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If the company that does the USPS shops really wants them done, why not pay a better fee or start bonusing them? They have not changed the $5 fee and there are so many that I could or would do.

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they even do not wish to cover buying boxes. So you will get only $5 for shop fee plus whatever yo spent for PM shipping. but it is less than $15.

Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/11/2024 07:09PM by gene.

I haven't touched them since they went to the new MSC. Not gonna happen.

I did one when it was bonused. I would send a package to my grandson in college but am waiting unit it gets bonused. Even then with the distance that I have to mail it, it will cost me money, And that is not counting the stuff inside and the $20 bill I put inside, I collect the $1 items that I get from gas stations and make a package for him.

The best question is...why are they even shopped? the USPS is a money pit. They operate on a loss. Does paying for this data improve their service? It certainly doesn't help them run at break-even levels.

I loved the Seinfeld episode where Kramer wants to cancel his mail

[www.youtube.com]

I've done one under the new regime because I had to return a travel mug to a friend. I'd consider doing another one if I had to send something to somebody, and the location was convenient. Definitely not gonna be a regular thing.

Have synthesizers, will travel...

That MSC is synonymous with low fees. I rarely shop for them.

326 within 25 miles of me!

I do a lot for them. I always get a 1099.

There is one bonused near me for $25 shop pay. The area is hard to get to due to construction. I have seen several in that particular area bonused (various companies). I don't have anything to mail, so it does not benefit me in anyway to do these for $5.

I've done several of these that were bonused and they weren't bad at all. The main difference with the new MSC is having to take two exterior photos. One minor complaint is that in my opinion it takes longer to complete the report due to a lack of flow, duplicate questions and errors in the questions.

One major plus is that the new MSC seems to approve the shops quickly and pay much sooner.

You really only need one exterior Pic IF the flags are included in the picture. The second picture is optional, and usually used if you need to take a pic of the flags separately, or you need to show an infraction.

This MSC keeps calling me to do these shops for $5 and I'm just not doing these shops for $5. I've done a few for $15 and I just tell the Phillipine callers - though politely - that my price tag for these shops is $15.

I am waiting for the bump to $10 at least. Living on the edge of the country the fees are higher to send as I can only send to lower zones in three directions, not four. Unless my family moves closer I have no reason to do these shops. Last time the cost for shipping was over $18 for a 1-2 lb box to the east coast. That left me a fee of less than $3 at base price without figuring in travel , report time and packaging time. Even with the old company it was never worth the fee for me to ship something I did not want to ship. Long lines, heavy traffic, sometimes no free parking etc. in this city.

I've done exactly the same. I actually asked them to stop calling me, but they don't. So now when they call, I just respond to the number with a text that says " I can see the shops listed. When the total fee is $15+$15 Reimbursement, I will schedule them."

It at least stops them from calling for a week or so. Maybe naively I think they might be passing the feedback along...but thats probably a pipe dream.

@morocco77 wrote:

This MSC keeps calling me to do these shops for $5 and I'm just not doing these shops for $5. I've done a few for $15 and I just tell the Phillipine callers - though politely - that my price tag for these shops is $15.

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

The best question is...why are they even shopped? the USPS is a money pit. They operate on a loss. Does paying for this data improve their service? It certainly doesn't help them run at break-even levels.

I loved the Seinfeld episode where Kramer wants to cancel his mail

[www.youtube.com]

Do you like golf, Mr. Kramer?

I'm a general, and the job of a general is to BY GOD GET THINGS DONE.

[www.youtube.com]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/19/2024 09:15PM by KokoBWare.

I wouldn't do them for $15 even. Not if that's their special offer.

Clearly the new MSC has a very different contract than the previous one did. We got pretty good transparency that they used to need "every location once per quarter plus a minimum number of second visits". That's obviously not being achieved now so it can't still be a requirement.

If they need it done, they'll come to you with the right offer. I know a location in the middle of nowhere that would go as high as $50 under the old MSC. So if the new one needs it done, that's the price.

