So I've been shopping since January of this year and have slowly been adding companies to my portfolio. I've done a couple with GfK without any difficulty but this week I had one scheduled for Tuesday evening. I had a family emergency come up that I could not get out of but that I knew about the Thursday prior. I attempted contacting the scheduler FIVE times to see if I could complete the shop on Wednesday since the shop time-frame technically extended to Thursday. I was never able to get in touch with anyone or hear anything back from the company. I decided to just go ahead with the shop Wednesday but when I returned to my computer to submit it I had an email saying that I had been unassigned from the shop for failure to complete it! I immediately replied to the scheduler that I had in fact completed the shop and would submit it if they would reopen it but have still yet to hear anything... I did everything in my power to do my duty to contact them, or at least so I thought. Did I do something wrong here? If they don't let me submit the shop then I'm out $15 of my own money... I know I'm still "new" to shopping but I've got a large number under my belt already and carry a rating of 10 at all of the other companies, including intelli-shop where I started. If I did something wrong I really want to know so that I can get better and not make the same mistake again...

That stinks. Sorry you went through that.

In the future, I would not do the shop on a different day unless you have confirmation. As you just experienced, they might not approve it and then you're out the $. It really stinks that you didn't hear back from the scheduler. I think they have a phone number on their website, you could try calling that next time.

Good advice. Thanks. I just hated leaving them in the lurch and wanted to try and make sure I still fulfilled my obligation as best I could... Oh well, live and learn.

I'm pretty sure almost every shopper has had at least one live and learn experience of not getting paid for a shop...myself included. You could still give them a call and see if they're willing to let you enter the shop still. They might or might not, but at least you tried.

Oh now this is too funny... I just got the automated email seeking shoppers for the client and in the list of ones they are wanting shopped is the one that I completed last night but am not able to submit! It's a self assign so I'm half tempted to see if I can assign it for last night :-P

LOL. Call or email them and they should help you out.

My experience with them has always been good. At times, frustrating waiting for a response. Most if not all of their schedulers are independent, and probably do something else during the day, Just send a note to the scheduling manager. Always has she been there to help.
Anyway, they have always been willing to work with you and change dates, unless they are up against the client deadline.

I use to have problems with GfK years ago regarding not getting back to me when I had a problem(s) with an assignment or needed a last-minute extention, so I stopped working with them. I have conducted a couple lately without any problem.

cake... Wrote:
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> LOL. Call or email them and they should help you
> out.

B,

That's a good idea. See if you can get the company phone number and speak with the scheduler's supervisor, telling yuor emails were never answered and you will send a copy of all 5 emails to the supervisor if he/she wants.

I keep seeing threads about problems with this company and late pay and stuff - I had thought of signing up with them - but too many threads not saying good things about them has changed my mind.

Thanks.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/2012 01:44AM by shoppinalong.

shoppinalong Wrote:
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> I keep seeing threads about problems with this
> company and late pay and stuff - I had thought of
> signing up with them - but too many threads not
> saying good things about them has changed my
> mind.
>
> Thanks.

Are you sure it was Gfk? They've always paid me within 2 weeks, sometimes closer to 1 week. I don't recall seeing anything about them late paying.

They cheaped out and did not reimburse for the server tip, not even 15%. I was so shocked that they made me tip out of pocket! That was the last shop I picked up for them.

Never a problem with GfK. Very flexible, pay quickly. In fact I have a shop with them tomorrow. My only concern on one particular dining shop is the fact that it is very difficult to stay within their reimbursement limit. I will note that in my comments, in hopes that they will add about $3 to the reimbursement in the future. It is still cheaper to eat there than to eat at home, and as long as that remains the case, I will continue to do these shops.

I did a cell phone shop and it wouldn't submit, so I kept trying. There was no save. The next day the survey disappeared. They said redo it, but it had been such a long survey, with so much typing, that I just deactivated myself from their company.I work for many (I don't even know how many) companies and I have only deactivated two in my life.

I've done a ton for GFK and always enjoyed their shops. But I had hit-and-miss luck getting responses any time I tried to contact them.
I still had saved emails from a couple different schedulers who had contacted me in the past from GFK, and so I've tried a different ones directly when emailing. I found one in particular who was always very good at getting back to me quickly and helping me out, so now I always just contact her directly when I need something.

If this was a weekend shop, probably b/c schedulers are notorious for not getting back to shoppers on we. So tired of it. If you want me to do weekend shops then have a way to stay in contact!

I signed up with this MSC in 2005 and accepted a lunch assignment. In checking the instructions, it was obvious to me there was a definite contradiction. I mailed the scheduler, but wasn't able, even after 4 letters, to have a meeting of the minds. In complete frustration, I canceled the job.

This past spring, I decided to try another shop. When, though, my money arrived, it was short the tip and bonus. I wrote the scheduler, who replied the amount would be added to my next check. As this was unacceptable; I requested immediate payment. She answered and explained I should have verified the amounts, but she forgot I had and had saved the letter. When the matter wasn't resolved, I first wrote and then called the supervisor, who arranged for payment. While on the phone, I also requested de-activation, as I felt our relationship was irreparably damaged.