hmmm

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/05/2021 05:22AM by jrj76.

When I started MS in 2014, digital cameras were required and cell phone photos were discouraged. The camera technology had not advanced. I keep a digital camera as a back up, and have had to use it at times. Still accepted.

People that work in some military/government locations and want to have their cell phone with them must either have a phone without a camera or the camera is removed/disabled.

In the last year I have personally moved away from using my digital camera for all shops except for the phones shops requiring a geo locator with address on the photo shop which is only doable with a smartphone app. I have now been using my smartphone camera on 90% of shops. I still use my digital camera for Gas Station shops. I don't know if I will ever use a smartphone camera on gas station shops. I have not had any problems from the MSC for using one on these shops. Darkness shops can still be busy just depends on how late. I actually have an opposite problem especially in winter with gas shops needing to be done in daylight. I usually avoid them. I don't do gas stations for less than $30 minimum and those are rare. They just not worth it for the most part under $40. I don't do more than 5 stations a day. I use my digital camera and will enter my reports after downloading to my laptop after doing all the shops. I will take a photo of the site report before doing shop to keep it easy to label photos with the correct stations. Anyway good luck for us gas station warriors.

Just a curious question about those red gas station shops on Gigspot - Is the form and process similar to the Ipsos shops? There are so many that have been sitting for weeks and weeks on Gigspot at $8. Of course no one is taking them, but they are not getting bonused, just continuing to sit. From reading the notes, it seems like the same process as the Ipsos shops, but was just wondering if it was easier since the pay was significantly lower, and stayed there. I emailed the scheduler with a quote for just a couple of them, that was lower than Ipsos but still fair, I thought, and she replied that she could not approve such. So wondering - similar? easier? Thank you in advance!

@guysmom wrote:

I have an android too. For reports with more than 2-3 photos, I complete the report on the laptop, which gives me the opportunity to look at the photos on my phone. Then I log on the website on my phone, upload the photos on each slot and submit.
I only use my phone for everything. If it is a gas station I take multiple quick photos of the entire pump and a close up, just in case an eagle eye editor notices something obscure because there is no way I will go back to snap another photo. Good or bad edges, bollards, if it has even a tiny sliver of rust or dirt, I just take a photo, preemptively, even if I do not report it. There are some editors, usually the newly hired, or from overseas, that nitpicking every pixel of dust as if it was a white glove navy inspection. I have the GPS enable so all photos have the location and time metadata. If I do multiple gas stations in a day, I take a final self portrait before leaving the gas station so I know when the photos end for that location and wont mix them up with the next. I also have the timestamp app and preprogrammed to actually print on the photo the date, time, and address so I can snap a photo quickly when I find a location closed, or anything else peculiar that might need a timestamp/location just in case. There are many things useful with a smartphone. I had resisted for years to get one, but once I did , I never looked back! Also great for the various gig apps. I made $200 on fieldagent yesterday doing the female restroom photo route, while incidentally was doing a credit card tap route too, most of them same locations.

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@KayDan wrote:

Just a curious question about those red gas station shops on Gigspot - Is the form and process similar to the Ipsos shops? There are so many that have been sitting for weeks and weeks on Gigspot at $8. Of course no one is taking them, but they are not getting bonused, just continuing to sit. From reading the notes, it seems like the same process as the Ipsos shops, but was just wondering if it was easier since the pay was significantly lower, and stayed there. I emailed the scheduler with a quote for just a couple of them, that was lower than Ipsos but still fair, I thought, and she replied that she could not approve such. So wondering - similar? easier? Thank you in advance!

There are two red, or close to it shops I've done.

One has a red logo on a white background and is more a convenience store shop. I don't think they are done on Gigspot at least not in my area since I've seen them popping up on another scheduling MSC website and app. There is another thread on these.

The other I've had experience with wasn't on Gig spot when I did them. Their logo was more of a orange logo on a white background. Those took about 8 pictures and an interaction inside, not always a convenience store, with I think $1 reimbursement. I could do these in 10-15 minutes. I can't remember, but I don't think there was a gas reimbursement.

I quit using Gigspot and just go directly to the MSC's. The 4 color red shops on Gigspot are mystery shop only with a few pictures you're supposed to get without revealing yourself. But they are simple, I wait till the end of the period and do them for $15 or $20 in a couple of relatively long routes (considering my limitations). The same company does "blue" shops that are partially revealed. But they are far simpler than Ipsos gas station shops, just the driving to make a decent route in most areas requires that they be more than $15 each, which only happens the last week of the shopping period.

While making Apple Crisp (with my own orchard's apples and cherries), I still contemplate this development:
The "Blue" gas stations asks at the end of the report if I would like to perform the shop again as rotation allows. So, I click the "yes" link and choose either the first week or the second week. Now, after I have received my complement of the next month's shops, there are none of the shops I requested for the second week.
Oh, but they're on the "Job Board"! Yet, I cannot self assign them!

Why?

The gigspot gas stations are easier. Take one, take the test, and get certified to do them. Then wait till the offers go up. She will email you with an offer taking 10 or more, 5 or more or 2 or more, etc and get over 10 dollars each. I use them as fillers to cover food or gas on a route so the higher paying stops are pure profit. Don't be afraid of them. Sometimes it can be helpful to do an easier route without so much brain strain. They are rarely invalidated once you get used to them. if you have nothing going on that day you can take a few and clear the zero for the day. They are really low when they first hit the board but they will go up and you can get more through the scheduler but you have to take the test and get certified first.

Ipsos cancelled two highly bonused shops in February the day before I was doing them. They are now on the job board with a bonus at half of what I was going to shop them for February. I'm also getting daily e-mails asking to do these same shops for half of what they initially accepted my shopping them for.

@wrosie wrote:

Ipsos cancelled two highly bonused shops in February the day before I was doing them. They are now on the job board with a bonus at half of what I was going to shop them for February. I'm also getting daily e-mails asking to do these same shops for half of what they initially accepted my shopping them for.

I don't even understand the ethics behind their policy of unscheduling shops after an agreement has been reached between MSC and shopper. And they always blame it on the client.

That is really, really bad business practice. They get upset when we cancel shops, but it's okay to yank the rug out from under you. Then, to add insult to injury, they put it back on the job board. And send you emails advertising it! The schedulers and people working for Ipsos our knowledgeable and experienced. They understand that remote locations require planning and route. They know that every single location that we get is important to make the route profitable and worthwhile. They did that to you knowing all of that. It shows that they just don't care about you or your well-being. It's all about the money for them. You do not matter.

@wrosie wrote:

Ipsos cancelled two highly bonused shops in February the day before I was doing them. They are now on the job board with a bonus at half of what I was going to shop them for February. I'm also getting daily e-mails asking to do these same shops for half of what they initially accepted my shopping them for.

In the old days when gas was at least at or below $3, routes with distances between shops was acceptable. But now, with gas over $4 and in some areas, over $5, justifying a trip with many miles in between sites is becoming a deal breaker at the average reimbursement.
Sure the 'yellow" shops reimburse for 2 gallons of gas versus the "blue" station reimbursement for $5, might still be worthwhile.
It might be time to forget those shops!

Only the yellow shops, which are the longest and most involved shops imo, have any cusion for increased gas prices. Otherwise, any significant driving required is a money losing endeavor without significant bonuses. The last couple of weeks I did 80 locations at 42.50 each and put 4000 miles on a rental car. Even with all the reimbursed gas, I was still out of pocket about about $200 in additional gas.