A lot of time/effort and analysis went into this list...

10. See # 1
9. See above
8. See above
7. See above
6. See above
5. See above
4. See above
3. See above
2. See above
1. Intellishop...hands down, after extensive research, the absolute worst MSC to hitch your wagon to.

Reasons being = the trifecta of terrible-ness:
1. fees that don't even begin to cover the time/effort.
2. the many dreaded & insufferable "drop down" windows when doing the report that are never-ending.
3. the arbitrary editors that "deduct points for ????" and never, ever respond why.

*******Honorary Mention Award = Bare, International.

These fine folks took on, as a client, at "big game/safari" magazine (whose name I will not/cannot mention), that, not only glorified but displayed many pics of their subscribers posing alongside their "kills" = leopards, tigers, cheetahs, lions, foxes, polar bears, etc., etc., and disgusting etc. These "sportsmen" were standing/carrying proudly their trophies. The straw that broke this camel's back was a pic of a "sportsman" gloating over his kill = a hippopotamus. Yep, I kid you not...a dead hippopotamus who was shot (by bow and arrow, no less) in a river with its gaping mouth propped open with sticks. I'm hardly a SJW (social justice warrior) but still...who does these things. The magazine had lots of ads for big game preserves in Africa, etc. where they have "guides" who beat the bushes in fenced-off preserves to drive the animals to these "sportsmen" to shoot, at their leisure. And, yep, I did take the assignment from Bare and after getting the magazine I fired off (apropos phrase?) a very pointed msg to Michael Bare about my disgust about this assignment and Bare taking such a distasteful client. Michael Bare proceeded to threaten me with being "blackballed" in this industry because of my calling him out for stooping to a level for nothing more than the $$$ involved.

Hey Michael, do you really think that intimidating me works?

And...for those folks who have my personal email address that would like to view these pics (in glorious but disgusting color) shoot me (another apropos term?) an email and i'd be glad to send them to you. Nothing like seeing pics of men (and a few women, too) proudly carrying around their dead cheetah/leopard/lion along with the proud "hunter" with his hippo.

My only issue with Intelli-Shop was the money transfer shop that took 4 months to get reimbursed.

My No. 1 would be Cirrus. Four months to get paid, and you have to chase your payment like a dirty dog.

PCB..I believe you, didn't know all that, but not a Intelli fan and have spoken up about it. Cirrus is dead to me.

Thank you for the heads up about Cirrus! I was just about to take my first shop with them.

I have never had an issue with Intellishop. It pays its bills on time. The guidelines are clear. The reports are simple. The schedulers are responsive both to my e-mail and phone. The base fees are low, but I have enjoyed fair bonuses from them from time-to-time. I don't care how its editors score me; it is irrelevant what someone who doesn't write well thinks about my writing.

There are awful MSCs. If you think that Intelishop is bad, then don't do work for Cirrus. It doesn't pay its bills and its employees have negative attitudes about shoppers. Cirrus is one of those firms that has no business being in business.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/2017 07:41AM by Rousseau.

I did a few aparment shops for Ellis. LOOOOOOOONG reports with weird details. Been there, done that... no more!

I'm neutral on intellishop but hear you on the you low fees. I don't like Bare very much because IMO their fees are too low for the work they ask. International is actually my favorite. I get very few shops from them and the e-mail scheduling stinks, but the shops pay a lot for relatively low effort. Fast approval time too.

@hotsauce1 wrote:

I'm neutral on intellishop but hear you on the you low fees. I don't like Bare very much because IMO their fees are too low for the work they ask. International is actually my favorite. I get very few shops from them and the e-mail scheduling stinks, but the shops pay a lot for relatively low effort. Fast approval time too.

i'm not familiar with "International" at all...my honorable mention goes to Bare, International the official name for Bare.

I haven't done too many shops with Intelli, but they've been mostly positve: pizza, shoes, the main ingredient of guacamole, and even movie tix.

I've actually had only good things to say about IntelliShop... Never had a rejection and they can actually pay quite fair....

