Has anyone done the ice cream audits that I have seen offered recently on one of my favorite MSC's? It is basically a check at a nationwide supermarket chain for the display of two brands of specialty ice cream in pints. You have to get a photo of the display and photos if any of the pints are damaged. The shop includes a letter that you present to the store manager if anyone stops and asks what you're doing. There are 8 questions on the online form for one of the brands and 10 questions for the other. The audits only pay $4 but you are required to buy a pint of the ice cream (chocolate or raspberry, if none of the pints are damaged--if there is damage, one of the damaged pints must be purchased. You are supposed to checkout use self-service checkout so the cashier doesn't try to replace the damaged pint before you buy it. You're also supposed to sample the ice cream as soon as you leave the store. The pints cost between $5 and $6 each so the entire shop nets you $9-$10.

Is it worth it? The instructions say that you can do as many shops in a day as you want but there is only so much ice cream that you can store between shops before it starts to get melt-y and messy.

Where there is Ice cream involved, IT'S worth It! ;-D 0> <---(Ice Cream cone.)
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Ice cream social anyone???
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Go prepared with a cooler and some good friends to share the Ice cream with later.

*MOST IMPORTANTLY , HAVE FUN!!!

tanmanlovespool Wrote:
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> Has anyone done the ice cream audits that I have
> seen offered recently on one of my favorite MSC's?
> It is basically a check at a nationwide
> supermarket chain for the display of two brands of
> specialty ice cream in pints. You have to get a
> photo of the display and photos if any of the
> pints are damaged. The shop includes a letter that
> you present to the store manager if anyone stops
> and asks what you're doing. There are 8 questions
> on the online form for one of the brands and 10
> questions for the other. The audits only pay $4
> but you are required to buy a pint of the ice
> cream (chocolate or raspberry, if none of the
> pints are damaged--if there is damage, one of the
> damaged pints must be purchased. You are supposed
> to checkout use self-service checkout so the
> cashier doesn't try to replace the damaged pint
> before you buy it. You're also supposed to sample
> the ice cream as soon as you leave the store. The
> pints cost between $5 and $6 each so the entire
> shop nets you $9-$10.
>
> Is it worth it? The instructions say that you can
> do as many shops in a day as you want but there is
> only so much ice cream that you can store between
> shops before it starts to get melt-y and messy.


No but that is intriquing....especially if you have a birthday party coming up! You should start a thread that tells us who one of your favorite MSCs is

Liz

There is already a thread for that, Liz.

How are you going to take photos without the store people seeing you?

Or are they notified that it is an audit ?-

I would do it for ice cream if its a grocery store nearby -

otherwise I wouldn't get out of bed for $4. ( no comments on that pls)

Can you private email me the MSC name with the grocery chain ice cream shop?

Thanks
Shoppinalong

PS - oops , just re-read your post instead of scanning, Tanman, manager gets letter. Okay. I have Publix and Winn Dixie nearby. And Aldi. Any of those? We used to have Albertson's and they were the only one who had self check-out, but they closed up, and Aldi took over the store.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2012 02:54PM by shoppinalong.

shoppinalong Wrote:
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> How are you going to take photos without the store
> people seeing you?
>
> Or are they notified that it is an audit ?-
>
> I would do it for ice cream if its a grocery store
> nearby -
>
> otherwise I wouldn't get out of bed for $4. ( no
> comments on that pls)
>
> Can you private email me the MSC name with the
> grocery chain ice cream shop?
>
> Thanks
> Shoppinalong
>
> PS - oops , just re-read your post instead of
> scanning, Tanman, manager gets letter. Okay. I
> have Publix and Winn Dixie nearby. And Aldi. Any
> of those? We used to have Albertson's and they
> were the only one who had self check-out, but they
> closed up, and Aldi took over the store.

You would take photos with your sound and flash off on your cell phone. Just look preoccupied on your cell, like the rest of the world.

No, I would just go ahead and take the photos regardless of who is watching. I have the letter on-hand in case they ask questions. The store managers should know about the audit beforehand, anyway. They have been notified, supposedly.

For all ice cream lover's, check Strategic Reflections. They have an ultra-premium ice cream company for whom they complete numerous shops each month. The ice cream itself sells for $13.99 a 3 1/2 pint container at Kroger's; that certainly isn't cheap. For the shop, one is paid $5 in cash and reimbursed $10 in product at one of the company's parlors. The report is approx. 15 minutes in length and no pics are required.

shopperbob Wrote:
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> For all ice cream lover's, check Strategic
> Reflections. They have an ultra-premium ice cream
> company for whom they complete numerous shops each
> month. The ice cream itself sells for $13.99 a 3
> 1/2 pint container at Kroger's; that certainly
> isn't cheap. For the shop, one is paid $5 in cash
> and reimbursed $10 in product at one of the
> company's parlors. The report is approx. 15
> minutes in length and no pics are required.

Thanks! I just signed-up! It only took me five minutes to apply too. That is my kind of application. Now. Back to the Virtual Ice cream social. :-)

This was the shop I was referring to, Bob. I was just trying to be a little cryptic because of the whole confidentiality thing. You didn't read the requirements thoroughly, Bob. Photos are required. To wit,

1) Please print the authorization letter found below and take with you in case you are questioned.
2) You must take a digital photo of the display case and for all ‘No’ answers.
3) You must dress appropriately! (slacks and a casual shirt/blouse are preferred)
4) You must purchase a pint of a darker-colored ice cream, such as chocolate, raspberry, etc. (The darker ice cream shows the iced over portion better in the photos).
5) If there are damaged pints as mentioned on the shop form, you must purchase one of those pints. This will be considered your purchase.

I have done a couple and just took another....love the ice creme and since is so easy, and 1 mile from me, I have no problem with pay, reimbursement is
enough.

Tanman,

We're definitely not referring to the same shop, as I've completed my example on 26 occasions over a 2 yr. period and it doesn't have any of the requirements you've mentioned. In addition, it's only scheduled for the company's branded parlors, no to-go items are permissible and it's not an audit.

Well as the subject of the thread is Ice Cream Audits, these are definitely audits and they're not at ice cream parlors. They are being done at a national grocery store chain for two brands of high-end ice cream that retail for $5-$7 a pint.

Photos are required. A introduction letter is available, if needed and you are instructed to buy a pint of the ice cream to sample as soon as you leave the store.

Sounds nice, sort of a cross between being a private investigator and a professional food tester. Is the shop worth the wait?