Nikki happens, thats what.

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

@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.

@shopperbob wrote:

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.

Got an email from ATH with the below quote and thought of you...do you live in an excluded state (or rather did you at the time of the shop?)
"IF applying for a CD location, you cannot reside in MA, VA, NM, NH or OK. (These are excluded states for the CD only)"

Ohio for 81 yrs., except for 3 1/2 yrs. in the Navy.

@Cassiespark wrote:

Nikki happens, thats what.

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

@wrosie

You got banned from RBG? Maybe you already might have said in another thread...but how does that happen?

I had an issue on a shop this week. Nikki was my scheduler, and I was dreading having to contact her. She was actually really courteous, professional, and went above and beyond what I expected. Quite a pleasant surprise.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/15/2024 02:39AM by BayShopper22.

Thats good to hear. Maybe someone has finally stepped in to coach her after all the complaints.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2024 01:38AM by Cassiespark.

Cassie, I have never had an issue with her yet I have only done a few shops for her (the steak ones). Could it be you? You seem to be snarky towards her and others?

@Iluv2shopUSA wrote:

Cassie, I have never had an issue with her yet I have only done a few shops for her (the steak ones). Could it be you? You seem to be snarky towards her and others?

Nikki happens.. She is hateful, and deliberately hurtful when she can be. It's not just Cassie, she has done it to me, and many other shoppers. She deserves her reputation. And it's really as simple as that. She has been deactivated and fired by MANY MSCs. I don't work for the MSCs that she does work for because of the damage she has done to me and my reputation.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2024 03:22AM by Morledzep.

Moreledzep as I stated before I have only done a few shops for her and she sent reminder emails and was nothing but pleasant. I have seen a few people on here that are snarky and "hateful" (to use your term). Could it be that some of you are the issue? I mean can you say you have never done anything wrong? I am not here to hate on anyone but to see people talk about schedulers (not just Nikki) but others as well and then be just as "hateful" in their posts says alot. To say something about possibly somoeones medication is not OK. You all seem to expect 100% pleasantries from schedulers yet you come here and are horrible about them. It's just not cool! I have also seen some hateful things about companies and owners and editors.

@Iluv2shopUSA wrote:

Moreledzep as I stated before I have only done a few shops for her and she sent reminder emails and was nothing but pleasant. I have seen a few people on here that are snarky and "hateful" (to use your term). Could it be that some of you are the issue? I mean can you say you have never done anything wrong? I am not here to hate on anyone but to see people talk about schedulers (not just Nikki) but others as well and then be just as "hateful" in their posts says alot. To say something about possibly somoeones medication is not OK. You all seem to expect 100% pleasantries from schedulers yet you come here and are horrible about them. It's just not cool! I have also seen some hateful things about companies and owners and editors.

You're new here. Do a search for Nikki and Nicki and see how many various threads complain about her.

Most of the complaints are along the line of "I don't do anything different with her than I do with other schedulers, but she just hates me! She deactivated me on all the companies she works for (6 I believe at one time). I don't seem to have this problem with other schedulers."

Yes I am new but that doesn't discount that what you are doing is wrong as well but I guess you don't see that.

wrosie wait correct me if I am wrong but didn't you list 4 companies that had fired you?

@Iluv2shopUSA wrote:

wrosie wait correct me if I am wrong but didn't you list 4 companies that had fired you?

Sorry, that was shopperbob. I've only been fired by Nikki from the companies she works/worked for. If I read here correctly, she doesn't schedule for 2 that she used to.

@Iluv2shopUSA wrote:

Yes I am new but that doesn't discount that what you are doing is wrong as well but I guess you don't see that.

Interesting enough, the moderator will take down posts they feel are personal attacks or inappropriate.

I don't think any of the posts about Nikki have been deleted. Perhaps they figured with so many complaining about her, they must not be personal attacks.

And I've stated here why I was deactivated. So I haven't hidden that.

Nope, its not me. Before you start hurling insults at strangers next time, do a quick search in this forum for Nikki and take a gander at the hundreds of complaints about her. Read the BBB reviews for the only MSC that still employs her for additional insight. She has wrought havoc with people's time, money, schedules and earning potential. And I've never been fired by any MSC, for what its worth.

@Iluv2shopUSA wrote:

Cassie, I have never had an issue with her yet I have only done a few shops for her (the steak ones). Could it be you? You seem to be snarky towards her and others?

