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Pet Supplies Plus new round guidelines changes and lower fees???

December 12, 2025 11:02PM
I didn't realize they were going to want more photos and more work (now have to count how many "holes" for out of stock merchandise) for the most recent round. I did them a few months ago and they were fairly easy. Not great pay, but it was okay. When I saw the pay went down to $8 from $10, I emailed the scheduler and asked for the $10 I had received before. Then I saw the guidelines and quickly contacted her and requested they be removed. They should be paying at least $20 for the amount of work required!
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More About Veterinarian and Pet Mystery Shopping
December 13, 2025 12:07AM
I gave Collyn this feedback as well, and got a super rude email in response.
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December 13, 2025 01:16AM
I did one and it made me appreciate Go Spot Check so much! Having to match the many photos to the correct questions on the report when everything looks SO similar is annoying.

Oh, and I wouldn't have bothered if I didn't need pet supplies. The reimbursement was useful for me.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/2025 01:17AM by Deedeezthoughts.
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December 13, 2025 01:36AM
I took 3 and didnt read the updated guidelines until i was in the parking lot. I was sure to spend every penny of the reimbursement!
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December 13, 2025 07:10AM
I did a few last round but skipped them this round. I was not comfortable taking that many pictures.
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December 13, 2025 07:43AM
Last week, I agreed to complete a shop only paying $15+$25 with 10 required pics. My reasoning was twofold: I am a freak for bitter chocolate with flavored coffee and it was in a small town where I had a $200 account opening at a bank. I forgot a pic, so blew the fee and a $22 reimbursement.

That is the problem with multiple pics. Just one that is either forgotten or unacceptable and a shoppers time, effort, fee and expense, including the loss of the reimbursement, are all shot.
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December 13, 2025 12:35PM
Ouch, Bob, terrible when that happens. I did the one closest to me and near other activities I had for the same day..I figured that if I messed up a picture I could go back. I had an opportunity to do another the next week and passed because I decided it needed a bonus or no thanks.
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December 13, 2025 01:32PM
I try to avoid shops with multiple pictures, but if I take on a new one, I try to report the shop from my phone in my car immediately after so that I can run back in the store if I need to capture a missing photo.
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December 13, 2025 03:13PM
As much as I hate reporting on my phone usually, I also try to report new-to-me shops from nearby. It means that I still have time to correct any issues if I missed something.

MSCs add pictures like it is nothing, thinking it is only a second of our time. However, every picture is another chance for the whole shop to be excluded so it is added risk for us.
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December 13, 2025 04:34PM
In my situation, it was the drink I forgot to snap, but only, at home, after it had been consumed. This was my first and last multiple, more than 2 pics, shop UNLESS my fee of $5 per pic is met. The chances of any MSC meeting my price are slim and none. That especially applies to any company employing the Arab/camel business model.

Folks, I do not criticize any MSC for being bottom payers. It is the responsibility of ICs to refuse more and more work for less and less money. Those for whom a financial need exists, are excluded from the preceding sentence.
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December 13, 2025 05:06PM
Yeah, I don't even have a pet. My youngest daughter does though. And I was only doing locations that were in the same block or strip mall as my other shops. But not for $10 and with that amount of work involved.
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December 13, 2025 05:06PM
I had a similar situation, but the company let it slide (of course with a stern warning). Mine was a carryout shop ($50 reimbursement). I suppose that I misinterpreted the directions. The directions stated to take a picture of all food items ordered as presented. It did not mention drinks at all. When my order was presented, I was given two empty cups. I happened to take a picture of the entire order (as presented) including the cups. The picture was basically an unopened bag with two cups to the side. The editor asked why I did not take a picture of the two sodas. I explained my reasoning and that honestly I did not think to take a picture of a cup full of soda with a lid (especially considering that I filled the soda myself AND the cup was not a clear cup). I suppose since the guidelines were a tad vague, they felt compelled to reimburse me.

*Edited to add that I did take an individual picture of each food item once I arrived home)

@shopperbob wrote:

In my situation, it was the drink I forgot to snap, but only, at home, after it had been consumed. This was my first and last multiple, more than 2 pics, shop UNLESS my fee of $5 per pic is met. The chances of any MSC meeting my price are slim and none. That especially applies to any company employing the Arab/camel business model.

Folks, I do not criticize any MSC for being bottom payers. It is the responsibility of ICs to refuse more and more work for less and less money. Those for whom a financial need exists, are excluded from the preceding sentence.


Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/2025 05:09PM by gigishopper.
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December 13, 2025 05:55PM
Teri W opines--MSCs add pictures like it is nothing, thinking it is only a second of our time. However, every picture is another chance for the whole shop to be excluded so it is added risk for us.

