In general, their schedulers either don't respond or when they do you run the risk of your eyeballs being scorched from reading their rude, curt, terse, sometimes just plain mean responses to basic questions that any other industry scheduler would happily answer using the we are all human beings filter.

But today I received an email from RBG with "PLEASE HELP" in the subject line. So when, and only if when, they need help suddenly they know how to say Please? I mean it was even in ALL CAPS so they must really mean it.

Thanks for the chuckle, RBG!

I've never had a bad interaction with an RBG scheduler.

what passes for professionalism, eh lol....

A couple months ago, I got a text from one of the schedulers...it said something like

"Are you around?"? - nothing else, that's it

I was banned but a couple months later got a "please help" email.

@wrosie

You got banned from RBG? Maybe you already might have said in another thread...but how does that happen? Short version is fine. I know MarketForce would purge shoppers for any reason. I was not aware others did.

Daddy, I realize you directed your query to Rosie.

I have been deactivated by four MSCs: ath Power, Bestmark, Market Force and RBG. In addition, there may have been others I have forgotten.

HBBigdaddy,

Apparently, first I asked to cancel a restaurant shop I had taken to do on a route. The route took less time than I thought and I didn't feel like waiting 2 hours for the restaurant to open, so I asked to cancel.

Then I asked for clarification on their gas station shops, FOUR times! The scheduler would only answer one of the four questions I had each time so I had to ask four times to get answers to all four questions. Then she deferred to the scheduler that did the restaurant shops since she didn't know the answer.

And then to make it even worse, I asked the scheduler to move the due date of two of the six gas stations I was trying to make a route out of to the same date as the other four. SHE REFUSED TO DO IT. So I didn't do any of the shops.

So I guess I was just too difficult to deal with. They deactivated my account and my accounts on five other MSCs that the restaurant scheduler worked for.

You know the scheduler that puts this disclaimer on her shops:

"There will be no date changes if you self assign prior to 3/1 so please chose your date carefully. If you request a date change the shop will be removed and you can try to re self assign it again. Please do not email scheduling that you want a shop."

Hi ShopperBob why were you deactivated from 4 companies?

Iluv2shopUSA inquires--Hi ShopperBob why were you deactivated from 4 companies?

Bob replies--An ath scheduler incorrectly listed a CD as an acceptable account for an assignment; I was notified I would not be paid. My response was that I had followed the guidelines and that if pay were not forthcoming, I would seek the assistance of their client, the bank. My fee was quickly remitted, but the relationship was destroyed.

Bestmark fired me in 2007, due to my refusal to work their bottom paying shops.

Market Force, at least in 2010, terminated by removing one's ability to select more work. The reason has never been revealed.

Reality Based Group was an odd situation, as on my end all was well. I notified the scheduler I was unable to select a shop and she, the infamous Nikster, deactivated me. Almost exclusively, my shops were to a nationwide steakhouse where I still dine. I visit on military Monday with a 20% discount, arrive at opening for the Early Bird special and miss both the crowds and music.

I was deactivated after an immediate family member unexpectedly passed away and I had to travel across the country to take care of a family member who was left without a caretaker. I apologized for needing to cancel the shop that I had scheduled for the next day and explained the family emergency, but apparently that was not acceptable.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2024 12:36AM by CuriousShoppwr.

@BarefootBliss wrote:

what passes for professionalism, eh lol....

A couple months ago, I got a text from one of the schedulers...it said something like

"Are you around?"? - nothing else, that's it

No, I am a line segment.
No, I am a hexagon.
No, I am an octagon.
No, I am a pentagon.
No, I am a polygon.
No, I am a rectangle
No, I am a square.
No, I am a trapezoid.
No, I am a triangle.

It all depends on the day. But, I am never a round.

ShopperBob for the CD shop you said you would go to the client? Is that correct? If so then you getting fired would be warranted. It sort of says somethings (about you) that 4 companies fired you. I do not see how any of these would be scheduling related.

Iluv2shopUSA opines--ShopperBob for the CD shop you said you would go to the client? Is that correct? If so then you getting fired would be warranted.

Bob comments--I agree that my dismissal was warranted. Their refusal to pay me for their error was no excuse for my position, but I have never regretted my decision. When I err, I accept I screwed up and do not expect payment, BUT, when an MSC errs, as did ath, I want my money.

Iluv2shopUSA continues-- It sort of says somethings (about you) that 4 companies fired you. I do not see how any of these would be scheduling related.

Bob concludes--To me, it says I do not roll over and any MSC that decides my services are not inline with their work, has merely to sever our relationship.