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2024 01:40AM by Cassiespark.

Cassie, no one insulted you. Someone asked if you might have been the issue, but that's not hurling insults.
And maybe lay off the snark with new people?

@Cassiespark wrote:

Nope, its not me. Before you start hurling insults at strangers next time, do a quick search in this forum for Nikki and take a gander at the hundreds of complaints about her. Read the BBB reviews for the only MSC that still employs her for additional insight. She has wrought havoc with people's time, money, schedules and earning potential. And I've never been fired by any MSC, for what its worth.

@Iluv2shopUSA wrote:

Cassie, I have never had an issue with her yet I have only done a few shops for her (the steak ones). Could it be you? You seem to be snarky towards her and others?

Viv0412,

Perhaps new people with less than 3 months of reading posts shouldn't judge people who have been reading and posting on this board for 6 years?

Especially if said new people haven't done their due diligence of researching what they are posting about.

But I guess the new people don't see what they are doing is wrong? Tongue in cheek.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2024 02:32AM by wrosie.

While I don't disagree that research is a great idea and definitely needed, I do feel you took a big jump in accusing her of hurling insults.
I too have yet to have a bad interaction with Nikki. Not saying it can't happen, but it hasn't.

@wrosie wrote:

Viv0412,

Perhaps new people with less than 3 months of reading posts shouldn't judge people who have been reading and posting on this board for 6 years?

Especially if said new people haven't done their due diligence of researching what they are posting about.

But I guess the new people don't see what they are doing is wrong? Tongue in cheek.

Just wait until you have a family emergency and have to reschedule, or are sick and have to reschedule. Or heaven forbid a tornado rips through your town and you have to reschedule. Or you try to make an online order and the business internet is down. If you have any issue at all beyond your control and need grace, you may find yourself with a rating of "1" and/or deactivated. Some snark is well-deserved.

@viv0412 wrote:

While I don't disagree that research is a great idea and definitely needed, I do feel you took a big jump in accusing her of hurling insults.
I too have yet to have a bad interaction with Nikki. Not saying it can't happen, but it hasn't.

I never accused anyone of hurling insults. And I don't believe I insulted anyone. I stated facts and what I experienced. If you'd had read this whole thread and searched the forum, you might have realized that. BEFORE you posted.

If anything the new members insulted me. But again you don't see that.

You mixed me up with some else.

Listen and learn, grasshopper.

And perhaps all the negative feedback has caused the scheduler to shape up. And that's what you're experiencing.

You have no knowledge of how she interacted with people in years past. And yet you feel you do from your recent interactions.

My apologies, i was trying to reply to Cassie. She accused a new person of insulting her. But you did post commenting on that subject in defense.... you told me to read, but yet you fail to see that Cassie made an unfair accusation against a new person.

I have been working with Nikki for about 9 years with various companies. Just because I'm new here doesn't mean I'm new to shopping.
Again, just stating my own personal experiences.

@wrosie wrote:

@viv0412 wrote:

While I don't disagree that research is a great idea and definitely needed, I do feel you took a big jump in accusing her of hurling insults.
I too have yet to have a bad interaction with Nikki. Not saying it can't happen, but it hasn't.

I never accused anyone of hurling insults. And I don't believe I insulted anyone. I stated facts and what I experienced. If you'd had read this whole thread and searched the forum, you might have realized that. BEFORE you posted.

If anything the new members insulted me. But again you don't see that.

You mixed me up with some else.

Listen and learn, grasshopper.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2024 11:31AM by viv0412.

Hi I was not intending to insult anyone with the word snarky and I did a search with her name and I have read some (not all) and I get it some of you don't like certain schedulers (or even editors) but you are being snarky even if you don't want to believe it. Being on this forum 10 years or 6 months shouldn't matter. I feel like you are saying "hi newbie you haven't been here long enough to say anything bad or snarky". I am curious if any of that were banned from shopping for her have tried to reach back out to see if she will allow you to shop? Just a thought. I think it would be a great test to see if she allows you to shop again. As for talking about someones possible medication is still not cool. Don't attack. If you don't like her you can say so in a nicer way! As I said I have had no bad interactions with any scheduler yet (I did have an editor send a shop back).

