I don't underand where you get the 482 divided by 5. You said that the wholesaler charges the merchant $500 for every mystery shop. 18 from 500 is 482, but why divide it?

I get it, you are not happy with the net pay rate and I can't imagine many are in disagreement.

I am inclined to use Rousseau's numbers. If you saw $500, then I suspect that either they were being billed for multiple mystery shops, perhaps the ones for the year or there were other things wrapped up in that bill and mystery shopping was one component and marketing materials could've been in there too for example. I heard that the stations are charged almost $50 for a pump topper. That seems like a huge markup when it is just some plastic with adhesive.

I am not sure what the rich get richer off the backs of poor people has to do with you being a die hard dem. By your own admission, your pay has declined under Democratic leadership. The richest CEO Dem supporter pays the retail associate at the candy store on average less than $15 an hour.

Convenience stores have a big markup on those sodas - $2 and more for a 20 ounce bottle. It is about convenience and those bottles are supposed to be cold. I think Sam's Club charges $1.79 for that same bottle in their food court. If you are getting multiple bottles as in a 6 pack or 24 count, then you can get your price for those bottles to under a dollar each, but not if you buy one at a supermarket. Either way, those bottles will be warm, so you have to either throw them in an ice chest and buy ice or bring it home and put them in the fridge and wait. From what I've read, gas station owners make their money from selling stuff in the store and not at the pump.

@F and L TeleComm wrote:

The rich get richer off the backs of poor people and you wonder why I'm a die-hard dem and will continue to be.
PS: (Convenience stores do the same thing to poor people who don't have a car and get food stamps etc. They charge $2 for a 20-ounce drink but you can buy a two-liter (if you have a car, if you have a way to get there etc) for as little as $1 or $2...I stopped drinking soda but when I did I REFUSED no matter how thirsty I was to pay for 20 ounces. I'd buy a can. It's colder too...
PS: I'm one of those people who can NOT afford a $700 printer. I'm blessed to have a $75 HP Envy cheapie. It is what it is.

and

@F and L TeleComm wrote:

Blue and red wholesaler charges the merchant $500 for every mystery shop. They pay the MSC who pays a scheduler, an editor, the platform, and a payroll service. We are offered $18. We are the ones actually doing the work. They sit behind a desk in one spot to do the job. Do you still think it's an even split? So the MSC makes $482/5=$96.40 Do you honestly think the scheduler is making $96 for every shop they schedule? If they are I'll quit shopping right now and become a scheduler. We put gas in our car, change the oil, change flat tires and sweat in the heat, freeze in the cold but they have the nerve to continue to reduce the pay, while someone is pocketing a lot of money. And it's NOT us.
I know I'm not supposed to say this. I'm just supposed to be a quiet army ant and do what I'm told. (by the queen/king ant).

I beg to differ with that assessment. I'll tell you why. Under Clinton is when I had the most money. I also started getting more earned income credit under him. He raised the minimum wage and the earned income tax credit.I didn't start having big struggles until under Bush. 20007-2009 I ended up in a hotel with my kids paying by the week exorbitant rent.
I can't afford to pay my student loans back. Biden tried to create an avenue where I could have them forgiven. GOP put a stop to that.
$50 is not for 1 pump topper, it is for a "package" of pop and will include Pump toppers, counter mats, pole signs, etc and that is actually a fair price. I paid like 40 for two car magnets from Vista Print so yes I think that is reasonable.
So with your logic what is the justification for not raising the minimum wage to $15? In Georgia, the minimum wage is still 7.25 an hour, and servers and waitresses are still paid $2.13 an hour. If it's slow and there are no customers they are expected to work, wipe tables, etc. I think this is appalling absolutely appalling to expect anyone to come into a restaurant like (great commercials, we used to mystery shop them under CI) a 4 billion dollar chain to pay servers $2 an hour. All servers should REFUSE to do any work in between customers if they aren't being paid minimum wage. I also think the Dems shouldn't be so hard-headed about the $15 they should drop it to ten to get the GOP to agree (take what you can get 1st) then keep working to get it higher! I want to get the servers together and have them ALL sit down when not serving. Tell the restaurant, "I'm not cleaning squat for two dollars an hour"!!!

