When I go out iand do a route, I'm not even home in eight hours. Why are these reports due in eight hours? Most MSC Give us a 24 hour window.
After a long day of doing shops, It's nice to come home and just have a drink and do reports the next day.

Mod note:
All the duplicate messages (and those replies relating only to the duplication)have been removed.
In future please do not make multiple posts stating the same thing. If duplicate posts get made in error or accidentally please notify the moderators by clicking on the 'report post' button and ask to have them deleted.
The thread has been moved to the Mystery Shopping Company Discussion as it concerns a specific MSC

I am NOT criticizing you, but why post four identical posts with different titles?

Just e-mail the help desk or tell the scheduler directly that you won't be home within the 8 hour deadline. If they won't budge, don't accept the shops.

Please remove your duplicate posts.

As for the deadline, when we plan a route, most of us route shoppers inform the schedulers that their shop(s) will be part of a long route and we agree to take them on the condition that the report deadline(s) be changed to 24 hours. If they say no, we don't take their shop(s).

Savvy schedulers value route shoppers above all others because they know that we are dedicated and reliable. BUT, it helps to establish oneself with the MSCs before setting up a route with a 24 hour caveat.

Finally, when I get "squeezed" by a deadline that I did not realize was going to present a problem (e.g., household/family emergency, etc.) I just email the scheduler to say, "The shop is done and I have the required proofs. Due to unforeseen circumstances you may not have the report until late tomorrow morning." I would not do this with an MSC where I had no track record, but in the last 7 years, I have never lost either a shop, or a ratings point when I have had to do this.

You are a professional, running your own business, so put on your big girl panties and ask for what you need. Reputable schedulers will be glad to work with any well established shopper! Who needs the others?

Making identical posts all over the forum is irritating and pointless. Having posted them, the OP probably cannot delete them. All she could do is edit the information in each post. I have reported to the moderator. Maybe the mod will delete 3 of the useless posts.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/2016 04:49PM by roflwofl.

Actually, I do not think that most MSCs give 24 hours. Some do, but the list is shrinking. Which may be penny wise but pound foolish.

MSCs naturally want to get data quickly so that it can be processed and turned around. While there is an argument to be made that short deadlines result in reports be written while the experience is fresh on the mind of the shopper, the result, I am sure, is that MSCs receive more and more reports written in haste and which have not been properly drafted, written, and corrected by the shopper. I can't imagine that editors are not doing more work because of short deadlines imposed by MSCs on shoppers.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/13/2016 12:58AM by Rousseau.

what I don't get...if it still says due 8 hours after complete, but the shop window is 9am-7pm, they don't know when 8 hours is up. a person can complete the shop between 9am-10am and 8 hours would be 6pm....or they can do the shop from 6-7pm, in which case 8 hours is 3am......what are they going to do, reject a shop you did at 10am, but entered the report at 7pm?

some MSC have a midnight deadline.

(and maybe a new user is not sure how to post messages, maybe they didn't see the original post and thought they did something wrong and tried reposting...maybe it was an honest mistake)

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/2016 04:53PM by jmitw.

I absolutely love your reply!!! New shopper here, 60 days in from the DMV..Hello!!

@jmitw wrote:

what I don't get...if it still says due 8 hours after complete, but the shop window is 9am-7pm, they don't know when 8 hours is up. a person can complete the shop between 9am-10am and 8 hours would be 6pm....or they can do the shop from 6-7pm, in which case 8 hours is 3am......what are they going to do, reject a shop you did at 10am, but entered the report at 7pm?

This is something I have wondered about myself. If the time allowed is 9a-7p as the example above says I hesitate to input the shop at 2 or 3 AM if I did it at 10AM with an 8 hour window. I would be afraid that once I input the hours I was there into my report I would be considered late. If anyone has ever clarified this with MF let us know...if not I will call them myself the next time I accept a job from them to find out.

I have had reports considered to be late, when I was asked to shop a location at 10:00 PM....I got home at 1:00 AM. and it was already 4 hours late because the MSC was on the East Coast...!!!! Chalk that up to form notifications triggered by a clock.

So you've been able to get Market Force to agree to a longer reporting period? Do tell, because inquiring minds want to know. Particularly since MF has posted a response to this very question in which they say there is nothing they can do to extend the time to enter a report. Now perhaps they have a second set of guidelines for other shoppers that I am unaware. In my correspondence with them, I have discovered it is important to get the reports done before the system cancels the shop. It is important that the data be accurate as they report the data to the client within an hour of receiving the report. And if you are polite, nice and fair, they might be willing to forgive a mistake or two.

