I was banned from a certain cell phone shops on IPSOS. I was outed as a mystery shopper on one shop. I told them this when I couldn't finish the shop. The same cell phone shops have been just sitting on their board, not many takers. I could see the open dates and click on them. I just couldn't get them assigned. I asked about having the ban removed, a couple of times over a few months. I was curious and asked tmeh why I was banned. They replied, they didn't know. I thought no problem. When I went back to the IPSOS site to look at the cell phone dates....this time all the dates were shaded out. I couldn't even assign a date. I don't think it was a client that banned me, it was someone at IPSOS. I've seen this happen to other shoppers, IPSOS banning them for no reason. It's sad they could have an employee preventing the company from getting shops assigned and losing profits.

I'm already doing more shops for other companies. I've seen this happen with an aerospace company I worked for, for almost 30 years. The manager of one department has a disagreement with the manager of another department, and tries to slow down shipping orders, to get back at the other manager.

@ServiceAward wrote:

The nerve of some people! Haphazardly banning perfect shoppers from shops or getting back at other managers by slowing down shipments. I suspect, too, there are those who also try to get back at the government by not paying their taxes. Have mercy! Whatever will we do?

Not the same thing. The first are hurting the business and employees. The second is using LEGAL means to lower your taxes.

ffs.

This again? It's like clickbait. There was no conversation! It was you asking them the same question you've asked over and over and over again and then posting about it here over and over and over again. *They are never going to reinstate you for those shops. N-E-V-E-R.* You can whine about it all you want - you'll not get a bit of sympathy from me.

Meanwhile, I'll be over here counting my money in $16 increments.

Nice post, Service. I doubt he even realizes you were having fun at his expense.

@drdoggie00 wrote:

ffs.

This again? It's like clickbait. There was no conversation! It was you asking them the same question you've asked over and over and over again and then posting about it here over and over and over again. *They are never going to reinstate you for those shops. N-E-V-E-R.* You can whine about it all you want - you'll not get a bit of sympathy from me.

Meanwhile, I'll be over here counting my money in $16 increments.

Nice post, Service. I doubt he even realizes you were having fun at his expense.

You miss the point....someone there won't even let me pick a date. The client did not ban me, someone at IPSOS did. The jobs are not getting done. They are hurting the company. . I know you're not in my area, because the jobs are still posted.
I am all for a good company making a profit and workers making a profit, It's sad when an employee undermines that.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2024 04:14AM by johnb974.

-TSDR-

This horse couldn't get any deader if you shot it, strapped it to shopperbob's miata, then went through a $25.99 ducky car wash.

Just a thought here. If you are banned and know you are banned, why not move on to another company and get over it?

@Dino29 wrote:

Just a thought here. If you are banned and know you are banned, why not move on to another company and get over it?

Did you even read my original post? I said I'm getting other shops. The point of my posts was IPSOS leaving shops going unfilled when someone is willing to do them. Not a very good business decision. IPSOS is the ONLY MSC doing this.

So.... what exactly was the, "Interesting conversation with an editor at IPSOS?"

I'm on the edge of my seat in anticipation of some juicy deets.

Who cares if the dates are greyed out or not? You can't do them. Yellow, purple, blue, grey or red: they are not available for you to choose. You are correct, someone at IPSOS banned you. That has been evident for months, every time you post this. Their clients are not in the platforms making changes, thats the role of the MSC. I realize you continue to be upset, but why keep posting this? As you've already stated, you have found other work. Congrats!

Part of what a market research company, like IPSOS, offers their clients is high-quality data and data that they can defend as aligning to the survey, project structure and guidelines that the client co-authors and approves. None of this happens in a vacuum. For whatever reason, although I think the reasons have now been posted by you ad naseum, they don't feel your work on this project meets their defined needs. I'd opine that their commitment to the integrity of their project, as outlined in their contract with their client, outweighs any desire to have every location shopped. So they are doing just fine without the locations in your area being completed, in other words. They've removed you from the project. Like you are free to work on whatever projects you can, they are free to determine who works on their projects.

Again, you've found other work and thats a great place to focus your time, energy and words!

@Cassiespark wrote:

Who cares if the dates are greyed out or not? You can't do them. Yellow, purple, blue, grey or red: they are not available for you to choose. You are correct, someone at IPSOS banned you. That has been evident for months, every time you post this. Their clients are not in the platforms making changes, thats the role of the MSC. I realize you continue to be upset, but why keep posting this? As you've already stated, you have found other work. Congrats!

