plmccut Wrote:
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> Hey! I like green bean casserole.




I'll pray for you. ;-)

I swear mine would change your mind All from scratch and not a bit of that nasty cream of mushroom of soup!

kalfini Wrote:
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> The only problem with the movie trailers is that
> it is $7 first screen then $2 the second.
> sometimes it is more than 2 hours before you
> complete 3 screens for $11
> Easy work but very low pay.


This post brings back memories. I left them when they drop the fees for the trailer check from $12 for first screen and $4 for each additional screen. I can't believe it has gone lower. They don't even pay you enough now to pay for your gas.

Good Company, no problems with them. 8 years shopping experience - MSPA Gold Certified Shopper!

Any idea how many shops so far? I've been trying to track precisely how many it takes before they dump shoppers. Right now it seems to be in the area of 1,000.

I do not sign up for many jos with blue portal MF and none with purple. When I first did shopping I solely worked for for CFA. now purple MF. I did the DVDs and got 15$ per store and had a path of 10 stores I did every Monday. It was great until I took a month off in another state and lost all the shops though I had done them for over 4 years. They wanted me to take back 3 of them no one else wanted at $8. I simply said no. Nww when MF calls I askif they are blue if I cannot tell by the job offer. They usually ask how much will it take to get you to do the job. I say $15 and usually get it.

Market Force schedulers have always treated me fairly. I have found them to be trustworthy, and the companies I now work for are trustworthy too. My time is valuable and I have earned their trust also. No wine with my cheese on this subject!

LisaSTL 1000 is a factor for some for but others it is 500. I was also told by a very worthwhile scheduler there is a ratio and you should NEVER EVER give all positive or negative. Always find something on the other side. Always. You can do a fair amount of 100% fail or pass but the ratio will get you for 100%. In other words get you kicked out faster. If you go over 1000 it is your ratio is holding better.

Or on the other hand back away on your own when the reimbursement does not cover the food!

That's interesting. My speculation is far from scientific, it just seemed that was the magic number. I'm not sure how many I've completed. After hitting 500 between 2004 and 2009 I virtually stopped working for them, just a few here and there. In fact it was only one shop in 2011 and the funny thing is I didn't really miss them, LOL!

LisaSTL Wrote:
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> I've had way more companies act with integrity
> than the other way around. If they don't I
> exercise my option to stop working for them.

I agree.

kalfini Wrote:
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> The only problem with the movie trailers is that
> it is $7 first screen then $2 the second.
> sometimes it is more than 2 hours before you
> complete 3 screens for $11
> Easy work but very low pay.

Yes, true and if it is a First Show, it is $10 but they automatically change it to any show in due time. lol However, if I am going to see the movie anyway, I look at it as $7 off my movie ticket. Not bad because it is really an easy job. But a waste of time if you are going to the theatre just for the $7. But they do have some shops where they pay for the movie ticket as well as the service. With the ticket costing upwards from $15.99, it is a big savings.

Hi Dave,

Take it from me, one who use to take up for them and HAD shopped for MF almost 10 years until yesterday. Read my post under "Market Force-furious" and you'll see what I'm talking about.

BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THEM.

daveair Wrote:
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> I'm new to this and just signed up with Market
> Force last night. Thanks for the heads up!
> Dave

risinghorizon Wrote:
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> However, if I am going to see the movie
> anyway, I look at it as $7 off my movie ticket.
> Not bad because it is really an easy job. But a
> waste of time if you are going to the theatre just
> for the $7. But they do have some shops where
> they pay for the movie ticket as well as the
> service. With the ticket costing upwards from
> $15.99, it is a big savings.

For one ticket? Dang! I'm glad to live in central Ohio!

