Does Marketforce Really Think Shoppers Will Work For This?

January 12, 2022 03:35AM

Saw three shops in my area for $10 each.

Here's the description:

"This is an announced compliance evaluation at an XXXXX Store or Kiosk. It can take up to 60 minutes. Photos required. DO NOT SCHEDULE/CONDUCT MORE THAN THREE XXXXX VISITS PER DAY."

The Minimum Wage Act (Article 19 of the New York State Labor Law) requires that all employees in New York State receive at least $13.20....

But seeing as we are not employees, I guess it doesn't matter if someone wants to take them for $10.

Wonder how in-depth they are? I think the last MSC paid more and there was a thread saying sometimes you had to wait for customers to be taken care of while doing the evaluation/audit.

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January 12, 2022 03:45AM

I don't even think this matters how long it takes to write the report. If it is 60 minutes for the audit even if the report takes 5 minutes that will put you over one hour of work. This is hilarious.

January 12, 2022 03:46AM

Does Marketforce Really Think Shoppers Will Work For This?

Yes, and they are right.

More employers need to get smart and start classifying thier employees as contractors so they can pay them less. Oh wait, they already have.

January 12, 2022 03:54AM

Rosie,

After 19 years in this business, I still catch myself wondering why some folks, not those in need, are willing to work for a pittance. This past fall, I was paid $140 by Ipsos for a double shop that was almost like "shooting ducks in a rain barrel". In Dec., I received $145 from Pinnacle to open an account and yet they still had jobs on their board. All the while, shoppers were driving miles to snap dozens of pics at a gas station, any one of which could cause the work to be declined.

January 12, 2022 02:05PM

The Pinnacle shops in my area have a one-year rotation. Meaning, if you did an inquiry at one location you cannot go there even for an account opening until a year has passed. This could explain why the jobs stay on the board so long.

January 12, 2022 04:18PM

As long as there are people who will take a money-losing shop at $10, MarketForce will continue to offer them. There's no way anybody can actually make a profit on shops like this. If you're looking to reduce your taxable income in terms of losing money, well, this'll do it.

If it's all simply about cash flow, I guess it makes sense to some people to take these, but in the end, there are shops that provide both cash flow and a better profit.

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 01/12/2022 04:19PM by BirdyC.

January 12, 2022 04:36PM

Where are you seeing Pinnacle shops? Which states/areas? I don't think I've ever received any notice of any job postings posted with them and I'm in California. I just went and looked for 999 mile radius and the only thing that shows up is 3 jobs in TX

January 16, 2022 03:24AM

I saw Pinnacle shops in my state..PA

Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009

January 16, 2022 04:12AM

The cool thing about Marketforce is that they really expect folks to take the low fees. But when they aren't picked up, they increase the fees. The cell phone store audits I don't even touch until they go over $50. gas station audits I hold out for $20 - $25 depending on the drive and how many are available. I saw some tobacco audits recently, but I don't like doing audits in that convenience store, so I just passed on them completely.

January 17, 2022 10:34AM

If it is the audit I think it is (one in every shopping center and sometimes a store and kiosk) there are a lot of questions. The shorter audit is not too bad once you have done a few, but not for $10. There is the data entry too, a few commentaries, pictures and Manager signature on form. In my area they will increase to $40 - $60, and at times I've been paid $75 - $100. The shorter audit you can do up to 3 per day. I believe the longer audit is limited to 1 per day.

January 17, 2022 11:47PM

I haven't done a Marketforce shop without a bonus in years. Refuse to do them for peanuts!

January 18, 2022 09:39PM

I won't do anything for MF under 20$. They call me all the time and I tell them that my time is worth more than what they offer.

January 19, 2022 02:30AM

@ajoanette wrote:

I won't do anything for MF under 20$.

Yup. My minimum with them is usually $25, but I've done some for $20 either to fill out a route, or if something is really close by and is a simple job. I'd do a lot more for them if the fees were better. Even the MAO feature is useless sometimes. How much are they going to go up on a shop that's paying $10 or $15? Not enough to make it worthwhile.

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

January 19, 2022 04:33AM

Well I made 58k last year driving to gas stations to take pics. It is all in negotiating the route.

January 19, 2022 04:39AM

Thank you $10 shops should be avoided until we stick together and refuse these shops they will continue starting at $6 and make small incremental increases.

