Hi Everyone

I need your advice on how to proceed next with an issue I am having with National Shopping Service.

I did a pizza shop for them (I've done tons of these) and I forgot to include the shop ID card in the top view photo. I had already eaten some of the pizza when I realized this, so I called the scheduler and asked him if I should still proceed with doing the report, given that my top view photo would not include the ID card. He told me he would check with Crystal (I guess she's the supervisor) and would get back to me.

He called me back and told me that Crystal said it's okay to go ahead and do the report and include the photo that's missing the ID card. He said Crystal can cut and paste it from another photo (via photo editing). So I did the report, all the photos downloaded successfully (got the green light on all of them) and the report was accepted and went through.

Fast forward a month and half later. Crystal sends me an email saying they cannot pay me for the report because they cannot use my top view photo. I emailed her back and refreshed her memory about what happened and I was told to do and she replied, "we didn't receive the photo".

Of course, this is not true, since their web site very clearly showed my photo went through and showed no errors. My report went through fine. I told her this. No reply. So I called the scheduler Juan and asked for his help with this. He said he'd speak with her and call me back. Never heard back from him.

I've been calling and speaking to various people over at NSS and I keep being told they will look into this and call me back, but I keep getting the runaround and nobody will rectify this problem. They have not paid me for this shop and I am irritated because not only was a good bonus attached to this shop, but the pay was also to include $3 in back-owed pay for a previous shop that they had short-payed me on.

Another scheduler there called me because they desperately needed help with more pizza shops in my area and I told her I was not accepting any shops with them until this issue is resolved and I explained the whole story again. She told me she would also look into it and call me back that day. Never heard back from her either.

I've done tons of shops for this company and this is the first time I have run into a problem like this.

What would you do?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/22/2011 02:16PM by CheeChild.

First of all, you recognize that you goofed on the shop. So you felt you would not be paid anyway because of the error. They did slime ball a report out of you, which I don't doubt they did the cut and paste as indicated, and submitted it to the client. But here you have 2 issues already--the shop in question and the short pay that was to be tagged onto it.

If overall your impression was that they were good to work with, you eat this shop (which you goofed), and keep going. But you keep in the back of your head that you are now in a somewhat adversarial position of working FOR them rather than WITH them. So keep going and try to make up your losses but realize that they have 2 strikes already.

I think what may have happened here is they intended to photoshop your picture, then forgot to do it, and sent the report to the client. Since a month and a half has passed before they told you they can't use the report, I'm pretty sure the client already has it with the incomplete picture. If that's the case, they can't do anything now to get it accepted, and it follows they would try to not pay you if the client won't pay them. I'm pretty new at mystery shopping and I don't know much yet, but here are my thoughts. I'd look at the potential stream of income from this company. I understand you've done a lot of past work for them that's been first rate, and I understand they promised you a break and didn't deliver. I know your feelings are hurt and you're frustrated, as anyone would be. Surely nothing is fair about this deal. OK. It's not personal, it's business. If you forget this incident and go forward, what is this company worth to you in CA$H over the next few years? Are you willing to trade that off to pursue this issue when they don't seem willing to respond?

Thanks for the input so far.

Yes, I fully admit that the photo error was my own. That's why I called them immediately, before I did the report, to see if my report would be accepted with the screwy picture. I didn't want to waste my time doing a report only to have it rejected for a problem picture.

I am angry because they told me it would be okay to submit the report with that picture and the report would be accepted, I completed the report and submitted it as we agreed and now they are backing out of our agreement.

MDavisNowell, you are probably right that they dropped the ball and forgot to photoshop my picture and by the time they realized it it was too late to submit it to the company.

Regardless, they should honor their agreement with me and pay me, even if it means they eat the $$$ because it was their oversight of not photoshopping the picture that has resulted in this problem.

I am also irritated about the runaround I am getting on this - calling multiple times and speaking with multiple people who all assure me they will research into this and get back to me. None of them have. They are yanking me around.