I have only shopped a few good paying shops from Intelli, very few, but only had one editor that I had to report on and I won the case. I kept her emails and reports, proof of her poor work. I sent them to the top through my scheduler, I think she got fired. I was called a liar and other insulting things. Keep all emails until you get paid if you are having problems.

Having shopped thousands of shops over the years, I have had bad experiences with almost every MSC at some point. MSC's are "bad" for different reasons.... some pay late, some don't pay at all..... most offer jobs at very low fees, or no fees at all...

IMHO... Presto sums up the bad shops.... bad fees, and bad MSC's. It a job is on Presto, it is because no one wants to do it.... I only check the Presto app occasionally, looking for the quick pay jobs that require two pics of a menuboard.

@Tarantado wrote:

I've actually had only good things to say about IntelliShop... Never had a rejection and they can actually pay quite fair....

So.... you work for reimbursement only? And think they pay quite fair? lol.....

@Ms.Baker wrote:

So.... you work for reimbursement only? And think they pay quite fair? lol.....

I worked for an average pay rate of $40-50 an hour when looking back at my projects with them. That was pretty fair in my book.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2017 10:44PM by Tarantado.

Does anyone know anything about Norris Norton? Opinions

Intellishop I've never had an issue with. Yes, they want everything followed to the letter...but so far, I think they're ok by me. But Cirrus and Ellis are two I won't work for again after they tried to turn my life into a living hell. And I actually LIKE writing narratives!

@dmspi503 wrote:

Does anyone know anything about Norris Norton? Opinions

sorry, but i'm not familiar with that name.

Norton Norris is on the list with a couple of discussions. I'm not sure if the threads are current. I completed an assignment for them last year. The pay was commensurate with the work. They must have paid me on time. I always remember the ones who don't

@LisaSTL wrote:

Norton Norris is on the list with a couple of discussions. I'm not sure if the threads are current. I completed an assignment for them last year. The pay was commensurate with the work. They must have paid me on time. I always remember the ones who don't

jeesus h. keeryst on a cracker...why am i not surprised that you have the answer...ALWAYS (and, i rarely use caps)?

Gee, I like working with Bare. They have quick easy shops near me that pay anywhere between $12-60. The reports for these shops are easy peasy with only 1-5 photos. I've done a few for Intellishop and am still waiting for the promised payment for the gas loyalty shops. Should be here any day now.

BARE International appreciates all feedback, both positive and negative in order to improve our business. Independent Contractors (evaluators) are free to choose from lists of assignments that fall within the individual’s beliefs and ability to conduct the assignment. It is never BARE’s intention to offend anyone in regard to an assignment. The above contractor successfully completed and was paid for two assignments for the mentioned client over two years ago. If the contractor would like to discuss the matter further, we request he call us at 1-800-296-6699. We respectfully request any personal attacks be removed due to potential libel.

@ljohnson wrote:

BARE International appreciates all feedback, both positive and negative in order to improve our business. Independent Contractors (evaluators) are free to choose from lists of assignments that fall within the individual’s beliefs and ability to conduct the assignment. It is never BARE’s intention to offend anyone in regard to an assignment. The above contractor successfully completed and was paid for two assignments for the mentioned client over two years ago. If the contractor would like to discuss the matter further, we request he call us at 1-800-296-6699. We respectfully request any personal attacks be removed due to potential libel.

Which poster are you talking about that should remove the information?

Also, how did you know the identity of the poster in order to check what shops they did for you and when?

To me that's kind of, er, interesting.

My guess would have been the initial posting.

@wrosie wrote:

Which poster are you talking about that should remove the information?

Also, how did you know the identity of the poster in order to check what shops they did for you and when?

To me that's kind of, er, interesting.

No really interesting or unusual. My guess would be parkcitybrian, who is not posting anonymously like many of the posters on this form. Brian has also made some very specific comments directed at Bare that would, even if he were posting under an anonymous screen name, tend to identify him to Bare.

100 percent behind Bare on this.

