Thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread.

I must have a learning disability.
I took ANOTHER shop with this company.

1. I had to pass a test before I could self-assign it.
2. Get an e-mail to download an app for the shop.
3. Download the app. It doesn't work. I'll have to go and try again.
4. Get an email to listen to a conference call the day before I do the shop.
5. Get another email warning me that if I don't take another test and pass it immediately, it'll be cancelled.
6. Read 14 pages of instructions.
7. Watch a 15 minute video that has three hidden codes in it to pass the test in 5.
8. Take the test. Luckily, I passed it.
9. I've already put more than 90 minutes into this shop and I haven't even left the house.

Hope I will learn something from this experience! Waterboarding is not the only kind of torture that should be outlawed?

yeah I did a smartphone shop purchase and return and they kept asking the same questions over and over and over in different words. When I got a 7 on my report I was very frustrated because the first time I did the report I was saving as I went along, and then their stupid website erased everything! I was so out of energy by then that I guess I didn't do as good of a job as the first time I filled out the report. As long as I get paid. I know what you mean about the redundancy.

I used to love shopping for GFK when they had the wings shops. Great bonuses when available and the pay was fast. However I won't do anything for $`14 that takes me more than 30 or 40 minutes (time spent in store and reporting time included). GFK isn't the only shopping company that is putting out extremely low shop fees. It seems like all the shopping companies are getting cheap. I just keep deleting their shop offers until they come to their senses.

I just did 3 of those shops. The interactions with each of the associates took about an hour, and the reports are insane. The reports aren't just long, they are tedious. And the explanation that they are created for a shoppers with OCD is spot-on. It took me hours to complete the reports. All the while, I kicked myself for not listening to my sister who said the $15 fee was too small.

I have done other things for GFK without any problem, but I will never do these shops again.

I adore shopping for GfK - I do lots of revealed audits mostly. I scheduled one of the appliance audits and realized in the report that it would take far longer than I had available. I cancelled the shop and never looked back. A previous poster said $40 sounded right - I might touch it for $50. I, too, feel sorry for the salesperson.

I have never had a problem with getting a response from anyone. I don't mind the tests or conference calls, either - I feel much more prepared and confident when walking into a job site. So, all of you haters just keep on hatin' - I'll take'em. That's what makes mystery shopping great for all of us.

I did a sports bar lunch once which was complicated but the next time it was short and easy. The food and service were so bad I don't want to go back even if it's free. A cell phone shop some distance away was closed but they did pay me when I had photos of the sign and asked the neighbors. Not much good luck with these guys.

A huge thank you to the OP. I've been eyeing the appliance shops. I didn't jump on them, because something ain't right if a self assigned shop isn't snapped up immediately in my area.

I've only done one shop for GFK. My scheduler Dante Beck was absolutely fabulous. If it hadn't been for Dante and his diligence I would've had my first flake.

Well, now I feel better in view of my gfk experience yesterday. I received an acceptance for an assignment scheduled for the next day (yesterday). As directed, I printed out the survey before heading out to conduct the shop. Once I saw that it was far too-labor intensive for $15, I cancelled it (24 hours after acceptance). I actually had two of their assignments scheduled for that day and cancelled both with an explanation. As a result, I received a citation from Dante Beck who did not want to understand my situation. I then found out that the other scheduler also issued a citation which I was never notified of. A third gfk scheduler cancelled my July onsite phone assignment due to the citations. I wish there were a way to communicate directly with gfk manager on shopper issues since many of schedulers are freelancers who are only concerned with getting assignments completed and collecting their fees. On the other hand, I find ath Power to be highly receptive to developing a mutually beneficial partnership. No more gfk for me.

I am so grateful to MSF for encouraging shoppers to comment on experiences.
I, for one, will never take ANY GFK shops after seeing/reading what has been posted here. One would think that they would take the comments seriously, since it doesn't appear to be single complaint, but rather an overwhelming number of unhappy shoppers who are clearly NOT nitpickers.
One thing I have learned: I do not "resign" from any MSC. I just add them to my spam filters.

I'm uncertain if my original post went through, so I'm reposting.

