A certain msc contacted me after I applied for an assignment that is a new client for them. I was contacted by the scheduler who said I could get it if he bundled it with one of their crappy jobs. What do you think of this? I've been a shopper with this msc for 7 years and have always gotten excellent marks. I was told I was "one of their best shoppers" but I resent them dangling a carrot and telling me I have to do the other shop that some wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2017 12:02PM by DareWright.

There are a few MSCs using this tactic. Fortunately, we can accept or reject.

It all depends on how much you want the desirable assignment. There's more to being the best candidate then just getting high marks. Their sandbox...their rules.

I have one MSC which always used to give me great assignments, and then they got a crappy client I had no interest in. Now all the great assignments are used to lure shoppers into the undesireable shops.

I figure that sooner or later, they won't be able to sustain the required shopper level for the crappy shops & things might return to the way they once were.

I don't have a problem with this tactic.

How is this really different from offering a bonus or a shopper asking for a bonus? Negotiation. Schedulers are free to negotiate. So am I. They can say no thanks. So can I.

Ok, let me explain further....the good shop is for a kid's toy store in which I have to bring a child ages 4-10, so obviously I'd bring my 8 year old son. The crappy shop is an dinner shop that pays reimbursement-only of $40. I have to order an appetizer, 2 entrees and at least one alcoholic drink. The scheduler told me that the restaurant shop is about 10 miles from the toy store, so I'd do both of them in one night. The issue is that I'd be bringing my spouse (have to bring another adult on the restaurant one) and child and would go over the food reimbursement, and it's at a restaurant that I don't care for.

Sorry, I'm not biting. It's not worth it for a $40 stuffed animal for me to be out money at a restaurant I never frequent. If they offered a bonus or actual shop fee I might consider it, but this msc is notorious for only doing reimbursement-only. They never bonus in my area.

Sounds like ACL.

Recently I got one of these offers on a job I requested. My email asked me to take 2 of the "crappy" jobs. My issue is that I always take the "crappy" jobs because to me they are not crappy. So I think they should notice that and not require me, who takes them all the time, to do even more. In fact that same day I had just accepted one of the "crappy" last minute jobs with a small bonus. I mentioned this to the scheduler and asked that they consider the already scheduled one and also mentioned that some of the locations I was out of rotation for were a two hour round trip drive for me...and these jobs have no fee. The scheduler and I negotiated easily and quickly and I was scheduled for two jobs I would have taken anyway. But, yes I agree this is not a great way to do business. As a shopper of the "crappy but to me wonderful jobs" the msc should have noticed and just given me the bonus job upfront as a thanks for taking these regularly.

It depends on if you're doing this for the scheduler, or the MSC. I have a good rapport with a few schedulers at companies that have some really nice assignments- usually high end hotels. I can scratch their back and do a bad assignment at the last minute for them because that way I know I can call on a favor and say "Hey, I'm taking a woman out on a date next week and I don't want to pay for dinner, give me a nice restaurant on Saturday"

@Misanthrope wrote:

It depends on if you're doing this for the scheduler, or the MSC. I have a good rapport with a few schedulers at companies that have some really nice assignments- usually high end hotels. I can scratch their back and do a bad assignment at the last minute for them because that way I know I can call on a favor and say "Hey, I'm taking a woman out on a date next week and I don't want to pay for dinner, give me a nice restaurant on Saturday"

Have you taken a new romantic interest to a restaurant that you were shopping?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2017 09:48PM by MSF.

@MSF wrote:

@Misanthrope wrote:

It depends on if you're doing this for the scheduler, or the MSC. I have a good rapport with a few schedulers at companies that have some really nice assignments- usually high end hotels. I can scratch their back and do a bad assignment at the last minute for them because that way I know I can call on a favor and say "Hey, I'm taking a woman out on a date next week and I don't want to pay for dinner, give me a nice restaurant on Saturday"

Have you taken a new romantic interest to a restaurant that you were shopping?

Usually not for the first date, but usually a second or third date.

For one MSC and scheduler, I solely do their convenience store shops for a bonus. It never fails, when the scheduler texts me to do the shops, she asks me to do a pizza shop.

This month, she went so far as to say, "Don't forget how good I've been to you."

Misanthrope is still relatively new to dating/MSing. He'll learn to work it into a first date soon

I've stated this elsewhere, but MSIng is a great way to break the ice and ask someone on a date. It creates a sense of adventure, something to do/talk about and a lot less pressure if you are not footing the bill for the meal.

@Misanthrope wrote:

@MSF wrote:

@Misanthrope wrote:

It depends on if you're doing this for the scheduler, or the MSC. I have a good rapport with a few schedulers at companies that have some really nice assignments- usually high end hotels. I can scratch their back and do a bad assignment at the last minute for them because that way I know I can call on a favor and say "Hey, I'm taking a woman out on a date next week and I don't want to pay for dinner, give me a nice restaurant on Saturday"

Have you taken a new romantic interest to a restaurant that you were shopping?

Usually not for the first date, but usually a second or third date.

