*Please remember not to name the MSC since I've named the client.*

I hadn't done a post office shop in over two years because I was banned after some unknown transgression with the last MSC. I only took this shop because I had a watch I needed to send back for a refund. So, putting aside all the malarkey about the fee and lack of reimbursements, how was it?

It's not too different from the old ones. The significant differences are checking in on the app, taking an exterior picture (including the flags), and no longer worrying about the menu boards and the clerk's clothing. Everything else is just about the same.

Some things to note:

I saw somebody mention something about seconds not being listed on the receipt. You don't need them. The only timing you need the actual seconds for is the wait time in line. The form has a spot for seconds for all the other times, but after I went back and looked at the PDF of my submission, the seconds were dropped from everything except the wait time.

It says the time you finished your transaction and the time you exited the post office should BOTH be the time printed on the receipt. I used the receipt time for both, but the minute turned over between when I finished and when I exited. Oh well. If it doesn't match what the tape shows, that's their problem, not mine.

As usual, there are discrepancies between the guidelines and the submission form. The printed copy of the form says you need the clerk's name, but that question was skipped when I actually filled the form out online. It didn't appear to be a question that was dynamic based on how you answered a previous question; it was just skipped entirely.

The form asks for how much you spent on extra services, but the guidelines clearly prohibit any purchase other than the cost of priority shipping. Maybe this is a quality control question to catch shoppers making mistakes.

The guidelines also mention providing a receipt for your box purchase if you made one. Nowhere in the form does it ask if you purchased a box; even if you had, they wouldn't reimburse you for that, so I'm not sure why they even mentioned a receipt in the guidelines.

It's hard to believe somebody at the MSC didn't catch and clean up all these inconsistencies. "Soft launch" indeed.

I don't necessarily mind the ISS input part of this. Yes, you have to save after each section and go back. What bothers me is some of the questions aren't in a logical order according to how you'd expect them to happen in the shop flow.

The one thing I'd like to see added to the guidelines is a tip that I forgot about entirely: if an employee comes up to you and asks how you're paying, always say CASH. Dumb-dumb me said card, and next thing you know, I was pulled out of the line and escorted to the self-service kiosk in the lobby. I recovered and told her that I didn't like machines and then reentered the line in the same spot I was in, but that could be something unforgivable for the editor. We'll wait and see.

So, that's my .47 cents. I hope this helps anybody else who has to do one. Feel free to ask questions - I've probably got more to share, but I'm short on time.

-edited to clear up stuff that may have been vague or confusing-



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/22/2024 11:36PM by drdoggie00.

Thanks doggie for sharing! I'm about to complete a shop today, and haven't had a chance to look the shop over. The reason for my shipment is to get some cards graded, and I spent the morning learning how to prepare my shipment for that.

The menu boards and uniform questions were removed quite a long time ago. It wasn’t a change the new MSC made.

Still look them over, Okie, but if you do everything from the old shop, you should be okay. Just don’t forget to check in and get the exterior picture with flags.

I’m relieved to be done with mine. I was so nervous, I felt like I needed to spray myself all over with some Dove aerosol deodorant. -lol-

@grille wrote:

The menu boards and uniform questions were removed quite a long time ago. It wasn’t a change the new MSC made.

Explained by my opening statement. I wasn’t privy to changes once I was given the boot.

Does the entire shop have to be entered on the app, or is that just for check in?

Susan, they say “enter on the app”, but all I did was check in at the location. Everything else I did on my Mac once I got home.

@drdoggie00 wrote:

Still look them over, Okie, but if you do everything from the old shop, you should be okay. Just don’t forget to check in and get the exterior picture with flags.

I’m relieved to be done with mine. I was so nervous, I felt like I needed to spray myself all over with some Dove aerosol deodorant. -lol-

I see what you did there. Nice.

Yep. -lol- I was so out of practice. I’m in no hurry to do another one.

I did 2 today. One was a kiosk inside a grocery store. That one took about 5 times as long as a regular USPS would have, and the survey form was exactly the same as the regular USPS form on iSS. Client will not reimburse for mailing box or envelope and does not ask for a receipt. Just hit the start button on iSS (this stamps the shop with time/date/location apparently) and save it. Then enter everything else on home pc. That is much faster than using iSS phone app.

Did one today. It went really fast. Visited mid-afternoon, and there was no line. No more than five minutes. To note, I did follow a suggestion in the other thread. I put a handful of rocks on the bottom and then separated the top and bottom portion of the box with a cardboard piece.

Oh shoot, disregard the question below, I see the question on the report now.
Had a question. I remember on the previous shop I did for the other MSC, you had to wait and see if the associate recommended Priority Mail. I was wanting to ship out some more packages using their Priority Boxes, which is the perfect size for my future packages. It seems like the Priority Mail recommendation element is no longer in the report. But if I use the USPS Priority Mail box, do you think that would lead to an automatic rejection? (Maybe this is a question for the scheduler.)

Disregard the question below. On second thought, the metadata wouldn't be of importance for this photo.
On the photo of the package, can you black out the addresses, except for the ZIP? Not sure if it applies to this shop, but I know on other shops on the secret platform, if you edit the picture, then there's issue with the metadata.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2024 05:03AM by Okie.

