Sentry

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If you do a search for "Sentry" for "past 12 months" you will find many shopper comments.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Waiting for pay from July 28 shop.

Shopping SoCal and Maui.

Let us know if and when you get your payment.

I did three big box homestore shops for them this year: 11 May which was paid on 15 Jun and 19 Mar which was paid on 7 May. I also did one last week and am waiting on payment.

Their reports are pretty straight forward and instructions are pretty accurate. You have to pass a test for each client of theirs you shop. Since they are based in Dallas, I think most of their shops are in Texas, but I could be wrong.

When I was in Dallas, I used to like the flame cooked chicken restaurant shops from them.

I seem to recall their website is kind of clunky and they also use Gigspot, which is where I picked up my shops. I don't believe they do bonuses.

I also seem to recall several years back when I was doing their Dallas shops the payments seemed slow but I was new to shopping back then.

They aren't my favorite MSC. Their quizzes are too janky for my taste. When I did do shops for them, I was always paid. Sometimes it was after the date I expected, but I was always paid.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

I also did a lot of shops for them for a Ft. Worth based fast casual Mexican chain that I really enjoyed. I would do them at a location about a mile from my house and if bonused at other locations. Easy shops as I recall and really good, fresh food for a fast/casual chain.

They also had golf driving range shops in Dallas, but I only did one of those and it was pretty easy.

I am not a fan. I don't think the pay enough for the hoops you have to jump through for their shops. I particularly did not like the kitchen and bedding client shops with them. Like Honny wrote, the tests are "wanky" and sometimes inaccurate. But, many others like them just fine so it's up to you to evaluate and decide.

Oh, honny wrote janky, I wrote wanky, LOL. Kinda sorta the same but not...

I agree with others have posted above...I like Sentry pretty well as I enjoy their shops and I actually feel like the shops I’ve done with them pay fairly. I will say I think their editors are very picky. They almost always give me feedback that I should change something nexf time on my report and then the next month I need to change something else. I would say I get 10’s on 99%of my shops with all companies so the comments about my reports, that is my least favorite thing about them. I would still recommend them though and you should definitely try them out and come up with your own opinion.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/2017 03:23AM by Lissymaree.

I don't shop for them anymore but I did do them. All was well until I started getting rejected for things in my reports that had been ok before and then, it was best that we part ways. I'm not sure if it's the fact that they started to use gig spot that jinked up my reports -all of a sudden I was being cited for lots of typos and spelling when my version looked clean on my computer, or I just got a persnickety editor. Anyway, I no longer do shops for them. Too many shops out there. The shops that I did do seem to be languishing out there as I still see them on gig spot but I'm sure someone will pick them up.

They do make it difficult to get your pay at times it seems. Ever since I deactivated and ceased doing shops I've had to email them directly every pay period about my remaining pay. I have 2 more invoices out and then I won't have to do that anymore. They do pay, you just may have to let them know if you don't get an invoice paid when it should be .

Agreed, TexGMN. I had the same experience.

Your reports were not rejected for things in your reports that "had been ok before". The issues in your reports had nothing to do with Gigspot.

@TexGmn wrote:

I don't shop for them anymore but I did do them. All was well until I started getting rejected for things in my reports that had been ok before and then, it was best that we part ways. I'm not sure if it's the fact that they started to use gig spot that jinked up my reports -all of a sudden I was being cited for lots of typos and spelling when my version looked clean on my computer, or I just got a persnickety editor. Anyway, I no longer do shops for them. Too many shops out there. The shops that I did do seem to be languishing out there as I still see them on gig spot but I'm sure someone will pick them up.

They do make it difficult to get your pay at times it seems. Ever since I deactivated and ceased doing shops I've had to email them directly every pay period about my remaining pay. I have 2 more invoices out and then I won't have to do that anymore. They do pay, you just may have to let them know if you don't get an invoice paid when it should be .

Just one more reason not to use a readily identifiable s/n...

"Let me offer you my definition of social justice: I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well then tell me how much of what I earn belongs to you - and why?” ~Walter Williams

Just my opinion, but if what your posting is true, you should be willing to stand behind it rather than hiding behind an anonymous online screen name.

@iShop123 wrote:

Just one more reason not to use a readily identifiable s/n...

Sentry Marketing, why don't you spend this time training your personnel to obtain more consistent results? I think that would be a lot more productive than trolling message boards set up for mystery shoppers.

@Sentry Marketing wrote:

Just my opinion, but if what your posting is true, you should be willing to stand behind it rather than hiding behind an anonymous online screen name.

@iShop123 wrote:

Just one more reason not to use a readily identifiable s/n...

