Anyone else get this email about purchasing very high end items?

Is this legit?

I've got to say I'm a little nervous about putting $1,000 on a credit card then waiting to be reimbursed.

If you have not worked successfully with the company before, I would start with a much less expensive shop. I don't think I received the email about that. My experience with this company has required no out of pocket expense. My payments have been just shy of 60 with them and my jobs for them were 2010.

Obviously with a $1000 reimbursement you are shipping materials off to them, which eliminates the option of simply returning the item to the store to get your money back if the shop fails for any reason. On principle I never do this type of shop unless I thoroughly, thoroughly, thoroughly trust the company. All the shops I have seen for Secret Shopping Services have been done through Summit Scheduling as an outside scheduler. I prefer to deal directly with a company with employee schedulers who are responsible for representations made on behalf of their company, especially where my out of pocket expense could be substantial.

So if this shop came through my inbox, it would be a quick press of the 'delete' button.

Hi,

You're correct, they do want you to ship the item back out.

So, I think I'm with you, I'm going to skip it.

Here's the other thing that's nagging at me about it - there's no narrative, no customer service evaluation - just get the item and ship it off again - so why would they need a shopper for that? Anyone at the company could do that themselves.

I don't know the shop so I would not pretend to know what all is involved. If they aren't sending you money up front the chances are good it is not a scam. As for why the company could not do that themselves, who would they send in to do it? My gut feeling is that checking on luxury items is at least half the time making sure that the local store is not selling knock offs that a customer would have reason to believe were authentic because of where they purchased it. A district manager would be known to the location and presented the authentic item, an employee from another store might possibly be known or be a tip off. A lot cheaper and easier to send in a shopper.

Of course the flip side of my gut feeling is that a shopper could be accused of having switched the purchased item with a knock off to ship in. I just don't want to even remotely be involved.

The email was directed at gold Certified Shoppers first. The scheduler's name is Laurie Hines, who apparently works directly for the MSC. Does that check out with everyone?

. . .

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/2011 08:33PM by Flash.

Laurie is the owner. I don't remember her posting here, could someone direct me to where?

I have done this shop once. It was a $6k item I was required to buy... I did it because I needed to run dollars through my credit card in a short period of time to get a 100k mileage bonus on British Airways. The miles I earned as a direct result of the shop got me a free round trip business class ticket which was worth about $6k to me... So totally worth it but I would never do the shop again without a similar situation.

Sourcing the product took longer then I thought it would but the shipping in and reimbursement went fine and as promised.

I believe the company post these out because they don't have the credit to run all the products they need, and these are coveted inventory controlled items. My theory (totally based on just looking at the shop I did) is that this is NOTHING to do with mystery shopping, but rather is a reseller trying to get their hands on inventory that is very difficult to get. The product I was asked to purchase - because it was a very coveted item - was limited to only one per person. It was a beautiful item and I enjoyed looking at it in the box before I mailed it in! Basically, the end client cannot just buy them all themselves, nor could the company principles buy them all themselves.

While it might not be a mystery shop per se, I don't think it is a scam either. Rather or not it is worth it to you? Well, like I said, probably not for the shop fee. The only way it is worth it is if you are getting a rebate or points or miles for the purchase.

Edited because I originally posted on my phone so lots of information missing and a few typos.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/27/2011 02:50AM by MickeyB.

Removed by poster.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/27/2011 02:08PM by walesmaven.