Every chance I get.

If they were looking for different results, why are they hiring a shopper at the same time and the same place? Why are they hiring from the same pool? Their due diligence is not my job. Even if it looks like the same client, it could still be regional management vs national. It comes down to a risk vs benefit decision. On your first offense, you can always say, "sorry, I didn't know." If you knock over a candle with a bell and set a book on fire you aren't going to go very far in the mystery shopping business, particularly on the better paying competitor/intelligence side.

In this particular case (the bowling alley), I wouldn't try to double dip it because I think the MSC is auditioning for the client. And I much prefer the new MSC to the old one. I mean a nice fee ON TOP of the reimbursement? Please and thank you.

.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/13/2014 05:44PM by shpilkus.

I recently did a shop where the paperwork clearly stated that in no way were any of the shop details, receipts, or info to be submitted to any other MSC, under any condition whatsoever.

That sure clarified this question for me.

cease

Since the only thing we're selling here is our truth and integrity, I would opt for full disclosure or take the better-paying job and skip the other. Or take both but do them at different times. It's one thing to think, "It's better to ask forgiveness than permission" but in this industry, forgiveness may not come at all, and failing to ask permission can get you banned from both MSCs. Not worth the risk for a pair of cheap shops and definitely not worth the risk for high-dollar shops.

Maybe that's the only thing ~you~ are selling.

I think the only way that I would do it is if I was evaluating two different areas in one location, which happened to me over the holidays. Two companies were offering a shop at the same electronics store. One was to ask about cell phones and the other was to ask about printers. I went in, did the printer shop, left, and filled out the report in the car. I went back in and did the cell phone shop. Two different departments, so I didn't talk to or even see the first person that I evaluated. Since I exited the building first, I felt like that signified me completing that shop, and whatever I did after that didn't matter (unless I did something like go back in and yell "HAHA! GOTCHA!"). But double dipping where it is the same scenario at the same time just sounds too good to be true to me. I tend to be cautious about things that sound too good to be true, they never seem to work out for me.

They're... similar scenarios. They overlap significantly but each does have separate things (for instance, one wants you to order food, one doesn't, one wants you to check out the arcade games, one doesn't).

Not all companies hold off on the reports. I completed a gas station myst shop, the employee was not in compliance, sent the report in around 8 pm; the very next morning the district manager was at the store with the report in his hand.

As for double dipping: the company may be looking at a particular employee, especially if there is a time frame set up and they may just want two different version's in order to catch the person, in the act.

We are well aware that consumer's will contact corporate if they have a complaint about a particular situation, event or employee compliance.

I can tell you from a company perspective, if it's discovered you will be deactivated, without a doubt. I have seen cases where the end client got the reports, figured out it was the same shopper and wouldn't take either report because then they were paying twice for the same information. Due diligence goes both ways.

I see a problem with this. The bowling alley is expecting two shops and paying the MSCs for two. I think you bite the bullet and go bowling twice or just leave the second shop for another shopper.

Hello,

Since we do over 4000 bowling locations I wanted to chime in on this. You absolutely should check with both providers. I can only speak for our company directly and we would always want to be made aware of this potential conflict (if we aren't already) and would most likely only want you to conduct one or the other shop but not both. It's a good way to create a problem for both MSC's with our clients and yourself as well. Unless the client would be okay with both shoppers doing the shop (which I have never seen a situation where they were) then you would need to only do one of the shops. If this is by chance one of our shops, please contact us ASAP.

PS for those of you waiting for a reply on another thread I had responded to back in late April I apologize that I haven't been able to respond yet, but this is our busy time of year when our business doubles and I simply haven't been able find the time needed for a proper response.

Thanks for your patience.

Scot A. Carson
General Manager

Amusement Advantage
www.amusementadvantage.com

*REFERRAL PAY* - Refer friends, family and co-workers and earn $10-20 for their first shop!

So, we had a shop where it was being completed on the local level with us and a second shop was being completed through the corporate level through another company. The owner of the store received both the shop he requested and the shop requested by corporate. He was extremely unhappy and the shopper placed us in a bad situation. Not only did she use the same exact report for both companies, she also used the same receipts. Double Dipping. Our client refused to pay for the shop and so we had to decline the shop and she was not paid or reimbursed for it. We also felt obligated to let the other company know what had happened. I am not sure what happened on their end with the report but it was made clear she would no longer be working for them. We parted ways with her as well. So not only did the shopper lose money, she lost not one but two different MSC's to work for.
Like many are stating, call the MSC and ask. Better to be safe because we do have several shops where 'double dipping' is allowed. Of course, those shops don't require a purchase and the shops are created so that it is necessary to turn in a different report altogether for each shop.
On a final note, what some shoppers who double dip are not getting here is that you as a shopper may get your hand slapped and lose one MSC but we could very well lose a client over this, as well as our reputation. Double dipping has the potential to affect everyone, not just the shopper trying to get away with it. BTW, we do not have the bowling alley shop. Thank you.

Emma A. Valdivieso
Mystery Shopper Services
Accounting Manager
Phone: 805-472-4396
Toll Free: 888-300-8292 extension 1009
Email: emma@mysteryshopperservices.com
Website: www.mysteryshopperservices.com

I want to take this slightly off topic. Has anyone ever considered how much clients double dip? Demographics set up so the shopper is a real potential customer required to give all of their real contact information. The client pays for mystery shop report and also gets a "live" prospect

The clients normally do not get any of the shopper's actual personal information.