ShopperBob I spent 10 years merchandising before I started my MS journey. I would never report something to the client that was anyway related to the shop no matter if I was in the wrong or if they MSC was. For you to even think that threatening this says alot. Why not just take the "loss" and say "I understand". I can 100% say if I were to do this I would expect any MS company to stop using me and alert other schedulers of this. It's just wrong. Then you come over here to complain ? I don't get it. Maybe it's just me and my morals and that this thing never happened to me when merchandising (granted it's not the same as shopping). If you were let go by 4 companies at some point you need to look at you and not the schedulers and companies that "let you go"

Aw shucks...leave our Shopper Bob alone...he stands behind what he believes is right..for him and his business and it seems to work. He's also probably "fired" more than 4 companies himself. It doesn't seem to bother him or affect what works for him in this business. He is not desperate for work, from what I've gathered. We love his adages, BTW.

I am not trying to pick on ShopperBob just trying to understand why he thinks it's ok to do what he did that's all (say he would contact the client". If anyone thinks that's ok that's mind boggling to me.

I agree with MsJudi on this one, I've never had any contact with ShopperBob, but I have spent many years reading his posts, and have a lot of respect for him in the way he runs his business. He is no-nonsense, and if he felt it was a way to receive his just compensation, then so be it. Would I do it? No. But I run my business differently. I think most of us would not just take the loss and say "I understand" when it was the shopping company that made the error and refused to pay. I think the more time you spend here, you will see lots of mind boggling posts because everyone is different.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2024 05:10PM by hamptonroadsva.

One of my favorite schedulers to work with is with RBG. The one who ShopperBob mentioned is not a nice person. I have had some not so great experiences with her. She’s rude, doesn’t care about the shoppers or the clients- just get that report written and don’t bother her.

@BrilliantDisguise wrote:

just get that report written and don’t bother her.

This. I'd love to email and ask if the order for the pizza shops can be placed Wed-Sun 5:30-8:30 for a future order to be picked up on a Monday, but hell's bells, there's no telling what kind of wrath that impudence would get me.

@shopperbob....for the ATH one...who paid you? ATH or did you go to the client and they paid you? It sounds like ATH paid you. But then was willing to let you go as a result?

I don't care what @Iluv2shopUSA says. The fact that ATH paid you shows they were wrong to begin with. That shows you what kind of company they are in that you had evidence their employee made the mistake and wanted you to suffer for it. So you threatened to escalate and they immediately paid knowing you were right in the first place.

I'm not an ATH fan. I do very few shops for them.

There was a company back in middle 2007 that was paying for a national bank that begins with the letter "C" and is NOT run by Jaime Dimon. The MSC went under and wasn't paying. My buddy was a shopper too and he went to the C bank and several of us got paid for the work we could prove we did. When looking at my shops for 2007, I see the name as Consumer Feedback Group.

Just because a company pays that's great and kudos to the company for paying (wrong or not) but threatening to go to the client is wrong. period.

Iluv2shopUSA, you are mistaken by stating I was complaining and that, in your opinion, I needed to examine why four MSCs have fired me. I do, though, respect your right to see my situation through your eyes.

Daddy, I was immediately paid by ath through PayPal. I initially commented I deserved to be terminated, as I knowingly violated, in threat but not in actuality, a term of the shopper's agreement.

In closing this matter, I am humbled by the words of my brother and sister shoppers. I thank all, as I never expected such an outpouring of kindness.

Hi again ShopperBob I am not judging you I hope you don't see it as that. =) Happy Shopping.

Companies don't pay when they are in the right. Not for mystery shops. They might settle large litigation cases as it's cheaper than going to court to fight them. But if ATH felt @shopperbob was in the wrong....why would they pay him? Just to keep him from going to the client? What if he went to the client even if he got paid? I think what @shopperbob did was just fine. He was okay with being terminated as a result.

There are many people on this forum that complain about many things. @shopperbob is not one of them. He is very logical and fact-based in his posts. I think sometimes he's a little too rigid for my own tastes in how he "terminates" some of these companies over what I consider a minor thing. But that is his right as an IC. If @shopperbob says he was told he could do a CD, then I believe him more than the scheduler who gave the incorrect info. He has earned that right (imo).

@Iluv2shopUSA wrote:

Just because a company pays that's great and kudos to the company for paying (wrong or not) but threatening to go to the client is wrong. period.

Iluv2shopUSA, you were merely expressing your opinion; I was not, in the least, bothered. Should the day ever dawn, when a point:counterpoint discussion is not possible, the forum will cease to be beneficial for each of us.

@shopperbob wrote:

Iluv2shopUSA inquires--Hi ShopperBob why were you deactivated from 4 companies?


Bestmark fired me in 2007, due to my refusal to work their bottom paying shops.

I'm confused by this one. If a company offers shops I consider to be bottom food, I just don't do them or work for that company. There's no need for them to fire me because I'm not interacting with them. Did Bestmark require shoppers to complete a certain minimum number of shops per time period back then?

