Has anyone worked for Goodwin lately? I never have, but recently saw postings by one of their schedulers/managers, AMelanson, and I was impressed with her willingness to work with shoppers, so I signed up. Didn't see any shops but not long after that I got an e-mail from "szec" about my Goodwin account. She notified me that, until I passed a shopper test, I wasn't eligible for shops. She said due to the way their website is set up, access to the test was not straight forward. Her e-mail said to log in and "Once logged in, you will see a grey box in the right hand corner. Click on the last link that says “Show Me Forms I Can Enter Directly”. This will bring you to our shopper test. Please read the test instructions carefully! If you pass your test, you will then be eligible for our shops." OK, so I did it and when I click the forms link, I get the message "(There are no forms you may enter directly.)" E-mailed her back but no response. I still have her e-mail and have tried a few times over the past 3 weeks but still the same "no forms" message. I just e-mailed again. If I don't hear back, I guess I will delete her e-mail, enter the site and delete my personal info, and write this company off............ If they are this hard to get started with, don't respond to new shoppers, and have had payment problems, do I really want to work for them?

I don't remember exactly when I did my first shop for them, but I don't particularly associate it with any issues (other than payment issues.) How odd.

I'm thinking this test may be something new. Her e-mail started out
"You have recently applied to be one of our mystery shoppers. We have recently changed our protocols and there is a shopper test you need to pass, before you are eligible for any assignments. Unfortunately, it has come to our attention that access to the shopper test is not straight forward. We truly apologize for this and this email will direct you to the test."

It looks to me like they did not require the test in the past. But as to why e-mail instructions that don't work are being sent out to new shoppers, I have no clue ................. maybe it's a brush-off? I'm seeing it as such whether that is their intention or not...........

It's definitely new -- I didn't have to do that when I signed up. I think I've emailed Sharon 3 times about something or another, and only received a reply from her once. If she doesn't respond, I'd email Amy, or PM her through here. The shops are pretty straight forward, but even if they pay on time, just be aware that it can take up to 3 months (and it probably will), so be prepared to be out of pocket for a while.

I really love the shops they have in my area and I am willing to wait the 90 days, but Goodwin really needs to revamp this crazy extended pay date. There is no reason shoppers should wait so long, although I know we all have the choice to then not work with them at all. In my experience, 90 days has never been met!

I have been waiting for a recent payment from them for an upscale restaurant shop I completed for them on January 10th!! I shelled out big bucks for this restaurant over 3 months ago. GRRR

They have tapped out of shops in L.A., except for the juice ones...no more good Restaurants here, so, I'll pass.

I think I'm gonna pass from now on as well. Not worth waiting 110+ days for payment. They need a financial intervention and clients need to look at them more closely before signing on.

I continue to get e-mails from them about shops in my area that they cannot fill, but when I log in I am not eligible for any shops since I have not taken their new shopper test. The instructions they provided to access the shopper test do not work and haven't answered my repeated e-mails. I sent my last one about a week ago. I've decided not to work for this one -
1. payment problems
2. giving website instructions they haven't tested
3. don't respond to shopper e-mails

Three strikes and you're out. There are plenty of companies I really enjoy working for with none of the above problems.

I did a restaurant shop for them in January. It is now June and I still haven't been paid. I have contacted them 3 or 4 times with no response. Has anyone else had to wait 5 months or longer to get paid??

I waited too long to get paid, not worth the stress.

I did finally hear from SZEC at Goodwin, apologizing for not having answered my e-mails about the instructions to the training not being correct. She said the shopper test location was changed and that was why the instructions did not work. Also said " I have gone ahead and marked you as having passed our test and you may begin shopping with us." They do have some shops that interest me, I may shop for them at some point. I think I will wait a while until I start to see posters saying they have been paid on time. Getting paid promptly is very important to me. If I do a shop, I'll knock myself out to do a really GREAT job for them, just as I do for all my MSPs. I'm hearing a lot of shoppers say they had to wait 3+ months for payment and had to contact them to beg for the money. I feel that I provide a great report and more than earn the money I'm paid when I do a shop; waiting and begging for payment would make it not worth it to me.

You don't get paid on time. Period. You have to send a request for payment 90 days out from report submission. Then you wait an additional week or more for payment. They have good shops, but refuse to pay sooner. They claim they are trying to catch up, but this issues has been going on for several months.

I've worked with this company for years and have had no problems. I think the test must be something new because I do not recall having to take one.

Hi, alannajm, the test is new. I think they just started doing it in December or January. jbaetke, sounds like way too much extra work for a shop fee. Until they get better on payment, I think I'll pass on their shops. I think if more shoppers refuse to work for companies who don't pay on time, it may force the companies to improve. Many companies pay late because they can. As shoppers, we wait; we complain but we wait. And we beg and plead for payment, and, when it finally comes, we feel "greatful" and many times forget how painful it was to get paid ... and accept more shops! I was appalled to read on Volition a post by a poster who wrote several times over a few months about not getting paid .... then after 5 months the company paid her, and she wrote in to say "it was a long wait, but KUDOS, I got paid. Will probably work for them again. They do eventually pay." Why does "eventually paying" deserve kudos? Why work for a company that takes 5 months to pay? Remember the old adage "fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me!" ???? I'd love to try Goodwin out but will not until I hear that they are actually paying their shoppers.

Hi, doesn't Goodwin also request drug testing?

I was not asked to do a drug test

I joined so long ago, no drug testing for me either, in fact, never for me!!!

I think it is GfK you are thinking about gpro77. There is a particular client that requires folks coming into their stores to do audits have both drug testing and a background test. The cost of testing will be reimbursed by GfK after you have successfully completed the first shop (I think it is first rather than first two). That particular client requires the same thing of their employees and apparently of others who work in their facilities. It is the only mystery shopping situation I have heard of that requires it. I have heard of it in merchandising with some several clients.

My drug test was paid by GFK. I would have had to reimburse them if I failed it...

The grocery store that makes you an employee requires a drug test to get started. That program is professionally run and the pay all costs whether you pass or not.

The only time I got paid from them was when I asked, sometimes 5 months later. I quit doing shops for them

Yup, you must ask if you want payment. The only bright light there is Amy, who helped me get my pay, then changed roles within the company.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2010 05:39AM by dee shops.

Once you asked they paid you quickly but like you said, you had to ask.

I just got a phone shop with them for next week. Lets see how long it takes to get paid this time around.

YIKES!!! Ninety - hundred days, or more, to get paid? Count me out. That's flippin' ridiculous.

A phone shop? Wow. Only things in my area have been restuarants/FF, and I saw a high-end retail shop once, probably over 8 months ago.

They must have a bunch of new clients. I'm geting a lot of e-mails about different shops in my area. Some look good, but I'm not comfortable accepting shops for a MSC getting such poor press re payment.

I am going on 120 days now waiting for payment. I had two more shops scheduled for this month that I canceled. Its ridiculous. I keep hearing from Amy, your $ is coming. It was promised to me by yesterday. I will never do another shop for them. There are too many other companies that pay on time.

I just took an ice cream shop from them. I hope it works out and I get paid before 3 months. Wow.... That is a long time to wait for $10.

I signed in this morning out of curiosity and saw that shop, lucky7s. Nothing available in my area, but I might have taken that shop! If it takes 3 or 4 months, at least you're only waiting for $10, not $60 or more! (Again, not that it SHOULD take long, no matter how low the fee.)