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The darkness shop - Ipsos strikes again.

November 06, 2023 10:45PM
Ipsos has gas station shops that require that the visit be conducted after sunset. However, some stations are really repair shops with a gas pump or two, and these locations are ONLY open during daylight hours, usually 9-5. Staff at Ipsos instruct shoppers to complete the visit during the time the location is open. I did just that. Naturally, Ipsos rejected the shop. Now I have to take the time to explain the situation and hope I get paid...lovely...
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More Discussions About Ipsos Mystery Shopping (All Companies)
November 06, 2023 11:36PM
I hope it works out for you. Fingers crossed you get paid.

Shopping Arkansas, Louisiana, & Mississippi.
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November 07, 2023 12:37AM
Did you explain in the comments that the station closes at 5?
@salisburync wrote:

Ipsos has gas station shops that require that the visit be conducted after sunset. However, some stations are really repair shops with a gas pump or two, and these locations are ONLY open during daylight hours, usually 9-5. Staff at Ipsos instruct shoppers to complete the visit during the time the location is open. I did just that. Naturally, Ipsos rejected the shop. Now I have to take the time to explain the situation and hope I get paid...lovely...
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November 07, 2023 12:39AM
If this is the lighting audit they have to be done when it's dark. No point otherwise.
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November 07, 2023 01:17AM
I hope you get paid. But it does point out clearly that shopping after sunset is a requirement to do the shop. I would have passed personally.
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November 08, 2023 11:26AM
If it's the brand I'm thinking of, the instructions say that if the station is not open during dark hours, still complete the assessment as a kiosk location.
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November 08, 2023 12:42PM
Can you still buy gasoline after dark? If so, as I recall, that situation was addressed in the gudelines.

Do not read so much, look about you and think of what you see there.
Richard Feynman-- letter to Ashok Arora, 4 January 1967, published in Perfectly Reasonable Deviations from the Beaten Track (2005) p. 230
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November 09, 2023 01:27PM
Based on my experience, the staff member is at fault.

The guidelines and reports clearly address situations where it's a darkness shop and the business is closed.

You proceed with the shop, and the report includes a slot for a picture of the store hours showing it is closed during the assigned shop day part.

These are the desirable darkness shops as they can be done anytime during the day part and there is no human interaction involved.
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November 09, 2023 02:10PM
Depends. If Ipsos is internally editting and there's a workaround as mentioned, that's on them. Screenshot the guide in the reply.

If Wordsmith Pros are doing the editting, there's a fix for editors there not complying with guidelines. They "do" answer to someone.
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November 09, 2023 03:47PM
FWIW, there is one advantage to "falling back" to standard time... more time to do those darkness shops.

Remote loops for the MSC are a big part of my game these days, with the brand in question being my favorite thanks to the flexible reimbursement and being able to use the app to pay for minuscule amounts of gas (up to their 24 hour transaction limit).

Very frustrating putting a loop together only to run into too many locations in darkness mode...
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November 10, 2023 06:26AM
My son just signed up to a farm store gas station shop that says "after the sun is below the horizon" Today they closed at 17:00. In the summer they close at 18:00. This is as close as they ever get to being open after dark. I don't think their canopy even has lights in it.. I know I've never seen them on. I don't even try to sign up for this place unless it's a daytime shop and it is very well bonused. They don't have pay at the pump at this place, you have to buy your gas inside, so if the store is closed, so are the gas pumps.

There IS interaction with the staff, it's not just a mystery shop. It's the one that the reimbursement is $10 no matter how you spend it, as long as you buy gasoline AND something inside the store. And if you can still buy gas you are supposed to do it as a kiosk, even if the store is closed.
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November 14, 2023 06:33PM
I just did one and one of the questions asked if the shop was closed and that was their regular hours and I chose that answer. Mine was approved. Then I went to a repair station one for an "easy" shop as I knew they they would be closed and someone just happened to come in early that day to "catch up". lol.
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