The day before yesterday I was approved for two gfk in-store computer shops in the same area. The guidelines called for printing out the survey prior to the shop and I did so in the morning. Once I realized how labor-intensive the assignment was, I cancelled with an explanation and received a citation from Dante Beck, the freelance scheduler. I then received another citation for the second cancelled shop. I next received a cancellation for a July gfk shop from a third scheduler who explained it was due to the citations. There should be a means to communicate directly with a gfk manager rather than solely depending on freelance schedulers who are more interested in completed reports and collecting their fees than developing a mutually beneficial partnership with shoppers. NO MORE GFK or Dante Beck for me. I do find athPower to be excellent and their schedulers fair and true partners.

I was talked into doing four of their audits for the BIG BOX STORE, promised a definite bonus for the distances (140 miles, 428 miles, 340 miles, 560 miles) and lots of help if I needed it. The scheduler,whom I'm sure was operating in a chemically altered state, denied she had promised me bonus buck. GFK rejected my reports and did not pay me anything but called me a dozen times to ask about my responses

I stopped taking shops after I had taken a route of shops (9) and got a call after 9:30 PM and asked if they could remove 6 of them for a new shopper who said she could do them sooner. I told them to give her all 9 since I had to travel 60 miles+ each way out of my way to complete then and if she lived in the area she could do them all. I still had to go do the ones she did not take and had to go back and take pictures that she did not take since I was in the area. The scheduler told me that she was helping me out and I said if you were going to take money away from me why not take it all.

Yvette, I'm sorry but you did not "have to" perform the remaining shops and had even less obligation to capture photos another shopper had missed whether you were in the area or 1,000 miles away. The scheduler was doing nobody a favor except herself. I can't help but wonder what happened with the reports from the shopper who missed pictures. If she didn't get them or return herself it would have opened the door for them to invalidate her shop and withhold payment. The question becomes this, did they in fact withhold payment from her, take your pictures and submit them to the client or did they pay her in full based on you taking the missing photos? At the very least you got @#$%& over, at the worst both of you got @#$%& over while the unethical, dishonest scheduler made out like the bandit she is.

@YVETTE429 wrote:

I stopped taking shops after I had taken a route of shops (9) and got a call after 9:30 PM and asked if they could remove 6 of them for a new shopper who said she could do them sooner. I told them to give her all 9 since I had to travel 60 miles+ each way out of my way to complete then and if she lived in the area she could do them all.

You were right on target when you said sure, take the 6 shops, but take all nine because the 3 left are not worth the drive. Why did you still do the shops? It makes no sense to me.

If that's what made you stop taking shops, I think you might have made a bad decision. Nobody made you complete the 3 remaining shops after they asked if they could take away 6. And nobody made you take photos for another shopper. First, if they took 6 of the 9 shops, I would not have done the remaining 3. And if I did, and were then asked to stop by and grab free photos for another shopper, my answer would have been "You gave the shops to someone who did not follow the guidelines. Assign me the shops and I'll come back with a report and photos."

The scheduler used you and you allowed it. So, having let her "use" you, you are now going to punish HER by not taking any more shops? Sounds like you punished yourself twice here and now you're doing to it yourself a third time.

I completed my obligation to the company. I got paid for my work and I sent in the pictures for her report. I do not know if she got paid or not this has been over 3 years. I was able to get other jobs in those areas so the trip was not a wash totally. I do have other good schedulers who allow me to tell them when I can make that trip and pay me bonuses for them even if it is at the beginning of the month. I have not worked for then since then. I do not like to bash a company I just limit my work or don't do anything for them again. Up until then I had no problem with them. I can stay as busy as I want in the 200 mile range I set for myself since I have a full time job still.
I was asked to help her out by going out of my way to get the extra pics that she missed. By doing this I left the door open for them if they got in a bind and needed me. I did not do the big box audit this time around because I do not have time and I just determine how I want to judge my time and work for me and not others now.
Talking bad about a company is not always the way to work things. I worked for them for about 10 years before I had that bad experience and I personally knew the Scheduling Manger back then. I could go to her and get assistance. These late night calls waking up the IC is not the way to win friends and influence then to work more for them.

I was glad when the wings shop went to another MSC...am booming through it. I failed one test because none of the answers were accepted on one question. The scheduler emailed the answer which was the first answer on the first pass that I put. If I don't have to shop with them I do not but sometimes they have a shop that I can pick up to fill out a route.