Dagosto Wrote:
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>
> But the PURPLE (the former CFA, before they
> merged), that's a different story. They're you're
> mostly expected to show up somewhere and do stuff
> some employee should be doing, like setting up &
> stocking displays. The pay is still pitiful, and
> it's patently obvious they are low-balling the
> time requirements. I wouldn't touch them with a
> ten-foot pole. I've worked plenty of retail and
> set up plenty of displays. I can tell you, it's
> NEVER as easy or quick as they describe. The
> movie-theater checks might be the only worthwhile
> thing to come out of the MF Purple portal.
>
> Just my opinion of course.

We did some display set-ups for them and found the time listed as very inadequate. I telephoned after the first one and explained the situation. They responded immediately by raising the job fee to an amount that fairly compensated the time required to erect the displays. It was hard work and the instructions that came with the display were inadequate (like trying to put together a Lego space station with no instructions) but we got it done and we were fairly compensated.

I really enjoy shopping for Market Force. The pay is usually comparable and they are willing to add distance pay without me having to jumping through hoops. In addition, if you ask for a bonus before you accept a job, they can usually come up with one. I find that they pay more promptly than some of the others.

Everyone seems to have a different experience with each of the Mystery Shopper Providers. I guess it really depends on who you get for a scheduler.

LisaSTL Wrote:
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> I swear mine would change your mind All from
> scratch and not a bit of that nasty cream of
> mushroom of soup!


I'm willing to try one that ISN'T akin to the vomit of Satan.

LOL! Would I steer you wrong

>
> I can vouch for MF as one of the fastest
> direct-deposit paying companies that never let me
> down. I do the majority of my shops with them,
> about 10 burger shops a month and 10 grocery
> shops. It always goes without a hitch, and I've
> negotiated bonuses ranging from $3-$5.
>


What you say is true, but when the computer tell you that you are finished (around 250 shops) You get a e-mail "congratuations you did 250 shops" then you get offered shops in the next state and none locally while the shops are going begging on Job slinger because they can't get anyone to do the shops.

TechSavvy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> risinghorizon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > However, if I am going to see the movie
> > anyway, I look at it as $7 off my movie ticket.
>
> > Not bad because it is really an easy job. But a
> > waste of time if you are going to the theatre
> just
> > for the $7. But they do have some shops where
> > they pay for the movie ticket as well as the
> > service. With the ticket costing upwards from
> > $15.99, it is a big savings.
>
> For one ticket? Dang! I'm glad to live in central
> Ohio!
Yup, for one adult ticket.

Well, in some smaller theatres, it's $8.99 or $11.99 adult but $15.99 where I go, if it is 3D or IMAX. Wait, actually it was $18.99 for the Star Wars ETX. That actually depends on the movie and the theatre.

If you and your friends plan to go and here is CFA calling, offering a bonus as well, wouldn't you accept? Buy your ticket and do the trailer. If it is a First SHow, all you have to do is call in after the trailer and you are done. Part of your own ticket paid by them from your fee.

I had my son and his friend with me as my partners when we did an overt audit of a movie and all of us had to see the movie, gratis. And my partners enjoyed it so much. The downside for me was I had to see it twice. It is not as enjoyable when covert but the pay is much higher, especially since it is usually bonused.

I agree with Dagosto. I had done many fast food shops for them which were relatively easy except they wanted you to do an inside and drive thru for one many company. That was a little hard because 1) it was way too much to eat and you had to do it alone and 2) sometimes the timing was difficult. I lost payment on a few of them when I forgot to order something in particular. The theater shops I've done are easy and I wouldn'take the merchandising shops... the pay is way too low for what you have to do.

jersen8v Wrote:
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That was a little hard because
> 1) it was way too much to eat and you had to do it
> alone and 2) sometimes the timing was difficult.

I have done quite a few of those and what I do is:
- drive thru, order, drive off the lot and do the notes. I'll have a taste of the food and beverage (10 min)
- go back, leave the food in the car and do the inside shop, sitting down to enjoy my meal (15 min)
- go back to the car, leave the lot and again make my notes (5 min)

If I am going to be out for a while, I might eat the rest later or else I give it away or take it home for later. If none of those sounds interesting, you can always turf it once you are out of sight.

