As a nice ending to my massive 6-day mostly apartments route, I grabbed a conditional reveal gas station for $20 fee + $80 bonus. Location has always been weird with their hours, but this was the 6AM - 3PM slot on a Saturday.

Still weird... store is temporarily closed, but pumps were open so on we went.

Of course I received the "Clerk Has Receipt" screen, but I now do all those shops using the gas brand's mobile app for payment, so I had a digital receipt.

Filled out the report exactly as I have done in previous situations, and exactly as specified in the guidelines. Digital receipt and dispenser screen pics uploaded to their respective slots.

Report gets bounced, with the editor requesting a screenshot of proof of purchase from my online payment account with PI removed instead of the picture of the pump screen as specified in the report. WTAF?!?!?

I grab the screenshot, but, when I logged back in, I noticed the phrasing of the question in question: it asks if either a printed or digital receipt was received. As this was the first time I'd used the app and not received a printed receipt, the back end of the question hadn't registered previously.

Being the good little mystery shopping soldier I am, I accurately answered the question as presented as a "Yes", which removed the photo prompt, so I included the dispenser screen pic in one of the additional photo slots (best feature of this program's report... wish all gas station reports did that).

Report bounced again, with the editor insisting I provide an inaccurate response to the question as phrased, and that I post the photo from my online account, the specifics for which don't exist anywhere except their tiny, power-mad brain.

This is not the first time I've run into poorly executed question phrasing/expected answer combos.

As in this instance, a question deployed with an "or" option should be broken into two distinct questions that are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Max clarity and no room for interpretation.

The most egregious was BARE and the Rubber Ducky car washes. Question asked if the cashier provided a parting remark AND a thank you (my caps).

They would accept just a parting remark, so yet another inaccurate response demanded by an MSC.

Just replying to give a three thumbs up to the thread title.

I rarely do shops on IPSOS, but for some reason there were some very highly bonused gas station shops in my city. I’m wondering if the other shoppers either flaked or had rejected shops. Regardless, I picked up a total of 7 (lowest paid $10 with $40 bonus and highest paid $10 with a $65 bonus — both with $5 gas and $3 c store reimbursement). All have been approved, but I came here to validate concerns over both the editors and strange wording of questions. I have been on pins and needles with some just waiting on more back and forth from the editor. There is no way I would ever pick one of these up without a large bonus!

You are correct...IPSOS sucks. I am particularly annoyed, but humorously so (and not angry, just because I have come to expect such inattention to detail from IPSOS), by the recent changes to the Mollusk gas station shops. e.g.- Curbs and broken concrete in the fuel island section are no longer to be evaluated...but there are other changes as well....they forgot to think about the fact that rusted curbs and dirty, broken concrete is a negative visual for the customer . The shop pays about half as much as it used to. The number of photos remain the same. A number of other observations are no longer required....BUT...editors rejected my shops en masse during the last two weeks because of either A) comments like the rusted islands/broken concrete IMPACT the appearance of the site...or incredibly picky observations were gleaned from my photos (interior of valance had a small amount of dirt on the rubber seal between the pump frame and the top of the valance. I actually returned to one of the Mollusk stations to look at the valances and found few, if any, issues. Time to take a break from IPSOS, but it is hard to kick the habit when their shops get highly bonused!

It seems that the people who hate IPSOS the most are the ones who do their gas station shops. I don't do those, so I don't have the hatred of ipsos that others do. I do the chinese chain, stage coach bank and some airport stuff. I like those and they pay sufficiently for the effort involved. Occasionally they have the huge italian chain restaurant (not consistently).

I can think of other companies that suck much more than ipsos.

The one I did this week had freshly painted island curbs/bollards, so they are probably working on them and don't want them marked off since it is not the site's fault. I know some brands have contractors go around and do that type of maintenance on all their stations.

Daddy, yes. Gas stations have a lot of unclear guidelines and lots of room for editors' interpretations. But credit card and lending shops seem to be worse. I think that the number of gas shops offered far outweigh the number of other shop categories, hence the higher number of shopper complaints.

No disrespect to those who seem to love them, but IMHO, the gas station shops aren’t worth the time and effort given the costs involved for the shopper, even if you could line up several in a row.
The base pay is insultingly low and highest bonus I’ve seen is $12, which, all tolled, would barely cover my transport to/from and offer nothing for my time, report, photos, and editor back and forth, and don’t get me started on the “reimbursement” amount of $2…

I don't recall the curbs ever being evaluated, but I get what you are saying about it impacting your rating. Oddly enough, despite the mollusks not caring about bollards, the stations I do seem to have the best bollards. But when I go to a nicely maintained station but the curbs/bollards look like absolute trash, it is a little off-putting from the point of view of a customer.

