@marylo37 wrote:

Doing the ##################### on the day they have half price for the burgers Can you do the job during the half price time. Doing the burger fries and drink during regular time it cost over 7 dollars after tax

Please edit your post. By revealing the name of a client, you just violated your confidentiality agreement with the company and the forum guidelines.

It's already been reported.

Look at the instructions. If you are allowed to go on the day and at the time when they are running a half-price special (which I have not encountered), then you are. What is the issue anyway? You are getting reimbursed up to a specific amount. I guess you want to order a larger size at half price?

@marylo37 wrote:

Doing the (fast food restaurant) on the day they have half price for the burgers Can you do the job during the half price time. Doing the burger fries and drink during regular time it cost over 7 dollars after tax

Mod note: It is a violation of Forum rules and probably a breach of your ICA to connect the names of the MSC with their clients.

When I was doing these shops, I looked at the reimbursement as making my meal a lot cheaper. That to me meant when I threw it out for the wild animals in the fields, I did not lose too much money I did not mind doing it.

@Sybil2 wrote:

FF and the high-sodium content is not good for anyone but especially for people with Fibromyalgia and other auto-immune conditions. The sodium can cause inflammation which is a big factor with the pain associated with the Big F.

That's definitely good to know. I've only had the diagnosis for a few months. One of my doctors mentioned avoiding nitrates, but nobody's mentioned sodium possibly being a trigger. I thought today's flare might be because I overdid it yesterday on top of running out of my medication, but I did a FF shop yesterday for a client so maybe that's a part of it, too. Thanks for the info!

I am not a doctor but it might be good for you to consult a nutritionist. Doctors usually want to load you up with drugs but a more natural approach can be very helpful and healthful.

I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but if I were you I would look up Dr. Joel Fuhrman. He has written several books about nutrition and disease, including auto-immune disorders. I'm in the middle of "Eat to live" right now and recommend it highly.

I have had another company do this to me. It was the person I evaluate said I sexual harassed her. I have had MF And Maritz turn me off on certain shops because I showed up on the wrong date and pissed off one of the shops for I was finding things wrong that he thought I should not give him a no for I have tried to get them back but they say for life. Pick yourself up and go on to the next company.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/2015 11:55PM by bmttinman.

I just messed up a Golden Arches shop by ordering grilled chicken on my sandwich. It seems like that is not the option it used to be. So had to take a Artisan Chicken sandwich instead of McChicken, Did not see a way out of that order once I asked for the grilled. Shop rejected! No flexibility with them. Hind site says I should have waited a bit and gone back for the fried piece. I would have saved my $$$.

I got deactivated too after i had to cancel a handful of shops with them when i had a medical problem. I explained to them the sitystion, but despite working for them for over three years and completing over 150 shops for them, i was still deactivated. Nice way to kick a gal when she is alresdy down.

@frugalmommy wrote:

I did my first fast casual location that offers milkshakes yesterday.

Of course I had to order one to celebrate. I had a few sips and the kids got the rest. They loved it.

Did you get the one with the bacon?

Mark, 750 in six months with one company is a huge number. You had a really good run with them and I can see why you're disappointed but it's not personal, it's just business. Nothing is dependable here or anywhere else. No matter what your job, you never know if you'll have one tomorrow. This is no different. They wanted different eyes and I'm sure it's not anything you did. Know there are many, many companies and lots of work available. As far as refusing to do business with the clients because of the MSC's action, I find that over the top and I would never do it but then again, this is business and not personal and we all run our own businesses as we see fit. I wish you the best at replacing that work and I'm sure you can do it.

Well, I have done a few things wrong and I guess I just REALLY did something wrong, and expected the ax, but it did not come yet.
I got a letter saying, among other things,.."..We are writing to inform you that a Shopper Inquiry Error has been noted on your account due to challenges regarding the accuracy of data you reported........
This kind of error is costly to the integrity of our programs and to your reputation as a mystery shopper. Therefore we will be unable to offer new assignments to Shoppers who have a pattern of submitting reports with data inaccuracies". YIKES!
What I did wrong was I checked the box that the order taker spoke too fast because she had spoken before the mike was on and all I heard at the beginning, was the tail end of a name. This was a SERIOUS error. I should not have checked that, because she did not speak too fast the rest of the time, and I could hear her fine. I should have checked something else somewhere when I did not get her name. I thought they were kicking me. I guess I have one more mistake to make and it's the end for me..