@ljohnson wrote:

BARE International appreciates all feedback, both positive and negative in order to improve our business. Independent Contractors (evaluators) are free to choose from lists of assignments that fall within the individual’s beliefs and ability to conduct the assignment. It is never BARE’s intention to offend anyone in regard to an assignment. The above contractor successfully completed and was paid for two assignments for the mentioned client over two years ago. If the contractor would like to discuss the matter further, we request he call us at 1-800-296-6699. We respectfully request any personal attacks be removed due to potential libel.

@parkcitybrian wrote:

These fine folks took on, as a client, at "big game/safari" magazine (whose name I will not/cannot mention), that, not only glorified but displayed many pics of their subscribers posing alongside their "kills" = leopards, tigers, cheetahs, lions, foxes, polar bears, etc., etc., and disgusting etc.

Sounds interesting! You might not know that in managed game areas, there are a particular number of "kills" allowed each year to maintain balance. Wondering why you took this assignment knowing you wouldn't like it?

I am, however, failing to see anything libelous in your post.

MaritzCX

@iShop123 wrote:

@parkcitybrian wrote:

These fine folks took on, as a client, at "big game/safari" magazine (whose name I will not/cannot mention), that, not only glorified but displayed many pics of their subscribers posing alongside their "kills" = leopards, tigers, cheetahs, lions, foxes, polar bears, etc., etc., and disgusting etc.

Sounds interesting! You might not know that in managed game areas, there are a particular number of "kills" allowed each year to maintain balance. Wondering why you took this assignment knowing you wouldn't like it?

I am, however, failing to see anything libelous in your post.

didn't know that but...several of the pics (two in particular) showed obviously verrrry old lions having been killed. one pic had a woman with her hand on the back of her dead "trophy" which looked very tender and loving. i'm sure she felt good about putting that animal out of his misery (it was a he cuz of the mangy mane). i have many friends that hunt (being in utah) and they hunt deer and elk and this doesn't come close to hunting.

i'd like to know the rationale of the hippo being killed with a crossbow. the cost of the hippo kill was...$45,000.

a rhino goes for $65,000 and there are pics of dead rhinos.

i took the assignment not knowing the scope of the magazine in question. having known what was glorified i would have refused it. there was a followup to the original assignment which necessitated a second report thus the 2 assignments. when i take an assignment i finish it (even in this case where i found it to be distasteful).

as an aside...in a very short period of time i did 280 assignments for bare and my average score was...10 (that is not a typo)....a 10.

and i kinda/sorta think their threat of libel is...ridiculous. whoever is their poster doesn't know the def of libel.

bare just doesn't understand the meaning of damage control/crisis management and in the court of public opinion they can't win.

@parkcitybrian wrote:

A lot of time/effort and analysis went into this list...

10. See # 1
9. See above
8. See above
7. See above
6. See above
5. See above
4. See above
3. See above
2. See above
1. Intellishop...hands down, after extensive research, the absolute worst MSC to hitch your wagon to.

Reasons being = the trifecta of terrible-ness:
1. fees that don't even begin to cover the time/effort.
2. the many dreaded & insufferable "drop down" windows when doing the report that are never-ending.
3. the arbitrary editors that "deduct points for ????" and never, ever respond why.

Don't have a problem with Intelishop. Did 19 shops so far, some were lucrative with no narratives, no drop-down windows. Just pictures--did 5 of them together. One shop was a failure and I'm still going to be paid for it.

