I have been signed up with MSI for years and finally have gotten some very rewarding shops. I applied for direct deposit and am now on self assign status which is SO much better than before. It doesn't take more than a couple seconds to apply for DD. They have decent fees and a great variety of shops!!

The only thing that bothers me about it is that I get no notice when they pay by direct deposit, I just have to keep looking for it. But like the company and like the direct deposit.

Personally, I think the fees are low, but they pay promptly and the forms are reasonable. AustinMom, I'm with you -- wish they notified when depositing. I'll be able to self-assign after my next shop, which I'm looking forward to.

It is funny, I personally like checking my bank account on line and finding the surprise packages there I almost never check when I am going to be paid by my DD companies because they always are on time and it is always that thrill of "found money" to see the money in my account without hassle. Of course I then go mark my shop sheet paid, etc.

They pay on the 5th and the 20th (with the exception of those dates falling on the weekends, when they will pay the next business day.) The money appears to go out late in the day, as they will verify shops that morning and pay 'em that day (which I love!) However, at least for me, though it shows on their site as paid on the 5th/20th, it does not show up in my account until the next day. I don't mind at all that they do not send a notice as the setup on their website is so detailed on what was paid and when, and the money is ALWAYS in my account on the 6th/21st.

Flash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is funny, I personally like checking my bank
> account on line and finding the surprise packages
> there I almost never check when I am going to
> be paid by my DD companies because they always are
> on time and it is always that thrill of "found
> money" to see the money in my account without
> hassle. Of course I then go mark my shop sheet
> paid, etc.



~~ That is cute>> "surprise packages"!! Exactly...

Best part about Trendsource is that the pay is prompt and always on time where as their shops are pretty simple. The company clearly does what they can to literally make it as easy as possible on the shopper in the field and it is appreciated.

The biggest downside to Trendsource is that they are one of the lower paying mainstream companies out there. The pay for their shops ranges from average to below average on the pay scale in the industry. Where as they by no means are the lowest paying, they are pretty low.

Yep. Unfortunately, most of the ones who are quick on the P/R are like that, too...though they are better than CoRI.

OMG - years ago when I first heard about Mystery Shopping and was a clueless newb, I applied for this company. It was only the second one that I applied to and I was appalled (gasp!) to find that they wanted my social security number. But I went ahead and finished the application and got accepted. Then, a day later I panicked about having my social out there and sent a cancellation request. They were very kind about it but I have never been able to get back in. I can't tell you how many times I have kicked myself over that one. Oh well, live and learn.

candyj, why did you ask to have your account canceled? If you thought they might be scammers, wouldn't it be too late if you already had given them your SSN?

On the Trendsource form, there isn't a save option where you can continue later, is there? Or, am I missing something?

The shops I've input previously have been very short, so I haven't noticed this before tonight.

No save on their shops.

This is the same company I mentioned on here a few weeks ago that lowered my fee after the fact. I was offered a $30 fee for a BVA job on Saturday - short notice. I did the assignmnt - oneof many I had done for them - when I was paid I got $17. The super said I had applied for the job at $17 which I had and it was given to someone else. THEN the scheduler called and offered it to me last minute at $30 on a Sat. morning. I accepted THAT. I was 2nd choice so to speak and las minute. The super won and I lost $13 and part of my weekend. Then just this past week I was to do an audit at Office Max - instructions said 15-20 min. in store, 15-20 min on report. This was a very detailed audit, sku counts in the entire store and about 50 pages of instructions to download - when I got to the store and saw how much area I had to cover for $7.00!!!!!!!!!!!! I came home and resigned from their list and left them with a jjob unfinished. I felt somewhat vindicated! I am tired of being told a very easy job, and given a beginner fee and then it turn out to be an hour or more in the store plus all the prep time. TREND SOURCE AKA MSI has sunk lower and lower - I'm out of their game.

Never apply to be a backup shopper anywhere is my theory. I either take the job outright, or wait for someone to flake and get it done at the bonused rate.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/2010 03:44AM by dee shops.

nicelytwicely Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> On the Trendsource form, there isn't a save option
> where you can continue later, is there? Or, am I
> missing something?
>
> The shops I've input previously have been very
> short, so I haven't noticed this before tonight.


One thing I forgot to mention. It works for me, on a mac, but I can't speak for everyone. If you start reporting and need to stop, just leave the tab open. Later, when you go back, you will be logged out, and if you finish the report then hit submit, your work will be gone. However, if you open a new tab and log into TS, then go back to the tab with the report and finish it, you will be able to and when you hit submit it will sail through. This works with some other companies, but not all. You don't want to know the many ways and times I fell asleep at the computer while writing a myriad of "due NOW" reports to find this out, during the teaching year especially. :-(

Of course, if it doesn't work I doubt the company will lend any sympathy or support, but if you have a short, easy report, you could test it out to see if it works for you. Then you wouldn't have lost much time or tears. :-)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/2010 07:03AM by dee shops.

duffymoon2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is the same company I mentioned on here a few
> weeks ago that lowered my fee after the fact. I
> was offered a $30 fee for a BVA job on Saturday -
> short notice. I did the assignmnt - oneof many I
> had done for them - when I was paid I got $17.
> The super said I had applied for the job at $17
> which I had and it was given to someone else.
> THEN the scheduler called and offered it to me
> last minute at $30 on a Sat. morning. I accepted
> THAT. I was 2nd choice so to speak and las
> minute. The super won and I lost $13 and part of
> my weekend. Then just this past week I was to do
> an audit at Office Max - instructions said 15-20
> min. in store, 15-20 min on report. This was a
> very detailed audit, sku counts in the entire
> store and about 50 pages of instructions to
> download - when I got to the store and saw how
> much area I had to cover for $7.00!!!!!!!!!!!! I
> came home and resigned from their list and left
> them with a jjob unfinished. I felt somewhat
> vindicated! I am tired of being told a very easy
> job, and given a beginner fee and then it turn out
> to be an hour or more in the store plus all the
> prep time. TREND SOURCE AKA MSI has sunk lower
> and lower - I'm out of their game.


