Schedulers: Stop calling your shops "fun". Thank you.

September 23, 2016 05:36PM

Mystery shopping is not "fun", it's work. And compared to working as an employee, it is always stressful due to the constant risk/worry about not being paid. One fickle editor, unclear or misleading shop guideline, website error or any number of unavoidable circumstances during the shop can all result in the hard work being rejected. How is that "fun"? It's not, so just stop it already.

Thank you.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/2016 07:34PM by BlueMoose.

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September 23, 2016 06:16PM

None of them are fun. I agree. The fun part is when the check/PP/DD arrives.

I have to admit, though, I have never worried about being paid. I do worry that I'll make some egregious error that will cause my shop to be rejected. Maybe because I worry so much about THAT, I haven't had many rejected shops.

A client did reject one shop for MF once, said I made a timing error. I do not recall any other shops being rejected, either by the client or MSC. But I've only done a few hundred shops.

September 23, 2016 07:26PM

I find it insulting when MSCs/schedulers refer to shops as fun. It demeans the profession, it patronizes the shopper, and it paints the MSCs/schedulers as less than professional. Besides that, "fun" on a shop notice is effectively a warning that the shop is either underpaid or a pain to complete or, most likely, both.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/2016 07:29PM by Rousseau.

September 23, 2016 07:45PM

How free of real problems you people must be if the word "fun" in an email gets you all riled up. Ignore and move on. The word "fun" is not going to contribute to my future heart attack, I assure you.

"Never believe anything you read on the internet"- Abraham Lincoln

September 23, 2016 08:22PM

I occasionally find a shop I consider fun but that is truly a subjective thing...I am wondering if you are talking about the shoe shop email from yesterday. I did that shop last month (with quite a bonus). It was profitable, but not fun. Trying to get the required name of the salesman (on both the purchase and return portions) when they do not wear name tags was not fun. Coming up for excuses to not buy the shoes and see what they offer was challenging and not fun.

A shop I did that was fun was taking a little boy in my life to the Ice Show for free and having to buy something at each stand (boy was that interesting telling him I was letting him buy something at each stand LOL). We were able to watch the entire show from free seats, eat free food, and take home a ton of souvenirs. Yes there was a report so I earned the free stuff but for me this was still a fun shop. My husband would have thought that shop was painful.

Liz

September 23, 2016 08:26PM

Amusement shops are fun, but I know the email to which you're referring - definitely not fun.

Gripe this week is after twenty emails for a drone shop at a ridiculously low price, it has been bonused a whopping dollar and getting twenty more emails. If I didn't want your crappy shop the first 20 times, a dollar is not going to make a difference. I don't understand schedulers sending out the same (or basically the same) offer more than two or three times.

Now scheduling travel shops for the day after Christmas through mid-January.

September 23, 2016 10:04PM

I had fun watching the Blue Jays game while performing my mshopping in the 7th inning. I had fun taking a family to my mshop while the kids enjoyed the trampolines and such. I had fun mshopping for an attire at a birthday party. I had fun grocery mshopping because I discovered some good buys. Granted they allowed only two purchases but I would not have known they had those instore sale. I had fun checking out the jewelleries and handbags and be treated like 'somebody.'

I really had fun at the Disney shop when I did it with a friend's young daughter. Shops that I know would not give me the slightest of enjoyment, I avoid. I had fun at the upscale restaurants knowing I would be reimbursed for my expenses. When they start reducing the reimbursements or removing the fees, I look around for fairer ones. When there is none, I stop doing restaurants.

It is when problem arises that the fun is reduced. But I would not be mystery shopping for years if I did not enjoy what I am doing. That is why I am very picky in my choices. When enjoyment is completely gone, I will stop mshopping. There is some parts of our jobs which are not fun but that is life. Fun is as subjective as the shops.

September 24, 2016 06:39PM

I do shops at Ripley's attractions and those are fun. But most shops are not that fun.

September 24, 2016 06:55PM

Fun is watching the shops slowly go up in increments of $1 or $2... Because nobody else wants to have "fun!"

September 24, 2016 09:46PM

@BlueMoose wrote:

Mystery shopping is not "fun", it's work. And compared to working as an employee, it is always stressful due to the constant risk/worry about not being paid.

I disagree. Over the years, I have performed many fun (fun to me) shops. I rarely find MS'ing in itself to be stressful. I do get stressed when there is a major traffic delay/road closure due to accident and I am stuck in my car watching the clock tick by. But that happens IRL job so I just deal with it. Bank shops and gas station reveals may not be the most fun assignments but they are consistent. I balance the mundane with the fun. Isn't that life in general?