I'm also not doing an oil change shop for $50 reimbursement. The only place my oil changes are close to 50 is Walmart I pay 85 at Jiffy. I can't afford the dealership etc. Why should I do this and that to go where you want me to go and you're not even willing to give me dang money back? I should get paid at least 20 dollar shopper's fee and get FULL reimbursement! Partial reimbursement my foot! And I will NEVER do a free restaurant (brightly colored crustacean) again. That one I did was more work than a gas station audit and all I got was a free meal? H--NO!

Sestrahelena: I have had schedulers tell me they can't go "that high" in response to my offer for a bonus. Then when deadline looms, same shop being offered for over $100, more than I said I would complete it for. How do you know schedulers have no control over fees?

@big_sky_thunder wrote:

Sestrahelena: I have had schedulers tell me they can't go "that high" in response to my offer for a bonus. Then when deadline looms, same shop being offered for over $100, more than I said I would complete it for. How do you know schedulers have no control over fees?

I don't know first hand but it has been said by quite a few here that most schedulers can only work with what the MSC allows them. The scheduler might not be able to go that high but, at deadline, the self assign, computerized, algorithmic system can. And that, too, is decided by the programs the MSC has in place, not the schedulers.

Of course, I may have misunderstood everything and am completely wrong. That definitely happens! This I know firsthand!

I have one more thing to add. My husband reminded me about this. There's a station I do sometimes in Widowee Alabama. One week I went and did the inspection. While talking to the lady I found out that the last inspection, the shopper called her and asked her to take the pictures!! She sent him all the pictures he told her over the phone how to take all the pictures, made her retake pictures, and send him all his pictures! He gave her some lame story about not being able to make it Before she closed! He got paid for doing the shop from home!!
It's because of shoppers like him that we have such difficulties!

wow unreal. the guy is clearly not concerned about being banned. this is something to notify the msc about.

@F and L TeleComm wrote:

I have one more thing to add. My husband reminded me about this. There's a station I do sometimes in Widowee Alabama. One week I went and did the inspection. While talking to the lady I found out that the last inspection, the shopper called her and asked her to take the pictures!! She sent him all the pictures he told her over the phone how to take all the pictures, made her retake pictures, and send him all his pictures! He gave her some lame story about not being able to make it Before she closed! He got paid for doing the shop from home!!
It's because of shoppers like him that we have such difficulties!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2023 01:20PM by jay225.

is this the lowest the base fee has ever been for this job? for me the base fee equals job fee plus gas reimbursement so that's now $17. when I started doing these in 2015 they were $17.50. i never did one for anything close to base fee then, and i sure as heck wouldn't now lol

Let's do more math - the same job is available on Presto for $12/3. Says it's a different project but according to the guidelines and requirements, it's the same. So let's subtract another $3 from the new pay structure.

And, at this point, ALL of the regular quarterly shops are done in my area. At base. In the first month. And it wasn't me.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2023 11:19PM by sestrahelena.

Ses, the Presto version says it's a pilot program. I think they are trying to switch it to Presto and cut out the schedulers completely.

Has anyone done one of the Presto ones yet? Are they really quicker? After reading the guidelines, I only see less photos of pumps. Also, the quiz said a photo of your pump is required, but it's not listed in the guidelines along with required photos, so I guess it should be taken just in case. I don't see much else that's different. I may try one, since all of the local shops on the regular platform have been scooped up. Still a lot of work for less $$. I hope they don't move them all to Presto.

Also, instructions say that if you are refused the audit, put the refusal letter on the counter and take a picture. No refusal letter is supplied in the documents for this project. Imagine the beginner who stumbles onto this quandry.

@sestrahelena wrote:

Also, instructions say that if you are refused the audit, put the refusal letter on the counter and take a picture. No refusal letter is supplied in the documents for this project. Imagine the beginner who stumbles onto this quandry.

It is included, along with the POP Guide, Shopper Guidelines and the LOA.

But, imagine being refused and then trying to slap down one of the Refusal Letters and taking a photo!
If they're not ageeing to allow the audit, why would they allow that photo?

I do not see anything in the guidelines that prohibits a double-dip. Like do the $12, submit on site, and while you're still there, do everything over for the $15 so the photo times will match shop time and be a separate set. Maybe this is a question for johnb.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2023 06:12PM by sestrahelena.

Somewhere I read that you cannot do both on the same day. I would not try it.

Yeah, I just read it too. Thanks! I wouldn't have the cojones to try it anyway.