The revenue stream from this company is not enough for me to continue working for them if they do not rectify this situation. They constant call me because they need shops in their area, but their shops offer very minimal pay. Honestly, the only time I would do the pizza shops was if there was a substantial bonus attached.

Then you already have your answer. None of us likes to be yanked around. Just keep telling the callers that until you get paid for the bonused shop you told would be ok, you won't be taking more work, "But thanks for calling."

My experience with NSS is very different...I have had to fax in business cards and they upload for me, never a problem. I don't do pizza shops, but if that's all they have in your area, move on. I would be at a great loss leaving for any reason, I work the most for them on a monthyly basis, and find them understading and helpful, always answering the phone, not much email, just from them telling me when shops come out (only in my area).
Different areas have different schedulers, I'm really lucky, 4 out of the 5 schedulers I work with are the best, and I know who to ask for when scheduling my shops. The pizza doesn't sound like your out too much and you did eat it..if that's the only thing that's happened to you, just move on, probably won't happen again, I'm sure it wasn't intentional.

I agree that what they did was found a way not to pay you, but Photoshopped the ID card on the one photo ... and sent the report over to the client. Essentially you got screwed.

Now, if you would have just thought about doing the Photoshopping yourself without drawing this to their attention. You would have saved yourself a ton of trouble. I had to do this once myself because I forgot to put the ID card in each of the pics. I photoshopped the tag in each of the required pics and submitted the report without saying a word to them about what happened. I never had an issue and was paid without any problem.

I have had no problems with them and once had a pepperoni hiding a digit. They fixed it. It is my impression that this company runs wide open and is full throttle all the time. Only you can decide to continue with them. Like Flash said, maybe wait for strike 3.

Just wanted to post an update.

After continuing to get the runaround for a few more calls (NSS staff telling met they'd research into the problem and call me back and not calling me back)...I finally got them to agree to pay me because they desperately needed someone to complete an ice cream shop. Another staff member (Jason) had left a voice mail for me asking me to do a couple ice cream shops, so I called him back. Spoke with Ryan and told him I was sorry, but I am not accepting any shops from NSS because I have an outstanding payment issue. He asked me to tell him what is going on. I explained the situation and said I'd be happy to take more shops if he can get this problem resolved and get me paid.

He researched into it, spoke with Crystal (the same one who told me they wouldn't pay me) and she finally agreed to pay me. I had her put it in writing via email before I would accept any shops, and she did put it in writing.

They told me I will be mailed a separate check for the problem shop and I should receive it in a couple of weeks.

I'll post an update soon to let you know if and when I receive payment.

I have recently did 2 shops for this company that they called me to do last minute. I accepted the assignment due to the long distance of the pizza shop. It was to be a pickup. When I did the report and pictures, I received an email from crystal and I called to get someone named mark, who was to call me back. Three days later I did get an email that the shops were canceled due to not having the correct pictures. I sent back the email and responded to the fact that it was not a delivery but a carry out. I have not received anything else. Needless to say I will accept any more call for last minute shops in my area.

I always get it in writing whether it is acknowledgement of a problem, receipt issue, bonus etc. Make sure they email you back and say what you need them to say! Then you have it in writing.

Another update....

Well, I waited 2 weeks and the check never arrived. So I had to go through a whole 'nother round of runaround. Thankfully I had got the promise to pay in writing (in an email) because I needed it to show it to prove I was promised payment.

I finally got paid for this shop on 7/24/11 but let me tell you, it took a LOT of harrassing them to get the payment...a total of 8 contacts, and speaking with a total of about 9 people. They should have paid me DOUBLE what I was owed just to compensate me for the hassle I had to go through.

I have always had good service from National Shopping Service. However, I have been associated with about a dozen mystery shopping companies over the past 30+ years.
My position is if you are not treated right by one company, there are dozens more that you can contract for work.
Just be glad you are only out the price of a pizza and your time.

