I wanted to start a thread where we could laugh at ourselves in a positive light, within the scope of mystery shopping. So yes, this thread does belong in Mystery Shopping Discussion. Nothing too serious, but just a thread to laugh something off and share something where only us shoppers could truly understand and appreciate. Maybe when we laugh it off, we can see how trivial it is. Sort of therapeutic in a sense, and maybe our misery can make someone else feel better. (I don't know about you, but I got a kick out of the thread where @SteveSoCal did a drive-through fast-food shop.) Honestly, I wasn't laughing at SteveSoCal, but it was just a funny experience. And I knew he didn't have thin skin, like me.

I guess you could incorporate some venting, that's up to you. Now, I feel like that's pretty much like every other thread here, though. JK!

Anyways, I know this may not be everyone's cup of tea, so feel free to ignore this thread. On the secret platform forums, I saw a section like this. Instead, I just thought one thread here, would suffice. If it stays alive, it stays alive. If it dies, then it's run its course, naturally.

Here's an excerpt from the secret platform forums:
Going undercover and evaluating things ‘on the sly’ results in some funny, scary, crazy and occasionally downright weird experiences. Share them here – we love to laugh!

I'll start off. Oh yeah, DISCLAIMER: share and disclose as much as you personally feel comfortable with. This does not have to be an admission of guilt. Now, I do understand how heavily MSCs read these forums, especially after receiving some rather nasty PMs.

I'll start it off. So, for some easy shops, I forgot to read the guidelines. Some changes took effect at the beginning of this month. The MSC likes to highlight changes with another shop, notice how I italicized changes, but fails to give a heads-up with this shop. Anyways, I did a couple at the beginning of the month, and it bit me. Oh well! Sorry guys, not much humor with this one. I'm pretty lazy at the moment ... NEXT!

An oh my, yes I do realize now this is similar to the other thread about funny things happening when mystery shopping. But the one subtle difference here, is this is more skewed toward personal gaffes. Like a blooper reel.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/2024 05:12AM by Okie.

Personal gaffes? -laughing hard- I'm sure after checking all those bathrooms over the years, I've walked out at least once or twice with hiney-biney stuck to my shoe, dragging a long streamer of it behind me.

Oh, the visual...

hiney-biney, you say the darndest things

So, I was out doing gas stations. Made a quick stop at a grocery store because I had a coupon for a free donut. Got glazed. Back in the car I scarfed down the donut and scurried on to my next stop. Time is money, you know. No time to loiter.

Anyway, three REVEALED audits later, as I went to leave a station, I had a little itch under my nose. Right where the nostril meets the upper lip. So I scratched lightly with a fingernail and this hunk of donut glaze falls into my lap! No, I didn't eat it.

How embarrassing. I had been interacting with staff, being all official and professional, with a gob of what must have looked like dried snot or drug residue hanging under my nose. Did I check restrooms with mirrors? Yep. Did I take vest-selfies in those mirrors? Yep. Did I ever look at my own face in those mirrors? Nope. Not once.

@sestrahelena wrote:

Anyway, three REVEALED audits later, as I went to leave a station, I had a little itch under my nose. Right where the nostril meets the upper lip. So I scratched lightly with a fingernail and this hunk of donut glaze falls into my lap! No, I didn't eat it.

How embarrassing. I had been interacting with staff, being all official and professional, with a gob of what must have looked like dried snot or drug residue hanging under my nose. Did I check restrooms with mirrors? Yep. Did I take vest-selfies in those mirrors? Yep. Did I ever look at my own face in those mirrors? Nope. Not once.

Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed reading your escapade. Good thing it wasn't powdered-jelly or Boston Kreme. That's the wrong kind of nose-stuffing experience!

Right where the nostril meets the upper lip. - I had to look that up. This morning, I learned what philtrum means.

@Okie wrote:

hiney-biney, you say the darndest things

We have a saying in my family:

Check for hiney-biney before you drop trou.