January 19, 2022 02:33PM

I "love" the retail shops they have around here that say upfront it could take up to an hour to be fully assisted (then, of course, there's the report afterward), and they start at what, $8, maybe $10? I'm not sure because I just scroll on past those. Now they're up to $18. I did one for a little more than that last summer, and it still wasn't worth the time.

Who's going to take a shop for base fee that will probably take an hour at the minimum?

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

January 20, 2022 09:54PM

I do those particular shops all the time. I've learned how to streamline the process and my time so it makes it more than worth it. Preparing before you go in helps a lot.

January 21, 2022 01:37AM

I can’t imagine how $6 or $8 would ever be worth it when you consider the time it takes to get there and back, gas prices, time at the location, and the report itself. Unfortunately that’s why they can keep paying pennies

January 21, 2022 02:43AM

@ravensr4real wrote:

I can’t imagine how $6 or $8 would ever be worth it when you consider the time it takes to get there and back, gas prices, time at the location, and the report itself. Unfortunately that’s why they can keep paying pennies

And reading the guidelines ahead 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.

January 21, 2022 05:23PM

I wait until they hit 18$ or 25$ and I'll grab them.

January 22, 2022 04:10AM

I think I posted about this a while back too. The job description was clear that it was not a 20 minute job and I'd be paid the whole hour. The scheduler called me on the phone beg to do this with the "bonus", I was so shocked that I didn't call her out on it being less than minimum wage. I WISH they'd call me again so I can ask then to explain the reasoning.

January 22, 2022 04:14PM

Market Force has some fast-food burger locations which start out at $4.50, and I usually accept when they reach $15 pay plus reimbursement. Are other people getting paid more? I always wondered if I was requesting too low a fee.

January 22, 2022 04:18PM

I think you are referring to the Hedgehog shops. I did MAO at $15 and it was accepted (it had been listed at $10 after slowly moving up from $4.50). I was surprised at how easy the report was.

@Dandydew wrote:

Market Force has some fast-food burger locations which start out at $4.50, and I usually accept when they reach $15 pay plus reimbursement. Are other people getting paid more? I always wondered if I was requesting too low a fee.

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

January 22, 2022 04:19PM

That location is even worse than FG. I pass those up all the time because of the $4.50, which is a JOKE. At least at FG the food is good.

January 23, 2022 07:57PM

If a shop has MAO, I don't hesitate to ask what I want. I've made $100 offers on $10 shops and got them. It never hurts to try.

January 23, 2022 08:11PM

Well it's been 13 days since I first saw these $10 shops and they are still at $10 in my area.

I've also been having them reject my MAO requests for what I normally get for the two locations near me. I guess I'll just wait until they get desperate. I think there are only a couple shoppers doing these locations near me or I might possibly be the only one.

January 23, 2022 08:13PM

@myst4au wrote:

I think you are referring to the Hedgehog shops. I did MAO at $15 and it was accepted (it had been listed at $10 after slowly moving up from $4.50). I was surprised at how easy the report was.
@Dandydew wrote:

Market Force has some fast-food burger locations which start out at $4.50, and I usually accept when they reach $15 pay plus reimbursement. Are other people getting paid more? I always wondered if I was requesting too low a fee.

I used to like these shops once they became bonused. Especially the drive through not drive in version.

I also like their burgers.

Unfortunately since I moved, the closest location is an hour away.

January 23, 2022 08:53PM

@Dandydew wrote:

Market Force has some fast-food burger locations which start out at $4.50, and I usually accept when they reach $15 pay plus reimbursement. Are other people getting paid more? I always wondered if I was requesting too low a fee.

My son likes to do those fast food shops when they get over $10.. I tell him to wait, until the price goes up, but I doubt he'll ever understand his value. Or what it costs to get by..

January 25, 2022 04:58AM

There is one of those locations not far from me. They call me all the time and beg me to take it, and I tell them I'll do it for $20. I always explain My pricing is based on the fact that this particular location is HORRIBLE so the free meal isn't an incentive. I love this chain when I'm in the south, but here up north its borderline inedible to me. If it was the quality of other locations I've been to Id do it every time.

PS they have never paid me $20. The most they have ever offered is $12 lol.

January 26, 2022 10:41PM

I sometimes wonder why they have the "make an offer" feature. I'll offer something like $3 over the current pay, and it's routinely declined. I'm not making an unreasonable offer IMHO.

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