Bob agrees--I have been posting about the pic situation, literally, for yrs. Yet shoppers continue to roll with the Arab loading his camel a straw here and another there. The worst offender I have noticed was a gas station offered by Ipsos. It clearly stated a minimum of 25 pics for $12.50+$5 or $6 in gas. In addition, if your vehicle required a higher octane than 87, the difference was out of the shopper's pocket.
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December 14, 2025 04:49AM
Nope the worst was the photo shop of a ice cream parlour requesting the menu and refrigerated cases with cakes and quart containers. By happenstance one of my photos showed part of a pop dispenser. The whole report was rejected because the editor claimed the dispenser was a refrigerator and I should drive back and retake photos. That didn't happen but I'm careful now about looking at what shows up in photos before I submit them.
The pet store photos were tricky because Mousy cat food section is 2 cans wide on one shelf and Trixy dog food is a total of 3 cans next to Lassie dog food that also needs to be photographed.
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December 15, 2025 03:13PM
Personal opinion....a photo required is no different than a timing or any other requirement that could lead to your job being excluded.
Forget a photo of your drink- shop denied
Forget a timing- shop denied
Forget to ask a question- shop denied
What's the difference???

I recently did a coffee shop on Presto. New to me so I read the guidelines VERY carefully. States that since the employees take your order at your vehicle in the drive thru you should NOT have your phone out. Doesn't mention timings are to be to the second in the guidelines, and only mentions 3 possible timings. Doesn't say a word about a specific menu knowledge question.
Remember, you have to check in for a Presto shop at the location. So I complete the shop, check in while parked and the report asks for multiple timings down to the second and more than the three mentioned! And the survey wants to know what the employee answered when I asked a specific menu knowledge question. Thankfully there was a bonus so I went through the drive thru again and this time had my phone out to time everything & asked the question.
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December 15, 2025 04:15PM
I agree but some of the guidelines are so vague and force the shopper and editor to make assumptions. In my case, they wanted a picture of the food as presented for an online carry out. I provided that. Then they asked for a picture of all food items open. I provided that. They never specifically asked for a filled drink cup. The drink as presented was an empty cup. Perhaps the company wanted to see if employees took time to fill the drink or let the customer. I prefer to make no assumptions and follow guidelines as stated. I'm glad the MS company agreed and paid me.
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December 15, 2025 04:25PM
Viv's opinion--Personal opinion....a photo required is no different than a timing or any other requirement that could lead to your job being excluded.

Bob agrees, but with a comment--Remembering multiple pics, 15 as an example, would be equal to 15 timings. For my visit, I needed to remember 10 pics in the store, with 2 timings in my car. To my thinking, that is not comparing apples to apples.
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December 15, 2025 05:21PM
For some yes, for some no... everyone is different. I "think" in pictures. I did a Tx Roadhouse shop last night. Pics required = 0 How many did I take? = 8
Each one was a timing or detail to remember. (Granted this shop is BEYOND easy) this is the way I complete every shop. So I'm already in snap mode and adding to this requirement doesn't phase me.
It was an insanely long day that started at 4am getting set up/ making pancakes for a school fundraiser (7hrs & over 1k pancakes later.....) a trip to the symphony, lunch was a shop, dinner was a shop, parking for the symphony a shop..... by the time I got home I was thankful for my photo notes.


@shopperbob wrote:

Viv's opinion--Personal opinion....a photo required is no different than a timing or any other requirement that could lead to your job being excluded.

Bob agrees, but with a comment--Remembering multiple pics, 15 as an example, would be equal to 15 timings. For my visit, I needed to remember 10 pics in the store, with 2 timings in my car. To my thinking, that is not comparing apples to apples.
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December 15, 2025 06:28PM
Viv,

As you think in pics, am I correct that would be employing a SmartPhone? My device is a camera, the usage of which is definitely not second nature for me. I had my solitary quasi-foray with a multiple snap shop and have returned to any work exceeding 2 pics charged at $5 each. If there are not any MSC takers, so be it. The Arab/camel companies. with whom I am contracted, only offer me work when they are desperate. After all is said and done, this IS still business.
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December 15, 2025 08:37PM
Yes, I use a smart phone. I am in the generation that my childhood was without them, but my entire adult life has been technology abundant. So while sometimes I yearn for the simpler days without social media, etc I am quite comfortable with technology and find using it second nature.



[


quote=shopperbob]
Viv,

As you think in pics, am I correct that would be employing a SmartPhone? My device is a camera, the usage of which is definitely not second nature for me. I had my solitary quasi-foray with a multiple snap shop and have returned to any work exceeding 2 pics charged at $5 each. If there are not any MSC takers, so be it. The Arab/camel companies. with whom I am contracted, only offer me work when they are desperate. After all is said and done, this IS still business.[/quote]
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