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Seems more complicated than necessary

December 02, 2009 03:44AM
Hi everyone!
I have just signed up to be a mystery shopper. After completing all requirements to become an IC, I have been reading the requirements for how info is sent back to the company. I am not too savvy with computers but know how to send photos and scan things. The company wants everything(receipts) scanned at a certain size, certain number of pixels, yada, yada. I don't really know how to make the many adjustments required. I feel, if you can read everything on the receipt and see the photos clearly, why does everything have to be set the way the company wants it? It's not like we're making mega bucks here! Are they really such sticklers about such tiny details? I don't want to make some small silly mistake and they deside not to pay me because the pixels weren't X size. Do they really hold you to the letter on such small details? If so, I am not sure it's worth it. like straining out the knat and swallowing the camel.
Any advice?
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December 02, 2009 04:34AM
I don't think I have ever seen a size requirement on receipts. Certainly the number of pixels for photos is a general requirement. Many companies do not want the poor resolution of the old camera phones and they don't want the horrendously space hungry photos from a good digital camera. This is not rocket science and I have never had a shop rejected because photos were too large or scans were too large, but then again the reporting software may kick out and not accept a file that is too large.

If you have reasonable photo or scanning software, it generally is not particularly difficult to adjust for clarity, contrast or size. It just takes a little practice. Some of these guys will even accept clear photos of receipts, so no, they are more giving guidelines I believe, than cast in stone requirements.

You seem to be referring, however, to one particular company and if what you are dealing with is the specifications for a pizza shop, those do tend to be pickier than others. Probably even more important on those than the number of pixels is the exact angle from which the photo was taken and exactly what is shown in the photo.
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December 02, 2009 05:28AM
Hi Flash,
Thanks for responding. The company is Trendsource. I have read here that this would be a good place to start. I was surprised that they are so detailed in their requirements on sending things in. This could be taking me aback because I am completely wet behind the ears concerning mystery shopping and know very little about it. Still, I want to try it because I think it would be fun and possibly gratifying work. Hopefully, they will not be such sticklers and that they simply have a written protocol to help guide shoppers.

Thanks again!
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December 02, 2009 05:50AM
smiling smiley

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/2009 05:54AM by Flash.
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December 02, 2009 05:54AM
My only 'issue' with them was that after uploading everything to the report I then needed to upload a receipt again for accounting. I didn't realize that and by the time I started inquiring about a missing payment too much time had elapsed and I got dinged on the fee for not uploading that same stuff a second time for the second department. I've done a fair number of business verifications for them that are mostly photographs and a scan of signed paperwork and never had issues with photograph or scan size. I do most often use a 12 megapixel camera but it set it to about 4 megapixels except for a few jobs with a particular company that wants as many megapixels as possible.
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December 02, 2009 07:18AM
Trendsource is not the only company with specific requests for photo's, etc. I have a few I shop for that are quite specific, and several that don't care as long as it's legible and will upload. Then there is one that wants receipts made into pdfs.

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December 02, 2009 01:24PM
All of the size requirements I have seen have just set minimum or maximum suze. I find that if I use the MS software to size them all to the preset "small email" everything is fine.

Also, I have gotten emails asking for a clearer picture but never lost a fee just because the first (or second) try wasn't good.

Relax and give it a try.

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.
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March 12, 2010 08:53PM
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The best thing to do, is when you take the photos make sure the pixels are at a small a size as possible, and try to be sure they are clear when photo'ed.

I know. they are sticklers about all this stuff, yet want to pay us peanuts!

There's also resizing programs out there, so check them out.. Good luck.
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