Worked for this company once and that was enough thank you!

You accepted the assignment and you cancelled the assignment. A citation is justified in this situation. As a shopper, I accepted several assignments which I found out afterward were not worth the fee. Guess what? I completed the assignment and chalked it up to a learning experience. When you assign a shop, you are committing to that shop. Please refer to your ICA if you have any further questions.

As for your comment, "since many of schedulers are freelancers who are only concerned with getting assignments completed and collecting their fees"... okay, I get it; but, I keep my commitments and if I say I'm going to do something, it gets done. Scheduling, while I may be an independent contractor, this is my full time work.

Of course I am worried about completing my work and collecting my fees. I am not doing volunteer work, but I do go above and beyond to help my shoppers with completing assignment; shoppers that actually follow their commitments and complete the shops they schedule that don't have a documented history of unreliability (ie- 3 cancellations and a flake in 7 months).

I'm sure the majority of the shoppers on this site have accepted shops only to find out they were a lot of work. Most of those shoppers complete their assignment and then won't take any more of that kind of assignment. Most companies would give you a citation (or worse) for cancelling a shop because "it's not worth it".

You admitted you cancelled the shop on your own accord. Complaining about the citation after you cancelled the shop is basically sour grapes. Throwing around the word "freelancer" like it's an insult is not very endearing to the posters here; considering I was a shopper for over 2 years before I became a scheduler 8 months ago and unless you're an actual employee for one of these companies, you're technically a freelancer too.

A lot of people on this forum, some of whom have known me for over two years, can tell you, I may not be the most eloquent poster on this forum, but everything I say is real. I don't mince words and I call it how I see it; good or bad. Several shoppers have completed assignments for me and we have a great working relationship. Contractors who prove themselves to be unreliable with assignments don't get very many opportunities.

A little advice though- other MSC representatives do read this forum and it may not be to your advantage to admit that you voluntarily cancel assignments in a public forum.

(Edited 6-28-15 because I had more to add)

@sharpist wrote:

Well, now I feel better in view of my gfk experience yesterday. I received an acceptance for an assignment scheduled for the next day (yesterday). As directed, I printed out the survey before heading out to conduct the shop. Once I saw that it was far too-labor intensive for $15, I cancelled it (24 hours after acceptance). I actually had two of their assignments scheduled for that day and cancelled both with an explanation. As a result, I received a citation from Dante Beck who did not want to understand my situation. I then found out that the other scheduler also issued a citation which I was never notified of. A third gfk scheduler cancelled my July onsite phone assignment due to the citations. I wish there were a way to communicate directly with gfk manager on shopper issues since many of schedulers are freelancers who are only concerned with getting assignments completed and collecting their fees. On the other hand, I find ath Power to be highly receptive to developing a mutually beneficial partnership. No more gfk for me.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/2015 08:33AM by DanteScheduler.

I have to respectfully disagree that cancelling an assignment after reading the guidelines is worth a citation. As shoppers, we don't see the guidelines until the shop is assigned. At that point, the shopper really grasps if the shop is worth the fee or not. Yes, the shopper agreed to do the shop when they asked for it, but that was on the vague shop description available when the shop was requested. That is why many MSC's on sassie (service check, intellishop, bare, beyond hello, etc) ask you to confirm/decline a shop after you are assigned. They give you the opportunity to go through the guidelines/questionnaire and decide if you can go forth with the assignment. If GFK deems it fit to give a citation after being assigned the shop then they need to make the entire guidelines available to us to see before we request a shop. otherwise, they are pretty much opening the door to offer assignments for a lot of work and little pay because shoppers will feel trapped into doing something on the basis that they will be considered unreliable and it will affect getting future assignments with the company. I completed a home appliance shop and decided that it was not for me. I am glad that my scheduler did not issue citations when I cancelled the remaining ones that were due on other dates with her. The fact that they are still on the board says a lot and it has nothing to do with me - I completed last minute mobile assignments for that same scheduler days after I cancelled the assignments.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/2015 11:59AM by AnonymousGirl.