@SBP wrote:

The base pay is insultingly low and highest bonus I’ve seen is $12

You're not looking hard enough.

I just booked an overnight route including 4 Chevron Customer Firsts. Base pay is $8.50. Two were bonused to $100 and the other two to $150.

I've done $12 base pay jobs that were bonused to $500, though I've done the same location for considerably less.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/27/2025 04:01PM by CoolMusic.

I could make do with $12 and a $12 bonus, if they were lined up in a row, lol. Heck even if they are not lined up, unless they are the Mollusks. You all can have those.

@CoolMusic

I think you are willing to travel to much further locations than most. Do you start every route out with Willie Nelson "On the road again?" Do you play Ozzy Osbourne "Mama, I'm coming home" when heading back after you finish your route?

I'm curious what you define as "cool" music. I have quite a range in selection. I remember belonging to BMG cd club and Columbia house cd clubs back in the early 90s. I had Barbra Streisand greatest hits and would also get Metallica cds as well. I used to like (C)rap with Snoop, Dr. Dre, NWA and could care less about that crap now.

No Willie or Ozzie for me.

I'm primarily a Progressive Rock aficionado, with Yes having been my favorite band since I was 16. I'm also a huge fan of Todd Rundgren, Joe Jackson, Umphrey's McGee, and Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree, among many others.

Even though I'm a musician, I'm usually listening to sports talk radio when on my routes, and sometimes calling in if I'm not too far out in the boonies.

"CoolMusic" refers to the name of my independent rep firm a few lifetimes ago, as well as any music I like.

Yeah, i do not know really what "progressive rock" is. My 19 year old listens to crap I've never heard of and am not that interested in either. I still like the classics from 60s-80s. I do like the popular songs of the 2000s, but don't really pay attention to all the media w-h-o-r-e-s. Guess that is part of getting older. Just not caring so much about pop culture.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/2025 10:33PM by hbbigdaddy.

Progressive rock is rock-oriented music that includes other influences such as classical and folk. The style typically involves much longer forms than pop music, often with multiple tempi and time signatures.

Groups such as Yes, Genesis, Emerson Lake & Palmer, and Jethro Tull are considered the vanguard of progressive rock.

Saw the Ramones in an old church around 1980. I like their music. Saw the Dead Kennedys on the Berkley campus in 1979. Can't say i liked them.

Can't say i like or listen to any of those progressive groups except when they crossed over to the mainstream.

How would you classify Alice Cooper Billion Dollar Baby. Iove that album.

Vanguard huh? I was 11, and I'd never been allowed to listen to rock n roll. A handsome young man with wonderful wavy auburn hair and tight pants introduced me to Jethro Tull. I am STILL, 50+ years later, a die hard Jethro Tull fan. I also still love classical music, dixieland, ragtime, and some early country music, not the crap they put out now. I loved Mac Davis and Kenny Rogers, and all of the highway men.

I readily admit to being old.

CM, have you heard, Mr. Joe Jackson Presents Max Champion in 'What a Racket!' Joe Jackson recorded an entire album in the style of turn-of-the-century musical hall music. I heard him perform it last year on his tour.

An interesting concept although I'm not sure it bears repeated listening. He's always reinventing himself seemingly without regard to commercial viability.

@CoolMusic wrote:

No Willie or Ozzie for me.

I'm primarily a Progressive Rock aficionado, with Yes having been my favorite band since I was 16. I'm also a huge fan of Todd Rundgren, Joe Jackson, Umphrey's McGee, and Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree, among many others.

Even though I'm a musician, I'm usually listening to sports talk radio when on my routes, and sometimes calling in if I'm not too far out in the boonies.

"CoolMusic" refers to the name of my independent rep firm a few lifetimes ago, as well as any music I like.

@DRJ wrote:

CM, have you heard, Mr. Joe Jackson Presents Max Champion in 'What a Racket!' ]

I have it. Not amongst my faves from his catalog, but you are spot on about reinventing himself.

He tours with so many different ensembles that he has to reimagine the big hits, which is always a good time in concert.

One of my fave JJ albums is The Duke, his interpretation of Duke Ellington compositions. It's amazing, with some notable guests on the album.

For that tour, even though he used a 9-piece ensemble (including Regina Carter on violin), he did "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" as a duo with JJ playing accordion and singing and the bassist playing a euphonium. Genius in my book.

And speaking of books, his autobiography, "A Cure For Gravity", is a terrific read.

@Morledzep wrote:

I am STILL, 50+ years later, a die hard Jethro Tull fan.

Same here! I've been a Tull fan longer than a Yes freak, starting with Aqualung the summer I turned 13. I turn 67 next month, and just bought Curious Ruminant, the latest album. Ian's voice is pretty much shot, but the music is still totally Tull-riffic.

omg I love Todd Rundgren - first saw him 53 years ago and am seeing him this month!

