I would love to hear some of your funny stories of things that happened while on a shop!

I'll start:

On a retail shop, the customer in front of me in line decided to "pay it forward" and paid for my merchandise....I tried to politely talk her out of it, but that did not work. So I thanked her, took my free items and then drove around the block of few times and made sure she had left the premises, went back and made another purchase so I could complete the shop. I then gave full disclosure to my scheduler, of which she got a good laugh from, and thankfully the shop was still valid.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2019 02:05PM by lmq.

Good save.
I have had a customer answer the question I posed to the grocery store associate. I mentioned in the report what happened.

I have gotten advice from knowledgeable customers not only in grocery stores but in hardware stores, cell phone stores, and auto parts stores.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2019 02:47PM by myst4au.

True and I appreciate it when not on a shop.

@myst4au wrote:

I have gotten advice from knowledgeable customers not only in grocery stores but in hardware stores, cell phone stores, and cell phone stores.

One of the first shops I did was a revealed Medicare compliance presentation. It turns out my new neighbor (who recognized me) was the presenter. I was too scared to leave, but spent the hour concerned that the shop wouldn't be accepted. It was.

I was doing some convenience stores that were all on the same street, just a few miles away from each other. There was an old guy panhandling at the first location. I had to take a photo of the building and he was in it.
When I walked into the store, he asked why I took his pic. I said that I didn't even see him and didn't know he was in the photo. He asked what I was taking a picture of and asked me for money. I ignored him. I made my observations and my purchase. When I walked out, he asked me for money again. I ignored him. I drove my car to a nearby parking lot to complete the report on my phone.

About five minutes later, I drove to the next location. Guess who was in front of the building? Yup. The same old guy. I thought it was really odd that he was there so fast. I took my photo and he cringed as I walked into the store, and when I came out, he was yelling at me as I was walking to my car, "Hey lady, why you followin' me? Why you take my photo?" I got in my car, drove off, and went to a nearby parking lot to do my report.

I went to the 3rd location, only to see the bus pulling up at the stop by the store and the old guy getting off the bus (ah, so that's how he got to each store so quickly). He saw my car with me sitting in it and approached. I already had my door locked (I always have it locked when parked anywhere). He was banging on my window and yelling at me. I picked up my phone and pretended I was calling someone (he probably thought it was the police). He started walking (hobbling) out of the parking lot quickly and disappeared around the corner. I completed my shop and left (thank goodness it was my last shop of the day in the part of town).

@JASFLALMT Lol this can't be real!! Too funny! I'm literally LOL at work right now haha

I do that same route of convenience stores pretty regularly and have never seen him again...

I don't know for sure, but I imagine paranoia is a fairly common malady among the homeless.

Especially when people stalk them and take their picture.

I watched another customer take my food at Five Guys. I really did not know how to handle this since I was timing and it was going to put the timing way off. I waited for about five minutes and then asked about my order. They were so nice about it and started to make another order, then the manager walked out with my food and a refund for my dinner. All I could think about was if my report was going to be accepted and how to explain that it took 25 minutes to receive my order.

I had three "interesting" experiences:

1. At a steak shop, my dinner came out way after my husband's. I didn't really complain about it, other than make a passing comment to the server. Next thing I know, the whole meal is being comped. Had to tell the scheduler that I didn't have a receipt and wouldn't need reimbursement, but was not going to fill out the report unless she assured me that I would get the expected fee for doing the shop (she did and I completed the report).

2. At a hair salon shop, the stylist lowered her voice halfway through my service and asked if I would Venmo her the tip so she didn't have to pay taxes on it. I was required to leave an $8.00 tip and it had to be included in my service receipt. I was more than annoyed at her presumption that she would even get a tip, let alone her making me jump through hoops to get it to her.

3. During a video apartment tour of a 55+ community, every. single. old. person. we passed in the hallway had to chit-chat with the leasing agent who was giving me the tour. At one point, an elderly lady stopped us to ask her if she was ready for her upcoming cruise. The conversation quickly turned to the sexy dress she bought for the cruise and how her enormous "tatas" look fabulous in it. Old people are funny. I wonder what the video editor thought when s/he came across that conversation....

A shop came up for a Harley-Davidson shop. I'm not a biker kind of chic but read it and deleted it. Days later I got a call from the agency asking would I do the shop. I didn't want to do it for several reasons but told her I didn't qualify because I was 66 and it stated you had to be under 50. She stated she REALLY, REALLY wanted me to do the shop. I told her I lived an hour away and the traffic through the underwater tunnel was terrible because I was in a vacation destination. She said she understood and hung up. Then I got an email stating that the age to do the shop was 66 and a bonus was added! Didn't reply and then got another call. They doubled the pay and I took the shop.

Nice 70-year-old gentleman gave me the presentation and then the manager came in for the hard sale. I declined and went on my way. Just as I left the driving rain started and there must have been 25 cars pulled over because you couldn't see your hand in front of you. How did I know? Anyway, the next day the manager called and then the salesman the next. Come the weekend, the salesman calls again and invites me to a Buffet- not finger food but jumbo shrimp and steak. Hmmm... I didn't go so the next weekend he texted and said they were having a year end party and that I should come. It would be the Gayla party to remember. They were having a lots of food, showing their new line, etc. Then he went into there were going to be three contests and that he would sponsor me so I had to come. Oh, by the way, did I mention there were bikini contests? So, the first he explained was a modeling contest, and the second was a "wash" the bike contest and I forgotten what the third was I was laughing so hard. This man has seen my 220 pound, 66-year-old body! What a hoot. My husband hears me laughing from the next room and comes to see what's going on. I hand the phone to read the message. We both had a great laugh. He started to walk out of the room and turned with a smirk on his face and said "You're going, right?" I texted the salesman and told him he made my day! Didn't get a reply.

I did a purchase return shop. When I went to return the item (During a slow afternoon) the employee at the returns desk was sitting on his chair sound asleep. I took his picture and sent it in with my report. One month later I am doing the shop at the same store…Guess was still working the returns desk!

@prince wrote:

Good save.
I have had a customer answer the question I posed to the grocery store associate. I mentioned in the report what happened.

Something like this happened to me when I was trying to test one of those money wiring places. A customer interjected that it was probably a scam!

Funny story. I was mystery shopping a beauty salon (getting a hair cut) when the beautician started telling me about another customer she had had earlier that day. Apparently, he had complained about something to her, and she said to me, "With my luck he was probably the mystery shopper."

I am a female senior citizen and other diners have paid for my meals at least five times when I was trying to do a shop at a restaurant. I won't do a long report if the mystery shop company isn't paying me. I just called the scheduler and arranged to do the shop on another date. I always thank the stranger for paying, but I say to myself "Oh, no, here we go again."

LSU, it's because they know you are a LSU fan!!