I dunno. At times this job seems real complicated.

I've been shopping with them for quite some time and appreciate the fact they're one of the only other (that I'm aware of) companies that cover fees like parking/tolls etc. I've had companies contact me to do shops that, according to the numbers, "It's only 20 miles away." and telling them, that's by ferry and your fee won't even cover that. Pass. I've done other shops if I can get just one MF in the same area.

I am glad you scolded Market Force, they deserve it. What exactly did you tell them?

I have not received anything from them saying that I've been deactivated, but I turned 67 in May and no longer get daily e-mails from them. I checked to make sure I was still signed up and I was. I can go to the site and still sign up for shops, but no e-mails anymore! I noticed this right after an age discussion on this site had taken place or I probably wouldn't have thought about it.

Marketforce will deactivate someone over something as small as your email server going down and having the daily email bounce back to them. Then again, you can change the email address and politely ask them to reinstate you. It's not always doom and gloom when you appear to be deactivated.

If you screwed up, you know why they deactivated you, but if you cannot see select shops out of the blue, don't freak out and assume the worst. Send an email to the helpdesk and ask what's up?

You might be reactivated without taking a polygraph or being water boarded.

Water-boarding is not that bad, my nose breathing has never been better.

Yeah. They did the same thing to me last year. I argued with them that they hadn't told me about three errors and one error that they had emailed me about was not a true error and just a request for more information. They didn't care and didn't give me any info about why they deactivated me despite having completed hundreds of shops for them over the years. I emailed a year later and asked to be reactivated and they said no. I read in a forum a while ago that some suspect that they just kick out their experienced shoppers in favor of new ones from time to time. Seems like a bad biz idea to me but maybe its an effort to keep the shops done from a new perspective. Either way I was bummed because I was making a couple hundred bucks a month just from them.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/19/2015 05:43AM by Alice919.

@Alice919 wrote:

Yeah. They did the same thing to me last ywar. I argued with them that they hadnt told me about three errors and one error that they had emailed me about was not a true error and just a request for more information. They didn't care and didn't give me any info about why they deactivated me despite having completed hundreds of shops for them over the years. I emailed a year later and asked to be reactivated snd they said no. I read in a forum a while ago that some suspect that they just kick out their experienced shoppers in favor of new ones from time to time. Seems like a bad biz idea to me but maybe its an effort to keep the shops done from a new perspective. Either way I was bummed because I was making a couplw hundred bucks a month just from them.

I think it's kind of sad the outrage that ex-MF shoppers express about being "kicked out." Mystery shoppers are independent contractors performing a service for which the company pays us. If they no longer need our services to perform the job, then they don't. It is the company's right to use whatever contractor they please for any and all assignments, just like it is a shopper's right to pick and choose which companies we work for and which assignments we accept. Because a contractor has completed 100, 500, or 5,000 shops for a company does not mean the company must continue using them or owes them anything.

It may be that a deactivation was not due to errors. It may simply be that the company has hundreds of new applicants in your area and they choose to use the newer shoppers. They want new eyes and new impressions. Since Market Force guidelines are pretty specific and their reports are easy enough for a first-grader, it is not a tremendous plus for them to use experienced shoppers. It actually makes better business sense to use newbie shoppers. Newbies accept shops quicker and work for less. They bring a new perspective. After all, this is business. This is not about giving money to shoppers who feel entitled. It is about the company getting the highest quality reports for their clients at the lowest possible cost. The company is in business to make money, not to support shoppers. You haven't been hired, or adopted. Every shop you do for Market Force is a single assignment, for which you get paid. There is no seniority or longevity.

Sometimes the deactivation is a mistake or an administrative issue and the shopper can be reactivated. It pays to ask. Sometime the deactivation was for a reason and the company will not reverse it. But Alice's post makes it very clear to me why Market Force chooses not to explain or give any information. Why would a company choose to explain and argue so the shopper will understand. What difference does it make? It's over and done. There is nothing to be gained by begging and arguing that you weren't notified of errors or you want to know specifically what errors. As a contractor, rather than an employee, they are not obligated to give any reasons, just as you are not obligated to give any reasons if you decide not to accept their shops any longer.

Good post.

At least if you are deactivated your feelings do not have to be hurt. By reading the posts on MF I fully expect to be deactivated at some point and that is when I pick up more shops by other MSC's. We are IC and can be deactivated at any time - just the nature of the biz.