Do not apply for a shop if you do not like the reporting deadline. As for 8 hours, the clock starts from the thru time posted. Many MSCs have a same day requirement, including 12 hour closeouts. That means a 10pm shop has to be reported by 12 am. As for time zones, doesn't make sense for the MSC to use their time zone and not the shops.

@whosear wrote:

So you've been able to get Market Force to agree to a longer reporting period? Do tell, because inquiring minds want to know. Particularly since MF has posted a response to this very question in which they say there is nothing they can do to extend the time to enter a report. Now perhaps they have a second set of guidelines for other shoppers that I am unaware.

I have never had a problem getting an extension past the 8-hours. The key is to make the arrangements ahead of time, not after you have already performed the shop. Having a perfect track record with them doesn't hurt either.

Interesting. How do you go about it? Do you self-assign the shop, then contact them?

I hardly ever get jobs through their website. I wait until they are in panic mode and call me. Then I negotiate my fees and my deadlines at that time. If they agree to my terms, they assign me the shop followed by an email confirming the terms of our agreement. And we all live happily ever after. The end.

@isaiah58 wrote:

Do not apply for a shop if you do not like the reporting deadline. As for 8 hours, the clock starts from the thru time posted. Many MSCs have a same day requirement, including 12 hour closeouts. That means a 10pm shop has to be reported by 12 am. As for time zones, doesn't make sense for the MSC to use their time zone and not the shops.

but if i recall, the instructions said 8 hours after shop was completed, not 8 hours after the end of the time frame....

@jmitw wrote:

but if i recall, the instructions said 8 hours after shop was completed, not 8 hours after the end of the time frame....

(Mod note: Inappropriate abrasive post removed)

Actually, I will not shop for MF, since they so little value their shoppers. I was speaking, as some may recall, of "reputable schedulers." MF, as a whole, gets rid of its most experienced shoppers, on a regular basis, without regard to the quality of their work.

@jmitw wrote:

@isaiah58 wrote:

Do not apply for a shop if you do not like the reporting deadline. As for 8 hours, the clock starts from the thru time posted. Many MSCs have a same day requirement, including 12 hour closeouts. That means a 10pm shop has to be reported by 12 am. As for time zones, doesn't make sense for the MSC to use their time zone and not the shops.

but if i recall, the instructions said 8 hours after shop was completed, not 8 hours after the end of the time frame....

Did you put this into perspective? It is impossible for the server to know when you started your assignment. The program can not cancel and reopen your assignment outside of using a hard time frame.

No one has reported having a report rejected because it was entered more than eight hours after they completed the shop. That being said, I stand by my statement. Do no apply for assignments that have terms you do not agree with, regardless of what those terms are.

yes it is impossible to know BEFOREhand if it is 8 hours from when the shop is complete...but that is the way MF worded it...must be entered withing 8 hours of actual completion...it is conceivable that the system could turn around and reject a report if it is more than 8 hours after the shop time entered in the report.

i will not take the risk..if I can't enter the shop within 8 hours of completing it, I don't take the shop.....its not worth fighting with MF...typically I get an unrelated answer when i contact the helpdesk.

HOW IS THIS BULLYING THAT I HAVE BEEN ATTACKED FOR

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/2016 03:37AM by jmitw.

@jmitw wrote:

yes it is impossible to know BEFOREhand if it is 8 hours from when the shop is complete...but that is the way MF worded it...must be entered withing 8 hours of actual completion...it is conceivable that the system could turn around and reject a report if it is more than 8 hours after the shop time entered in the report.

i will not take the risk..if I can't enter the shop within 8 hours of completing it, I don't take the shop.....its not worth fighting with MF...typically I get an unrelated answer when i contact the helpdesk.

(Mod note: Non-productive post removed)

Maybe if you didn't fight with MF's help desk, their schedulers and editors would be more flexible. (Mod note: Superfluous comment removed)

I understand your concern and position. Between their app and website, I find it easy to submit their reports in a timely manner. I understand that not everyone is able to squeeze this into their schedule. Some people can't get reports submitted in under 12 hours. That being said, at least on a late night shop you still have a whole 8 hours; versus some MSCs that require reports the same day even on late night shops.

Let's be clear, we are not talking about reports that take much effort here.

The OP rehashed something that has been discussed here many times. The discussion would be more significant if we were discussing actual situations where a report was rejected, versus hypothetical situations.

