Grocery Shop Question

I have not done one of these yet. I am signed up with a company that has one listed but I am awaiting verification. I noticed on a office supply type store they said you could not mention a rewards card. They want the cashier to ask you for one.
Is this typical with Grocery stores as well? Or do they allow you to use your card? There is a big difference between one at a retail store compared to a grocery store. Most grocery stores give much better prices with a card. I want to be able to make purchases with the card.
Also, if you are required to make two specific purchases and it says reimbursement up to $9.00. If the two items they specify come to $7.00 and you spend $9.00 do they typically reimburse the full total?
I am just curious as I have not done these and might have to ask the specifics to the company involved.

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It depends on the company, the client and the shop itself. Some allow, some do not. Be sure to read the guidelines carefully before performing the assignment. A couple also do not want you to use coupons while some say that is okay. I have noticed the guidelines of one of the groceries I shop have been recently updated and now say you cannot use food stamps. Others do not mention method of payment in the guidelines.

Thanks AustinMom, I have a feeling a lot of the questions I have like that will depend on the company. Im just curious about a few things while I wait to get verified. Thanks for the feedback.

It depends on the company. That said, all of the grocery store shops that I have done allowed me to use my rewards card (and some even ask a question about that) and the reimbursement was always the lessser of what I spent or the maximum reimbursement.

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.

By the way, some stores (not grocery stores) allow you to call in your receipt so your points can be added to your reward card later.

The grocery shops I have done have allowed me to use my discount card and coupons - but some make you wait to produce it until you're asked if you have one.

Thanks for the information. I did a practice run today at a store 30 minutes away I had never been too that is on a list. It worked out well since I was doing shops nearby anyway. I cant see how they could say no to a rewards card. The cashier that opened a check stand and grabbed my cart to assist me was the store director. He asked If I had a card, I replied no. He offered me an application and I said oh okay. He said" for today we will just use my card" So how could you say no when A store director does that?
I got a reply email about specifics. They told me as long as I purchased from both departments mentioned in guidelines no matter what the total, they would reimburse X amount.
I am finding depending on the company, some need to be more specific in the guidelines.
Sounds like a good shop to me. Time will tell.

Wow! Joe, you are off to a great start becasue you have already caught on that MSC instructions may need you to be proactive to find out just what is really needed or permitted. We see a lot of newbies here who just didn't ask before performing the shop nd became very disppointed in the outcome. Please continue to post progress reports. Other new shoppers often learn best from their fellow new shoppers.

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.

walesmaven Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wow! Joe, you are off to a great start becasue
> you have already caught on that MSC instructions
> may need you to be proactive to find out just what
> is really needed or permitted. We see a lot of
> newbies here who just didn't ask before performing
> the shop nd became very disppointed in the
> outcome. Please continue to post progress
> reports. Other new shoppers often learn best from
> their fellow new shoppers.

Thanks !! Well I do have a lot of retail experience. I grew up in the grocery business, owned a retail store with my wife for 7 years. Most recently have 9 years of guest service experience for a major corporation. So that kind of background helps.
I ran into a problem today with a report and it was all due to certain things. It was my first report for a restaurant chain, the details were not clear. I got an email today asking for more narrative. I simply thought it was one of those if Yes its okay, if '"no" pleas explain. I complied and redid the parts questioned. I just got a reply that my report was "first rate" along with an apology for the confusion about details.
That is my biggest thing so far. Before I take any shop especially a new one , I want " DETAILS" : )

Speaking of details. This thought came up while scanning a receipt that had so much advertising , website or survey information it was longer than the scanner. I just scanned what I could, checked and all the info they wanted was showing and sent it in.
Then the question came to me. If you do a grocery shop and the receipt is long, what do you do? Cut it in half and set side by side on the scanner? Most software I see allows one slot for a pic of a receipt.

Yes, I cut it in half and tape the two sides together. Works great.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.

MDavisnowell Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes, I cut it in half and tape the two sides
> together. Works great.

Thanks......these are the exact kind of situations I was talking about. Every company has its own way of doing things and that's fine. But before I jump into anything I want details of how to handle what. I can see by reading this forum that is where most mistakes or rejections come from.