They changed their system and no longer have a fax machine...everything must be uploaded by you or report won't be accepted. Calling them slimeball is so far out of my 5 year experienmce with them. They will always work with you, (Tammi newest scheduler, Craig, Scott) are all pro's and do not take a job without paying for it. Putting down a high end company like this is really not fair.

Seems that I was not the only one stiffed by these punks. I was not paid for a pizza shop that they said that the "pictures were of bad quality". Give me a break...they were taken with a professional 12 Megapixel camera.

This having been (past tense) my favorite for years, I now have two of my last jobs for them on alert. I called and cannot get an answer as to why, but told
to hang on until I get an email, it's now 3 weeks with no word of what they need. I have done these jobs monthly and know what is needed. Hopefully,
these alerts are not an excuse for not paying, I am getting worried. I just cancelled the sports shop (new), as I was told on the phone of the 10.00 reimbursement only, no fee, and there is nothing for me to buy for 10.00, so,
I cancelled. I'm calling again tomorrow to resolve my alerts....fingers crossed. I am on a friendly first name relationship with about three of them,
and have always been happy. This was always a no nonsense company, so, I want to know what's happening. Forum has too many complaints on them......

@ Irene....lots of luck.

If you run into Crystal...brace for impact and a disappointment.

rardon, you already created a thread about your situation. This old thread you've resuscitated doesn't further your cause.

UPDATE....my two alerts were removed and all is well. I will be doing a shop for them tomorrow and see no problem......I say be patient to others, I think they just got behind and are wroking hard to catch up.

Hello from NSS:

Just to address the recent post regarding Irene_L.A.'s reports that were on alert - our client made some major adjustments to the program these assignments were associated with. During the program modifications, the already submitted reports were placed on hold until the changes took affect. As already noted, these have been cleared up now.

We truly appreciate our shoppers who follow-up on any alert listed on their profile. Though in this case, Irene did not have an action item, in many cases we do need information from our shoppers to clear any alerts on their submitted reports. With our shopper's help, we can process their reports in a timely manner to our clients. Our goal is to do whatever we can to work with our shoppers to ensure each submitted report is of quality and acceptable to our clients.

After doing a bit of editing now, I have more sympathy for the MSC's, although I still will climb right on top of my soap box from time to time. I have seen firsthand how MSC's are held in tight reigns by their clients who we are ultimately doing the shop for. If everything is not spot on, the client may reject the shop no matter what is done to make it right. I have been on both sides (shopper and editor) of this coin and, no matter which side, it still seems unfair. I say give it one more try and if you have another problem that sends you over the edge, end your relationship with them. Cats and dogs never seem to meet eye to eye, and some mystery shoppers and companies don't seem to do so either. Of course, this is speaking from my experience only and I have a LOW tolerance for nonpayment.

I shop for this company on regular basis if their bonuses reach a level that makes it worth my while. I have never had any issues with my reports not being accepted. I did have one situation where I was called to do some shops and promised a certain bonus on 2 that I accepted. Their system is such that you don't always see the bonus posted on the site when the shops are changed from delivery to carry out. Also, they sometimes send you a confirmation, stating the bonus, but sometimes they don't. I was never really concerned with that, because I always got what I was due.

So I proceeded as scheduled, only to find out when my reports were accepted, that the bonus on both of the shops was $10 less than what was promised. I called them immediately and told them to check my history. I never accepted any shops at the rate these 2 were paying me. I said the scheduled must have mistyped when overriding the bonus. I was basically told they would not do anything about it. They told me they get calls like that from shoppers, but unless I have some proof in writing, they would not change the fee. I felt like they were calling me a liar. It didn't feel very good. Why would I call after the fact and demand some money that was not promised to me?

As I said above, I continue shopping for this company when it makes sense to me. It has generally been a good experience. But I also realize now that when push comes to shove, we as shoppers have no real recourse and our word does not mean anything to them. Such is life, what can you do...