@ wrote:

*******Honorary Mention Award = Bare, International.

These fine folks took on, as a client, at "big game/safari" magazine (whose name I will not/cannot mention), that, not only glorified but displayed many pics of their subscribers posing alongside their "kills" = leopards, tigers, cheetahs, lions, foxes, polar bears, etc., etc., and disgusting etc. These "sportsmen" were standing/carrying proudly their trophies. The straw that broke this camel's back was a pic of a "sportsman" gloating over his kill = a hippopotamus. Yep, I kid you not...a dead hippopotamus who was shot (by bow and arrow, no less) in a river with its gaping mouth propped open with sticks. I'm hardly a SJW (social justice warrior) but still...who does these things. The magazine had lots of ads for big game preserves in Africa, etc. where they have "guides" who beat the bushes in fenced-off preserves to drive the animals to these "sportsmen" to shoot, at their leisure. And, yep, I did take the assignment from Bare and after getting the magazine I fired off (apropos phrase?) a very pointed msg to Michael Bare about my disgust about this assignment and Bare taking such a distasteful client. Michael Bare proceeded to threaten me with being "blackballed" in this industry because of my calling him out for stooping to a level for nothing more than the $$$ involved.

And what does this complaint have to do with Bare International or mystery shopping? Non sequitor, unless perhaps you're standing up for "animal rights"...

@mdoc7 wrote:

@parkcitybrian wrote:

A lot of time/effort and analysis went into this list...

10. See # 1
9. See above
8. See above
7. See above
6. See above
5. See above
4. See above
3. See above
2. See above
1. Intellishop...hands down, after extensive research, the absolute worst MSC to hitch your wagon to.

Reasons being = the trifecta of terrible-ness:
1. fees that don't even begin to cover the time/effort.
2. the many dreaded & insufferable "drop down" windows when doing the report that are never-ending.
3. the arbitrary editors that "deduct points for ????" and never, ever respond why.

Don't have a problem with Intelishop. Did 19 shops so far, some were lucrative with no narratives, no drop-down windows. Just pictures--did 5 of them together. One shop was a failure and I'm still going to be paid for it.

@ wrote:

*******Honorary Mention Award = Bare, International.

These fine folks took on, as a client, at "big game/safari" magazine (whose name I will not/cannot mention), that, not only glorified but displayed many pics of their subscribers posing alongside their "kills" = leopards, tigers, cheetahs, lions, foxes, polar bears, etc., etc., and disgusting etc. These "sportsmen" were standing/carrying proudly their trophies. The straw that broke this camel's back was a pic of a "sportsman" gloating over his kill = a hippopotamus. Yep, I kid you not...a dead hippopotamus who was shot (by bow and arrow, no less) in a river with its gaping mouth propped open with sticks. I'm hardly a SJW (social justice warrior) but still...who does these things. The magazine had lots of ads for big game preserves in Africa, etc. where they have "guides" who beat the bushes in fenced-off preserves to drive the animals to these "sportsmen" to shoot, at their leisure. And, yep, I did take the assignment from Bare and after getting the magazine I fired off (apropos phrase?) a very pointed msg to Michael Bare about my disgust about this assignment and Bare taking such a distasteful client. Michael Bare proceeded to threaten me with being "blackballed" in this industry because of my calling him out for stooping to a level for nothing more than the $$$ involved.

And what does this complaint have to do with Bare International or mystery shopping? Non sequitor, unless perhaps you're standing up for "animal rights"...

thanks for your note and my issue with bare is not an animal rights issue, at all. it was an issue of the threats that michael bare made to me for calling him out for taking on a client that was/is involved in a controversial business without some kind of "warning" or detail about the subject matter before that subject matter was made available to bare's independent contractor = me. i had no idea about the scope of their client's biz until i accepted the assignment (it was portrayed in a very benign way) and i received the magazine in the mail pursuant to the details of the assignment.

my assessment (to give bare a modicum of an excuse) is that bare was unaware of the scope of their client's business prior to accepting their biz before putting the assignment out, which i then accepted.

i guess a mea-culpa is out of the question as is some kind of statement atoning for what has transpired and then.....moving on.

in all fairness and full-disclosure...i was always paid on time with bare, they offered bonuses for assignments that i completed at the last minute for them and i always had cordial, engaging relationships with all of their schedulers and never, ever completed an assignment that was late or that required additional clarification(s).

the blatant threats that were made/and continue to be made (libel = truly laughable) are head-scratching as bare continues to be tone-deaf.

but...it is what it is.