One of the "things" I've had to get over in doing this is shucking out my social security number to the many MSCs I've signed on with. I'm always very careful once I get to the application page to make sure I have an active https:// connection, meaning SSL encryption is happening and the connection is secure.

So I see a post for a particular burger shop yesterday on the job board here and figured I'd check the company out, even though there are none of them in my immediate area. I click through the website, which is www.consumerimpressions.com as expected, then when I click through to the actual application it directs to an IP address that doesn't resolve to a domain name. This is the webpage address:

[207.200.44.10]

As far as I can tell that is NOT a secure connection. What that means is if some pimply faced kid who hacks in his off time wants to get hold of the information transmitted to the site he has a number of ways to do it.

I know that a SS number isn't required right away according to the verbiage on the site, however I'm also sure people who aren't as anal retentive as me are going ahead and sending over that SS along with other personal information. This is the first company (amongst over 30 so far) I've come across without an https connection AND THERE'S A VALID, SERIOUS REASON FOR IT. Maybe I've just been lucky and there are other MSCs out there set up like this but I won't send anything across to them, and I wouldn't recommend anyone else either.

PS. When I noticed this last night I PM'd the scheduler who made the post for this company. I informed her of the issue and that I felt it was in the public's interest to know what I had found, but I would give her company a chance to help me understand why it is this way, especially if I happen to be wrong. I advised that absent any information to the contrary to the above I would post this out in the open tonight. I did not get a response.

U probably type in something weird. I went to the actual "word website".

I did not see any numbers. B/c their shops are not in my state , I did not sign up but if there were I would have.

I didn't type in anything weird, and I don't know what "word website" means. I went to www.consumerimpressions.com, then clicked the link on the left titled "Apply to Shop", which points to [www.consumerimpressions.com]. Clicking on that link brings you to the page with the picture of someone's hand holding a pencil. If you click on that hand (which the site directs you to do to start the application process) another window opens and that is the shopper login screen where active members would input their username and password or by clicking the button new members can join. That page is here:

[207.200.44.10]

And is NOT a secure page. Anything you transmit through that page is unencrypted.

That is certainly a concern, but it's only necessary when you have cleared $600 from Consumer Impressions. You don't have to put your SSN in there if you don't have to. It would be better to communicate this to the owner, Jodi Paul, who works with her IT staff on issues with the website.

Hmmmm.....but Consumer Impressions is supposed to be reporting everything we make to the IRS, even when it's under $600, so wouldn't they need the SSN anyway? Sure, we wouldn't get a 1099, but our pay would serve as a business expense against Consumer Impression's income, so I am sure they want to be reporting ALL of it to the IRS.

Their website, until recently, was one of the more primitive undeveloped sites that I've visited to sign up on. But a few weeks ago, perhaps even around a month ago, they rolled out a new improved website that resolved many of my "complaints.". The new site is easier to use, now that they've worked out a few kinks. I helped them, as a shopper with them, and as an experienced webmaster with 17+ years, point out the gotchas that their webmasters overlooked.

I think the initial complaints posted in this thread have been addressed.

Nothing gets reported to the IRS until it hits the $600 point. They can deduct payments under that figure without having your SSN.

I've recently accepted my first shop with them but haven't done it yet.

I signed up after their website change so hopefully I was on a secure page. I usually look, but I've filled out so many MS applications lately that I might have gotten lazy about that. I'll start paying more attention.

Consumer Depressions is another unprofessional and inept company. I shopped for them in November - their favorite burger locale. I did two shops - one on top of another. I reported on time, submitted receipts but kept getting an email stating the time was not correct. I asked what was wrong? It was the same as other shops - had they changed to Military time? I could never get an answer. I called and left a message but no reply. Got an email the shop had been reassigned and I was banned. EXCUSE ME - you owe me nearly $30. What these companies tend to forget - just because my salary is low does not mean my IQ is. PAY ME!!!!

All my experiences with this company have been positive.

I have never had difficulty with them either. Although I do very few shops for them these days, they were the very first company I performed a mystery shop for. I've always found them easy to reach, ready to help, and reasonable.

I liked them as a company, they paid on time and the assignments were straightforward. I stopped accepting shops for them when their reports went from timings, brief comments, and yes/no questions to requiring blow-by-blow narratives with a large character minimum along with all the previous requirements. This effectively doubled or tripled the reporting time, and yet the shop pay remained the same. $8 was no longer worth it to me as I didn't like the food THAT much.

Edited- I think I had MSCs confused!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/04/2013 02:24PM by tsk.

AHA!!! So I'm NOT the only one who does that!


tsk Wrote:
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> Edited- I think I had MSCs confused!

LOL the worst part is now I'm NOT sure I had the wrong one in mind! I wrote that I went through the tedious signup with some glitchy interface on the quiz, then got to the final step only to realize they really only shop the South (I'm not in the South) with no option to click elsewhere or a catch-all so you could be notified if they expanded geographically. I posted then went "wait maybe that was someone else". I clearly need a nap! TGIF

If I knew that's how it was done way back when, I probably wouldn't be doing them, either. Then again, I did wait out my five years of being an ex-manager of said burger joint to get in, so what the heck...they've been good to me and I do mainly shops near my hideout.

I guess it balances out the ones I do for Marketforce that are basically nothing but clicks of the mouse now.



Scarlet Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I liked them as a company, they paid on time and
> the assignments were straightforward. I stopped
> accepting shops for them when their reports went
> from timings, brief comments, and yes/no questions
> to requiring blow-by-blow narratives with a large
> character minimum along with all the previous
> requirements. This effectively doubled or tripled
> the reporting time, and yet the shop pay remained
> the same. $8 was no longer worth it to me as I
> didn't like the food THAT much.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/2013 01:00PM by AlfredB1979.

I have nothing but positive feelings about CI. Their staff is fair, friendly, and responsive. The surveys are a snap. Yes, they require narratives, but once you've done a few of the shops it's easy to remember and narrate the important points. I can complete a report in about ten minutes. They pay to the penny at about the same time every month like clockwork. Their old website was a pain but the new one has a clean, logical design and doesn't crash. I only wish that they would allow me more than 4-5 shops a month.

I have done over 15 shops for this company and have never had a problem. They are very accomodating if you need to reschedule. I can complete the survey in under 15 minutes. I love FREE lunches! They pay on time. If you have their client company in your area, do not hesitate to sign up.