For anyone who was wondering whether is is the client or the MSC that is responsible for the reduced reimbursements, this MSC specifically states in the guidelines for at least two different gas brands, "(MSC) reimburses ($Xxx)." So it is the MSC that controls and lowers the reimbursement, not the clients.

I did the presto ones. Yes, they are easier and faster and only require 1 pump picture, the pump you get fuel at. But you still have to supply a pump infraction picture if two pumps have an infraction. For what they are paying I like the new one a lot better. I can submit it in the car like the presto shop we do for intellishop with a bathroom and drink area picture. I don't have to wait till I get home to input it. Now that was a big difference. But the difference in the main/full audit was minuscule.

I won't do a revealed audit with 6 required photos, full inspection of every pump, and a photo of each infraction, for $12, no matter how easy the input. I just won't.

Gas stations used to be fairly paid with reimbursements. Now with the price of gas and inflation, the rates are going down. Just not worth it anymore.

I've only ever found gas station shops to be worthwhile if they are directly located on a road where I need to travel to run errands etc. I might have left my house once for a group of stations that were right next to each other....I really find them to be mostly a waste otherwise - but I do read of others who can make them work. I haven't found a way...yet. I don't like feeling insulted. lol.

@sestrahelena wrote:

Re: certificates. jazzzyjd gave me an idea. How about keeping one one your phone and, if it's ever needed, pull it up and ask if they want to take a picture of it. You could also attach it to a text but, personally, I don't want strangers having even my secondary number.

I've had to rely on my phone for the LOA on a couple of conditional reveal shops. Shopped the major local chain of convenience stores, and did not have my paperwork with me. 99.9% of the time their employees are in uniform.


No issues pulling the letter up on the phone, showing the logos and telling them my reason for being there, luckily.

Barefoot opines--I really find them to be mostly a waste ..............

Bob agrees for 2023--15 yrs, ago, Maritz would pay to have stations shopped. Even Ritter, a known bottom payer, anted up $25 + $6 for me to shop a four pump location I would drive by to visit an aunt.

Barefoot adds--I do read of others who can make them work.

Bob states--When one is in need, one must make it work.

@claabe wrote:

It was a Exxon Rewards member email.
90 % of the Exxon's I do, ask about rewards !

Really? Not one of mine every has.

i did a station last week. the pumps were in the process of breaking, and i wasn't able to get gas. i still did all the work, and the store was open so i made my purchase. the editor told me to change it to closed station, and now i'll only receive partial payment. i don't get it, the store was open, and it's not like the gas part was closed, there was a guy outside telling customers pumps to go to, and some were still working before they all stopped. has anyone else received this partial payment thing? how much is it? pretty annoying as i didn't do any less than i normally do.

Yeah I did one the other night, when I looked up the hours for the shop it said that the station was open 24 hours. When I went to the station it was about 20:50 (ish), there was severe storm damage to the canopy and all of the pumps were out of order, the store was closed and there was a man inside. I rechecked the hours on the gas website and on Google, Google had been changed to them closing at 10:00 p.m. but the gas company website still said that they were open 24 hours.

I can understand them being closed because the canopy was really really bad there were parts of it just hanging off and missing completely, the pumps all said that payment had to be made inside, and the front door said that the credit card machine wasn't working and they couldn't use the credit card for the gas station brand nor could they use Visa or debit cards. So there really wasn't any point in them being open if they could only use cash to purchase anything.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/07/2023 09:16PM by Morledzep.

@jay225 wrote:

i did a station last week. the pumps were in the process of breaking, and i wasn't able to get gas. i still did all the work, and the store was open so i made my purchase. the editor told me to change it to closed station, and now i'll only receive partial payment. i don't get it, the store was open, and it's not like the gas part was closed, there was a guy outside telling customers pumps to go to, and some were still working before they all stopped. has anyone else received this partial payment thing? how much is it? pretty annoying as i didn't do any less than i normally do.

Last I checked, instructions said if there's no gas but the store's open you still do the full audit. Did that change? If not you should probably fight it. They'll walk all over you if you let them. Hope it works out.

AND:
1. With the "closed" status you will not be reimbursed for your store purchase.
2. "Partial payment" is whatever they decide it is, on any given day or project. That's exactly why the amount is no longer disclosed to us upfront, on the shop description or in the guidelines. But it is something we should be able to know ahead of time when calculating whether an assignment would be profitable and worth the risk.

i went to the project manager and she told the editor to pay me in full, so it worked out.