@jmitw wrote:

yes it is impossible to know BEFOREhand if it is 8 hours from when the shop is complete...but that is the way MF worded it...must be entered withing 8 hours of actual completion...it is conceivable that the system could turn around and reject a report if it is more than 8 hours after the shop time entered in the report.

i will not take the risk..if I can't enter the shop within 8 hours of completing it, I don't take the shop.....its not worth fighting with MF...typically I get an unrelated answer when i contact the helpdesk.

Hedgehog shop finished at 12:05 AM because I like getting a freshly cooked 'meal'. That means until 8 AM to report the shop. As far as reporting to the client as soon as possible that is just so much horse feathers. I have never heard of a company headquarters being staffed 24/7 like MF lets on. Hell, even they do not do that.

As a route shopper and traveling over 300 miles some days, I have found that in order to make deadlines and take a break from the road, I stop at public libraries to complete reports. I purchased a hand scanner like seen on TV and am able to scan receipts, upload and complete my reports. Some days depending on the time between locations, I may visit a couple libraries. After a major mess up this summer after driving back yo back days in 104 degree heat, and messing up one report which got two rejected, I think the break from the road is necessary and good. Not to mention, when I get home, I can put up my feet, close my eyes or whatever and relax. No pressure to get the reports done!

On a further note in regards to the deadline for some MF shops. The response that one Poster stated that MF stated that the deadline can not be changed. That same post from MF stated that if you go to enter the report and it is still available, then by all means complete it. As another poster stated if the time frame is 11-8 per say, then MF will not be removing the shop from your board until 8 hours after the latest time. If however, you are doing a set time shop, your time will most likely be more constrained, with less flexibility. By the third week of the month, the time slots usually open from set times to all day for some shops. Perhaps it would be wise, as another poster suggested to only accept shops you know you can report in the allotted time, or wait until the time span is longer. Or buy a scanner and start reporting from the road

Or just ignore MF shops?

What I have done is completed some or most of it AND emailed the help desk. Their reports are pretty straight forward then Mt report shows on their "incomplete report list" which comes through about 5am the next day. You still want to complete your report first thing that Morning otherwise it will be like a ghost.

One night I fell asleep at my computer entering shops. The next morning I had this email. I submitted the shop with no problems.

Dear Shopper:

We show that you have not yet reported the results for the above assignment. If you are receiving this email before the end of our requested 8 hour reporting window, please consider this just a 'friendly reminder'.

If you are receiving this e-mail after the 8 hour reporting window, please remember reports need to be submitted online as soon as possible after completing your shop. We will try to keep the shop open for 8 hours, but there is no guarantee we will be able to do that if deadline requirements mandate that we move quickly. A shop is not considered completed until results are submitted. If you have already submitted your shop results and received a confirmation number, we thank you, and there is no need for you to contact us.

If your shop has been completed but not reported:

Enter your Results:
As soon as possible but no later than 8 hours after you complete your shop.

If your shop has NOT been completed:

Reschedule or Cancel the shop:
Click here to reschedule and/or cancel the shop

Thank you.

Mxxxxx Fxxxx Help Desk

If it is a shop that is running close to the deadline most likely some may never receive the below message. You don't want to wait only to find it deleted from your queue.

@Kathy1296 wrote:

One night I fell asleep at my computer entering shops. The next morning I had this email. I submitted the shop with no problems.

Dear Shopper:

We show that you have not yet reported the results for the above assignment. If you are receiving this email before the end of our requested 8 hour reporting window, please consider this just a 'friendly reminder'.

If you are receiving this e-mail after the 8 hour reporting window, please remember reports need to be submitted online as soon as possible after completing your shop. We will try to keep the shop open for 8 hours, but there is no guarantee we will be able to do that if deadline requirements mandate that we move quickly. A shop is not considered completed until results are submitted. If you have already submitted your shop results and received a confirmation number, we thank you, and there is no need for you to contact us.

If your shop has been completed but not reported:

Enter your Results:
As soon as possible but no later than 8 hours after you complete your shop.

If your shop has NOT been completed:

Reschedule or Cancel the shop:
Click here to reschedule and/or cancel the shop

Thank you.

Mxxxxx Fxxxx Help Desk

I typically report the shops within a couple of hours, because I don't take MF shops when I am doing long routes. And I often report them from the road via tablet or the app. I assume that is the reason I regularly get called with what I would call generous bonus offers to do tightly scheduled shops. So don't take them if you can't meet the deadline but I would say try to do some and report them very quickly and see if that benefits you.

Marketforce reports are so easy and have so little narrative. I do them as I go on my phone. It slows me down a little but when I get home, I'm done - other than some shops I might have done for other MSCs that require more narrative.

I find it difficult to use my phone....but I think you can enter the report within 8 hours, but submit the receipt later if you aren't home to scan it.