Part of what a market research company, like IPSOS, offers their clients is high-quality data and data that they can defend as aligning to the survey, project structure and guidelines that the client co-authors and approves. None of this happens in a vacuum. For whatever reason, although I think the reasons have now been posted by you ad naseum, they don't feel your work on this project meets their defined needs. I'd opine that their commitment to the integrity of their project, as outlined in their contract with their client, outweighs any desire to have every location shopped. So they are doing just fine without the locations in your area being completed, in other words. They've removed you from the project. Like you are free to work on whatever projects you can, they are free to determine who works on their projects.

Again, you've found other work and thats a great place to focus your time, energy and words!

You know nothing about the quality of my shops, so your post is meaningless. You also might think about making your posts less wordy. Try and be consist.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2024 01:38PM by johnb974.

@johnb974 wrote:

@Cassiespark wrote:

Who cares if the dates are greyed out or not? You can't do them. Yellow, purple, blue, grey or red: they are not available for you to choose. You are correct, someone at IPSOS banned you. That has been evident for months, every time you post this. Their clients are not in the platforms making changes, thats the role of the MSC. I realize you continue to be upset, but why keep posting this? As you've already stated, you have found other work. Congrats!

Part of what a market research company, like IPSOS, offers their clients is high-quality data and data that they can defend as aligning to the survey, project structure and guidelines that the client co-authors and approves. None of this happens in a vacuum. For whatever reason, although I think the reasons have now been posted by you ad naseum, they don't feel your work on this project meets their defined needs. I'd opine that their commitment to the integrity of their project, as outlined in their contract with their client, outweighs any desire to have every location shopped. So they are doing just fine without the locations in your area being completed, in other words. They've removed you from the project. Like you are free to work on whatever projects you can, they are free to determine who works on their projects.

Again, you've found other work and thats a great place to focus your time, energy and words!

You know nothing about the quality of my shops, so your post is meaningless. You also might think about making your posts less wordy. Try and be consist.

Obviously IPSOS knows enough about your work to ban you from doing their shop, to a point they rather have them sit, than unbanning you and letting you ever touching them again.

This message should be super clear at this point, except you refuse to acknowledge that.

Something else to consider, is you may be running dangerously close to them deactivating your account all together. They read these forums, and the person who is most likely to ban you occasionally even posts here, so she is reading for sure. Your first name is in your user name, and you've complained about this so much I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard for them to triangulate info (Who named John is banned from this shop and who named John keeps emailing us to ask why = person we are going to ban because now we are annoyed). You don't enjoy the banner of employment protection from them, so think a few steps ahead of what could happen next.

@kisekinecro wrote:

@johnb974 wrote:

@Cassiespark wrote:

Who cares if the dates are greyed out or not? You can't do them. Yellow, purple, blue, grey or red: they are not available for you to choose. You are correct, someone at IPSOS banned you. That has been evident for months, every time you post this. Their clients are not in the platforms making changes, thats the role of the MSC. I realize you continue to be upset, but why keep posting this? As you've already stated, you have found other work. Congrats!

Part of what a market research company, like IPSOS, offers their clients is high-quality data and data that they can defend as aligning to the survey, project structure and guidelines that the client co-authors and approves. None of this happens in a vacuum. For whatever reason, although I think the reasons have now been posted by you ad naseum, they don't feel your work on this project meets their defined needs. I'd opine that their commitment to the integrity of their project, as outlined in their contract with their client, outweighs any desire to have every location shopped. So they are doing just fine without the locations in your area being completed, in other words. They've removed you from the project. Like you are free to work on whatever projects you can, they are free to determine who works on their projects.

Again, you've found other work and thats a great place to focus your time, energy and words!

You know nothing about the quality of my shops, so your post is meaningless. You also might think about making your posts less wordy. Try and be consist.

Obviously IPSOS knows enough about your work to ban you from doing their shop, to a point they rather have them sit, than unbanning you and letting you ever touching them again.

This message should be super clear at this point, except you refuse to acknowledge that.

What is clear is you don't know me or my work.

@Cassiespark wrote:

Something else to consider, is you may be running dangerously close to them deactivating your account all together. They read these forums, and the person who is most likely to ban you occasionally even posts here, so she is reading for sure. Your first name is in your user name, and you've complained about this so much I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard for them to triangulate info (Who named John is banned from this shop and who named John keeps emailing us to ask why = person we are going to ban because now we are annoyed). You don't enjoy the banner of employment protection from them, so think a few steps ahead of what could happen next.

Once again you don't know that. Others have been banned from certain IPSOS shops for no reason. I've read their post here and on another site....please stop with the scare tactics. You say the same things about the IRS.