The same company called me yesterday to see whether I would do another full-service carwash shop for them. The caller was friendly and pleasant but his offer was bizarre. After I told him I would have to pay a $7 bridge toll and there would be no benefit for me because I had an unlimited membership with another carwash chain, he said he understood but did not increase his bonus offer. There was no way I would do that shop for a $5 bonus AND that carwash usually did not do a good job on my previous visits (before I bought the unlimited membership).

@Datagirl wrote:

I haven't touched them since they went to the new MSC. Not gonna happen.

Me too

Evaluating and mailing packages since 1994

I've done a couple since they're now $5 + $5 bonus, but I'm not doing them frequently the way I used to. But I had an ebay sale to ship priority and it cost $29 to ship it, so I appreciated the MSC's contribution towards that shipping!

BTW, I'm looking but I can't find a rotation in the new MSC's app that we can request assignments and submit the report through. Does anybody know offhand?

Thanks!

I believe the rotation period is 18 days by location.

I'm doing the $25 locations when they are on my route. Since this company has held the contract for years, nothing but greed is pushing these low rates. I have shopped these location through four different companies and none of them ever offered such insulting rates.

The MSC's contribution towards shipping...I hope you really aren't looking at these this way and thanking them. The MSC isn't paying anything, its their client. Its your time, your gas, your outlay of money, etc. The MSC has reduced the overall pay on these shops by 30%+, so lets not be thanking them for anything.

On top of the ridiculously low fees, the non stop calling from the Philipines, using a rotating group of phone numbers so they don't get tagged as spam is especially annoying.

BTW, the contract is available under a FOIA request. The new MSC has the same contract has the old MSC, the new MSC is just pocketing a lot more of the money. This is why I struggle to be giving them any kudos, should be the opposite.

@amyann2 wrote:

I've done a couple since they're now $5 + $5 bonus, but I'm not doing them frequently the way I used to. But I had an ebay sale to ship priority and it cost $29 to ship it, so I appreciated the MSC's contribution towards that shipping!

BTW, I'm looking but I can't find a rotation in the new MSC's app that we can request assignments and submit the report through. Does anybody know offhand?

Thanks!

Plus you have to wait a month to get paid, unlike the next week payment from Ipsos.

You're right, of course. I should have put it a different way; I was just glad that I found a way to offset much of the cost of shipping that item I was going to ship anyway.

I do think the new situation sucks compared to the old, which is why I'm not doing them much anymore.

I am only doing the ones that I can mail to myself. In the two towns near me there are 5 post offices and lots of CPUs

I needed to revive this thread to keep complaining. Under the old company, these were my favorite shop because I run a small non-profit and we send gifts to donors. But besides the 1) cutting the pay 30% and 2) no longer reimbursing for the box/envelope, they are 3) now requiring the item be minimum 1.5 pounds!! So no more shipping off a 1 pound bag of rice to a food pantry if I don't have anything else to send!!

Shopping domestic and international locations since 2003.

I used to send my dad cool tee shirts that I find at the thrift store (he is in another state). I now have to add to the package or send two tee shirts! I am now adding in a bag of trail mix. I had a hard time getting mine up to the weight (and a tad over) to fit in the 12X12X12. The 3xl shirt, trail mix and 2 bath and body works trial size samples only weighed 1lb 10oz!

@pambam wrote:

I needed to revive this thread to keep complaining. Under the old company, these were my favorite shop because I run a small non-profit and we send gifts to donors. But besides the 1) cutting the pay 30% and 2) no longer reimbursing for the box/envelope, they are 3) now requiring the item be minimum 1.5 pounds!! So no more shipping off a 1 pound bag of rice to a food pantry if I don't have anything else to send!!

I only ever used these shops with the old company to send gifts to family members who all live in the over $18 postage zones for me. But now, even with a $5 bonus a less than $7 total fee after postage cost using a free box is not enough for me to bother with. I will probably look for something to send a holiday gift or two but the frequent surprise boxes to my son before are no longer worth it for such a small compensation for the amount of time to drive over and package something to their specifications and do a report.
I see today the fee is up to $13 but none of the nearby locations are listed and the window is pretty short.

I’ll do them if I have something I need to ship. I tried signing up for a bunch recently that are bonused and I kept getting a message that “another shopper has signed up for this on (date) please choose a day that is 18 days apart”. But there are no options for a day that is 18 days from the date that someone is already doing one

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