Ipsos new smartphone shops

I'm doing my first smartphone shop for Ipsos since the guidelines and survey have been revamped. I noticed an irregularity and wondered if any of you have encountered this in any you've done. The guidelines clearly state you have to take three photos (and I also wonder why they want a photo before and after your visit, but that's beside the point....). There's nothing in the guidelines (that I can find) that says you have to take a shot of the demo unit in the store, yet the questionnaire asks for a photo of the display unit.

Have any of you been surprised by doing a shop and not taking that photo? Isn't this a problem? I always read both the guidelines and the survey before doing a shop, but it would be easy to miss that fourth photo requirement. Shouldn't they put that in the guidelines right upfront where they list the other photos you have to have?

This is probably what I dislike most about this business: guidelines that don't tell you everything you need to look for, and surveys that don't ask you questions that you're told in the guidelines to watch for! It causes unnecessary wastes of time!

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 07/24/2018 07:49PM by BirdyC.

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

More Discussions About Ipsos Mystery Shopping (All Companies)

More About Phone Shops

I had that happen for the first one I did before the guidelines changed. It didn't say anything about the phone photo and I wasn't expecting it to show up. The phone photo is desired, but apparently not required. Also, at times, I've not been able to get it or simply forgot to get it and never had a problem with the shop being accepted. I think I did see it stated that they would like a phone photo in the new guidelines.

*****************************************************************************
The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain

I've done 3 so far and I've always had my shops accepted without the phone display photo but the photo of the building has to be time stamped. I manage to always get those. The report is very short compared to all of the information the guidelines give you.

For some reason, my photos didn't time stamp, but they can read the embedded data for the time and date. Hopefully that will be OK.

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

I use an app that timestamps the date, time, and location on the photo. I've had to use it for other shops requiring photos of the front of stores. I'm noticing that more and more MSC want a timestamped photo of the location on top of business cards/receipts. Off the top of my head I can think of 3 companies that have required me to take a time stamped photo as proof.

@a171989 wrote:

I use an app that timestamps the date, time, and location on the photo. I've had to use it for other shops requiring photos of the front of stores. I'm noticing that more and more MSC want a timestamped photo of the location on top of business cards/receipts. Off the top of my head I can think of 3 companies that have required me to take a time stamped photo as proof.

I have a timestamp app and use it faithfully on photos for shops. But it did not automatically stamp my photos today. My phone went through an automatic update recently, and I'm thinking that somehow the app got turned off. I need to check.

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

The app may be out of date, definitely check because that would be a horrible reason to get a shop denied. But I've also been told that it's OK to use the phone's camera editing tool to add that information to the photo manually.

Thankfully, this shop did not specify to timestamp the photos. The image EXIF information has the correct date and time, so all they need to do is look at that. I guess that's how most MSC's must have verified time and date before so many people had timestamp apps. It's easier for them with the timestamps, of course, but they can view the EXIF data if they have to....

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

Just a guess but they want to make sure people are actually doing the shops you knowing spending enough time with the associate and getting the recommendation. A photo before and after shows this.As far as the phone in the store they have two different versions I have seen one where they prefer it but its not mandatory the other where its a required photo. Easy to get it while waiting to be assisted or after being assisted.

Shopping Western NY, Northeast and Central PA, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Have car will travel anywhere if the monies right.

@BuffaloNY101 wrote:

Just a guess but they want to make sure people are actually doing the shops you knowing spending enough time with the associate and getting the recommendation. A photo before and after shows this.As far as the phone in the store they have two different versions I have seen one where they prefer it but its not mandatory the other where its a required photo. Easy to get it while waiting to be assisted or after being assisted.

I think you're right. Could be some shoppers were fudging the "exit" time or maybe even taking a photo and not performing the shop!

The guidelines and survey don't indicate whether the demo-unit photo is desired or mandatory, so I took one and was prompted to upload it into the survey as if it were required. I was lucky; the rep had to go into the back room to get his business card, giving me a perfect opportunity to take a pic of the demo unit. I had taken one as I was browsing before being helped, but it wouldn't power on, so all I could show was a dark unit.

They need to be clearer about this photo in the shop instructions and on the survey.

What a frustrating shop! I waited 25 minutes to be waited on! I could have left after 15 and gotten the attempt fee, but the location was nearly a 20-minute drive, so I wasn't going to abandon the shop. Plus, there were no business cards or brochures out anywhere; I wouldn't have been able to get proper documentation that I was there. I'm glad this was a better fee than most cellphone shops! Still probably lost $$ on it. LOL.

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

I came across this too. I would not be concerned. One shop said if you can take picture of the latest model and one did not add that phrase. If they did not state in guidelines, don't worry. I am sure you will get paid.

My issue is withdrawing my submissions to do a shop before they assign it. Scheduling said I did not. Also why are they putting shops for the phone there, then you apply .I sent a note to scheduling and told them I needed to hear in 2 hours. The last day to shop it is today. Scheduler said they are over quota in the area. So why is it there? Seems like their system should pull it once assigned and keep track of how many assigned per area. They have always been good to work for in the past. I do note their website can be a problem trying to fill in surveys. Wish they would fix it.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2018 04:29PM by Itsybitsy1.

I had a phone shop that the wait would be longer than 15 minutes so I left. I emailed the scheduler and he just extended the deadline so I could go another day. This one was located in my city but I've had trouble with getting shops scheduled lately and was asked to do a shop that was then somehow given to another shopper by another scheduler so IPSOS has lost a shopper because of Summit. They have no communication within that company.

Sorry to hear that. Normally they have been very good. I did many many shops for them last year. Not so many this year as I have been doing other shops.

You can download the camera for Android that is called open camera. It automatically will time stamp. However, you can turn it off.

Well does any have a shop in a Radio Shack store anymore? They all ways tell you not to do a shop in a Radio Shack. I thought they went out of business a few years ago. I get a kick out of young Sheldon being so enamored with Radio Shack.

@Itsybitsy1 wrote:

You can download the camera for Android that is called open camera. It automatically will time stamp. However, you can turn it off.

It also turns off when android is updated.

@2stepps wrote:

Well does any have a shop in a Radio Shack store anymore? They all ways tell you not to do a shop in a Radio Shack. I thought they went out of business a few years ago. I get a kick out of young Sheldon being so enamored with Radio Shack.

I believe all radio shacks have now closed even after sprint bought some of them. I too love the nostalga of Radio Shack in Young Sheldon.

Shopping Western NY, Northeast and Central PA, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Have car will travel anywhere if the monies right.

A new low for them with their $11 shops

They seem to be giving MF some competition.

Hum....Texas concerns. Seems like my husband offered $30 shops for phones but not me (female)? Hum......I am offered $12. Will not shop for less than $15 any shop and it depends on the requirements of the survey. Shoppers, perhaps wait till the $$$ amount is higher than $12. Also snapshot your applicatiin withdrawal of any shops (not cancellations)as one scheduler said I did not withdraw an application which I did. Hum.......

Hum.....my husband seeing $30 shops but I am not. Perhaps we just don't bite at $11 shops.

All I'm seeing are $11 phone shops. They have lost it!

$11 = 11min in store

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

Ipsos new smartphone shops

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine