Similar to this is the Hotel shop where your "pay" is reimbursement for the hotel cost. Generally it is a low-class hotel near your home and the amount of work is several hours worth of narrative. You get no real benefit--just the money you spent back. I don't do them.

People have different reasons for shopping. The ones who shop for a living don't care about extras like free meals. They want and need the cash. The ones who shop to pay for luxuries won't mind getting a free meal or purchase something that they can use that is paid for by the MSC. Those are the people who will take these shops. That being said: It is important for the MSC's to clearly differentiate cash pay and reimbursement. This way the shopper can make an informed decision whether or not it is worth it for them to do that shop.

Restaurant shops are fine if you want the meal and the reimbursement is sufficient to cover, but I don't like to pay "over" - but people can take advantage too - so there has to be limits. What bothers me are the required purchases, and reimbursement levels of $1.00 - $3.00 which pay for nothing. So, I weight out the fee vs. reimbursement and pick my shops accordingly.

The good thing about the reimbursement only shops is that no tax needs to be paid on the reimbursement. And I think the restaurant reimbursement shops do help pay the bills. I look at it as a way to save on my grocery bill because it is one meal for which I do not have to pay.

There is a big difference between being reimbursed and being paid. I don't mind singing for my supper but many times the reimbursement is less then the cost of the meal. This is very true with the GfK shops. Tell me straight up what the deal is ... and if I like the place I may do it. The thought of not making money and eating at place where one is fairly sure the experience will be less satisfactory... Then there is the merry "hell" one goes through when turning in a negative report.

I do not believe that it is worth my time to do restaurant shops and do not do them because the shop fees are usually very low even if the reimbursement is for a higher amount. I do not do any shop of any kind that has a fee of less than $10.00 and many restaurant shops have fees of only $5.00. These MSC's offering restaurant shops are not being deceitful as you will receive the fee and reimbursement that is advertised. However, what they are being is "CHEAP" because I do not consider it worth my while to expend my time doing the shop and the report which can sometimes be quite lengthy and detailed in the case of fast food shops that require you record the time spent in line, how long it took to complete your order, etc. not to mention the cost for travel to and from the shop to receive a very low shop fee. I therefore believe that it is a much better and profitable use of my time to do a shop with a fee of $10.00 or more with little or no reimbursement. I also agree with Janalou in that I would rather be paid in money and not in food.

Eric in Tampa Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Getting reimbursed the amount spent on food plus
> small compensation is in no way deceitful. I've
> done several restaurant shops in the past where I
> knew that I was going to take my spouse out to. If
> I am getting reimbursed for a meal that I would
> have purchased anyway at an expense, what's not to
> love about that? The same thing can be said about
> reimbursement for other goods and services, such
> as clothes, etc.
>
> If you don't like getting reimbursed for an
> expense that you would have spent anyway, the
> simple solution is this: just don't do shops that
> offer reimbursement as part of the shop payment
> conditions.

Eric, you have missed the point. For example, if I get an email such as "$42 Friday's shop," it should pay $42. It should not lead to an explanation about how it is a $35 reimbursement of the food and $7 for the tip. If the email header states, "$42 reimbursement to eat at Friday's," then the shop terms are clear from the beginning, and I can send it to the trash without wasting my time looking at a scheduler explaining how a shop fee is really a reimbursement.

People shop for different reasons. Some are content to accept a free or partially reimbursed meal and consider it to be payment for services rendered. I am not. It has unfortunately become prevalent in this industry for MS companies to keep the totality of the shop fee that the client renders, and attempt to justify this practice by claiming that the food is payment enough, and that the shopper is not entitled to any part of it.

My point is simple: reimbursement is NOT payment. Advertising it as such is deceitful.

If the MSCs weren't getting their jobs done, they would change the way they do things. I don't see anything deceitful in the way the food shops are listed, but that's just a personal opinion. The way they list them seems to work OK because they're getting those jobs done, and a lot of shoppers search them out and look forward to doing them.

It shouldn't take long to catch on to how any specific MSC advertises shops and to adjust expectations accordingly. Any MSC whose business practices don't cut it with our personal requirements can be disregarded. It won't matter to them. They have plenty of shoppers with more coming on stream every day.

One of the best things about this work is that all the MSCs and all the jobs are different. We can pick and choose our favorites, which means we're always working on preferred jobs on a schedule we set up for ourselves. Gotta love that system.

A follow up: Here is the direct quote from the email I received today:

Email Subject:

$57 Friday's shops available! No rotation requirements! Increased age from 30-35!