Okie: I have always taken the photo of the packaged box with a piece of paper covering the street address/recipient name lines. I cover the street address of the return address, too. That avoids the black-out later issue. I had a problem only once, when the paper slipped and partially covered the zip code and I didn't notice it--sadly the editor did.
Also, I did one of these last week (I had a package I was going to mail anyway). The requirement for the flagpole and USPS front being in the same picture if possible was a doozy, as the USPS was in a strip mall and the flagpole was at the far end of the adjacent parking lot. I managed it, although the USPS front was certainly not a close-up. I also took separate photos of the flagpole and a closer version of the USPS front just in case, but my report was accepted without my being asked for additional photos.
And then, about an hour after my report was accepted, I got a phone call (went to voicemail) asking me to pick up some more, as the assignments are clearly not moving off the job board quickly.

Thanks Treeline, great suggestion! I'll look to cover up the addresses with some post-it notes in the future. I did a shop on Thu, but still under review.

Mine was approved on the third day after I submitted the report.

As picky-poo as ISS is about metadata, I didn’t edit my photos in any way, not even a crop/straighten, just to be on the safe side. I originally put my receipt on the scanner at home, but nope. “Metadata is not attached.”

I’ve never blocked the addresses on a post office shop. I figure they’d have access to it regardless.

Unless they make a change, and we all know what that is, this’ll be my last one.

I have never used the app at all for any shops. So how do I find the app? If I go to the app store (android) do i just input the name of the msc and up it pops? (either the undressed one or the other one?) or does the app have some other fancy name?
And there are several locations I have done in the past where i cannot get the front and flag together. Many are on trafficky streets where to get both I would have to stand out in the middle of the road and make sure my health insurance was in place so I could get hospitalization after being hit by a car. Another one I know takes up an entire city block with the flagpole a half block away and on a different side than the front door. I know where all the flags are as that photo was a requirement in the past.

The app is the one for the iSecretShop mystery shopping platform. That single platform (and app) encompasses shops for dozens of MSCs. The iSecretShop is in the Android Play Store.

@sandyf wrote:

I have never used the app at all for any shops. So how do I find the app? If I go to the app store (android) do i just input the name of the msc and up it pops? (either the undressed one or the other one?) or does the app have some other fancy name?
And there are several locations I have done in the past where i cannot get the front and flag together. Many are on trafficky streets where to get both I would have to stand out in the middle of the road and make sure my health insurance was in place so I could get hospitalization after being hit by a car. Another one I know takes up an entire city block with the flagpole a half block away and on a different side than the front door. I know where all the flags are as that photo was a requirement in the past.

You nailed all the points I had. I completed my first one on Friday. The app is easier in some regards than the former MSC.

The listing referred to checking into an app? Do you need to sign in with an app or just enter the report online like the old MSC? Sad the total is $15 with no additional $.

@EnglishMorning wrote:

The listing referred to checking into an app? Do you need to sign in with an app or just enter the report online like the old MSC? Sad the total is $15 with no additional $.

Yes, the shops are now found on the ISS app, and it's required to open the app, go to the shop, and hit a button to "check in" when you first arrive onsite. I'm assuming that failure to do so would be an automatic rejection of the shop.

I checked in, but the remainder of the shop I did on my Mac once I got back home. My shop hasn't gone through QC yet, so I can't say if that was an okay thing to do or not.

@drdoggie00 wrote:

Yes, the shops are now found on the ISS app, and it's required to open the app, go to the shop, and hit a button to "check in" when you first arrive onsite. I'm assuming that failure to do so would be an automatic rejection of the shop.

Given the sloppiness of the survey, maybe not.

I've done other shops in the ISS app and I know I was far from the location when I hit "check in". It was fine. Now my experience with that client and that MSC could well be different from what will happen here. But it's not like Presto where you can't even proceed without an accurate check-in.

@Amarsir wrote:

I've done other shops in the ISS app and I know I was far from the location when I hit "check in". It was fine. Now my experience with that client and that MSC could well be different from what will happen here. But it's not like Presto where you can't even proceed without an accurate check-in.

It's more the client rather than the MSC or ISS that would give me pause.

Update - My shop got approved this morning. To note, I altered the photo of the package to black out the addresses. But going forward, going to take Treeline's suggestion to use paper to block out the addresses. Thanks for starting this thread doggie!

Oh, you're welcome, Okie. Glad it's proved useful for you.

They must be thinking really hard about mine because it's still sitting there. Leaving the line and then coming back may have cost me.

I do not like just getting a flat $15 for completing these. I miss the additional $12 of pay plus and the reimbursement for box

Heads up - The shops near me just got a $5 bonus. I have to ship something by the end of June, so likely going to pick up another one up near me.

Thanks for the heads up on the bonusI took one so I could check these out. At least it will cover the postage! Perhaps the msc is already seeing the error of their ways trying to get these done for essentially a "coupon".

Do these shops still require using a specific shipping category like the old shops?

@Okie wrote:

Heads up - The shops near me just got a $5 bonus. I have to ship something by the end of June, so likely going to pick up another one up near me.

The $5 bonus was across the board. I think anybody hoping for a huge payout on these has a long wait in front of them. $5 isn't very generous.

@Susan L. wrote:

Do these shops still require using a specific shipping category like the old shops?

Yes, you have to ship Priority using a regular (i.e., non-flat rate) box.