YES, I was banned about a year ago and talked to Nikki and she gave me a second chance. I've been working steadily with her since.

@viv0412 wrote:

I have been working with Nikki for about 9 years with various companies. Just because I'm new here doesn't mean I'm new to shopping.
Again, just stating my own personal experiences.

@viv0412 wrote:

I never implied you were new to mystery shopping. I just said you were new to this message board.

If you've only done shops for her, on time and on schedule, I believe you've never had a problem.

The problems come when something comes up where you have to reschedule or cancel a shop, or ask for clarification on their shops. Then you are considered unreasonable and are no longer able to do THAT shop, but every other shop in her universe.

To me, if I'm asking clarification questions on a gas station shop and have to ask the same questions 4-5 times to get the answers I need to successfully complete the shops, yes shops, more than one.. I am not being difficult I'm just trying to make sure my shops won't be rejected.

When I ask to have a due date changed, I'm not being unreasonable, @#$%& happens. When I ask to cancel a shop because @#$%& happens.

Most schedulers in this industry will work with you to do the shop and get it completed and accepted except for one.

And she makes it clear in her job posting she is unwilling to work with shoppers if they need to reschedule.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2024 06:27PM by wrosie.

I once made the mistake of responding to one of her steak shop emails to inquire about taking it at short notice. She didn’t respond other than to soon after email me one of her laughable, low paying junk shops in the boonies.
Fun fact for the insiders: she’s a church goer.

I am far from a Nikki fan, in fact, I will no longer work jobs with her name on them. In the past, I thought we had been friendly and had briefly pleasant conversations. But there were far more interactions that were less than friendly, and sometimes bordering on mean. Just before she stopped working for Ipsos I thought we'd had a breakthrough, and it was going to get better, but that wasn't the case. It was a long seemingly friendly email chat about a town that she lived near but had never heard of, only related to shopping because one of the shops I had signed up for was in this itty bitty, hard to get to town. All of our interactions went straight downhill from there, apparently it bothered her that I had a clue where she lived, because I could think of nothing else that transpired between us that would cause that to change. I hadn't asked her for anything, not even a one day extension, and I most certainly had not flaked on any job. As far as I was able to tell, I had done nothing to cause her to suddenly feel the need to make my life more difficult.

Thankfully, most of the MSCs I work for now have deactivated or fired her. And I don't work for the ones that she does often enough to worry about it. Keep in mind schedulers are ICs just like us, at least most are. Any of the MSCs can just deactivate her or remove her from the projects that she previously scheduled. And I really don't understand how or why the MSCs give schedulers the ability to deactivate shoppers, it just seems wrong that someone who isn't even employed by your company should have that kind of control over who your company does business with.

Iluv2shopUSA inquires--I am curious if any of that were banned from shopping for her have tried to reach back out to see if she will allow you to shop?

Bob replies--No. My personality is such that I give my best, but when I fail, I move on and do not ever back track. In addition, when last year I learned she was scheduling for another MSC with whom I was contracted, I terminated that account. I took that action to eliminate any possibility of a repeat of what occurred with RBG. At my age, I shun situations that have, in the past, caused me aggravation.

I did not until I missed a guideline photo. I emailed the scheduler and received a question asking how did I miss this photo when it was clearly in the guidelines? Had I read the guidelines more carefully, I could have submitted it to see if it might have been accepted. Instead, it fell off my account, I picked it up a few days later and completed it.

Has anyone tried to file an arbitration? If you follow the guidelines and the MSC screws up, what are your options? If it happened to me, I would most likely write a frank email saying why I need to be paid, attach a modification to the Agreement that lets me file in Small Claims court in my jurisdiction, and then if not satisfied, inform them that I will file a complaint with the BBB. I've read a number of complaints there and the MSC seems to address it then.

Why would they accept your unilateral modification of the Agreement? They have one agreement for all independent Contractors (Shoppers, and you can either accept it or not. You apparently accepted it, and it is therefore binding as written.

@whosear wrote:

Has anyone tried to file an arbitration? If you follow the guidelines and the MSC screws up, what are your options? If it happened to me, I would most likely write a frank email saying why I need to be paid, attach a modification to the Agreement that lets me file in Small Claims court in my jurisdiction, and then if not satisfied, inform them that I will file a complaint with the BBB. I've read a number of complaints there and the MSC seems to address it then.