September 26, 2016 08:44PM

Fun like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I expect to have fun Thursday eve at one of my fav's, a Japanese BBQ cooking at your table, it's good and we have fun. My Chanel, Armani jobs are fun, I always look forward to them, as I love trying on clothes, the more expensive, the better. Today's mattress job, while not fun, was informative, and since I'll be buying a new one, learned a lot. Selling a shop by saying it's fun, well, let's say that's an over statement. Msing is a combo of various things, fun is among them.

Live consciously....

September 26, 2016 11:03PM

I think it is important to enjoy your job. If you are miserable find something else. Fun may not be the proper adjective. Perhaps profitable would be more enticing. I know "bonus" gets my interest.

September 26, 2016 11:44PM

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

Fun like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I expect to have fun Thursday eve at one of my fav's, a Japanese BBQ cooking at your table, it's good and we have fun. My Chanel, Armani jobs are fun, I always look forward to them, as I love trying on clothes, the more expensive, the better. Today's mattress job, while not fun, was informative, and since I'll be buying a new one, learned a lot. Selling a shop by saying it's fun, well, let's say that's an over statement. Msing is a combo of various things, fun is among them.

i'm also looking for a new mattress...try the website sleeplikethedead for completely, unbiased reviews and use the side-by-side comparison tab. i'm leaning toward casper, leesa or tuft and needle (all shipped to your home).

September 27, 2016 12:39AM

@parkcitybrian wrote:

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

Fun like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I expect to have fun Thursday eve at one of my fav's, a Japanese BBQ cooking at your table, it's good and we have fun. My Chanel, Armani jobs are fun, I always look forward to them, as I love trying on clothes, the more expensive, the better. Today's mattress job, while not fun, was informative, and since I'll be buying a new one, learned a lot. Selling a shop by saying it's fun, well, let's say that's an over statement. Msing is a combo of various things, fun is among them.

i'm also looking for a new mattress...try the website sleeplikethedead for completely, unbiased reviews and use the side-by-side comparison tab. i'm leaning toward casper, leesa or tuft and needle (all shipped to your home).

I really liked Ortho's "Dr. Preferred" brand with a memory mattress, curves with your body, and on sale 50% off
$1800 down to 900.00...really nice, made in L.A. (not China) like most, has a 10 year warranty, free delivery and they take the old one. Try and do the job before deciding.

Live consciously....

September 27, 2016 12:55AM

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

@parkcitybrian wrote:

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

Fun like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I expect to have fun Thursday eve at one of my fav's, a Japanese BBQ cooking at your table, it's good and we have fun. My Chanel, Armani jobs are fun, I always look forward to them, as I love trying on clothes, the more expensive, the better. Today's mattress job, while not fun, was informative, and since I'll be buying a new one, learned a lot. Selling a shop by saying it's fun, well, let's say that's an over statement. Msing is a combo of various things, fun is among them.

i'm also looking for a new mattress...try the website sleeplikethedead for completely, unbiased reviews and use the side-by-side comparison tab. i'm leaning toward casper, leesa or tuft and needle (all shipped to your home).

I really liked Ortho's "Dr. Preferred" brand with a memory mattress, curves with your body, and on sale 50% off
$1800 down to 900.00...really nice, made in L.A. (not China) like most, has a 10 year warranty, free delivery and they take the old one. Try and do the job before deciding.

thx, will do

September 27, 2016 02:28AM

The mattress shops sound like fun...anyone remember Lil' Abner

September 27, 2016 02:56AM

For me, I don't mystery shop "for fun," but I often have fun doing it. If I didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't do it.

That said, I generally take emailed superlatives with a grain of salt anyway.

October 01, 2016 12:36AM

You are right in saying that profitable would be more enticing but a scheduler promoting a low paying shop is not going to use that word because they are trying to get a shopper to accept a low paying shop and so they are going to use other adjectives such as fun to try and convince someone to take it.

October 01, 2016 05:48AM

This is true. Yet one has to feel compassion for the scheduler with the recent incessant emails for the $125 auto shop. In my 10 years at this, that is the single most repetitive and blasted series of emails. Annoying as these emails are, I feel a twinge of empathy for the chap who has to robo-send these emails! So far, he wins my award for most incessant-annoying/2016. But there are still 3 months left!

October 02, 2016 11:25PM

I enjoy all of the shops I do. I like meeting new people and talking to them. I often get ideas while shopping as well. What I don't enjoy are the sometimes lengthy reports that follow. Especially the ones that require a narrative for both yes and no answers. I have been shopping since 2008 and I know what to expect when I accept a particular shop. I purposely ignore a few MSC opportunities for only two reasons. (1) Low pay for the time it takes to complete. (2) Their editors that either ask for ridiculous follow up or just simply reject a shop without asking for clarification. I stopped shopping for one MSC because of #2.

