PAD pay (Pre Authorized Distance) pay.

I got an e-mail from them asking me to do a shop they needed today. I asked if there was any bonus. They said "No, just the normal pay". I said "no". I was only asking for a dollar more. I guess the shop wasn't that important to them.

Just got 5 emails for shops too far, was offered a nice bonus, it's still a no..refuse to drive all over for an extra 50 bucks, while taking a bank in my town brings me more $ and less time and effort, but love you "Source"....oddly the new schedulers aren't sure of how far one will go, so I'll keep working with my scheduler that knows what I need. Emails annoying, but....

I was okay with this company when I lived in a larger, urban city. Since moving to Alabama, I can't afford to work for them anymore. They have only recently offered PAD and each job will cause me to travel 40 miles round trip from my home. I tried to establish a route but found the amount of detail on the reports not worth the time they took to write up. I can't work at a loss so they are off my list of companies.

I don't mind doing the business verifications; however, my issue is I "request" them based on if I will be in the same area doing other shops. 9 times out of 10 the reply to my "request" happens after I have already shopped the area and in some other area on the day they want it done. I would like to see these shops as "self assign" - then I would be more inclined to apply for them.

On the grocery shop side, I have had no problems with them. Occasionally I have had to re-schedule and they have been helpful. I'm not crazy about 4-8 timeframe, but the weekend hours are fine. The only problem I have had with The Source is on the healthcare side. I have scheduled them several times (and weeks ahead), block out the time/date, then at the last minute The Source cancels. I have been told they overbook, so if they get their quota or location filled, they then cancel jobs. THAT is totally unprofessional! Don't waste my time!!

I see the new schedulers are throwing money around, 8.00 pad (without asking) for a shop not too far away, very rare for them. Still won't get much after gas prices, although they have gone down a few cents, still not enough for my time. Groceries are worth it to me, pad or no pad.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2019 03:17PM by Irene_L.A..

Once again I requested a weekend shop and it it is still pending. I asked for the PAD that was offered in an email Friday afternoon. I need to do it today. Apparently, based on my past experience, no one works on the weekend so the shop will probably not be assigned.

Edited to add, I was assigned the shop this morning! Thanks Source.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2019 04:18PM by kenasch.

It's a running joke in the laboratory where I work. Between 8-9 am, I start getting bonus offers for groceries every day. Pings of the texts coming through = "Grocery stores!" I can only do 2 or 3 a day after work at most. I'd prefer to do one actually. Best offer gets taken and then I am booked.

Happy, I again got my two favorite, both within 2 miles for the weekend...no pad needed, no time wasted.
Did get offers to do several miles from me with a nice pad, throwing money at me...haha



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2019 08:27PM by Irene_L.A..

Irene. You need to edit your post and delete clients name. Can happen to any of us.

@kenasch wrote:

Irene. You need to edit your post and delete clients name. Can happen to any of us.

thx, all fixed.

@lbtweety47 wrote:

I don't mind doing the business verifications; however, my issue is I "request" them based on if I will be in the same area doing other shops. 9 times out of 10 the reply to my "request" happens after I have already shopped the area and in some other area on the day they want it done. I would like to see these shops as "self-assign" - then I would be more inclined to apply for them.

If you need to get something assigned the same day you need to call and ask for the project coordinator. OF course, your PAD request needs to be reasonable for that area. You can not get high PAD like that unless you know you will be in that area ahead of time and it's a hard to shop location, or it's already been on the board a while with no nibbles.
I have successfully called and got a scope R an hour from my house mid-route for $10 PAD, so I know it can be done. IF you can't get a PAD request approved in time to make that route, then remove the request. The source is one of the few sights I've seen where you can remove a pad request.
OF course, it also helps if you get to know your project coordinators and rarely have had to cancel shops, reschedule shops, etc. In this business, you have to remain flexible and be able to think on your feet to move things around and make extra easy bucks. Yes, it can be done, I've done it. I'll pencil in two or three routes a week then shuffle them all around before the week is over to work deadline shops in. I take two self-checkout grocery shops a cycle in my area, no PAD. This supplies toilet paper, dish soap, bar soap, deo, cat litter, dog and cat treats to my household without hardly any additional funds. I've stopped doing the P grocery shops for MF unless they call me with a bonus.
I will add days to grocery shops as needed as well, with a phone call. Start small, do a couple of the regular shops and try to build a rapport with the project coordinators/schedulers. It can be done, trust me.

Have no use for The Source they send me those grocery shops every week they are both within 2 miles of my house. Still they go UNSHOPPED every week. The little games they play with undercutting my price has sent them to the bottom of my MSC list. I find them the most unethical company I have ever dealt with, which is why their schedulers are constantly changed, along with the Company Name. They can keep their $14.00 . Have zero trust in them

I received a text from a TS scheduler asking about a particular grocery store, and if I could do it this week. I replied back that I could, however, I would be some distance away finishing another shop, and asked if any PAD could be provided to offset the gas. I was offered a $5.00 PAD, which was very reasonable, and I took the shop. I have no issues with TS. Sorry you have not had good experiences with them, David. If you like grocery shops, you should look into other MSCs that do them. I don't know where you live, but MF and Second to None, and Confero have them. Maybe you could try them. Good luck!