Yep, we're country alright. -lol-

@sestrahelena wrote:

Anyway, three REVEALED audits later, as I went to leave a station, I had a little itch under my nose. Right where the nostril meets the upper lip. So I scratched lightly with a fingernail and this hunk of donut glaze falls into my lap! No, I didn't eat it.

My apologies, ses, but -lolololololol- thanks for the Thursday morning laugh.

@drdoggie00 wrote:

@sestrahelena wrote:

Anyway, three REVEALED audits later, as I went to leave a station, I had a little itch under my nose. Right where the nostril meets the upper lip. So I scratched lightly with a fingernail and this hunk of donut glaze falls into my lap! No, I didn't eat it.

My apologies, ses, but -lolololololol- thanks for the Thursday morning laugh.

I have a feeling that sestrahelena a high-energy morning bird!

I had a cheat sheet on a small piece of paper. I went to pull it out when I was in the change room and didn't have it!
No problem doing the shop. I retraced my steps all around the store, back to my car , never found it.

I don't know if a staff picked it up, or if they would know what it was. I avoided that store for quite a while.

And at one point I was temporarily banned from that store, for being recognized. But it didn't seem to stem from that incident.

This was embarrassing... I drove an hour and about 40 minutes to do a KIA test drive shop. It was bonused well, so I didn't mind the drive and figured I might do some Instacart deliveries afterwards. I had an appointment set up at the dealership in advance. Pulled into a parking lot nearby to review the guidelines before going in, and discovered that I didn't have my driver's license with me! I suddenly saw it in my mind's eye, sitting on my dining table after I'd cleaned out my wallet. Grrr.

I had to email the dealer, reschedule the appointment, contact the scheduler, go home (hoping I wouldn't get pulled over for any reason), and head back up there the next day. I made sure to schedule extra shops and other gigs that week to make up for it.
.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/2024 11:01PM by shopnyc.

@shopnyc, the same thing happened to me yesterday! I left my entire wallet at home the day I was doing a route. I didn't notice it until my first shop when I went to pay. I luckily could pay by phone. I had to remove a wine bottle from a Kroger pickup since I didn't have my ID though (boo hoo).

Today was embarrassing. I had shopped an athletic store weeks ago and went there again for non-shopper related reasons. The cashier there somehow recognized me and blurted out, "were you the secret shopper on <date>?" Maybe he remembered the interaction he had with me. I was so mortified and just said, "What? No" and promptly left. Now I can never go back there again.

I was also rear-ended by someone a few days ago and still dealing with insurance run around. This week could be better! Thanks for allowing me to share.

I outed myself once, and had to abort the shop.

It was back when I would do a cellphone shop, and early in the interaction I stated I was out shopping with my wife when asked about my reason for visiting.

Later the associate mentioned said spouse in their pitch, to which I replied, "I have a wife?!?!?"

Never used that excuse again...

@Mellifluy wrote:

I was also rear-ended by someone a few days ago and still dealing with insurance run around. This week could be better! Thanks for allowing me to share.

Hope the accident wasn't too serious, and it works out with the insurance!

I drive a convertible and had the top down driving home from a grocery store shop. I had tucked the receipt securely (I thought) inside a folder. Somehow, with all the other paperwork I had in the car the wind caught only the receipt, pulled it out of the folder and it flew away while on the highway. Like an idiot I drove back and forth, sat in traffic and scanned the side of the road for the receipt at least 3 times before returning to the store to get a new receipt. That added at least an hour of my time and probably 15+ extra miles.

@MsJudi
Do you now take a photo of receipt before you drive away? I've never lost a receipt so dramatically, but I have learned the hard way

Not usually, but I keep the ragtop up now when I have papers in the car...mostl of the time. Plus it seems most of my shops get reported on site with my phone nowadays.

There was an old Kroger shop where I was asked to request for a new printed receipt. The one I submitted was low on toner/ink. They requested it days after, but they accepted my digital copy instead.

