The Mystery Shopping thread - part 5

Scaredy_Cat_3

Quick question if anyone can help please. I have just shopped a discount designer clothing store for aba-i. I had to buy an item and then return it later. One of the first questions on the report is how much I spent. Well, I actually bought about 5 items and just returned 1 - do I put down how much the item I returned cost, as this was the one I bought as part of the MS job, or do I put the receipt total, even though I didn't return the total amount????

grunnie

pammy14 wrote: »

I have to do a shop tomorrow where I have to buy shoes and them send them back. I have not done one like this before. It is for AA. Has anyone ever had a problem getting the money refunded? Also do I claim for packaging as well as postage?

I have to do that 1 as well. New to them so haven't had a cheque from them yet.Wish I knew what they did with all the stuff bought and sent back to them. Wouldn't mind a free pair of shoes.:T

josie

Scaredy_Cat wrote: »

Quick question if anyone can help please. I have just shopped a discount designer clothing store for aba-i. I had to buy an item and then return it later. One of the first questions on the report is how much I spent. Well, I actually bought about 5 items and just returned 1 - do I put down how much the item I returned cost, as this was the one I bought as part of the MS job, or do I put the receipt total, even though I didn't return the total amount????

If I were you I'd just put the amount for the one item that you were meant to buy - in case they check the refund amount or something. AFAIK Abai don't ask for receipts, so I wouldn't worry about it.

If you're doing something like this in the future tho, I'd make sure any personal purchases were on a separate receipt, esp for people like Gap / TNS etc where you have to scan them or send them and make a separate transaction for anything else.

You seem to be doing fine with what you're doing and doing different things, whereas I was much more of a wimp to start with, so can only echo others advice and just keep it to a manageable level for a bit of extra pocket money and don't get carried away or it can get a bit stressful, as I had yesterday with 5 jobs, where two were double visits where I had to visit a competitor as well as the main outlet - took blooming ages and DH wondered where on earth I'd got to all day!

some1shy

Scaredy_Cat wrote: »

Quick question if anyone can help please. I have just shopped a discount designer clothing store for aba-i. I had to buy an item and then return it later. One of the first questions on the report is how much I spent. Well, I actually bought about 5 items and just returned 1 - do I put down how much the item I returned cost, as this was the one I bought as part of the MS job, or do I put the receipt total, even though I didn't return the total amount????

what they want to know how much you spent on the item you bought and brought back.

jobbingmusician

fitzal wrote: »

Just went for a RE meal for two people where we had to both order 3 courses. All was ok, but have just discovered they didnt charge us for 1 of the desserts! I really hope this doesn't mean I "fail" the requirements! I can't afford to actually have to pay for it myself!

I agree that this is just the sort of info the company should be grateful for.

You will probably have submitted the report by now, but in your position I would have a bit of a think - if they phone you, how can you prove you had a 2nd dessert? Who delivered the desserts, were they delivered at the same time? Was there anything distinctive about the 2nd dessert which you can describe? How was it presented? Did it meet expectations? Did your guest enjoy it? Did you have any verbal interaction with the person who brought it?

Any additional details can only add weight to your facts........;)

Scaredy_Cat_3

josie wrote: »

If I were you I'd just put the amount for the one item that you were meant to buy - in case they check the refund amount or something. AFAIK Abai don't ask for receipts, so I wouldn't worry about it.

If you're doing something like this in the future tho, I'd make sure any personal purchases were on a separate receipt, esp for people like Gap / TNS etc where you have to scan them or send them and make a separate transaction for anything else.

You seem to be doing fine with what you're doing and doing different things, whereas I was much more of a wimp to start with, so can only echo others advice and just keep it to a manageable level for a bit of extra pocket money and don't get carried away or it can get a bit stressful, as I had yesterday with 5 jobs, where two were double visits where I had to visit a competitor as well as the main outlet - took blooming ages and DH wondered where on earth I'd got to all day!

Thanks - I've submitted the report now and just put the amount of the item I returned. I see the wisdom of what you're saying about putting personal stuff on a separate receipt but I thought that would look odd.

Also, (and this may just show me to be a complete idiot) - I actually planned beforehand that if possible I would buy extra items. The reason for this was that the notes said you must copy down some info from the first receipt in case they keep that when you do the refund (and you have to enter it in the report). I was scared of noting down the wrong bits so I thought if I put something else on the receipt I have a perfect excuse for insisting on keeping it!

sinderella_2

I can see your logic there Scaredy, for the perfect excuse to keep the receipt, but like Josie I'm always careful to have my own receipts separate, even if that means making two visits to the store within 20 minutes.
I think the info from that job that you need from the receipts is quite clearly detailed so you could go on that next time?

Scaredy_Cat_3

sinderella wrote: »

I can see your logic there Scaredy, for the perfect excuse to keep the receipt, but like Josie I'm always careful to have my own receipts separate, even if that means making two visits to the store within 20 minutes.
I think the info from that job that you need from the receipts is quite clearly detailed so you could go on that next time?

Yes, now that I know exactly what I need I should be ok if I ever do another of these. The briefing notes showed two possible types of receipt and different info required depending on which type you had, so I was just trying to be on the safe side in case I got mixed up.

Chris357

Hi. I've just done my first assignment for Retail Eyes in a pub. I was allowed £5 for expenses without having to submit a receipt as proof of purchase. But I only claimed for the true cost of the drinks I had to buy. Could I have claimed for the full £5?

Oggyoi

Chris357 wrote: »

Hi. I've just done my first assignment for Retail Eyes in a pub. I was allowed £5 for expenses without having to submit a receipt as proof of purchase. But I only claimed for the true cost of the drinks I had to buy. Could I have claimed for the full £5?

I'd say only if you have followed the job notes and spent £5.00.
I'd guess these companies offer a flat rate, even though your round of drinks may have come to £3.65, someone in London for example, may be paying £5.00 for the same round.

My own personal feelings are, why risk the chance of getting no more work, all for the sake of overclaiming an extra £1.50??

I regularly do drink pub visits, where I put in my report we had 2 drinks each and the total spend was £8.00, even though the job spend was £6.00, but I claim the full £6.00 back.