Funny Karen response to this post but make no comment in regards to the gas station issue, which indeed is a problem itself, when it comes to physical receipt vs digital receipt.

I am an independent scheduler, an IC - I don't know what project that even is and have no knowledge of the editing guidelines, etc. I can't do anything to make the situation better, depending on what project it is, I may not even know who the project manager is. I don't have input on guidelines, the validation team, etc. If I did, I would have commented on it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/2025 09:40PM by KarenSchedulesForIpsos.

@KarenSchedulesForIpsos wrote:

I am an independent scheduler, an IC - I don't know what project that even is and have no knowledge of the editing guidelines, etc. I can't do anything to make the situation better, depending on what project it is, I may not even know who the project manager is. I don't have input on guidelines, the validation team, etc. If I did, I would have commented on it.

If I have mistaken you with something you are not, I apologize

@KarenSchedulesForIpsos wrote:

I am an independent scheduler, an IC - I don't know what project that even is and have no knowledge of the editing guidelines, etc. I can't do anything to make the situation better, depending on what project it is, I may not even know who the project manager is. I don't have input on guidelines, the validation team, etc. If I did, I would have commented on it.

In many companies there are people who are hard A$$'s. I've met them in all walks of life, from working to church. I'm had a few editors who have rejected my shop for not being perfect. I had one mystery shop company where the editor will not give me their storage shops. I got most of the shops done, but a few times I had to cancel the shop or move the date. Now the editor will not give me the storage shops. The shops just sit there on their site. I told the editor the shops are close to me and I can get them done, but they just refuse to give them to me. I make money of other storage shops for other companies. This editor is actually costing the company money.

@kisekinecro thank you. I understand the frustration, and if there's anything I can do, I always try to assist. Different mystery shopping companies are set up differently, and some are employees, and some are not.

@johnb974 wrote:

@KarenSchedulesForIpsos wrote:

I am an independent scheduler, an IC - I don't know what project that even is and have no knowledge of the editing guidelines, etc. I can't do anything to make the situation better, depending on what project it is, I may not even know who the project manager is. I don't have input on guidelines, the validation team, etc. If I did, I would have commented on it.

In many companies there are people who are hard A$$'s. I've met them in all walks of life, from working to church. I'm had a few editors who have rejected my shop for not being perfect. I had one mystery shop company where the editor will not give me their storage shops. I got most of the shops done, but a few times I had to cancel the shop or move the date. Now the editor will not give me the storage shops. The shops just sit there on their site. I told the editor the shops are close to me and I can get them done, but they just refuse to give them to me. I make money of other storage shops for other companies. This editor is actually costing the company money.

Editors control who gets jobs now. That is a first, I am hearing of this.

I thought the same thing, Dino! But maybe it means that an editor influenced the company to restrict the shopper from those assignments? Or it's a very small company where the scheduler is also the editor? But I won't lose sleep trying to figure it out.

Karen, you are sticking your head in the sand....."I'm just doing my job"..."I know nothing"..."I take the 5th".... You ARE responsible for the company you work for, and you ARE our primary contact with IPSOS for the clients you schedule...we HAVE NO OTHER CREDIBLE OPTION for communication with IPSOS but YOU! Is IPSOS such a fascist group that they threaten your very IC employment if you were to suggest changes that are obvious? Do they not understand that you are receiving all of this feedback from the shoppers? And don't try to tell me that Diana P and all the IPSOS stormtroopers will take care of problems...they don't...they IGNORE their own mistakes and problems.....and they ignore us. Step up and nut up!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2025 02:48PM by salisburync.

Hello @salisburync,
I am an independent scheduler with Ipsos. Any project that I am the scheduler for, yes I am the primary contact - and I always do whatever I can to get any issues straightened out. But I do not schedule everything and I do not have access to those shops or even know who the project manager is. If you choose not to believe that I cannot help that, but I can only suggest changes or get things straightened out for projects that I am involved in. I don't even know what project the OP was talking about - but from the pay, etc., I knew it wasn't one of mine. I can only speak on here about things that I KNOW and have first-hand knowledge of. I am not saying that the complaints shoppers have are not valid - but I just don't have the knowledge to say they are valid either - because I just don't have access to that information. I am proud to partner with Ipsos, and in my time here, I have NEVER seen a legitimate complaint not taken care of. As for the validation process, I don't have anything to do with that either, and have to refer those issues to the proper person to take care of. Often I don't know who the editors are for a project. Again- I am not saying issues don't , but for the programs that I schedule, or scheduled at the time, Ipsos has always taken care of any issues. My best suggestion is that if a shopper feels that way about Ipsos - then just don't do shops with Ipsos. If I had issues that were not resolved and I was treated unfairly, I would not partner with Ipsos.