Of course they get our personal information even if it is not provided by the MSC. We give it to them onsite and many clients do not purge their databases of mystery shoppers. I regularly get mail and email from any number of retailers, apartments and new car dealers, all as the result of mystery shops.

I second what LisaSTL says. Perhaps not for shops that
you schedule at Summit but there are plenty of shops
where they do have all or some of our information.
Once in awhile it works out in my favor though. I got
a restaurant gift card and a visa gift card if I came
back about 4 months after the shop. More often
then not it doesn't and just get nonsense mail.

I want to thank the owners, managers, and schedulers who replied to this thread.

I think you clarified this beautifully.

The whole concept felt "wrong" to me, but I couldn't express it adequately.

Although I don't see a problem say, with a food court location. I can do one shop for one
MSC, disappear for awhile into Target or Walmart, then go get my dessert for a 2nd shop
half an hour or so after completing the first shop. I don't consider that "double-dipping";
I consider it "working smarter".

I hope I'm right! And if I'm not, I hope you'll come back on and tell me, as I really don't
want to jeopardize my standing as a "valued" shopper!

cease

Nice to see input from company representatives. I'm sure this has answered Misanthrope's question and has clarified for the rest of us. And, hopefully, the double-dip Misanthrope already did in April won't have any negative consequences for him.

Whether on the road using a car or in a mall using your feet, multiple locations is simply route shopping. As such, no MSC can forbid you from completing shops for other companies as long as the clients are all different. There is also no reason to impose time restrictions on yourself unless you need it to take notes. I use both my phone's notes and voice recorder for shops so my end time from one shop until the start of the next is just as long as it takes my feets to get me there

I think this quote below is being overlooked. It's not all about me. Our actions cause ripples that can turn into destructive waves. Mike T. posted a thread in general chat under "I wish this was a mystery shop" or something similar about door and window repairs. Read that and decide which guy you want to be. I want to be the second guy.


Emma Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> On a final note, what some shoppers who
> double dip are not getting here is that you as a
> shopper may get your hand slapped and lose one MSC
> but we could very well lose a client over this, as
> well as our reputation. Double dipping has the
> potential to affect everyone, not just the shopper
> trying to get away with it.

I do it all the time.

I am with Ceasesmith on this. Read your ICA and instructions and verify that it is not listed, then check with the msc. I have seen the same wording on several shops indicating that doing two simultaneous shops for different mscs would be a violation. You are best to err on the side of caution.

I think as long as you are being careful, there is no problem or real ICA violation. Two separate companies. Two somewhat different shops in that sense. Use your gut.

As Spock [the pointy-eared one, not the baby doctor] would say, "Fascinating."

We have three MSC representatives who have given solid reasons why this is not good, and there are still shoppers saying it's still ok to do.

StormCloud Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
I mean, I would be
> tempted too (who wouldn't?) but the thing is, if
> the client thinks they're getting two different
> shops, they may complain to one (or both) of the
> MSCs when they see the two reports are from the
> same day/time and is from the same person (based
> on receipts).

I like StormCloud's thinking, but I wish to point out that although both shops are at the same location, the shops could be for two different clients. It might not be one client getting two reports. I know of service station/convenience stores in my area that get shopped by two different MSCs and sometimes the shop requirements are almost the same, but I think there are two different clients. One client is the local management or franchise owner. The other client is the oil company.

I take advantage every time - if and when the report goes to a client and its competitor, and it is not prohibited in the guidelines. If I'm not certain who the client is, I ask the scheduler.

I agree... but it would still be best to contact the MSC(s) involved and make sure this is the case... just so you don't mess things up for everybody including yourself! If you find out it *is* the case, the MSC(s) would most likely give you the green light anyway. If it's not the case, you just avoided a big mess.



alannajm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> StormCloud Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> I mean, I would be
> > tempted too (who wouldn't?) but the thing is, if
> > the client thinks they're getting two different
> > shops, they may complain to one (or both) of the
> > MSCs when they see the two reports are from the
> > same day/time and is from the same person (based
> > on receipts).
>
> I like StormCloud's thinking, but I wish to point
> out that although both shops are at the same
> location, the shops could be for two different
> clients. It might not be one client getting two
> reports. I know of service station/convenience
> stores in my area that get shopped by two
> different MSCs and sometimes the shop requirements
> are almost the same, but I think there are two
> different clients. One client is the local
> management or franchise owner. The other client
> is the oil company.

James Bond 007.5 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As Spock would say, "Fascinating."
>
> We have three MSC representatives who have given
> solid reasons why this is not good, and there are
> still shoppers saying it's still ok to do.




Indeed.

cease

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Whether on the road using a car or in a mall using
> your feet, multiple locations is simply route
> shopping. As such, no MSC can forbid you from
> completing shops for other companies as long as
> the clients are all different. There is also no
> reason to impose time restrictions on yourself
> unless you need it to take notes. I use both my
> phone's notes and voice recorder for shops so my
> end time from one shop until the start of the next
> is just as long as it takes my feets to get me
> there

If you were referring to the person you didn't quote, above*, I think that she was talking about doing two shops at the same food location. I think that in that case, it's reasonable to put a little time between the first purchase, and the second.

*Ceasesmith