My understanding is that this forum is for everyone to participate who can follow the posting guidelines. I'm more than willing to take responsibility for and correct any performance shortcomings. Are you willing to do the same?

@Oldsoul wrote:

Sentry Marketing, why don't you spend this time training your personnel to obtain more consistent results? I think that would be a lot more productive than trolling message boards set up for mystery shoppers.

@walesmaven wrote:

If you do a search for "Sentry" for "past 12 months" you will find many shopper comments.

When you enter the search using those words, guess what you're gonna find. :-)

No--too ambiguous. Search on "Sentry Marketing."

snarky, Dave, snarky.

mdoc,
"Sentry" will get you posts about Sentry Marketing. "Sentry Marketing" will get mostly posts where Dave has posted using that name. I could be wrong, of course. But I did think that the interest was in what shoppers have posted about this MSC, as well as Dave's answers.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2017 12:34PM by walesmaven.

If Dave is with the MSC his comments were not asked for. Just the good or the negative regarding being a shopper for the MSC.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2017 12:38PM by Itsybitsy1.

Itsy,
Like it or not, MSC reps have a right to respond on this forum. Just be glad that some of them actually identify themselves and even admit that they have tracked down and know the actual identities of shoppers. That tells us a lot about their priorities as business owners.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Tracked down and know identities?Why?

Good question.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

If by "tracking down", you mean connect screen name with usernames, then you are correct. You seem to be insinuating that there is major research being done to "track" down the identity of forum members. This would be inaccurate.

If you believe that Sentry is the only MSC who is interested in the identity of shoppers who are posting criticism, I also believe that you would be mistaken.

My business priorities are to make Sentry a great company for shoppers and clients to interact with. As it relates to shoppers, this means building strong relationships on a foundation of mutual respect. Posting biased or inaccurate information doesn't fit the bill. I believe anyone who reviews the feedback about Sentry on this site with an unbiased eye will find balanced feedback about our company along with threads in which we have taken responsibility when we have fallen short of expectations.

@walesmaven wrote:

Itsy,
Like it or not, MSC reps have a right to respond on this forum. Just be glad that some of them actually identify themselves and even admit that they have tracked down and know the actual identities of shoppers. That tells us a lot about their priorities as business owners.

I am doing my first shop for Sentry later today. The job seems fairly priced and above the fee and reimbursement is a $15 bonus if my report can be sent directly to the client without editing/corrections. The worksheet is daunting, but in the four years I've shopped this store privately, I've never seen more than four associates at any one time.in the entire store.

Perhaps this illustrates a problem in the industry where shoppers are not told the reasons for rejections and must deduce themselves what went wrong, which can leave them baffled. I obviously know nothing about this particular case but shoppers post their experiences from their point of view. If I were Sentry, I would contact someone by private message, where they could be more explicit, instead of disputing the shopper's account and leaving us, and probably him/her, to wonder what the real reason is. Just sayin'.

Sentry wrote: along with threads in which we have taken responsibility when we have fallen short of expectations.

My question: please, where has Sentry taken responsibility when they have fallen short? Am I incorrect to observe that the comments by the MSC are inquisitive as to who the mystery shopper is? Why? What is their reason for wanting to know the real name of the shopper?? Does that sound concerning for the shopper? Is that an intimidation on the MSC 's part?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/10/2017 10:53AM by Itsybitsy1.

ShopWhisperer

To be clear, we provide a complete explanation in the event a shop is invalidated. In addition, we have a process whereby the shopper can request that the decision is reviewed. The decision to reject a shop report is never taken lightly.

We have done exactly as you suggested and were accused of trying to "out" shoppers. It's been made very clear by a contingent of forum members that anonymity is their most important priority. So MSC's are left to decide whether they should respond as best they can or leave the criticism posted on a public site without a response. I wonder, who is trying to intimidate how?

@ShopWhisperer wrote:

Perhaps this illustrates a problem in the industry where shoppers are not told the reasons for rejections and must deduce themselves what went wrong, which can leave them baffled. I obviously know nothing about this particular case but shoppers post their experiences from their point of view. If I were Sentry, I would contact someone by private message, where they could be more explicit, instead of disputing the shopper's account and leaving us, and probably him/her, to wonder what the real reason is. Just sayin'.

We're all just dust in the wind. Mystery shopper companies and mystery shoppers are a dime a dozen. There are always others. So, a degree of humility is always appropriate.

With that in mind, and for what it's worth, I won't be doing business with Sentry Marketing at this point. I'll stick with companies with clearer guidelines and more consistent application of those guidelines. I may be wrong, but I'm not alone. Based upon a regular review of Gigspot, one of the amalgam lists, most of the shops in my area not claimed for long periods of time belong to Sentry Marketing.

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