I am waiting to see when they will send me another email.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/19/2015 04:24AM by Fenicia.

@Crickettt wrote:

Well, I have done a few things wrong and I guess I just REALLY did something wrong, and expected the ax, but it did not come yet.
I got a letter saying, among other things,.."..We are writing to inform you that a Shopper Inquiry Error has been noted on your account due to challenges regarding the accuracy of data you reported........
This kind of error is costly to the integrity of our programs and to your reputation as a mystery shopper. Therefore we will be unable to offer new assignments to Shoppers who have a pattern of submitting reports with data inaccuracies". YIKES!
What I did wrong was I checked the box that the order taker spoke too fast because she had spoken before the mike was on and all I heard at the beginning, was the tail end of a name. This was a SERIOUS error. I should not have checked that, because she did not speak too fast the rest of the time, and I could hear her fine. I should have checked something else somewhere when I did not get her name. I thought they were kicking me. I guess I have one more mistake to make and it's the end for me..


I dunno. At times this job seems real complicated.

I got the same email from MF today. The error they pointed out in my report is in a way similar to yours. This email really made me think that their client does not want to see any " not good service "evaluations. I think if we just check off good service under each question, we should be able to avoid getting this email again.

@Fenicia wrote:

I got the same email from MF today. The error they pointed out in my report is in a way similar to yours. This email really made me think that their client does not want to see any " not good service "evaluations. I think if we just check off good service under each question, we should be able to avoid getting this email again.

Submitting incorrect information is NOT a good idea. We are to report in an objective manner, what occurred. I have reported many negative things on MF shops, I have never been questioned. I think, many times, that what is submitted is more subjective, rather than objective remarks. I'm not saying this is what happened in your situation. But, I think it happens a lot.

@kathygry wrote:

Submitting incorrect information is NOT a good idea. We are to report in an objective manner, what occurred. I have reported many negative things on MF shops, I have never been questioned. I think, many times, that what is submitted is more subjective, rather than objective remarks. I'm not saying this is what happened in your situation. But, I think it happens a lot.

I agree, but I think some times they ask for subjective answer. There was one question in the FF report that asks the hash browns was hot, warm, cold etc. I checked warm but FF manager believes it was hot. They i did not immediately sample the food after I recieve them so caused the store ro loose points unfairly. I don't know how they define immediate , within 5 seconds, within 1 minute or what. There were 3 items on the tray, and I always check my cellphone first to make a mental note of the 15 minutes time. I think there must be a delay of sampling one or two items. Even I tasted the hash browns within in 1 second of reciving it, I may still think it was warm not hot. I think what is warm to me maybe hot to another person. I don't know how can this queation be so objective. I have done many FF shops before but this is my first time to have this kind of feedback from MF.

Sorry, some typo in previous post. I used my cell to type and made some mistakes. I meant they say I did not immediately taste the food so caused the location to loose points unfairly. Maybe I should have tasted all items within 5 seconds of receiving them. I did not know their client is so strict on sampling.

They are very strict on the points that each location gets graded on. The results of mystery shops often mean good or bad performance reviews or raises for the manager on duty during the time of the shop. Serving sizzling hot food is a big thing to this client. If a shopper reports that the food was not hot, it is a bad report. If the shopper tasted it immediately and it wasn't hot, it would be a well-deserved negative. But if the manager can show, through video (and they can and frequently do identify the mystery shopper on video and match the video to what the shopper's report showed), that the food was not tasted immediately, then that would be a reason why the food might have been warm rather than hot. And then the manager could reasonably argue that he was unfairly graded.

And here's surprise - I'm told that the client is pulling more videos these days. Very good mystery shops are being investigated in order to use them as training. I have had two outstanding reports - both locations were truly exemplary - recently reviewed on video. So giving a good report does not necessarily mean they will not pull the video and watch it when a report is filed.

How do you know your two outstanding reports are viewed on video? Did MF tell you this? I wonder if the location manager knows us when we shop there next time, not that they have watched us possibly over and over on the video. I have seen the on duty manager supervising crew memebers in the restaurant many times when I did the walk in shop.

Yes. They called and asked if I was the one who ...... and I confirmed in both cases what I was wearing and where I sat. I was told that the reports were exemplary and they wanted to review and use them for training.