At one point in this thread I apologized for falling over the edge, jumping into the fun, and posting my guacamole recipe.

I agree recipes are not appropriate in this thread, but I have no interest in editing out the recipe I posted. Because it offended some of you, I'm still sorry I posted it. Because being asked to edit it out offends me, I won't. See there, we can tiff about nothing. This is like Seinfield's deal. This is a tiff about nothing, and it's turned into a pretty good show of how small we can be if we work at it.

I see a lot of inappropriate (don't fit the thread) and/or useless (to me) posts on many threads, but I don't suggest posters edit them out. I don't have to approve or use information someone else posts.

We have forum guidelines, and those guidelines are good enough for me. I can choose to read every word of every post whether I need it or not, or I scan and skip what I don't need to read and move on.

Sorry, I will not be retracting the guacamole recipe.

I very much agree with Mary, above. I did not post any recipes, and I confess I skipped over them, although I was not offended by them being posted. I am, however, very offended at a request for multiple posters to go back and edit their posts. On a forum that is not heavily moderated, many times posts are inappropriate or useless but I have never requested that a poster edit out their post unless it contained an ICA violation. If a post contains information that doesn't interest me, I skip it. A more heavily-moderated forum would likely change the nature of posts. I like it here and I like the freedom we have to post as we please. The posts that have been made form a history of the forum, and I will be very disappointed if anyone edits one of their posts.

timhfl386 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> @HorseFeathers I get what you are saying. And,
> you could be right. This could have been a
> "perfect storm" of three bad experiences in a row,
> three different companies, and the poor person
> struck by lightning would surely be alarmed!
>
> I think it's much more likely that lightning
> didn't strike.
>
> Based on my decade of experience in moderating
> forums, I look for these flags:
>
> 1. Using more than one alias
> 2. A new alias posts solely to make or support a
> complaint
> 3. Conspiracy theories
> 4. Repeating the same accusations but not
> answering questions with supporting details about
> what happened
> 5. They never tell us they did anything wrong,
> everything was the fault of someone else, they are
> perfect
> 6. No demonstrated interest in resolving the
> matter amicably
> 7. Complaints about the tone of the replies (the
> "tone argument" while failing to answer questions
> directly
> 8. Attempts to derail discussion of the complaint
> 9. Personal attacks on anyone who does not agree
> lock step with the complaint
>
>
> In general, what I am looking for are patterns of
> behavior that involve two or more of these:
> - Deception
> - Attempts to manipulate the readers
> - Irresponsibility
> - Recklessness
> - Learning nothing from error
>
> People who use a forum should find the time they
> spend on that forum useful.
>
> It isn't useful to have to investigate patterns of
> posts for reckless, irresponsible, deceptive,
> manipulative posts from "perfect" people.
> Instead, it's maddening.
>
> I waded through these pages so I could learn
> something about Marketforce and Monterey, because
> those company names had come up in my searches. I
> don't think reading all that wasted my time. I
> confess I skipped over most of the recipes.


Tim - I think you said it great. It bears repeating.

If you remove the recipes this whole thing just becomes a circular discussion where the new and old posters argue over what makes a post believable. The fluff is what keeps the thread from devolving into a bitter argument.

This is a social forum and if posters do not want to follow social norms of online groups, then their posts will be subject to scrutiny. It's that simple.

Also, anyone who cannot abide by forum rules or does not have the time/patience to respond and post intelligently and without emotion will probably also not fare will at mystery shopping.

I have done over 450 shops and audits for Bestmark. Yes they are detailed and picky but we are supposed to be detailed and picky. Issues I call up a scheduler and have not had to play ping pong to get things fixed. I just had a family member get ill and one thrown in jail and I was able to get a hold of them and prevent any issues. COMMUNICATION is the key here and always is. I have not had the opportunity to shop for Market Force or Monterrey as of yet. A lot depends on the editor of your report. I do a lot of banks, credit unions, financial investment firms that do require detail and work. In an average month I will shop 200 or more shops and I get to see a lot of TEXAS in the process. Take the time to reflect; if you are just in it for the money only then you are in it for the wrong reasons to start with. I do this because I enjoy the challenge, have an opportunity to learn about something I may have not known a lot about and lastly the money. God bless and good luck

First they try to "dumb us down" with those recipes and then when they get called out for that then they go back and delete the evidence of their dirty deeds and leave a bunch of blank posts. If they don't like whats being said then they are going to sabotage the forum. Welcome to internet forums folks.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/31/2012 05:30PM by SAMMYSLY.

I have done hundreds of shops with Marketforce and never had a problem with being paid. They often phone me with better offers than are posted or to offer me a travel route with higher incentives. I love working for them and I have never had a shop rejected from them. In fact I've only ever had one rejected, but that was my mistake and with a different company.

Agreed! The ones who are upset are just mad that people were trying to diffuse the situation. I LOVE the fact that you never know where a post will end up. People like fireworks. Since the recipes switched focus from the original toxic post, people will make their own fireworks ABOUT the recipes. Sooooo many other worth while things to focus on.