My practice run yesterday paid off in several ways. Besides knowing a store director will have you use his courtesy card I noticed a couple other things. One scenario is to purchase a produce item with a sticker on it. But in some fashion ; ) lose that sticker by the time you get to the checkout. Object? to see if the cashier gets the product right in case there is no sticker. I first thought, might looking pretty weird pulling off a sticker. Want some apples? Would have to pull them all off and look even more weird. Answer? Purchase an onion with loose skin. Skin falls off. wala produce with no sticker : ) I noticed it when I purchased an onion yesterday and the sticker was on a loose skin that fell off in the basket.
The other situation that helped was I was at fairly local store but had never shopped there. Without the pressure of timing or remembering anything I talked with clerks in every department. I know they have more than one for each department but I managed to get names and descriptions down with no pressure at all.
When I have to go to the bakery sometime soon I'll just hope I get the same nice older lady.
I didn't get this shop this month. It was gone before I got verified, however there are four within my working area. All of a sudden grocery shopping is going to be fun

Ah, this brings back memories. I think the best thing to do is not use the card and if they don't ask you can always retroactively go to the service desk and get the discount.
Once I did a shop on Dec. 23rd and it took so long and the employees were ignoring me and the lines were so long and I had the bob under the cart which was going to be a hassle so I just forked over my card at the very last minute b/c she wasn't gonna ask. It was late and she looked exhausted. The company didn't like that and started questioning all the details of the shop. It was my regular store and I know that the cashier is beloved.
Since then I have relocated and am doing a grocery store next week for the MSC everyone loves to hate. I did one last year and it was pretty easy. Although it doesn't pay a lot I have to buy groceries anyway and it will justify me buying some splurge item. If the reimbursement is up to $9 I think you have to spend the full $9 b/c they reimburse the actual amount up to $9.

pony, the MSC who required a $9 minimum purchase did not reimburse. They pay (paid?) a flat rate, starting in January of this year. The new MSC is paying fee plus a $10 reimbursement. The only required purchase is a deli item, and if the special request is honored, that is also a required purchase, both of which could certainly total less than $10. Really though, if reimbursement is $10, I am not one to leave reimbursement dollars on the table.

Regarding loyalty cards, and going to CS after the fact for credit, would not work for me. For years, I have done 30-50+ grocery stores a month. Going to CS after every checkout would surely identify me as either a shopper or a dolt

I regularly shop four different grocery store chains, for four different MSCs, and irregularly, two other chains for different MSCs, none has prohibited using the loyalty card.

On a side note. Does anyone know if Winn-Dixie is shopped? They're really the only other chain here besides Publix and I've never seen them on any of the boards.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

I've only seen them as competitor shops.

I just checked the job board and the jobs are taken thru November in 3 locations. They are not close to each other and I was going to try one on my way to another town. Someone keeps grabbing them at the lowly rate of $4.00. There is a $9.00 reimbursement. I guess someone needs groceries really bad. I just cant see taking a fee of $4.00 for anything that involved.
Maybe i'll get one someday.

Joe, you should consider using JobSlinger plus. It will send you a text message as soon as a shop is posted so you can grab it before someone else does. It's not free but costs almost nothing per month to use.

CoastieWife, Thanks, jobslinger is next on my list to signup with. I have been out of town for a few days taking care of my grandson and didn't want to get a new batch of emails while busy and gone.
I will be back at this in the next few days.

I just completed my first grocery shop. It came with a nice bonus and nice reimbursement. I just received the feedback and did quite well. It was heavy in narrative but I did okay.
I spent the entire fee and reimbursement on groceries I wanted but that's okay with me. I can honestly say it was fun to do compared to other shops I have done.

bgriffin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> On a side note. Does anyone know if Winn-Dixie is
> shopped? They're really the only other chain here
> besides Publix and I've never seen them on any of
> the boards.

Without giving too much away I know for certain Winn-Dixie does mystery shopping. How-I heard it from upper - upper management.

I regularily shop two different grocery chains and plan to add more. One has a membership card for points but not discounts and the other has no card. A card or discount is not addressed in the guidelines so I use it. I also shop on 10% off senior discount days. Both MSC's have set cash payments in the $20's.

Silver in the Maritime Northwest

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