You end up with two free meals plus $20 for a 30 minute shop and two free (if unhealthy) meals.

LisaSTL Wrote:
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> LOL! Would I steer you wrong



Never. So what time is dinner?

Well, I'm way over 1000 shops and still going strong. I would miss the income from Market Force each month if I was removed. They always have something to choose from in my area and I often get nice bonuses (20+) near the EOM when they call. The schedulers (ShpNChk side) have been delightful. I am by no means a perfect shopper, so I don't know what their criteria is for removing shoppers. I know I hope it doesn't happen to me because I love their system and reports, for most clients, are easy and painless. Plus, they've been acquiring some very nice new upscale clients with their takeovers of other companies.

Yeah, I saw a shop at an upscale client they got from another MSC. I also saw the shop fee went from almost $30 down to $15 for a purchase/return which required a purchase of $100 plus.

Cettie, 7:30 central time. Don't be late!

The goat army and I will be there.....

omahaman2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> kalfini Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The only problem with the movie trailers is
> that
> > it is $7 first screen then $2 the second.
> > sometimes it is more than 2 hours before you
> > complete 3 screens for $11
> > Easy work but very low pay.
>
>
> This post brings back memories. I left them when
> they drop the fees for the trailer check from $12
> for first screen and $4 for each additional
> screen. I can't believe it has gone lower. They
> don't even pay you enough now to pay for your gas.


And they do not let you stay and watch the movie!

shhhitzasecret Wrote:
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> MF called 7 times on Monday to offer a $1 bonus on
> a FF shop. Really?!? You are that desperate and
> you can't offer more? They can keep that.

But you get those yummy burgers precooked, put in a greasy drawer and pulled out and microwaved for you when you order!

Did you think they could actually cook the burger put the fixin's on it and serve it all in 2 minutes? You must believe in Santa clause and the Easter Bunny if you do.

When you figure the time you spent coming and going and the gas that you used. I do not know what kind of gas MF uses the price of my gas is going up and they are lowering the fees like the shopper's expense of performing the shop is going down. Maybe they think if you get paid more you may discover a higher class restaurant than Chez R.

If you think about it, the people in China that work for $2 an hour gets more per hour than an MF shopper.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah, I saw a shop at an upscale client they got
> from another MSC. I also saw the shop fee went
> from almost $30 down to $15 for a purchase/return
> which required a purchase of $100 plus.
>
> Cettie, 7:30 central time. Don't be late!


Yes, I know the one you are referring to and that is one I used to do on occasion for the other company, but not for Market Force. No, I did one once at an outlet that was bonused and no purchase was required. That was a goodie. That was not the upscale client I was thinking of, however. The one that comes to mind is a retail store that pampers their customers and has great products. They did drop the fee, but the reimbusement is still sweet. They fly off the board as soon as they're posted most of the time. They are hard to catch. I agree, some of their shops are a PITA. I won't touch the grocery store audits for under $40 + reimbursement. I won't even look at their bank shops in this area or the cheapo department store audits that could take over 3 hours. However, I'll try one or two of their new shops and if they are acceptable to me, time and money wise, I grab as many as I can. Love their tire audits, tax place audits etc. I shop my local grocery chain (not audit) at least 3-4 times each month, some with large bonuses. I've also developed a taste for those fries cooked in peanut oil...every now and then. It's all about choosing the right shops for the right fee for the time involved. So, all in all, I am quite happy with MF at the present and am sorry so many others have had poor experiences with them. I'm sure you've all moved on to bigger and better companies that I've yet to find. For now, I'll just pick and choose the shops that work well for me and hope I can remain with them as long as I continue to shop.

>
> And they do not let you stay and watch the movie!

I always watch the movie if it is something that interests me. How do they prevent you from watching, especially if you are doing a covert check?

On the occasions I've had to look at other areas it seems there was a greater variety of shops. We are down to mostly fast food and other low paying ones which still get snatched up fairly quickly. Only some of the audits seem to hang around for a while and eventually get taken at the starting rate or with just a very small bonus.