SteveSoCal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you remove the recipes this whole thing just
> becomes a circular discussion where the new and
> old posters argue over what makes a post
> believable. The fluff is what keeps the thread
> from devolving into a bitter argument.
>
> This is a social forum and if posters do not want
> to follow social norms of online groups, then
> their posts will be subject to scrutiny. It's
> that simple.
>
> Also, anyone who cannot abide by forum rules or
> does not have the time/patience to respond and
> post intelligently and without emotion will
> probably also not fare will at mystery shopping.

Blanca: Iam new to mystery shopping - only been at it since May 2012. I have done multiple (50+) shops for ALL the companies you are bashing.

1. NONE of my shops have been rejected.
2. I have received high marks and compliments on all my shops
3. I have been timely paid by every one of these companies.
4. When I have and a minor issue - I've talked to my scheduler and gotten the problem resolved immediately.

I love what I do. I think perhaps Mystery shopping is not a good fit for you and that you should explore other opportunities.

I've been shopping for Market Force for over a decade. I've never had a rejected shop. They take receipt uploads on their website. And they pay quicker than any other companies that I shop. They are wonderful.

I have over six years with Market Force, Monterrey and Bestmark and never, had problems. The only situation, not on my favor was accepting a shop with a bonus, over the phone, and the bonus was not paid, Marketforce.

I just had a Bestmark shop rejected because I ordered the wrong drink at Panera Bread. I goofed. I lived and learned. It won't happen again, I promise you that.

Robinv

I have not had problems with BestMark.

If you are angry enough at a certain company --


then go and start a small claims court action against them. It will cost you maybe $20 but you will get reimbursed that and other fees when you win -- and you WILL win. After you fill out the papers and pay your fee, you will receive papers that must be served on them. So you are in Alaska or wherever and they are in California. No problem. Hire a summons server in their area. Maybe it will cost you $25 - $50. When you win, they must reimburse you for that expenses. Have them served.

On the appointed time for the hearing, go there. When the case is called, they will not appear and you will automatically win. At least that's how it works in California.

Then you send them a demand letter telling them that they owe you $X amount because you won the case against them, and that if they do not pay you, you will take legal; steps to seize their assets.

I know a lawyer who once won a small amount from an unnamed airline and they refused to pay. He went with a sherrif's deputy to the San Francisco Airport and seized one of their 747s until they paid. They paid within 10 minutes.

On the other hand, you may not wish to go to all this trouble and may just want to warn others and forget the whole matter. That's what I would do. Just don't shop for them ever again.


blanka Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Frauds and scams are exactly what they are, and
> those are the words I will use to describe them.
>
> They should all be arrested.

I shopped for BestMark for several years and always received the pay I was due but I determined I didn't like the corporate culture, their basic way of doing things, and that they didn't pay enough for me to continue doing things cheaply and dreading dealing with them. After the last assignment was paid a few months ago, I asked to be removed from their system and told them why.

I do some shops for MarketForce but only the higher paying or high bonus ones and I have always gotten paid.

I am picky about the amount of work and time spent for the money but that pays off. Why do 3 one hour long shops with time consuming reports for a net of $24 when there are plenty on single one hour shops with 5 minute reports for $20 or more?

I personally was excited to run past a recipe post and now I can't find it again. Maybe we need a thread for recipes, you think? I get to try lots of tasty things at the restaurants I shop but I don't want to spend the money to eat there on my own very often so restaurant copycat recipes really appeal to me!

I am new to the forum but not to the trade. I have been doing this since 2002. I find it sad some come only to bash not learn and better themselves and our trade. I do what I like and I like what I do! Life is to short to do otherwise. It is great to find like minded people of the trade. Ps to the poster who has multiple personality disorder. Find yourself. Learn to like yourself for that is the only one you always have with you. Your multiple personality bashing only hurts you. Not sorry to be blunt. Hope you find what will make you happy.

Kedmunds - there's a recipe post under General Chat. It's about half way down the first page.

I agree market force is a scam I also got scammed , I did 12 jobs for them and never got paid at all , I turmed them in to the BBB and they are looking into this , it seems there are alot of people that got scammed by them , there are alot of complaints and its the same thing repeating on what they do to people , and they do not pay for the fobs you do do STEER CLEAR OF MARKET FORCE

I have been with Marketforce for over a year, done at least 100 shops for them alone. I has a shop rejected ONCE. It was my mistake. They are usually pretty reasonable. Also, I will do no more than 4 shops for a company before I get that first check. Once I get paid for the first batch, I can relax and accept shops. I personally, would not have done 12 shops

Out of curiosity, what type of shops did you complete for Market Force?

Hello Sammysly - It's not possible to "dumb down" someone with a recipe. Recipes do not affect IQ or powers of logic. I agree that recipes may not be appropriate in some threads, and I have previously apologized for a posting of my guacamole recipe that some members found offensive. Looking back over the forum, I found that I also posted a recipe for Tortilla Eggs, which I had forgotten. I now apologize for posting that one, too. I apologize because it is the courteous thing to do when someone suggests they are offended. However, I did not edit out my recipes.