Mine is similar to Prince's and reminded me of that time. I did not find it funny at all. I did a restaurant shop and had one of those shoulder shopping bags with my folder for that company that had my cheat sheet in it. It had fallen into the dark Netherlands under my table and I totally forgot to take it. I walked to my car just across the street and realized I did not have it so I ran back into the store but they had already cleared my table (must have been within the 2 minutes allowed.) I asked the manager and he led me to the back where I was horrified to see one of the servers had my folder out on the counter and was looking for any identifying information so they could contact me to let me know they had it. She was paging thru my shop paperwork. I dont know if she figured out what that was but I grabbed it back from so quick she was probably dazed. and ska doodled out of there.

One time I left my voice recorder on a shelf in a drug store. I realized it when I got back to my car and went back in to where I thought I had put it down. It wasn't there. I figured it was worth a shot to ask at the counter if they had it. My description to her of a "small cell phone-like gizmo" was pretty uncomfortable as she held it up and said, "You mean this?" Hope they didn't hit the play button...lol

After 20 years of doing this gig, I could probably go on all night with crazy stories.

@MsJudi wrote:

My description to her of a "small cell phone-like gizmo" was pretty uncomfortable as she held it up and said, "You mean this?" Hope they didn't hit the play button...lol

After 20 years of doing this gig, I could probably go on all night with crazy stories.

I was thinking of something else that you ladies use, but I'll keep my mouth shut ... I don't want to dirty up this experience

Sorry for the length. Did a USPS shop towards the end of the afternoon today (Sat). I had already rescheduled it to today, and the PO was set to close at 3pm. I had to rush to make sure I got there at least 30 min before it closed.

Lack of preparation and self-sabotage summed up my experience. I didn't prepare my package until last minute. I forgot I had to print a slip to enclose with the package. I don't have a working printer at home and forgot to print it at work. Knowing I didn't have time to finishing up packaging at home, I did a quick weigh-in of my package. I use a cheap digital food scale from Amazon. It's usually accurate, but today it was displaying weird letters and not calibrating when I initially turned it on. After trial and error, it finally returned a weight, but it kept saying it was under 1 lb. I added more stuff in it, until it tipped the scale. I didn't want to finish packing at home because I needed to make a pitstop at the library to print my slip on a flash drive, and then go directly to the PO that was further away.

The only supply I made sure to take with me was the packing tape. I have small scissors I keep in the car for fishing trips, and a black sharpie because of those Pizza Hut shops.

Drove to the library nearby and got my slip printed quickly. Then drove to the PO. I haven't been to this one before. When I arrived, I check-in on the app about 35 mins before they close. I start preparing my package inside of the car. It's like a sad arts and crafts project taking place. It's a used box. I write the addresses on one side of the box. On the other side of the box, I'm having trouble getting rid of the previous affixed label. After trying to get the corners and going slowly, it still wouldn't come off cleanly in one swipe. I just decided to scribble all over it with my sharpie. Stick the slip in the box, but underneath the top layer of bubble wrap, to avoid potential scratching when the box gets opened. Sealed it up with packing tape. Took the picture of the package.

Then, got inside the building. No issues, but the clerk let me know it was 2 lb. I asked her more than once to confirm. She kind of shot me a dirty look, as if I was questioning her competence. When I mentioned I weighed it at home, the other clerk was curious and asked what I used. I told her about my cheap digital food scale. She laughed and asked to hold it herself. Immediately, she laughed again and said this is more than 2 lb. Oh well! it ended up being about $2.50 more for the extra lb.

Regarding the scale, thinking back about it, I think it was because I didn't turn off the scale and then turn it back on in between attempts. It gets wonky like that.

I was just glad I made it in time. I always wait to the last minute, but this one threw me off because it was further away and on a Sat. Anyways, for these shops, I learned to prepare the package ahead of time. That's the one thing within my control.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2024 03:49AM by Okie.

@Mellifluy wrote:

I was also rear-ended by someone a few days ago and still dealing with insurance run around. This week could be better! Thanks for allowing me to share.

Aww, so sorry, Mel. I hope you're physically okay and the insurance hooha gets sorted out quickly.