I've had it done recently with a mediocre shop. The scheduler wouldn't give it to me unless I took an even more undesirable shop. I left it on the table for someone else to snatch up. Now to figure out the toy store shop! I've done the plastic bricks and the mouse stores but I don't remember the ages being as specific as this. I'd take a $40 dinner shop, I think...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2017 05:11AM by ShopSouthTexas.

@ShopSouthTexas wrote:

I've had it done recently with a mediocre shop. The scheduler wouldn't give it to me unless I took an even more undesirable shop. I left it on the table for someone else to snatch up. Now to figure out the toy store shop! I've done the plastic bricks and the mouse stores but I don't remember the ages being as specific as this. I'd take a $40 dinner shop, I think...

You would take a $40 reimbursement-only dinner shop that doesn't cover the entire meal, at a restaurant you don't care for, that requires 8 photos and alcohol, plus a recorded phone call....all for a $35 stuffed animal?

@DareWright wrote:

@ShopSouthTexas wrote:

I've had it done recently with a mediocre shop. The scheduler wouldn't give it to me unless I took an even more undesirable shop. I left it on the table for someone else to snatch up. Now to figure out the toy store shop! I've done the plastic bricks and the mouse stores but I don't remember the ages being as specific as this. I'd take a $40 dinner shop, I think...

You would take a $40 reimbursement-only dinner shop that doesn't cover the entire meal, at a restaurant you don't care for, that requires 8 photos and alcohol, plus a recorded phone call....all for a $35 stuffed animal?

Okay perhaps not. I've done several of the stuffed animal shops for $70 reimbursement recently. As for the restaurant, that's a lot for the low reimbursement. Alcohol with tip takes almost $10 off that amount. And if the food is garbage, well, no one's enjoying their night. We have so many darn stuffed animals, but my kids love them, and I'm a sucker when it comes to my kids. By toy store, I was hoping for better than fur... I guess I skipped over the "$40 stuffed animal" you clarified above. For the plastic bricks store, I most likely would do this though. I'm such a whimp for my babies!

I expect that, has happened to me many times with a company i work for,.they have a grocery that was flaked on (close to me), will text and I'll normally run out and do it as I can always use something from their grocery stores.
Next day or so, will get email for a business verification in my town, love when that happens....one hand wash's the other.....

There are times I may get a shop and the editor is very critical which causes me to second guess myself. So I decide I won't do those types of shops anymore. Then a scheduler may contact me and ask me to do the shop. I mention that every time or the last time I did it, it was not scored the greatest. I find it funny when I mention this, the next time it is done correctly without negative feedback. I know sometimes it has to be these folks who are just always critical.

@SteveSoCal wrote:

I've stated this elsewhere, but MSIng is a great way to break the ice and ask someone on a date. It creates a sense of adventure, something to do/talk about and a lot less pressure if you are not footing the bill for the meal.

Ah, if they only knew.... you wrote the book on this dear.

Okay, now I'm intrigued. I have thought about doing this before but feared a couple of things: 1) That it would make me look cheap 2) That it would be awkward to tell my date what they can and cannot order. Steve, how are these not deal breakers?

@SteveSoCal wrote:

Misanthrope is still relatively new to dating/MSing. He'll learn to work it into a first date soon

I've stated this elsewhere, but MSIng is a great way to break the ice and ask someone on a date. It creates a sense of adventure, something to do/talk about and a lot less pressure if you are not footing the bill for the meal.

@MSF wrote:

Okay, now I'm intrigued. I have thought about doing this before but feared a couple of things: 1) That it would make me look cheap 2) That it would be awkward to tell my date what they can and cannot order. Steve, how are these not deal breakers?

@SteveSoCal wrote:

Misanthrope is still relatively new to dating/MSing. He'll learn to work it into a first date soon

I've stated this elsewhere, but MSIng is a great way to break the ice and ask someone on a date. It creates a sense of adventure, something to do/talk about and a lot less pressure if you are not footing the bill for the meal.

I just tell them "I need to write this restaurant up so I'll be taking notes on my phone, I'm not texting or being rude, that okay?"

Usually they're cool with it to have a $200 meal at one of New York's best restaurants. I try not to take women to restaurants which have a lot of limits on what they can order (I'll take my mom or a friend instead) and I'm willing to go over-budget by like $40 if it means I have a good date.

@SoCalMama wrote:

@SteveSoCal wrote:

I've stated this elsewhere, but MSIng is a great way to break the ice and ask someone on a date. It creates a sense of adventure, something to do/talk about and a lot less pressure if you are not footing the bill for the meal.

Ah, if they only knew.... you wrote the book on this dear.

I've done it many times when in Sarasota, Fl....would do Roy's restaurant and my honny still wouldn't let me pay, was a win win. Now if i'm asked out they buy first, next time l'll invite, although, I hate to pay more attention to timings than to date, the dates love it, and yes it has a form of excitement, but then you have to write the report....,guess you just can't have it all. I did an upscale bar in town, and someone asked for my phone#, very flattering, those dark lights help!!!!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2017 07:45PM by Irene_L.A..