I know the assignment you are talking about in terms of counting SKU's, however what you are neglecting to mention is that it is counting only about 15 different SKU's for a single type of product. And by no means does the assignment you speak of take any more than 15-20 minutes. Now, I agree that $7 is low and this assignment should be paying at least $10 or higher, however it really isn't a difficult assignment in which you are counting SKU's all over the store, as you make it seem.

Believe me, I have had gripes about Trendsource which you can find elsewhere on this site in my post history, and I actually agree with you on the frustration for being promised PAD pay only to have them not actually pay it to you. Basically, yeah they are trying to get out of paying for PAD if they don't have to, while claiming it was a "mistake", which very well could be the Acct Mngr trying to PAD their expenses which is unethical ... however in regards to the one assignment I went over earlier, it really isn't as involved as you are claiming it to be.

If it *is* the same assignment you two are discussing, I do it all the time, as well as the other shops for the vendor in office supply and drug stores (I stay away from the printer demo thing, though.) I have worked in the computer industry for many years, and after that went back to school for digital art. The things they have me looking for are like water and air for me - easy as swimming or breathing. I am out in 10 minutes, max 15 on a bad, *spacey* day for me; the report takes 5 minutes to enter.

However, I can see that if you have no familiarity with computer products it might be a bit more challenging. Unless the store is the size of Wegman's, it should not take an hour, though.

I just did one yesterday before going to the movies, as the office store was located right next door. I reported the shop from my iPhone during the first two trailers. I uploaded the receipt after I got home. :-)

edited for typos...



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/2010 07:05AM by dee shops.

With some companies that works on PCs as well. I find, however, that it works better as a tab in the same Firefox window than as a separate Firefox window.

Edited to add that this was in response to trying to salvage a report when you had timed out. A whole bunch of posts in between since I am multi-tasking.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/2010 04:16AM by Flash.

Yes, I use tabs, too. I never tried it with separate windows. I guess I will have to test the waters with a short one some time. :-)

mystikwizard Wrote:
> I actually agree with you on the
> frustration for being promised PAD pay only to
> have them not actually pay it to you. Basically,
> yeah they are trying to get out of paying for PAD
> if they don't have to, while claiming it was a
> "mistake", which very well could be the Acct Mngr
> trying to PAD their expenses which is unethical
> ... however in regards to the one assignment I
> went over earlier, it really isn't as involved as
> you are claiming it to be.


I have not had this experience. When it has not shown up, which sometimes has happened, but not often, I notified them and it was promptly added.

dee shops Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If it *is* the same assignment you two are
> discussing, I do it all the time, as well as the
> other shops for the vendor in office supply and
> drug stores (I stay away from the printer demo
> thing, though.) I have worked in the computer
> industry for many years, and after that went back
> to school for digital art. The things they have
> me looking for are like water and air for me-easy
> as swimming or breathing. I am out in 10 minutes,
> max 15 on a bad, spacey, day for me; the report
> takes 5 minutes to enter.. However, I can see
> that if you have no familiarity with computer
> products, it might be a bit more challenging.
> Unless the store is the size of Wegman's, it
> should not take an hour, though. I just did one
> yesterday before going to the movies, as the
> office store was located right next door. I
> reported the shop from my iphone during the
> trailers. I uploaded the recipt after I got home.
> :-)

For once I can agree with dee dee. I have a computer background and these shops are very very easy. I have gone into a store at 8:40n and be out by 8:55 on a 9:00 PM closing time. I select as many as is practical to do. I wished they paid more, but it's just a wish.

My name is NOT "dee dee", disco baby.

Yeah, they will add it when you bring it to their attention. I once had someone request me to send an email as proof that I was offered the PAD. It has happened to me enough times where it was not added in that I have become suspicious of them trying to not pay the PAD promised in hopes that the shopper doesn't catch it, if they don't have to. But they will pay it if the shopper calls them out on it and can produce proof.

When I try to give them the benefit of the doubt, I still rack my brain in trying to understand how difficult it is for them to add in the PAD when it is accepted and why this happens at the frequency it did (at least for me). So the only conclusion I can come to is that they try to do it intentionally in hopes that the shopper doesn't notice, but will add it in if the shopper speaks up about it.




dee shops Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> mystikwizard Wrote:
> > I actually agree with you on the
> > frustration for being promised PAD pay only to
> > have them not actually pay it to you.
> Basically,
> > yeah they are trying to get out of paying for
> PAD
> > if they don't have to, while claiming it was a
> > "mistake", which very well could be the Acct
> Mngr
> > trying to PAD their expenses which is unethical
> > ... however in regards to the one assignment I
> > went over earlier, it really isn't as involved
> as
> > you are claiming it to be.
>
>
> I have not had this experience. When it has not
> shown up, which sometimes has happened, but not
> often, I notified them and it was promptly added.