I agree with AnonymousGirl that cancellation of two shops within 24 hours when the guidelines are available only after acceptance should not result in a citation under some circumstances; for example, if the shop is a few days to a couple of weeks in the future. As I understand it, these are not those circumstances. I can see both sides of this issue but I lean toward favoring the schedulers in this case. For the benefit of new shoppers who are interested, here's my reasoning.

The situation could have been handled better by the shopper. The shopper knew the guidelines were unknown. The best course of action would have been to look at the guidelines immediately after assignment and if necessary cancel immediately after assignment. I talking about right away, as in within the hour. This would give the scheduler a shot at getting them assigned to someone else. Instead, the shopper waited until the day of the shops and looked at the guidelines immediately before heading out. Not acceptable the way I see it.

I believe under these circumstances, because he/she failed to look at the guidelines immediately, the shopper should have completed the shops. I believe there was an obligation to do so and that obligation was not honored. Not being financially worth it is not a reason to cancel on the day of a shop.

I agree with Dante that an additional cancellation plus a flake in seven months is cause for deep concern. In the interest of protecting my company and my own job, I would not be inclined to offer future work to that shopper because I would question reliability. I'm going to remember to print out any guidelines on "new to me" shops as soon as they're available to me. Yes, we can drop a company and yes, there are a lot of companies. That doesn't change the fact that things change every day in this business and we don't know who will be where doing what. It's important that we keep the needs of the MSCs and schedulers in mind as well as our own needs.

I have worked some for GFK, mainly the wing shops which are no longer there. Overall, those shops were easy for me and paid quickly. They also paid well, but only when bonused. I did get very frustrated once. The wing shops require you to get the itemized receipt. I did a take out shop. Asked for my receipt. Was not given a receipt. I was given the pick ticket, or whatever you call it, where they list all the food in your bag, the receipt number, and everything except the price. I had that, I had a GeoVerify record, I had a picture of the place, and I had a credit card statement showing my purchase. I got $0 pay, and never saw the shop listed again. I may not have been able to see the shop listed again because I was blocked, or they very well may have used my report, and no paid me. I also got a 1/10 on that shop. Oh well, life goes on, and the wing shops are with a different company now.

Dante, in my opinion, you are someone who will die on the sword trying to be right. You lack understanding, a desire to partner, and consistently use this forum to do so.

I'm with Mary on this one.

On the one hand we have MSCs who provide those vague descriptions which grossly underestimate the time and ease to perform a shop. If we are not allowed to see the full scope of the assignment and report until after being assigned they are giving themselves an unfair advantage over the IC. This is the only business I've ever heard of where this sort of sword of damacles is held over an ICs head. "You accepted the assignment so complete it or risk irreparable damage to your reputation."

Most good MSCs will do one of two things, allow us to see everything prior to acceptance or allow a grace period of sorts where canceling the assignment will not impact the shopper. This does not absolve the shopper of any and all responsibility. It is the up to us to read the guidelines and make a fast decision. IMO, 24 hours later is pushing it in any circumstance, more so if it is a shop with a tight deadline. Just like we don't like to be left hanging while waiting for shops to be assigned, we should not leave a scheduler thinking they have a shop which will be completed. My policy is to read everything within an hour or two of being assigned to a new shop, sooner if I have reason to believe the description is far from accurate. If I fail to do that, and it has happened, I suck it up, do the work and make it a "never again."

@sharpist wrote:

Dante, in my opinion, you are someone who will die on the sword trying to be right. You lack understanding, a desire to partner, and consistently use this forum to do so.

Yep, I have to agree. While Dante does offer a little insight as to his role as a scheduler he is a dyed-in-the-wool apologist and his "can't do any wrong" and the continual harping about his sanctimoniousness is truly wearying. My suggestion to Dante is to "give it a rest for a while".

I actually agree that the shopper should have read the guidelines sooner than 24 hours but she did not "break any rules" by doing so. Other MSC's give you 12 hours to accept or deny a shop. I know that service check will give you a citation if you fail to do so. However, GFK doesn't have such a rule and the shopper did not NOT complete the shop. She let it go when she did what she has been told by the MSC to do..read the guidelines before doing the shop. The reasoning for her citation was not the time she waited to cancel, so that wouldn't have prevented any citations anyways, as the scheduler called her complaint "sour grapes" since she was the once who cancelled the assignment. I'm inclined to believe that she would have received a citation even if she'd cancelled it right away, so does the time frame matter?

when I cancelled my remaining home appliance shops, i explained to the scheduler that the time wasn't worth the money. she contacted me when they were bonused and I respectfully declined. i told her that I wouldn't do them for less than $50. She thanked me for my reply and said she would keep me in mind if they went up that high. I enjoy that scheduler very much and always assign shops through her first before taking on any other GFK scheduler.