Email body:

Past shoppers, you can return again! Please indicate if you have an id on file. If you're between the age of 30-35 and can shop please email me with your id! No rotation requirements!

New shoppers, for the fastest response please forward your id when applying!

COMMENTS: Food and drink mystery shops at TGI Fridays!

This shop is for two people and no coupons or TGIF rewards points can be used.

You must forward your id or your companion's id before a shop can be assigned to you!

Please be sure to check your acceptance email for your assigned shop time and dining scenario!

Your assignment consists of dining in the bar or dining room. Our client is interested in receiving detailed observations regarding their employee’s attentiveness, attitude, timeliness, and sizzle.


REQUIREMENTS:


• Either you or your Adult guest must be between the ages of 21 and 30. You may only bring one adult guest with you.

• You must email a copy of the ID of the person between 21 and 30 to the scheduler prior to being assigned to verify proof of age. <scheduler email redacted because it includes the company name>

• You must purchase an alcoholic beverage, an appetizer and an entrée. You may only consume two alcoholic beverages during your visit.

• If the individual between the ages of 21-30 is NOT carded, they will need to reveal themselves to the manager after settling their bill.

• It is imperative that you review the guidelines prior to performing your assignment.



REIMBURSEMENTS:
You will be reimbursed up to $35.00 for your food and beverage purchases and up to $7.00 for tip. ($42.00)


Please reference your acceptance email for your specific shop scenario, you MUST complete your assigned scenario


Thanks,
Jennifer Gladding
Scheduler

$42 is not $57, and reimbursement is not payment. I challenge anyone to tell me that this is NOT deceitful.

This is not necessarily deceitful. The lead in that states $57 may include a fee of $15 and up to $42 in reimbursement for a total of $57. I can't tell unless I see the complete shop posting on the web site, along with complete guidelines. If the shop is reimbursement only up to $42, then the total posted of $57 is incorrect and was probably a mistake. I would not expect the company to intentionally post a lie and be able to maintain an ongoing positive relationship with its shoppers.

Without seeing the job description and guidelines on the website, I have to say I don't know how much total this shop pays. I also don't know whether the posting of $57 is an error or is correct or is intentionally done to mislead. I will say that any company who would post an incorrect value on purpose will probably have a problem getting shops done as time passes and more shoppers become aware. I always appreciate it when an MSC gives me an opportunity to correct a mistake I have made, and I extend the same courtesy to them.

If I were associated with a company that lied to me, the best thing for me would be to terminate with them. Fortunately, that has never happened.

I wanted to add (for me) this is a great way to repay friends...living alone, I do NOT entertain, so, when being invited
to Thanksgiving dinner or such, a nice lunch\dinner is a great way to repay my friends. Msing is for everyone, although
not everyone does it the same way, or to get the same rewards, that's fine. Personally, I haven't added up 6 years of free oil changes, food, hair and all the perks, so, if some want to eat out, don't be angry, be grateful! I'm doing a lunch for two
Tuesday with no report fee, and driving 60 miles rd. trip.....gas prices have come down..., it will be a pleasent day in
Santa Monica (near the beach), with a $65.00 reimbursement......I'm smiling.

I agree with Mary. I find it hard to believe that an MSC would purposefully lie about the fee. I think the MSC deserves the benefit of the doubt unless it is one that has been previously caught being purposefully deceitful. As far as reimbursement vs. pay: that is a personal preference. To some people a $42 or $57 reimbursement is as good as cash pay. To me the way that they word it is not a big deal. Once you know how the game is played you can adjust your expectations.

Jen Gladding is one of my schedulers, and I can assure you that she doesn't have a deceitful bone in her body. I'm sure it was either a typo, or there was a bonus on the shop that wasn't listed in the body of the email. Either way, you are always free to respond to the scheduler or clarify. I don't really understand the instant attacking of a scheduler as deceitful - that would serve no purposes for her and would only cost her more time than anything if she "lured" a shopper into a shop and then the shopper canceled due to the fee. I would also assume that a shopper wouldn't apply for a shop on a job board unless the total return on the shop isn't what was originally thought, at least without checking with the scheduler first. I'm certain if it had been a typo she would have been happy to have someone nicely point it out instead of attacking her on a message board.

Also, I was a shopper for many years before I scheduled, and I can tell you that if I had the option between a $15 fee grocery shop and a $15 reimbursement grocery shop, I would take the reimbursement every time. Assuming you buy groceries, it reflects much better on your taxes to have a reimbursement than a fee, especially if you just turn around and spend those fees doing the same things you could do for reimbursements on shops (haircuts, oil changes, etc.)