It is interesting many of these easy shops are sitting on their board for weeks. No one is picking them up. I always got 9 or 10 on these shops.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2024 06:04PM by johnb974.

Your posts paint a pretty good picture of your work.

And I've never said anything about the IRS to you or anyone here. So your attention to detail is another clue.

@Cassiespark wrote:

Your posts paint a pretty good picture of your work.

And I've never said anything about the IRS to you or anyone here. So your attention to detail is another clue.

I get 9's and 10's on these cell phone shops, that speaks for itself. Right now many of them are not getting picked up. The MSC is losing money.

John -

I am pleased to see your over-the-top empathy for the MSC that is losing money. Your empathy speaks volumes.

@johnb974 wrote:

@Cassiespark wrote:

Your posts paint a pretty good picture of your work.

And I've never said anything about the IRS to you or anyone here. So your attention to detail is another clue.

I get 9's and 10's on these cell phone shops, that speaks for itself. Right now many of them are not getting picked up. The MSC is losing money.

@myst4au wrote:

John -

I am pleased to see your over-the-top empathy for the MSC that is losing money. Your empathy speaks volumes.

@johnb974 wrote:

@Cassiespark wrote:

Your posts paint a pretty good picture of your work.

And I've never said anything about the IRS to you or anyone here. So your attention to detail is another clue.

I get 9's and 10's on these cell phone shops, that speaks for itself. Right now many of them are not getting picked up. The MSC is losing money.

I hate seeing a company or worker losing money because of another person's actions.

-laughing hard- You think we don't know you or your work? Scrolling through the forum tells me more about you than I'd ever want to know.

"Doing open gas station audits and hearing about a mystery shopper nit picking minor issues."
"Disappointing the shops for scanning items."
"IPSOS over 400 jobs picked up in less than 30 minutes"
"doing a shop at a large church where I were told years ago, you're single, you're not welcomed here."
"About mystery shopping business vs hobby"
"about taxes what if you only have 1099's?"
"Had the worse car wash shop ever."
"Submitted shop report by my phone not showing up on the MSC site."
"Try and be consist."

Clearly, Ipsos sees something in you that they do not like, and the only person who has a hard time understanding that is you. There is a REASON why they banned you, there is a REASON why they banned others, and they are not obligated to explain those decisions to anybody. You keep saying how this reflects poorly on them—you should be more concerned about what it says about YOU that they'd rather have shops sit there, unfilled, than have you touch them in any way.

You're likely on thin ice. Keep picking at that thread, and your Ipsos sweater will unravel entirely. I, for one, will be sitting here with popcorn, ready to watch (and laugh) when it happens.

For the record, the word is concise. I love reading Cassie's posts; can't say that about yours.

The whole point of mystery shopping is to be a mystery--a typical customer who the employee does not know is evaluating them. Good shoppers who get outed can be useless to the client.

@kattyk wrote:

The whole point of mystery shopping is to be a mystery--a typical customer who the employee does not know is evaluating them. Good shoppers who get outed can be useless to the client.

Most shops know who the mystery shoppers are.

@drdoggie00 wrote:

-laughing hard- You think we don't know you or your work? Scrolling through the forum tells me more about you than I'd ever want to know.

For the record, the word is concise. .

Now your post looks better. You spend way too much time making a post. Be concise.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2024 10:08PM by johnb974.

Shakespeare said it best: "'Tis better to be verbose than a bitter, whiny troll."

I lost it at "Ipsos sweater." What a perfect analogy! My Ipsos sweater is itchy AF but it keeps me warm.

I did read, I don't see the reason you are complaining about it. IPSOS is not the only company that does this. Schedulers, companies that adhere to a rotation, others do it. Just move on and get over it.

@Dino29 wrote:

I did read, I don't see the reason you are complaining about it. IPSOS is not the only company that does this. Schedulers, companies that adhere to a rotation, others do it. Just move on and get over it.

This wasn't about rotation. I just find it interesting that many $16 cell phone shops in my area are just sitting on the board, no one taking them. The company has someone offering to do them, but refuses. They would rather let the client get nothing for the shops. They are not helping the client at all. Not good for the MSC.

They are saving the client some money, I suppose.

@prince wrote:

They are saving the client some money, I suppose.

How? The client is asking for these shops to be done.

Yes, break-ups suck. It never feels good, and we go through many emotions. Nothing to do but move on even if we know they are worse off without us. Most of us have been banned from an MSC or project at one time or another.for something we feel is no fault of our own. We feel you. But in the case of an MSC or client, they have already moved on, even if they haven't found another person yet. They know they will. They always do.