Thanks so much for the quick reply, MrC! I agree that it's not worth it for $4 or $5, (and certainly not for $0!) considering how many photos you have to take and whatnot. As I pick up more jobs, I'll have to see if I can start working them into my schedule along the way to other shops, but even then, only if I get lucky and find one that pays more than $4.

If we could just get everyone else thinking this way - We might get paid a decent amount...

This is my company that I do take their jobs when I am doing jobs in a certain area to make it a day.

I never found a good paying shop available. Other than few lame ones, all shops have a B (backup) sign in the front. And I have looked as far as March. Are they really filled up or they don't want to assign those to newbies?

They are really filled up.

And in my market even the final $3 gas shops filled at the magnificent $3.28 level.

In my area for a 50 mile radius, there 69 $3 gas shops#1 and 22 of the $3 gas hops #2, ranging anywhere in pay from $3 to $9.72. Not nearly as many as there used to be, but enough to make a decent run at some good prices. Shoppers in this area tried holding the line as long as they could I guess.

Tarek. Open up a couple of those "B" listed jobs. If the bottom states "Add to cart" they are not back ups. I don't know why they do that with some jobs...;P

LMAO. Got a notice on a fee increase. They increased it ****eight CENTS****.

mrcomputer101 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tarek. Open up a couple of those "B" listed jobs.
> If the bottom states "Add to cart" they are not
> back ups. I don't know why they do that with some
> jobs...;P


Thanks, MrC! One of the February shops listed as backup is bonused to $30.31, added it to my cart, and still had the 3 day window for scheduling. I never bothered looking at the backups before.

Mert Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> mrcomputer101 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Tarek. Open up a couple of those "B" listed
> jobs.
> > If the bottom states "Add to cart" they are not
> > back ups. I don't know why they do that with
> some
> > jobs...;P
>
>
> Thanks, MrC! One of the February shops listed as
> backup is bonused to $30.31, added it to my cart,
> and still had the 3 day window for scheduling. I
> never bothered looking at the backups before.

Yes, thanks for the tip!

Anytime folks.

Did anyone else get the request for information as to why no one is taking the "new" home improvement shops?

The auditor relations supervisor signed it, but she give no information on how to contact her. Hmmmm.....

Joytron Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Did anyone else get the request for information as
> to why no one is taking the "new" home improvement
> shops?
>
> The auditor relations supervisor signed it, but
> she give no information on how to contact her.
> Hmmmm.....

I didn't get it for the home improvements shops, but I did get one about a month ago asking why no one wanted the "sleep room, bathing room, and etc." shops.

I've been registered with this company for a long time, but have NEVER shopped. I agree, the payments are ridiculously low! I haven't opted out of their database yet, but I think I'm coming close.

I wouldn't go to that extent. I have been in the DB for several years. Previous to 3 months ago, I had only done one horrible, never again shop for them (blue light special requiring many names and several interactions for a paltry $6 and $1 reimbursement (I needed to go anyway.) At my local store, they go out of their way to avoid having you see their name tag, if they couldn't avoid you altogether. So, time invested was far too much for the minute pay scale. Although as time allowed over the years, I would occasionally check on "increased fees" (LOL the most recent increase they sent me was a whopping EIGHT CENTS over the original starting fee, and someone took it, even more LOLOLOLOLOL!) Mostly I just ignored stuff. However, recently they got a gourmet burger chain I like whose report is ridiculously easy, and for the time being, they reimburse fairly for the requirements (except apparently they are too cheap to pay the tip they require.) I have done three so far. You just never know. I wouldn't deactivate unless you really and truly know that you never want to work for them ever again.

I have never shopped for them although I've taken a few of their tests. I figure someday if I have extra time on my hands, I may take a few more of the tests. You never know, although their fees are very low, if I'm going somewhere anyway or close by I might someday take a shop from them. I don't think I'd deactivate.

beanee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have just severed my affiliation with this
> company. I followed all instructions for the shop
> and filed the report on time. It was my first shop
> with them. I have been doing mystery shops for
> over two years. They came up with the most lame
> excuses for rejecting my shop. I believe they used
> the information I provided and then rejected it so
> that they would not have to pay the very low fee
> that I was due. It is not worth the trouble. I
> will stay with the excellent companies that I have
> always worked with.