Amshopper, you seem to be very unhappy with the shop offers that you get, so I would be happy to make sure that you don't get any of our emails if you find them so offensive. Could you please contact me with your real name and email address so I can take care of this for you?

Thanks,
Judith@summitscheduling.com

I agree it is misleading because they are stating one amount in the heading, but you won't necessarily get that amount back even as a remibursement unless you go all the way up to or over the reimbursement. So even if putting the reimbursement amount in the subject line (combined or not combined with a shop fee) is not "deceitful," it is unless it says "up to" in front of it.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/2013 07:28PM by rainy.

An experienced shopper knows that a stated reimbursement means the MSC will reimburse up to that amount but not more than that amount. If it's a $50.00 reimbursement only shop and you spend $45.00 you'll get $45.00. If you spend $55.00, you'll get $50.00. This is basic shopping procedure.

It makes sense to me to combine the fee (if there is a fee) with the reimbursement (if there is a reimbursement) to advertise the shop. You can advertise a taco shop at $6.00 fee plus $10.00 reimbursement, and we all know what that means. It means we get $6.00 fee and up to $10.00 on the reimbursement. We can get less than $10.00 reimbursement but we cannot get more than $10.00. They won't reimburse for what we don't spend. They could also truthfully advertise it as a $16.00 shop. If you spend the full amount allowed on the meal, you'll get $16.00.

Usually, if you see an advertisement for a $50.00 or $100.00 or $150.00 shop, that is the highest possible payout. Part of it may or may not be fee and part of it may or may not be reimbursement. We make more money when it's reimbursement rather than fee because the fee is taxable and the reimbursement is not.

I have written this information out for the benefit of newcomers who may not yet fully understand how these shops are sometimes posted. Shoppers who think posting practices are deceitful in regard to any particular MSC would be better off to part ways with that MSC, and I'm sure the MSC will be happy to help with the process. There are plenty of shoppers available who will be happy to pick up that $100.00 shop that only reimburses $98.00 if the meal runs a little short.

I don't think she meant to be deceitful. I have worked with her twice, and she has been very helpful and honest with me. She scheduled a shop for me yesterday (the one that's being discussed actually). I realized about halfway through that I may have messed up, so I contacted her. I was nervous because I have seen a lot of discussions on this forum about schedulers not replying or being hard to reach. She responded within a few minutes and was very polite even though the mistake was my fault. I was impressed with how quickly and thoroughly she helped me.

MDavisnowell Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> An experienced shopper knows that a stated
> reimbursement means the MSC will reimburse up to
> that amount but not more than that amount. If
> it's a $50.00 reimbursement only shop and you
> spend $45.00 you'll get $45.00. If you spend
> $55.00, you'll get $50.00. This is basic shopping
> procedure.
>
> It makes sense to me to combine the fee (if there
> is a fee) with the reimbursement (if there is a
> reimbursement) to advertise the shop. You can
> advertise a taco shop at $6.00 fee plus $10.00
> reimbursement, and we all know what that means.
> It means we get $6.00 fee and up to $10.00 on the
> reimbursement. We can get less than $10.00
> reimbursement but we cannot get more than $10.00.
> They won't reimburse for what we don't spend.
> They could also truthfully advertise it as a
> $16.00 shop. If you spend the full amount allowed
> on the meal, you'll get $16.00.
>
> Usually, if you see an advertisement for a $50.00
> or $100.00 or $150.00 shop, that is the highest
> possible payout. Part of it may or may not be fee
> and part of it may or may not be reimbursement.
> We make more money when it's reimbursement rather
> than fee because the fee is taxable and the
> reimbursement is not.
>
> I have written this information out for the
> benefit of newcomers who may not yet fully
> understand how these shops are sometimes posted.
> Shoppers who think posting practices are deceitful
> in regard to any particular MSC would be better
> off to part ways with that MSC, and I'm sure the
> MSC will be happy to help with the process. There
> are plenty of shoppers available who will be happy
> to pick up that $100.00 shop that only reimburses
> $98.00 if the meal runs a little short.


It's a technicality that people can judge differently, experienced or not experienced. I don't find it a very common practice to advertise it this way, but YMMV. I personally think if a MSC is going to advertise an amount in the subject line of an email (or post), it should be something like "$15 fee + $42 reimbursement" (or whatever it truly is) instead of "$57 shop," for clarity's sake and as a time-saving courtesy to all the shoppers who are being sent the email (so they don't have to bother clicking into and reading the email only to find out that the shop fee is not really $57). Reimbursement is not exactly the same as cash payment or income. I understand you and probably some others are fine with them being advertised as a "$57 shop," but obviously not everyone feels that way.

