes and perhaps it is easier to drop them from the rolls.

I applied for a task, not with Pete's company, when I was on the road. In the application notes I included that I was only applying for that day and for the next couple of hours only. I wasn't assigned and left the area. A couple of days later I received an email that I was assigned the task. I emailed the scheduler and explained that I put in the notes that my availability was for that day only during that small window and I couldn't do it any longer

RBG has one convenience store location they are almost never able to get shopped...it's in a town far off the highway all by itself.
A couple weeks ago, I happened to be near there and could have shopped it - but no self assign available.
I sent the scheduler a quick message that I could do it for her if I heard back from her in the next five minutes...I didn't hear back so it sits now until the end of the month probably.
I guess they have their reasons.

@BarefootBliss wrote:

RBG has one convenience store location they are almost never able to get shopped...it's in a town far off the highway all by itself.
A couple weeks ago, I happened to be near there and could have shopped it - but no self assign available.
I sent the scheduler a quick message that I could do it for her if I heard back from her in the next five minutes...I didn't hear back so it sits now until the end of the month probably.
I guess they have their reasons.

I had three such locations. There wasn't even cell reception where they were located. I learned this by trying to check if I had been assigned the shop while sitting in the parking lot.

I did the shops, but on a date not listed. It was the day after. The scheduler wouldn't/couldn't extend the due date. By a day. The next day they reappeared on the job board, I'm assuming unshopped.

That is a good explanation, but so many times there are assignments that are time sensitive (thinking inspection jobs with a 2 day window) and the schedulers don't even look at the application until the next day. Then it gets assigned halfway into the next day but the completion time frame doesn't get bumped ahead accordingly.
Those are the kind I don't understand.

@DT - My incentive is that some hard to fill shops get filled without me having to work on them for hours lol. That, and not having to find another shopper because the one assigned didn't have their question answered and did something wrong on the shop. Surprisingly, it isn't as often that I am contacted after hours as you'd think (I say as I answered 4 emails and two texts while out to dinner at 8pm last night). I'm grateful when shoppers do reach out instead of letting the shop go unfilled or doing the shop wrong. That said, I probably am a little insane LOL! I also do understand how much easier and more efficient it can be on the shopper's side to be able to self-assign; it would be easier for us too!

@Momomomo - If it is Sassie you are referring to, they didn't select specific dates for it to be greyed out. They either chose specific days of the week to grey out, or there is a shop already assigned to someone else for that day so it will grey it out for everyone else, or it's a rotation thing, or a start/due date thing, etc. Sassie doesn't let you choose say, May 8th, as a date to grey out when you set up sessions. I would have to choose Thursday as a day to grey out, then every Thursday for the entire month will be greyed until I go in and shut off blocking Thursdays. As far as allowing self-assign after that day has passed, in order to do that we would have to set up separate sessions for each location individually every month because whatever you set for one location in a session is set for all of them. If we have 100+ locations, that is time consuming and just not efficient to set up a bunch of different sessions for one project.

Unfortunately, there is no option on any platform I have worked on where you can white list shoppers to allow self-assign for only them (not saying it doesn't exist, but not Sassie, any Shopmetrics site I've scheduled on, etc). Closest thing we have is on Sassie, where we can set it so that only shoppers with a certain rating can self-assign, but 8's and 9's can flake and cancel too. There are plenty of shoppers with great history, but very few who have never once flaked or cancelled, and if they do have zero it doesn't mean it still can't happen. The amount of flakes and cancels I mentioned is pretty standard. I've scheduled 1,000+ shops per month for the last 11 years, and the majority of the projects have flake/cancel rates of 25% or higher. So in a month that I schedule 1,000 shops, I have actually assigned 1,250+ to get those 1,000 done.

I really do wish there was a solution that made self-assign feasible for every project, since it would make both my job and your job a lot easier, but there just isn't one as of today. If I have a project that is very desirable to shoppers, doesn't have a ton of locations with random blackout dates, and has pretty much no chance of having to use bonuses to achieve 100% completion, I'm more than happy to set it to allow self-assign if the client is okay with it.

@Boutique - I can't understand a scheduler waiting two days to approve an application either. I too have missed some where a shopper on the West coast applied after I put my laptop down for the day and never emailed or contacted me in any way to let me know they applied, but that application is always addressed first thing the next morning when I apologize for missing it and ask if they have another day that will work for them.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2025 05:13PM by KSSPete.

@KSSPete thank you for the insight. Do you find that 9s flake at the same clip as the entire pool of shoppers or the pool ex the 9s?

Recently I applied for two jobs on Shopmetrics that were listed as Apply and after I entered the application with notes, I was instantly assigned. I don't know how it works behind the scenes like you. I do know that if I hadn't received the assignment right away, I would've withdrawn the application for one and the other was not a big deal since it was local for me.

Perfect example as we have that same RBG shop in my area too. It’s on a road that leads to a military base. I have also emailed giving a 4-5 hour window that I would be in the area on that day and did not get a timely response. $10 shop pay and $2 reimbursement…. Sometimes bonuses to $25 shop pay. You would think they would make it self assign!

@BarefootBliss wrote:

RBG has one convenience store location they are almost never able to get shopped...it's in a town far off the highway all by itself.
A couple weeks ago, I happened to be near there and could have shopped it - but no self assign available.
I sent the scheduler a quick message that I could do it for her if I heard back from her in the next five minutes...I didn't hear back so it sits now until the end of the month probably.
I guess they have their reasons.

@Momomomo - Oh, no, the 9's that have a long history of being a 9 definitely do not flake anywhere near the same rate as others. Some 9's don't have a long history of doing shops though, as a shopper can be rated a 9 or even a 10 after one shop if that's what they were graded on their only shop. Maybe some platforms do it differently, but on Sassie sites a shopper's rating is based on an average of their grades on reports, and then flakes count as a grade of 1 and cancels count as a grade of 5, which can bring down the average (or the notorious "hero citation" will give a 10 and bring it up).

It would be so helpful if some of the platforms created a way for us to go into an individual profile and click something to allow only that shopper to self-assign any project that will allow it. It has been a little while since I scheduled anything on Shopmetrics, so maybe they created a way to do just that since I last scheduled a project on their platform. I know I have gone through applications and refreshed the page to find another one that wasn't on there before, so maybe it was a case of the scheduler coincidentally catching it immediately too.

If you're in Florida you can find fried Zuccini on the go here: [locations.carlsjr.com]

I have had that happen to me as well.

@Momomomo wrote:

Recently I applied for two jobs on Shopmetrics that were listed as Apply and after I entered the application with notes, I was instantly assigned. I don't know how it works behind the scenes like you. I do know that if I hadn't received the assignment right away, I would've withdrawn the application for one and the other was not a big deal since it was local for me.