I'm glad to see I'm not the only one. They did the same to me. I performed 3 shops for them, 2 of which required reimbursement. They rejected the 2 that required reimbursement. They pay such a menial amount anyway and then to reject the 2 just to keep from having to reimburse me... I will never do a shop for them ever again (even though they keep sending me announcements.).

Don't burn your bridges or you will end up swimming upstream !

I have only completed 4 shops for this company, as they do not have much here, and they pay low. One was a long time ago, and 3 were over the past couple of months, the latter being reimbursements. The only thing I heard back from them was "THANK YOU!!!" written in all caps on my scoring report. I got paid on time. As companies go, because they work with so many newbies and pay so low, in general, it is my opinion that they are easier on editing than most companies, especially those that require extensive narrative. I know of people who have had problems with camera uploads (no clue how to do, etc.) and they gave extra time and worked with them. Of all the issues CoRI has, and it has many, in my opinion stealing reports from shoppers is not one of them. Why not contact them and see what went wrong?

I like the fact that I can get training at no cost. When I get bored, I just review another training presentation. This has helped me with other companies offering similar jobs at better pay!

I do have to admit, I was impressed with the quality and quantity of the training videos. I do have the same beef as others, that I'd prefer to see all the details of the shop before completing training, but as others have said...work for them or not, it's my choice. I do sometimes wonder, however, if their pay might be so low simply because they put so much of their resources into these videos...

Another laughable email today...they raised the rate from the normal starting price on the blue light special. Don't all jump at once! It went up a whopping 46 cents. ;-)

Hmmm. You must not have gotten the 6 emails in between original price and the 46 cents as it crept its way up a few cents at a time.

If you do try to get three jobs out of them that pay, they will only give you one.
Saying the customer doe not want the same shopper to go to another location. But yet they insist on you using your real name.
This company is ridiculous about what they pay. They also take a service charge out
of your pay for using PayPal, then Pay Pal takes out for cutting a check, then you still gotta pay to cash the check. No I do not have a bank account. And should
not have to be forced into Pay Pal or Bank, in order to get paid. What ever happened to the old school way of mailing out the paychecks?
If people will not work for these rates, they have to raise the pay or go out of business.

seibahbah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you do try to get three jobs out of them that
> pay, they will only give you one.
> Saying the customer doe not want the same shopper
> to go to another location. But yet they insist on
> you using your real name.
> This company is ridiculous about what they pay.
> They also take a service charge out
> of your pay for using PayPal, then Pay Pal takes
> out for cutting a check, then you still gotta pay
> to cash the check. No I do not have a bank
> account. And should
> not have to be forced into Pay Pal or Bank, in
> order to get paid. What ever happened to the old
> school way of mailing out the paychecks?
> If people will not work for these rates, they have
> to raise the pay or go out of business.


I thought that you self assign jobs for this company. I never had a problem signing up for 6 jobs all for the same company, just not back to back months.
In today's financial world, if you don't have a banking relationship with someone, you are going to pay to get a check cashed regardless of who you receive the check from. Banks even charge to cash instruments from their own banks these days. It was not always that way. Some will refuse to cash them altogether if you are not an account holder.
You should consider a debit card from Paypal. That way you can draw your money out by getting cash back from supermarkets or stores and it generally costs nothing if you make a purchase. Cash limits do apply, but it should not be a problem for you since CoRI doesn't pay much for their shops.

seibahbah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you do try to get three jobs out of them that
> pay, they will only give you one.
> Saying the customer doe not want the same shopper
> to go to another location. But yet they insist on
> you using your real name.
> This company is ridiculous about what they pay.
> They also take a service charge out
> of your pay for using PayPal, then Pay Pal takes
> out for cutting a check, then you still gotta pay
> to cash the check. No I do not have a bank
> account. And should
> not have to be forced into Pay Pal or Bank, in
> order to get paid. What ever happened to the old
> school way of mailing out the paychecks?
> If people will not work for these rates, they have
> to raise the pay or go out of business.