I'm not really certain what else there could be to being the best candidate?? The clients that are putting out well over you know hundred plus for their shops – they were to expect a certain level of service a certain level of shopper status. These were not newbies off the street These were seasoned groomed and qualified shoppers doing these higher end shops. That's no longer ACL's business model – but do the higher-end clients know that?

Maybe that company and its clients are learning that appearances can be deceptive. (Beauty fades and charm deceives, or something like that.)

Recently, I personally shopped in a store that was new to me. I never have mystery shopped their locations, and I do not know what the employees are expected or allowed to do. I only know that months later, I still remember the dude who has more personality than the entire membership of this forum combined.

In some shop surveys, he would fail for long hair, tattoos, jewelry and/or the ubiquitous "hey, man" and "dude". He would have failed those odd social psychological perception tests in which raters judged people's character and capability based upon shirt color, hair length, and/or numerous other potentially spurious factors. Your professor who introduced you to such educational resources may have been indistinguishable from a down-and-out druggie, depending upon when and where you went to school.

With me, a random actual customer, the memorable dude wins for smile, efficiency, accuracy, friendliness, and an ineffable something that gives him rapport with all kinds of customers.

These pass or fail qualities lurk behind all kinds of appearances. It would be a mistake to continue to assort people strenuously according to appearance and to the exclusion of personal characteristics that persuade, influence, sell, close, delight, and otherwise contribute to actual revenue.

@op: Is the perceived crappiness ever offset by proximity to other shops, something fun, or just having a few bucks now while you are waiting out a rotation until it's time for a shop that you prefer?

Hmm... The conversation seems to have drifted a bit.

Back to the original topic: I think the MSC runs the risk of shoppers like me and @sandyf now expecting something "good" for doing the "crappy" shops we were previously doing anyway. For those of us who like the hard-to-schedule shops, if they make explicit the bargain for performing one, fewer shoppers are just going to accept a "crappy" shop at base rate and for no "perk". I'll be interested to see how this method shakes out in a couple of months. Maybe they'll get the "crappy" shops scheduled faster, but maybe they won't have enough "good" shops to sweeten the pot with and they'll end up in a worse position than they were.

Someone mentioned on another thread on this topic that the clients for the "good" shops might be disappointed to learn that their shops are now being auctioned off to shoppers who might not otherwise have been selected, just because those shoppers are willing to do the "crappy" shops for other clients of the MSC. I thought that was a good point that I hadn't considered.

@MSF wrote:

Okay, now I'm intrigued. I have thought about doing this before but feared a couple of things: 1) That it would make me look cheap 2) That it would be awkward to tell my date what they can and cannot order. Steve, how are these not deal breakers?

MSF I think you need to look at this from a different point of view. If I was on a date with someone who told me it was a mystery shop and then gave me a short rundown on what that meant, that would make it all the more exciting for me. I had finally met a man who had the same values I have...the sense of adventure, the not cheap but use a more positive twist on the concept...frugal perhaps, the attention to detail and all that goes with that. As a female I might think this is the type of guy I might want to stick with rather than a guy who might spend money he does not have...bad for the future prospects of this guy as I would not want to get involved with a guy who is always in debt. Anyway, think of it as winnowing out the women you would not want to go to the next level with. Unless of course it is for you a one night stand and you want to make sure you get your reward at the end. If that is the case then stay away from a mystery shopping date.

Where I am there are no good high end shops. They have been adding 20.00 to the pizza shop here towards mid end of the month.

Liz

I get a few of these make a deal email offers. It's all good. No thank you. I would try one of the pizza shops but they are far away. Not worth my time and gas. I have only experienced this tactic many years ago. I accepted a high end reimbursement plus fee cosmetic shop and was informed afterwards that it was contingent on accepting 2 additional no reimbursement low fee cosmetic shops. Well, I read over the latter jobs requirements and immediately informed the scheduler no thank you. I was annoyed. Never accepted future cosmetic jobs from this particular Msc again although they contacted me often. If they would have told me upfront, I would have understood. Telling me after the fact was a complete turn off.

That doesn't sound too bad to me for a family night. Dinner and take the kid to get a fun toy. I'd take it.

It is all subjective. If you don't like the system, find another msc. Some people like certain shops. Others do certain shops for convenience. And then there are the folks who combine the personal with the professional and work as professional daters. Is there a record for most first dates? If so, has a mystery shopper earned that record?

Finally, there are the curmudgeons. We are frugal, usually. But by golly, if we do not want whatever the mystery meat is,we will not do the shop and eat that mystery meat. If our peeps cannot eat it, we will not force them to be in the presence of it. We w i l l eat the food we want, sometimes, even if we have to pay for it ourselves. It is self-honoring, and not necessarily budget breaking, to choose one's eating and other activities and do them separately from mystery shopping. Sometimes, it is downright fun to figure out how to live inexpensively, without reports and reimbursements, and with one or more personal goals in mind. How much non-shopping life is accomplished when we are not writing reports? For me, this is almost incalculable. I dunno about you. So, is that a good or crappy attitude?

Bon apetit!