Hey ya'll,

I had a question that I am hoping you could advise me on. I have been receiving emails from BARE about shops in my area. I have applied for the shop close to me now four times in the last week. Each time, I am rejected. I have never done a shop for BARE before. I have emailed the scheduler twice over the last week and have heard nothing back.

Is this normal for that company? If they are a flakey company, I don't want to pursue it anyway (for fear they might not pay), but if they aren't flakey, I would truly like to know what is going on.

Any thoughts or advice would be very welcome.

I've had good experiences with them.

Has to be the mail jobs? I have gotten many of those but after reading I don't think I want any of them. Just too much involved. Mailing a package to the food bank? What???

It doesn't have to be a food bank for Scenario C. It just has to be at least zone 5. Hmmm. If anyone is that far from me, we could just mail a package back and forth :-)

WTH is your problem? They have simpler jobs. You seem to have a dislike for MSC's. I suggest you do a bit of research for jobs that suit you...

I look at it like bringing food to our church or down to our local food bank. My kids love packing the boxes and makes them feel good to be donating.

I honestly don't find any of the scenarios difficult in any way and the reports are easy! I have never had a shop rejected, though I did have a couple "suggestions" to use cash.



cheryljane Wrote:
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> Has to be the mail jobs? I have gotten many of
> those but after reading I don't think I want any
> of them. Just too much involved. Mailing a
> package to the food bank? What???

couponmoseley Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hey ya'll,
>
> I had a question that I am hoping you could advise
> me on. I have been receiving emails from BARE
> about shops in my area. I have applied for the
> shop close to me now four times in the last week.
> Each time, I am rejected. I have never done a shop
> for BARE before. I have emailed the scheduler
> twice over the last week and have heard nothing
> back.
>
> Is this normal for that company? If they are a
> flakey company, I don't want to pursue it anyway
> (for fear they might not pay), but if they aren't
> flakey, I would truly like to know what is going
> on.
>
> Any thoughts or advice would be very welcome.


In general, sometimes it takes awhile to get a first shop with a new company. Just keep being persistent, and also, you might want to consider applying for other jobs in less desirable locations. Once you get "on the board" and prove yourself by a good job, requests are fulfilled more easily.

Done a few, easy after you ve done a few.

I do those post office shops any time I can. They're dead easy. Hardest part is finding something to ship and finding a box to ship it in. You don't have to mail to a food bank. I send stuff to a friend three states away.

The OP has some legitimate questions, i get sick of the people that "bash" everybody all the time.....

Some of the BARE shops for postal ARE confusing and I am a "seasoned" shopper. I don't do the food bank shops, for ME they are too much of a hassle. There is a learning curve to them as with all shops.

itsasecret Wrote:
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> I do those post office shops any time I can.
> They're dead easy. Hardest part is finding
> something to ship and finding a box to ship it in.
> You don't have to mail to a food bank. I send
> stuff to a friend three states away.

Maybe your region does not require to mail to a food bank, it does in my state. A new email just came out today, which is the same requirement every since Bare took over:

>>For this shop, all packages will be sent to a pre-determined food bank. All items shipped must be non-perishable food items. By completing this shop, you will help fight hunger.<<

It took be a few tries to get shops too. But once I got one and completed the report, they keep coming.

Took a while for me to get my first BARE shop, too. But once I did, I get them regularly, now.

The shops where you send something were a bit confusing at first, trying to remember everything and get all the timing points... but after a few they are dead-on easy. The Scenario C's (tiny thing in a huge box) are a little more of a pain, but not difficult. Just make sure your small item is well-secured in there, or they're gonna ask questions. That was a little awkward, but I find it rather amusing in hind-sight. : )

They had a few other types of shops in my area over the greater holiday season, and those were great, too.

With the exception of the dim wit jobs, I've had a great experience with Bare. If you haven't done a shop for them yet, you are still the last in line to get the job.

Michael C Wrote:
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> With the exception of the dim wit jobs,
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Unless you have a lot of non perishable food you can't seem to get rid of, these are not a good option. The dimensions of the required box make shipping minimum $30.

OP - They have several scenarios, keep an eye on this, as you don't want to get stuck with a Dimensional shop unless it's your intention. They also have been doing quite a few of these for some time now, so now they are on a set quota. They only have to complete so many each month. Just keep applying, you'll get some eventually.

Contact Bare directly if you still aren't getting any after awhile, you never know. There was some sort of system error where my birthday got changed and they stopped accepting my requests without notice. I was never informed I was restricted from doing shops and finally inquired about it when I couldn't self assign despite meeting the shop grade requirements. I sent a photo of my ID and was able to get shops once again...after all the self assign shops were taken.

cheryljane Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Has to be the mail jobs? I have gotten many of
> those but after reading I don't think I want any
> of them. Just too much involved. Mailing a
> package to the food bank? What???

cubbiecat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> itsasecret Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I do those post office shops any time I can.
> > They're dead easy. Hardest part is finding
> > something to ship and finding a box to ship it
> in.
> > You don't have to mail to a food bank. I send
> > stuff to a friend three states away.
>
> Maybe your region does not require to mail to a
> food bank, it does in my state. A new email just
> came out today, which is the same requirement
> every since Bare took over:
>
> >>For this shop, all packages will be sent to a
> pre-determined food bank. All items shipped must
> be non-perishable food items. By completing this
> shop, you will help fight hunger.<<


ASK your scheduler. They have trouble getting people to do C's because of the high amount that has to be fronted. I mystery shop to help fight my own hunger. I'm not buying food to mail in addition to fronting them a $40 shipping charge. You can also ASK if you can use your credit card. I have been allowed to charge these shops, so by the time the CC bill comes, they have reimbursed me.

The key is to ASK.

Maybe they are making this a requirement instead of a request for 2013, but I will not do these shops if they are going to make me mail food. Actually, how would they know if you mailed food or a box of rocks anyway, unless the food bank is mystery shopping the mystery shoppers by telling them what was sent?

Why should I make a charitable donation for which I can't get a receipt? Now, if we can get reimbursed for the food too, different story.....

They know because the receipt shows the zip code of your shipped item, which is also in the report. We are only allowed to ship to one specific food bank in DC. The same requirement and wordings been in place since this took over these shops.

@stormcloud. If you thought rattling small items in the dim box is awkward - you should have seen what we had inside the 14x14x14 box, from the prior msc. the clerks would shake the box and figure out we were the ms'ers. Anyone else remember the awkward question we were required to ask?

itsasecret Wrote:
> Why should I make a charitable donation for which
> I can't get a receipt? Now, if we can get
> reimbursed for the food too, different story.....

But itsasecret, you can get a receipt... from the grocery store. I have done a couple of Scenario C shops (not my first choice), and knowing the parameters of the shop, I bought items to ship separately from my other groceries. Voila, a receipt for tax purposes! (a 2-pound bag of rice, a couple of cans of Hunt' spaghetti sauce, etc.)

I've completed over 50 shops for BARE in the past 18 months, and they're one of my favorite MSCs to work with. The USPS shops are easy. Be sure to read the guidelines as not to miss a timing or observation item when you go. I have done Scenario C ( sending a large package to a food bank), but can't often because of limited funds. They usually cost me about $40, and that is reimbursed to me. I love Scenarios A & B. They usually cost me less than $8 and I've had some shop pay up to $30 each. I do shops for them in alol four states around ,me on a regular basis. <y mother-in-law loves to get the can of black beans on a monthly basis!