I agree that people should not work for a company if they have major problems with things they do. A shopper could quit shopping for the MSC or provide them with feedback. Good companies will consider feedback and suggestions, and may make changes if they feel it will help shoppers or improve PR, even if some folks were fine with the system all along. Identifying any areas where service can be improved -- and reputation management -- is what mystery shopping is all about, so it would be kind of ironic if a MSC wasn't open to improving its service, especially if its something that can be easily fixed.

Rainy, I agree that feedback can be helpful. I don't have an issue with the idea that a company should be interested in improving their operations. Whether or not a company is open to feedback is an entirely different issue from whether the company is deceitful.

My issue has to do with calling a company deceitful regarding the way they advertise the value of the shop. I am OK with the process of adding the fee of $10 and the reimbursement of $10 together and advertising it as a $20 shop if that's what the MSP feels will work for them. There's no deceit as I see it if I can get $20 out of the shop.

I agree with you that I'd rather they would advertise it as $10 fee plus up to $10 reimbursement. Because they don't do it according to my preference does not make them deceitful. In any case, I want them to send me the email no matter how they choose to present the shop. I appreciate the opportunity to look over what they have to offer each and every time.

I agree with Mary on this. However, I think some e-mails are more misleading than others. But there are differing opinions on what is misleading or deceitful and we are hearing several different perceptions here. I think if I were a smart scheduler who reads on the forum and I saw different opinions on e-mails from schedulers advertising jobs, I might be very interested in the perceptions of the shoppers. After all, shoppers are the scheduler's target audience. I might be very sensitive to how I could better advertise my jobs. I would want to attract the most shoppers I could without alienating others. Hmmmm..... food for thought ......

Mary, I understand what you are saying and your reasoning. I tend to be on the "misleading" side because I personally have not found it to be a standard practice (I am signed up with a lot of companies and none do it that way that I can think of, or maybe I am not seeing the the shops where they do it). What I was thinking is that if one or more shoppers are posting here that they feel it's deceitful or misleading, then there are probably others out there who don't even post here that view it the same way. MSCs and their ICs are customers to one another (Business 101), and in customer service, perception trumps reality.

I am with you, though. If I was signed up with the company I would just deal with it, but I would provide feedback, and would contiue to feel they should not do it that way!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/2013 11:07PM by rainy.

I tend to agree with most of what you say Mary, but I disagree completely here. By advertising the shop as a "$42" shop, the scheduler without saying that is entirely reimbursement, and even worse, part of that is tip only; she is trying to get more people to look at the job by being misleading.

There is no way to sugarcoat it at all. Personally, as someone who has done shopping a very long time, I know when this job was with the previous msc, they paid an $8 shop fee plus the reimbursement/tip; and that was if you didn't have to reveal yourself, and get it comped right then and there; if you did then they just gave you the shop fee and 20% tip reimbursement.

Now, the new company that has them is incorrectly advertising them as a $42 shop, when it is actually $35 reimbursement for food and $7 for tip. No shop fee.

In reality it ends up hurting this scheduler, because any jobs that come from her, I do not even bother to look at since I just assume(rather right or wrong) that anything she posts is going to be misstated. I know I am not the only one who sees it this way, and her way of advertising the shop is having the opposite affect she intended. The fact that she needs to waive rotation requirements, raise the age, and offer bonuses, tells us she is having trouble filling locations...


The way she states the job is far from the norm in the industry and is defintely against the curve.

Why can't she say in the subject line that it is a food only shop? Now, I'm not saying she intentionally means to mislead, but that is what is happening by misstating the subject line.

This discussion is sounding like there are several ways to look at this and also that there are many shoppers who aren't happy with the way these shops are posted. Perhaps this thread will result in some of the MSCs considering how they are posting these shops and whether a different approach might be more productive. It would be wonderful if we had a standard established through MSPA on the best way to present fees and reimbursements. I'm sure all of us at every level would welcome that as an improvement in working conditions.

Absolutely agree!

one would think the mspa would do something useful like adopt a code of conduct or standards for all msc's that are members to follow....make things overall more efficent and uniform

to each his own on this one....BUT I think it's a very "slanted" way of doing things. And it's sad that so many do this that it's "acceptable" to so many. it's is EXTREMELY misleading....