MSC that hsven't raised their fee or reimbursement in over 6 years

I have been shopping since 2016. I used to do a grocery store chain in the south for Strategic Reflections. The pay was $10, and the reimbursement was $7.50. About a year ago, Reality Based Group bought out Strategic Reflections. They were offering occasional bonuses for harder to fill locations, and I would pick some up on occasion. The report is more narrative intense than with the prior MSC, but I figured with a few extra dollars; it was okay. The last few months, the bonuses are few and far between, and the fee and reimbursement hasn't changed at all. I guess someone is picking most of these up, but I am downright irritated that the MSC hasn't adjusted the fee and/or reimbursement for inflation OR made the report more streamlined. For heavens sake, you have to have a conversation with an associate in three to four departments/areas of the store and report in the narrative what was said. I refuse to take these at the 2016 rate; and that is okay. However, I needed to rant a little. Thanks for listening. Rant over. As Shopper Bob would say, this is a business. The MSC has the right to get the job done for as little as possible, and the shopper has the right to not do them.

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More About Reimbursements

I do a grocery store where you HAVE to put something on the bottom of the basket to see if the cashier notices it. Reimbursement is $10.

I buy two bottles of soda totaling about $4 each trip and that's where they go. Occasionally it's a bag of potatoes/onions around $4-5.

That leaves me a whopping $6 to reach the reimbursement amount. I can buy two bags of chips and a can of tuna and get to around reimbursement.

Don't you think the can figure it out? I guess they figure I'll do them when I'm doing my normal grocery shopping checking out with a cart full and figure the $10 is a reduction in my food expenses.

Shop pay is $10. I always negotiate a $5-10 bonus and try to get out of the store with about $15-20 in groceries. That leaves me about $10 in my pocket.

Time is store is about half hour since you visit every department. Shop reporting time is about 20 minutes as they have somewhat streamlined the report.

I had to rant too.

It would be great to be able to negotiate a bonus! They do pay faster than the previous MSC, but that is the only plus advantage.

Last month I offered to do one of these shops. I was on my way home and I had to go past there anyway so I sent the scheduler an email. I offered to do it with the $10 bonus, She came back with the counter offer, With the $8 bonus. And I told her we're offensive anyway and I'll just take the short way home and save myself some gas. The day after, she posted it with a $10 bonus, but I wasn't going to that town and I wasn't gonna be driving through. I'm not sure if they ever filled the shop or not, last time I saw it they were offering a $20 bonus, but I wasn't going to that town again. And I can't afford to make a special trip just for $30.

@Equine24 wrote:

I refuse to take these at the 2016 rate; and that is okay.

Some gas station audits and fast-food shops are paying less in 2022 than they were in 2003 - 19 years ago! The shops now require more pictures (most phones in '03 did not have cameras) and the forms are longer (I still used dial up internet access back then). I have learned about bonuses over the past 19 years; I now set a baseline for myself and do not pick up shops unless they pay enough to satisfy my bank account.

I completely agree with every syllable in PATMAN9760's post.

It is broken record time for Bob. 15 yrs. ago, I was paid an extra $5 to snap an optional pic, not 25 or even a dozen, ONE! Some MSCs hearken back to the parable of the Arabian chap loading his camel. They will continue to increase their demands AND pay less until you fall onto the ground, writhing in misery.

The above is not a criticism of any MSC. It is the shopper's responsibility, as a self-employed contractor, to accept or decline work. After all is said and done, this IS business.

Yep. In the last several weeks I have declined shops requested of me either by phone call or text because the MSC won't increase their fees. I've asked for about 8.5% more due to inflation (travel related costs). If more of us do this, MSC's will need to adjust accordingly. I've responded, "I'd like to accept your assignment but my increased travel costs makes the fee unattractive."

I do a ton of shops for Servimer. They just renegotiated some of their client contracts and passed the increases in fees along to their shoppers. Nwo THAT is a class act. In addition, they streamline their surveys regularly, based on clients' willingness to forego duplicative or unnecessary items.

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 08/24/2022 08:35PM by walesmaven.

@walesmaven wrote:

I do a ton of shops for Servimer. They just renegotiated some of their client contracts and passed the increases in fees along to their shoppers. Nwo THAT is a class act. In addition, they streamline their surveys regularly, based on clients' willingness to forego duplicative or unnecessary items.

I had an e-mail discussion with the Servimer scheduler who does the valet parking about an hour from me. I told him the $20 is too low and that another MSC just upped their pay from $15-$25 for valet about half an hour from me.

I sent him the information showing that MSC's job board. A week later all the Servimer shops were bumped up to $25. Still too low right now, but if I can make a route with five of the Servimer shops plus others, it make it much more of a possibility. That's an increase of $25 from Servimer.

Like walesmaven said, that's classy.

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MSC that hsven't raised their fee or reimbursement in over 6 years

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