I didn't know it was possible to have a paypal account without having a bank account. I learn something new every day!

Joytron Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> I didn't know it was possible to have a paypal
> account without having a bank account. I learn
> something new every day!


I could be wrong, but I think you have to have something like a credit card if not an account to get Paypal to mail you a check. They will not mail a check if you do not have at least a card with your current address linked to the Paypal account.

lisams901 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Joytron Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > I didn't know it was possible to have a paypal
> > account without having a bank account. I learn
> > something new every day!
>
>
> I could be wrong, but I think you have to have
> something like a credit card if not an account to
> get Paypal to mail you a check. They will not mail
> a check if you do not have at least a card with
> your current address linked to the Paypal account.

According to Paypal from their website;




Secure TransactionWithdraw Funds
PayPal offers the following options for withdrawing funds from your PayPal account.

In addition, you can transfer your funds to the PayPal Money Market Fund (application required) to earn a return on your PayPal balance.

Options Processing Time Cost
Withdraw funds to your bank account 3-4 business days Free!
Request a check from PayPal 5 - 10 Days $1.50 USD
Shop with a PayPal debit card Instant
(once you get a card) Cash back!
Get cash out of an ATM Instant $1.00 USD
Shop anywhere online with the PayPal Plug-In Instant Free!
Shop special offers with PayPal Instant Free!

Oh, that's been the standard experience with many mystery shoppers beannee.

i've been doing some work for them for the past year, b/c the economy is so bad, but it's typical they do NOT pay much. Oftentimes, after paying for all the gas to get to the shops (since we don't have many close by) and after paying out my money out of pocket I often end up getting paid like $2 an hour sometimes!

This is VERY typical of Corporate Research and I want to WARN people about them.

I did a mystery shop for a big box hardware store. It paid almost $10 and since I had a few other jobs in the area I could do, I took it. I went into the store, did ALL that was expected of me, took GOOD notes, took the proper photo of the receipt, which even I could see, after taking it.. and then days later, after I'm on the computer entering 10 different jobs I did for them yesterday I see they are not paying me at all!

I wonder why, and contact the head dispatcher... I see their dispatcher they used to let me know, her e-mail ends up in my SPAM folder!

Oh, come on people! How many times do YOU check your SPAM folder? I never do! It's full of SPAM and SCAMS galore!

What the dispatcher did NOT do, besides trying to contact me by phone was not bother to put the regular e-mail address of their company so I'd get it in my regular e-mail.

Also, our internet connection went on the blink the day after I did the shop.

I notice lately that they are taking literally DAYS to even go over your report, so what that ends up forcing you to do, is to constantly be checking your e-mail for reports they had problems with your shop!

Who has time to do that? I'm too busy trying to FIND jobs and DO the jobs, not keep checking my SPAM folder for problems they won't bother to e-mail me about to my regular e-mail address!

BEWARE OF THIS COMPANY! They are totally unreasonable and NEVER admit to even Admitting mistakes.

I also noticed I had like THIRTY different phone shops that I did not even SIGN UP for, let alone take the training for last week!

What a waste case this company is!

What are some good Mystery shop companies we can contact? I cannot afford to keep losing money doing their jobs!

beanee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have just severed my affiliation with this
> company. I followed all instructions for the shop
> and filed the report on time. It was my first shop
> with them. I have been doing mystery shops for
> over two years. They came up with the most lame
> excuses for rejecting my shop. I believe they used
> the information I provided and then rejected it so
> that they would not have to pay the very low fee
> that I was due. It is not worth the trouble. I
> will stay with the excellent companies that I have
> always worked with.