LisaSTL,

I agree completely with what you said. That was not the case in this situation. In addition, before even accepting an assignment, I encourage shoppers to ask questions. In every email I send out, my email address and phone number are posted.

I try and be fair about everything in scheduling; but assigning a shop, and waiting until the day of the shop to cancel is unprofessional.

@LisaSTL wrote:

I'm with Mary on this one.

On the one hand we have MSCs who provide those vague descriptions which grossly underestimate the time and ease to perform a shop. If we are not allowed to see the full scope of the assignment and report until after being assigned they are giving themselves an unfair advantage over the IC. This is the only business I've ever heard of where this sort of sword of damacles is held over an ICs head. "You accepted the assignment so complete it or risk irreparable damage to your reputation."

Most good MSCs will do one of two things, allow us to see everything prior to acceptance or allow a grace period of sorts where canceling the assignment will not impact the shopper. This does not absolve the shopper of any and all responsibility. It is the up to us to read the guidelines and make a fast decision. IMO, 24 hours later is pushing it in any circumstance, more so if it is a shop with a tight deadline. Just like we don't like to be left hanging while waiting for shops to be assigned, we should not leave a scheduler thinking they have a shop which will be completed. My policy is to read everything within an hour or two of being assigned to a new shop, sooner if I have reason to believe the description is far from accurate. If I fail to do that, and it has happened, I suck it up, do the work and make it a "never again."

First, when a shop is assigned to a shopper, it is unavailable to other shoppers. By reading the guidelines and letting me know the shop was not for them quickly, rather than wait until the due date, I could have assigned it to another shopper. Second, a shopper's history definitely comes into play, especially when there are so many past cancellations and flakes.

I do not give out very many citations honestly and a lot of times, if I do, I won't have it have a rating/grade attached. It's more of a "note" to other schedulers who may deal with the specific shopper.

I just spoke with a newer shopper who told me that the computer shops GfK has, which is the specific shop that the poster cancelled, is fair for $15. I get that a lot and in 4 days, 150+ of my 200 assignments have scheduled and been completed for this program.

@AnonymousGirl wrote:

I actually agree that the shopper should have read the guidelines sooner than 24 hours but she did not "break any rules" by doing so. Other MSC's give you 12 hours to accept or deny a shop. I know that service check will give you a citation if you fail to do so. However, GFK doesn't have such a rule and the shopper did not NOT complete the shop. She let it go when she did what she has been told by the MSC to do..read the guidelines before doing the shop. The reasoning for her citation was not the time she waited to cancel, so that wouldn't have prevented any citations anyways, as the scheduler called her complaint "sour grapes" since she was the once who cancelled the assignment. I'm inclined to believe that she would have received a citation even if she'd cancelled it right away, so does the time frame matter?

when I cancelled my remaining home appliance shops, i explained to the scheduler that the time wasn't worth the money. she contacted me when they were bonused and I respectfully declined. i told her that I wouldn't do them for less than $50. She thanked me for my reply and said she would keep me in mind if they went up that high. I enjoy that scheduler very much and always assign shops through her first before taking on any other GFK scheduler.

In my case, I received the acceptance 24 hours prior to the due date and GFK/Dante should have been more understanding of the situation.

Considering the source of this reply, I definitely had to laugh!

@parkcitybrian wrote:

@sharpist wrote:

Dante, in my opinion, you are someone who will die on the sword trying to be right. You lack understanding, a desire to partner, and consistently use this forum to do so.

Yep, I have to agree. While Dante does offer a little insight as to his role as a scheduler he is a dyed-in-the-wool apologist and his "can't do any wrong" and the continual harping about his sanctimoniousness is truly wearying. My suggestion to Dante is to "give it a rest for a while".

I am unfollowing the "Damn Dante" thread now that it has been well-established that ego for some is more important than the work ethos of others. No point in flogging a dead horse.