@David, I'm not sure what undercutting they do to you, their prices start at 9.00 reimbursement with a 5.00 fee. it's written and honored and paid twice a month. You won't get pad doing shops two miles from home (trust me), no one does. Traveling 20 miles or more may bring you a three dollar pad, maybe more, not much. I just self assigned for four groceries, all within four miles and two I've shopped at anyway for the past twenty years. What is the problem, in store 15 minutes, report ten minutes and I do add more to the fourteen$ which I'd spend anyway. I do have an exceptional relationship with about four schedulers who call and text. I figure I get roughly $50.00 per week for food and home supplies, that's money in my pocket or should I say mouth, thanks Trend Source for the fabulous $12.99 Wild Salmon I would not have purchased if not for you. The stores here go flying off the board, we like our food, .although prices may seem low, no more or less than others. The most ethical MSC I've dealt with in my 13 years of shopping.
ISS Scheduling has food shops if your in CA....it varies depending on location. I always say what's good for one, isn't good for another...good luck.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/09/2019 03:54PM by Irene_L.A..

I've grown to like them too. I make a huge dent in the grocery bill every month. I get reasonable pad for farther away locations that no one else wants to shop. And I like that they come around more often which allows for a much bigger benefit.
If I could have one wish it would be a bigger shopping window so that I could do routes of them.

There are three stores they cover within four miles of my office or my home. Given the size of my town and how quickly I can cover 4 miles, I will do these as much as possible. Not only does it cut the grocery bill it allows me to splurge on more expensive items I don't usually buy.

A $9.00 splurge, for an hour's work your big time now.

@David Hoppe wrote:

A $9.00 splurge, for an hour's work your big time now.

No, it's 14.00 for food being paid the 5th and 20th or sooner, don't you eat food.
Sounds like sour grapes, couldn't you follow directions...just asking since so many have no problem with buying food. Perhaps this line of work isn't for you....

I do 12 gas stations and make over $500 every month

I work for more MSC than you and average $25-$30 an hour. It's an ethical issue with me. Don't care for The Sources tactics I'm Certified to do all their audits and inspections, passed backround checks. Just have more work than I need without them. They will continue be be a the bottom of my Barrell. Happy shopping for those vittles.

We all have choices and I have my 10 foot poles as well, but don't keep badmouthing them, just don't do them, it's your right. Have never seen a grocery paying 25/30 dollars, and after 13 years know them all. I don't ever do gas stations, so there is something for everyone......viva la difference.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/09/2019 06:15PM by Irene_L.A..

Not Groceries Einstein! Go fetch those vittles now. Move along!

Not sure how your whopping $500 a month income qualifies you to insult other shoppers but it's hardly the way to make a good first impression.

@David Hoppe wrote:

I do 12 gas stations and make over $500 every month

If your only making $500 a month apparently you don't know what you are doing. I make over a k a month on gas stations alone. Of course, I route, I am not scared to drive out of town. I make an additional $150 every two weeks from Trendsource on average, sometimes more. I get reimbursed for most of my household supplies. I buy groceries at Walmart with my Walmart card and pay for them when I get paid. If I throw a grocery shop into a route I can add "free car munchies" to help absorb the cost of food while on the route. I work primarily for several MSP's. I wrote off over $16,000 worth of income on just mileage and spent less than $200 in car maintenance last year (and probably could have written off more if I had kept better mileage records). I received 1099's from at least 4 MSP's last year (Highway miles are a lot easier on your car than city miles). I only mystery shop, do inspections (branded whole sellers and On-site). This is my full-time job. I stopped doing narrative shops except on occasion, by choice. I am making more money and doing more traveling than I have ever made in my whole life, of entry-level jobs. I do not own video equipment and make a lot less than some of the pros on here. I have been mystery shopping for less than two years.
With your attitude, I'm surprised you don't own your own online business because obviously, you don't work well with others or supervisors very well.

@David Hoppe wrote:

Not Groceries Einstein! Go fetch those vittles now. Move along!

Your the one that needs to move along...
surprised you actually give your name, shows your no Einstein...MSC's now know who you are....

And the dozens that know me know that I'm professional in my endeavors and are eager for my assistance. Have as much work as I want on my schedule.
Some people just don't know when to drop a topic. Let's just agree to drop our little discourse and find other topics.
Good Luck and happy trails

I almost never shop for them, but would happily recommend The Source to anybody new to shopping, especially if they are struggling with a tight budget!

* The shops are not difficult.
* Everybody needs food, so unavoidable expenses are reimbursed.
* They pay very quickly.
* They pay reliably.

I tend not to work for them because:
1. I simply don't enjoy the shops.
2. I don't need to be paid quickly.
3. My wife prefers to do the grocery shopping.

I shopped for them so much the first year I was shopping that I became friends with a woman in the meat department. Of course I was always stopping in to ask questions LOL.

I stopped when I was really busy with gas stations but whenever things get slow they are always there to take up the slack.