Is there any indication they might be rethinking this, given the response? I do a lot of shops for them, and I hate to drop them since they pay quickly, but I will if I have to.

No indication from them, but they recently lost one major client, and looks like another one is shopping. I wonder if it's somehow related. Losing a few clients may send a much stronger message than losing some shoppers.

I will not open a bank account for one MSC, much less deal with all of the other stuff, even though I've done 20+ shops for them this year. Asking for insurance information from an IC is also way off base. I think that they will be unpleasantly surprised with how many shoppers they lose.

I received my Maritz check yesterday, as always like clockwork and completely accurate. I really hope that they are (a) rethinking their silly requirements and (b) reading this forum.

It is certainly interesting that we have received no followup as mentioned in the first notification.

I love Maritz and will miss them.

I like Maritz a lot, too. The FEIN is actually a part of their online signup now, so it looks like they are definitely moving ahead with that. I also don't plan to get a FEIN, so I will also miss them, ShopUntilYouDrop. I'm sure a lot of shoppers will go ahead and do it, so they will probably have shoppers.

AustinMom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm sure a lot of shoppers will go ahead and do it, so they will
> probably have shoppers.

I wonder how many they will have. They are the one company that seems very short on shoppers in my area. I am always getting calls to complete assignments that no one wants.

I find it curious that after the first notice, we have heard nothing back. I checked the site to see if there was a place to register the new required information and the only thing I could find was a copy of the original email. AM I forgot to go in and check out the new shopper sign up. I'll run do that now.

Okay back. I found on the sign-up sheet for new shoppers it does ask for business name and FEIN number, but for current shoppers I did not find a place to add this information.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2010 04:38PM by barbage.

A recent shopper newsletter from "They who must not be named," contains a tax analysis of the EIN issue from a tax professional as well as his statement that he has confirmed that the company is going ahead and will require this of all shoppers.

Oh, well, Maritz has far fewer jobs in my area now days than they did when I first signed up for them, so my life will not be affected. I don't know how many other shoppers they have in my area. I never know whether the jobs that disappear simply expired, were taken by another shopper, or Maritz calls other shoppers (never been me) and bonused the shops.

I received a call from Betty at Maritz offering me some bonused shops today, and I took the opportunity to explain why I would no longer be shopping for them after the first of the year. I also told her that they need only check this message board, as well as other shopper boards, and they will find that they will be losing a lot of shoppers.

Surprisingly she called back a couple of minutes later to say she had talked to her supervisor, and a new email will be going out. The FEIN number will be optional, not a requirement. All they will require is a picture ID and proof of insurance.

I still think it's more than they need from an IC, but it's a lot less of a PITA, and not all that intrusive.

That's interesting news but I am really surprised that they have not read the tea leaves before your call today. Surely they know about this and the other forum and/or have received input from other shoppers by some means.

It may well be that they don't believe that shoppers would give up the golden opportunity to work for them over a noxious requirement. Picture ID and proof of insurance is a PITA but despite moanin' and groanin' I suspect most shoppers will comply with that. I guess cutting off your hand sounds a whole lot better than cutting off your head--though I personally see no call for either.

What you said, Flash, but I don't have any heartburn over the picture ID and insurance verification if it helps Maritz sleep better at night.

Of course for years I lived in NYC and owned no vehicle so had no 'proof of insurance' and similarly I know of several shoppers who cannot/do not drive so take the bus. It is still a short sighted plan. Do you suppose they would accept a Sam's Club card as 'photo ID'? I mean, the whole thing is just silly/stupid. Either we are independent contractors performing the job or we are employees to bend to our employer's will. If we are employees, then where is the worker's comp, unemployment and sick days?

tgb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I received a call from Betty at Maritz offering me
> some bonused shops today, and I took the
> opportunity to explain why I would no longer be
> shopping for them after the first of the year. I
> also told her that they need only check this
> message board, as well as other shopper boards,
> and they will find that they will be losing a lot
> of shoppers.
>
> Surprisingly she called back a couple of minutes
> later to say she had talked to her supervisor, and
> a new email will be going out. The FEIN number
> will be optional, not a requirement. All they
> will require is a picture ID and proof of
> insurance.
>
> I still think it's more than they need from an IC,
> but it's a lot less of a PITA, and not all that
> intrusive.


IMHO, it is not a short phone call and a discussion with a supervisor tabled this issue for them. They have probably been hearing from hoards of shoppers on this issue. I know they heard from me the same morning they sent the email telling us about it. :-) The discussion with the supervisor was probably to allow Betty to give you that info, or to confirm that it was OK to tell shoppers a corporate decision they had already made.

I agree that if they do go this route, it will be less of a PITA than the other way. I will probably go along with that. But I don't do much for them, so I am not sure.

Maritz fall selection of shops in my area have been scarce and not very exciting, But I do like the company and the people a lot and hope that they can land some new business that interests me.

