Printing

For anyone interested especially those new to shopping. Printing can become expensive if you have to go to library or anywhere else to print forms. You can find a new canon pixma on amazon for 27 bucks plus shipping is free. If you are going to do this full time I'd get one. Lots more affordable and convenient. Thought I'd let everyone know who's interested.

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I think I’ve printed maybe two pages in the last three years.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2018 09:24AM by TroyHawkins.
It can be but you really will only need to print few pages aftee youve done a few youll know which pages you need. Plus you can use the target up and up canon xl cartridges so not too expensive. Hope this helps.
Yeah after a bit you realize you may not need to print but a page or so but it scans as well which comes in handy on some shops that require scanning in pics or a brochure etc...
Thanks for sharing your find. I’m not trying to be negative, a printer/scanner could be handy for some shops. Especially if you have LOA’s. I’ve just learned to download anything I need to my phone, which is synced with Dropbox. I also use my phone to take pictures of any collateral I need to upload. Goes right to Dropbox for me to attach to a report.
I often print survey forms-- for certain types of shops/reports. In some parts of my region, I am in and out of range, so it is easier to fill the paper forms while traveling. When this happens, I let the hubby drive while I fill out a survey the old fashioned way. When I have a connection or am at home, I use the completed survey as reference for the submitted survey. This shortens the time of some road trips and it works well with certain survey forms. For the easy shops/survey forms, I fill those out on the phone during pit stops or the other few minutes that I am in range. For on-sites, I need a printed LOA sometimes, but not all the time. I recommend that people have their own printers or access to printers (think FedEx/Kinkos or similar). You never know.... and you might want to be able to work as efficiently as possible or with as little disruption as possible when you are working in my region or a similar area. smiling smiley

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu
Printing is not necessary. You can just as easily put a pdf on your tablet and read it. I only print for Informa because they require an upload of handwritten notes on their form. Otherwise, it's a waste of resources.

@TroyHawkins wrote:

I think I’ve printed maybe two pages in the last three years.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton
Exactly! I have never had anyone complain that I showed them a LOA on my phone or tablet. I also take pictures of brochures with my phone.

I got rid of my printer two years ago. I don't miss it!

The only exception to hard vs. soft copies of guidelines is shop-et-al's situation of having unreliable service, either because of where you are located or who your provider is. In my case, I live close to a major city and I have Verizon.

@TroyHawkins wrote:

Thanks for sharing your find. I’m not trying to be negative, a printer/scanner could be handy for some shops. Especially if you have LOA’s. I’ve just learned to download anything I need to my phone, which is synced with Dropbox. I also use my phone to take pictures of any collateral I need to upload. Goes right to Dropbox for me to attach to a report.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2018 04:17PM by HonnyBrown.
There is at least one more reason for printing guidelines: the finer print. I like to read large chunks of information at a glance. Often, it is easier to take in larger amounts of information when the information is on paper than it is when peering into the phone and scrolling, and scrolling, and scrolling... this is easier on my eyes, too.

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu
No you werent being negative. Its just that i like to actually hold the stuff i think lol plus my phone doesnt have lots of space so it helps me. We're all good. Happy hunting!
For us new folks I think it helps to be organized and not forget something important as well. Thanks for replying.
I print one copy of the guidelines and keep them in page protectors in my car's MS kit. Easier to see than on a phone, and I do travel to places where reception is sketchy.

"Let me offer you my definition of social justice: I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well then tell me how much of what I earn belongs to you - and why?” ~Walter Williams
@DavePi wrote:

I have a printer
and a cheezburger.

"Let me offer you my definition of social justice: I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well then tell me how much of what I earn belongs to you - and why?” ~Walter Williams
I often do audits, consumer and product retrievals, etc. where I need a signature and sometimes a store stamp on the paperwork...printing is necessary. I also don't have a tablet so sometimes having a hardcopy of the guidelines or report form (especially if it is a "new to me" shop) is very handy. Plus with the merchandising companies I work for I sometimes need multiple pages of plan-o-grams and it is so much easier to look at shelf schematics that are anywhere from 12-60 feet long on paper rather than trying to view it on my phone.

But, I do get Staples rebates on paper where the paper comes out to be $1 a ream plus tax, and I get refilled cartridges for $5 (for color) and $10 for XL black. Plus one of the companies I do audits and retrievals for reimburses 10 cents per page on anything I print out.

@HonnyBrown wrote:

Printing is not necessary. You can just as easily put a pdf on your tablet and read it. I only print for Informa because they require an upload of handwritten notes on their form. Otherwise, it's a waste of resources.

@TroyHawkins wrote:

I think I’ve printed maybe two pages in the last three years.
I print, I plan the whole day out for shops, I am not one just to go and done one shop and then come home. I want an average of 12-14 if I can so it makes the day more profitable. I purchased a HP8710 and just have the ink refilled at costco, for cheap. I fill the report on paper that way there is NO confusion with which location and for how many cookies. Its all there in black and white. Yes, I might spend more on paper, ink, etc but this is something I add into my shoppers pay, like mileage, upkeep on vehicles, etc.
Also its great reference , when in doubt for the shops requirements, its right there...
I do print for some shops, but these days the majority of my shops are simple shops that I report on an app after I leave the location. There is no room for error on which photos go with which shop because I have the app open to the specific location while I am snapping the pics and then I fill in the report on the app as soon as I leave the location. No reports to do when I get home, that is really nice. I could do these shops in my sleep they are so easy. I do check the guidelines for any changes each month, but I have been doing this regular round of short and simple shops for well over a year now. I too like to do a good number of shops in one day, but my day is more like 6-10 shops (I generally don't like to work for more than 2-4 hours a day when mystery shopping).
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