Recipes are not prohibited in the posting guidelines, and we are not prohibited from posting recipes in the threads of our choice. We can post whatever we like in any thread as long as it is not prohibited by the guidelines. It doesn’t have to be pertinent to the original post or the title of the thread. If you will evaluate the forum analytically, you will discover this is normal thread development and is a group characteristic of members of the forum. It existed before your arrival, and is not likely to change in the short term. A cultural shift of that nature occurs slowly, if at all. That’s the way it is, and you and I don't get to make the guidelines or dictate group behavior.

You must be confused about what's going on. None of the recipes that were posted have been edited out, and there are no blank posts as of the time I'm posting this. Obviously, you have not carefully read the forum thread you feel qualified to criticize. I always thought critics were supposed to be qualified in their fields. Aren’t they? I mean, aren’t there standards expected of critics, like having a clue or two? Here you are, ripping us up for deleting the posts you ripped us up for inserting, and we haven’t even deleted them. This is truly a mystery. I wonder, is there a plot here for a thriller? You think?

Posting recipes in a thread that isn't about recipes is called hijacking a thread, changing the subject. It wasn't thread development, it was a deliberate attempt to force someone to "calm down". I just wonder if the irate poster had a legitimate reason to be agitated. According to past patterns, the moderator thinks its a troll and he is probably right. But I read some of these responses and they come across as "I can post recipes in the wrong place if I want and I won't remove them, nyah nyah nyah, cause there is no rule against it and we have always done it like this and youre new and we who have been here a long time know how to work together to shut you out, hardee har har"
Again, if you are going to claim its a dead horse and all shut up now about the recipes, then take them out cause as long as I have to wade through them to see anything about the actual topic the problem isn't over.

Go ahead and leave them in as proof of your behavior. Go for it. Do it man. Leave them in. Flaunt that hijacking.

HorseFeathers, your first post on this forum was a complaint that at Volition you were asked by the moderator/owner to edit your post and you responded "when you got time" - and you commented here that you planned to never get around to it.

But you seem to feel it's very appropriate for you to tell posters on this forum to edit their posts based on your opinions. It's lovely of you to offer your services as a moderator, but we don't need your help.

schekai - Hello and welcome to the forum. Are you here to slam the company or are you trying to get help with the issues? I'm not taking sides here. I just want to know if you want help.

If your purpose is to slam the company and say that they are a scam, OK, you have made that post and we hear you.

If you want help and you will provide more information on what happened between you and Market Force, perhaps we can make some suggestions. Many of us shop for Market Force and are familiar with their jobs and procedures.

Hello HorseFeathers - Thank you for your assessment regarding the development of this thread.

I apologize to you because I have offended you by posting recipes. This is offered in the spirit of normal human courtesy and not because I accept that I have done something unforgiveable. It is perhaps not the smartest thing I've ever done, but I don't see it as a crime or a sin.

If the owner of the forum asks me to remove Tortilla Eggs and Guacamole, I’ll get right on it. Otherwise, I think not.

When I posted the recipes, I was already done with Blanca, evidenced by my post “I’m done with Blanca”. That was a major clue. My recipes did not relate to Blanca. I was done with Blanca. Blanca did not own the thread, regardless of what you and Blanca may think.

I thought the posting of the first recipe (not mine) was an original and interesting approach to providing some relief in the middle of a hot thread. There were some objections, and Busy (I think it was Busy) started a recipe section in the General Chat forum. I certainly didn’t mean to start a gunfight, and the other posters are even nicer than I am. Please don't hold them responsible. I would like this to stay between you and me and not drag them into it. They meant no harm.

I’ll quit posting about recipes when everyone else quits posting about recipes. This is not about recipes anyway. Here’s an offer: You let it go, I’ll let it go. Here’s another one: You don’t let it go, I don’t let it go. I’m good either way. I don’t care about the recipes. I care about being pushed around.

"I’ll quit posting about recipes when everyone else quits posting about recipes. This is not about recipes anyway. Here’s an offer: You let it go, I’ll let it go. Here’s another one: You don’t let it go, I don’t let it go. I’m good either way. I don’t care about the recipes. I care about being pushed around."



I don't think you were being pushed around in the slightest. On the other hand you are threatening this person for having the audacity of suggesting you were out of line. Adults don't threaten.

Sammy, I don't understand what you're talking about. Please explain in more detail. You know, kind of like how you explained things to Chary. I'll try to get it, as in see it coming.

Is there anyone around here who actually makes a living on mystery shopping, business inspections and merchandising ?

I have a complicated, three step way to resolve your issues with the referenced MSC's

1. Read your I/C agreement and your shop instructions very carefully.
2. Comply with every rule, policy and stipulation.
3. If your not happy with the results, stop shopping for them.

Problem solved. Stop whining and move on.