I'm not trying to take credit - just relaying what I was told.

CANADAMOMMY Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not sure there motivation to go this route?

One, mainly the new IRS rulings about 1099's. They are treating us as independent contractors, IRS rulings say if they direct how the job is to be done then you are an employee. Technically by law we are employees and they should be paying workers comp and SSI etc for us. If you are a company, you can no longer use your SS# and they can say they are hiring a company not an individual, they must have gotten audited which would force them to do that.

I know in NYS, unemployment is very particular with that and companies must prove that people who work for them as Independent Contractors are not employees, the state would even bounce signed contracts. Main cause they direct how the work is done.

I too recently had a phone conversation about their proposed FEIN requirement. I was told that they *might* not actually require the FEIN. We'll see.
Like others, I'm not willing to put myself through all that since I no longer do regular work for them.

I still like Maritz - their staff is very nice and helpful. But I'll stay away until they get new clients who offer fair pay.

ShopUntilYouDrop Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes I received it too. I think Maritz is a bit off
> base on this one. The IRS does not in any way
> required a separate FEIN or name to be an
> independent contractor.
>
> This will also make it difficult to cash small
> checks at a bank and instead will require an
> account with the new name and/or an addition to an
> existing account as a "second name entity."

I think what may have happend with them is that they got audited for workers comp, and not even a written independent contractor's agreement can get around an auditor that is a stickler for details. We get instructions on how to do our work, by law we are employees. On your schedule C it does ask for an EIN # or SS#, it is not a big deal to get one from the IRS under your name, your business can be your name.

But of course if "giving you instructions" regarding your conduct of work makes you an employee, what the heck does being ordered as to how to structure YOUR business any less controlling?

Update! Maritz will NOT require the FEIN or business name. They have modified this. On the down side, (Always a down side), Shoppers with a FEIN and business account will be given prefered treatment. Available shop notification before non FEIN shoppers and Bonus offerings...:p



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/2010 08:02PM by mrcomputer101.

No great loss in my book. Their fees are low and even when I was doing virtually everything available in my area it still did not amount to enough to get a 1099 at the end of the year. If they routinely offered $20-$50 shops I perhaps would be concerned, but they seem to have as a main talent taking a perfectly good $15 job and turn it into a $12 one with lots of hoops to jump.

It will be interestering to see what comment Maritz has if I dedide to do the car insurance requirement. I drive a farm registered vehicle. My brother has a farm and our cars/trucks are registered and insured under his farm name. The insureance card does not have my name on it, however, I am the official driver of that car with the insurance company.

When I totaled my car while going to a shop for Maritz I did't tell them about the wreck. Never occured to me to say anything to them. The wreck was not that bad but the damage was more that my car was worth and the SUV, I slid into, had no damage. Why would Maritz think I would involve them in an accident I had going to do a shop when they had nothing to do with it?

mrcomputer101 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Update! Maritz will NOT require the FEIN or
> business name. They have modified this. On the
> down side, (Always a down side), Shoppers with a
> FEIN and business account will be given prefered
> treatment. Available shop notification before non
> FEIN shoppers and Bonus offerings...:p


If all else fails, resorting to bribery may help.

Following is an excerpt from the email I received from Maritz today for anyone who hasn't received it.

Instead of requiring all shoppers to provide us with an FEIN and Business Name, we are going to give the shoppers who provide these items preferred status in our system. These shoppers will be given several bonus abilities and privileges as long as they continue to provide quality and timely data from their shopping and auditing endeavors.

Beginning in 2011, shoppers who provided an FEIN and Business Name will have the following additional abilities and privileges:

Advanced notice of new assignments before any other shoppers
An exclusive access period for newly available shops
First call regarding shops available with incentives
Each shop completed will be counted as an entry in one of four quarterly drawings throughout 2011
Access to future premium pages on our shopper website which are currently in development
Advanced access to improvements made to our shopper website before they are available to all shoppers

As stated previously, these privileges will be given to every shopper who provides an FEIN and Business Name.

You need to read between the smoke and mirrors. They realized that they would lose to many Shoppers on the 1st. This modification helps to save face and show they are doing something. MaritzResearch3 has been monitoring this thread for reactions. They were here a bit earlier...

I got that e-mail as well. I think it is a bit insulting to those of us who have been shopping for Maritz for many years to be told we aren't worthy of being a preferred shopper unless we cave in to the stupid FEIN requirement. They often call me and BEG me to take shops because there is hardly any one in my area who are doing them. And now they say this to me? Phooey!! I have no problem with the insurance and photo ID, but the FEIN and the business name just sets up too many complications and it is hardly worth the trouble.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/2010 04:00PM by jude86.

Oh well, I guess I won't have to worry about the scheduler calling my cell phone during Black Friday rush to see if I would tally-ho to Michigan to do a bank shop for $7.00.

I received the email also. I don't have a problem with the photo or verification of insurance.