October 03, 2016 02:00AM

I apply for and accept jobs that are fun and appeal to me 98% of the time. I will not perform car shops of any kind, storage, Big Box, purchase and return, audit, retail shops that are for appliance, cell phone, grocery, etc. I do not consider them fun and if I chose to do them, yes, they would not be "fun." I do the casual and fine dining, bakery, chocolate, LEGO and retail (clothing, jewelry and accessories) shops. I will perform bank shops that pay well although I do not find them "fun."

I did perform a well paying mattress job a while ago as we were needing/shopping for a new mattress. I didn't think that would be fun but as it turned out, I learned a lot about mattresses which was my goal and it was actually fun due to the witty, entertaining and knowledgeable sales person. He was so nice and had me smiling and laughing during the entire visit. BTW, loved the MSC company I did this for. I'm sad that they don't have other jobs in my area. What a pleasure all around!

October 03, 2016 02:15AM

P.S. I have done a handful of telephone shops thinking they'd be easy and I could do them from home. Not worth it for the amount of time you need to prepare your "story" and not get tripped up. Not for me. They were not fun and nerve wracking for no money, lol!

October 03, 2016 02:30AM

It was not "fun" doing a bar integrity shop last night and wating for a spot to open up at the bar, (which was required) the bar was jammed, and I literally had to shove my way into an open space when one person departed. There were several people eyeing that space.....the shop took 3 1/2 hours....no fun.....

October 07, 2016 01:54AM

What about the "enjoy a free meal" ones. It's not free if I'm working for it. I do enjoy meal shops but they aren't exactly free

October 07, 2016 12:39PM

I agree!!

Especially when you have the total misfortune of having a certain editor (not going to mention names) edit your stuff........ and then threaten you with termination for not responding to edit request by their silly little deadlines because I'm PREPARING FOR A CATEGORY FOUR......HURRICANE!!!! Sorry. Life and property comes first!

......sorry... I'm ranting again.

October 07, 2016 09:28PM

I did a shop the other day that actually was fun. I was "shopping" for a new storage shed, which I would love to have, anyway. Granted, the $15 pay made it barely worth it, but I was traveling to the area anyway, so I had some fun, and the fee paid my gas.

Other than that, yes, I sometimes have fun doing a shop. But I don't do this for fun; I do it for profit! And when I see "fun shop" in an email subject line (often accompanied by "easy" ), I automatically think, "Oh, oh; low pay."

And I am having fun watching the luxury car shop that paid $50 when it was with another MSC go unfilled at $25 for weeks on end, and now still going unfilled at $35. Now, that's fun!

I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/2016 09:29PM by BirdyC.

October 08, 2016 04:15AM

I am at a loss to understand how people find completing a (mystery) shop fun. IMO, with or without a report required, shopping is never anything more than a necessary evil.

Sometimes completing a group of shops is fun, but only because on can get a sense of accomplishment from finishing the day's list. Likewise, sometimes preparing the reports are fun, but never actual shopping; in preparing reports, one has the pleasure of knowing that a fee will (soon?) be paid.

October 08, 2016 01:24PM

Fun is in the eye of the beholder.

October 08, 2016 01:54PM

@shoppers-shop-shop wrote:

Fun is in the eye of the beholder.

thanks socrates (or is plato?)

amirite?

October 08, 2016 11:41PM

@parkcitybrian wrote:

@shoppers-shop-shop wrote:

Fun is in the eye of the beholder.

thanks socrates (or is plato?)

amirite?

Neither, exactly.

There is a debate as to if Socrates was an actual person or simply a character in Plato's work; we have nothing written by Socrates himself.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" is a misquote and misunderstanding of Plato. In the Symposium he wrote:

@ wrote:

Remember how in that communion only, beholding beauty with the eye of the mind, he will be enabled to bring forth, not images of beauty, but realities (for he has hold not of an image but of a reality), and bringing forth and nourishing true virtue to become the friend of God and be immortal, if mortal man may.

Plato was an idealist. He believed that ideal forms of beauty, truth and justice existed and that imperfect man had limited ability to recognize those forms which could only be truly (if not imperfectly) understood by the Philosopher.

The assertion that "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" is more along the lines of Protagoras' thought. He questioned the existence of the gods and ideal forms and asserted that "Man is the measure of all things."

I suspect that if Socrates had existed, as Plato presents him to us, and if he were to be told of "mystery shopping," he would have all the more reason to have drunk the hemlock.

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Schedulers: Stop calling your shops "fun". Thank you.

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