Does anyone know how to contact managers for Intelli-shop?
I have tried several calls that go to VM, or they say "Contact Scheduler". [They don't seem to want to hear from evaluators]. My legitimate problem IS with the scheduler! I am getting ready to contact the owner via LinkedIn! If I were the owner, I would most definitely want to have important feedback regarding schedulers' and/or editor's performance. Shoppers are scored on their performance, and CEOs would be wise to have some quality control for employees, as well.
Do we have any recourse at all in these terrible communication problems with schedulers? I've only had 3 horrible situations in 8 years. [I guess I can take a lot], but when they have happened, it seems to be a never cascading of problems. Communications via email can periodically get very confusing with difficult 3 or 4-part projects. The thread was about 16 emails.
The scheduler barely read what I communicated and answered 1 question, vaguely. I would restate in another way etc. and received no resolution. She missed attachments that she wanted sent in an email because she had deleted my shop and I was desperately trying to save it by sending her all I had. She still kept repeating that I hadn't sent them. I even screenshot the emails for her, because it seemed apparent that we were both lost in the thread. [The client, was very slow in getting back to me for follow-up appointments}. I updated her with all of the emails that I was sent by the client, where they apologized for the delays,'s etc.
I kept in constant contact with her and conceded to a couple of photos I had emailed her that were not correct. She would NOT concede any point on her part.
I had even tried to prequalify this shop by letting the scheduler know that the shop most likely would not be able to be submitted by the end of the month because I could not control the appointment process on the client side.
Then by March 5th, she responded, with "You are too late to submit this shop", deleted it, and gave me a score of 1.
I think overall that Intelli-shop has been a fantastic shop to work with, however, NOT this time. I had one more part to finish in the project that was far too difficult for the money, [such is the nature of the game], and she deleted my shop. I'm out $85.00 and a lot of work because I am a perfectionist and always go above and beyond. I think I am most upset by the score of 1 she gave me and the constant hassle. It really wore me down.
My average score over 8 years with the company is 9.

KokoBWare inquires of Bob--Did Bestmark require shoppers to complete a certain minimum number of shops per time period back then?

Bob replies--Prior to being deactivated, I had completed seven Target zero fee shops, but with a no specific purchase reimbursement of $50. The scheduler then began peppering me with single digit jobs, each of which I considered a form of pay back. According to my log, I completed four before I requested more money; I was then terminated.

Ron Welty is the CEO and he's responsive. His email is ronwelty@intelli.shop.com

@7welcomehome77 wrote:

Does anyone know how to contact managers for Intelli-shop?
I have tried several calls that go to VM, or they say "Contact Scheduler". [They don't seem to want to hear from evaluators]. My legitimate problem IS with the scheduler! I am getting ready to contact the owner via LinkedIn! If I were the owner, I would most definitely want to have important feedback regarding schedulers' and/or editor's performance. Shoppers are scored on their performance, and CEOs would be wise to have some quality control for employees, as well.
Do we have any recourse at all in these terrible communication problems with schedulers? I've only had 3 horrible situations in 8 years. [I guess I can take a lot], but when they have happened, it seems to be a never cascading of problems. Communications via email can periodically get very confusing with difficult 3 or 4-part projects. The thread was about 16 emails.
The scheduler barely read what I communicated and answered 1 question, vaguely. I would restate in another way etc. and received no resolution. She missed attachments that she wanted sent in an email because she had deleted my shop and I was desperately trying to save it by sending her all I had. She still kept repeating that I hadn't sent them. I even screenshot the emails for her, because it seemed apparent that we were both lost in the thread. [The client, was very slow in getting back to me for follow-up appointments}. I updated her with all of the emails that I was sent by the client, where they apologized for the delays,'s etc.
I kept in constant contact with her and conceded to a couple of photos I had emailed her that were not correct. She would NOT concede any point on her part.
I had even tried to prequalify this shop by letting the scheduler know that the shop most likely would not be able to be submitted by the end of the month because I could not control the appointment process on the client side.
Then by March 5th, she responded, with "You are too late to submit this shop", deleted it, and gave me a score of 1.
I think overall that Intelli-shop has been a fantastic shop to work with, however, NOT this time. I had one more part to finish in the project that was far too difficult for the money, [such is the nature of the game], and she deleted my shop. I'm out $85.00 and a lot of work because I am a perfectionist and always go above and beyond. I think I am most upset by the score of 1 she gave me and the constant hassle. It really wore me down.
My average score over 8 years with the company is 9.

i loved those Target shops. Remember when they first gave $100. They quickly realized they could drop it to $50. I would get $400 or more in a month.

I don't think I have done 1 shop with them since then. I have not been terminated though. I just don't respond and I never login to look at what crap they might offer.

@shopperbob wrote:

KokoBWare inquires of Bob--Did Bestmark require shoppers to complete a certain minimum number of shops per time period back then?

Bob replies--Prior to being deactivated, I had completed seven Target zero fee shops, but with a no specific purchase reimbursement of $50. The scheduler then began peppering me with single digit jobs, each of which I considered a form of pay back. According to my log, I completed four before I requested more money; I was then terminated.