MYSTERY SHOPPING THREAD 17 - please don't mention client names or fees on here!!

goldfish61

mysteryshoppingninja wrote: »

The photographs are a complete pain though. There's cars and people in a few of mine and if they think I'm going back they've got another thing coming. I'm only prepared to skulk around the outside of a shop with a camera for so long! Some of them the cars were obviously staff ones as there were no customers left in the shop so short of asking them to move they've got no chance!

My shops were in small towns or villages where the staff would probably be quite suprised to have a stranger come in. In one of them, it was a customer who took me to where the item I asked about was. I felt really conspicuous taking the pictures as well. I don't mind just one picture, but asking for 3 takes the (crushed) biscuit.

mysterious_girl

mysteryshoppingninja wrote: »

I always get a refund. Every little helps

The photographs are a complete pain though. There's cars and people in a few of mine and if they think I'm going back they've got another thing coming. I'm only prepared to skulk around the outside of a shop with a camera for so long! Some of them the cars were obviously staff ones as there were no customers left in the shop so short of asking them to move they've got no chance!

What item do you get a refund for? I always get offered a replacement and think it would look funny if I asked for a refund.

Tudorc1

mysterious_girl wrote: »

What item do you get a refund for? I always get offered a replacement and think it would look funny if I asked for a refund.

Take a couple of bites from a sandwich.

"This tastes funny/metallic/off".

Never been offered a replacement ! They usually either offer both (refund or replacement) or offer refund. Unlikely to want more of something that tastes off!

Littleoldme

goldfish61 wrote: »

My shops were in small towns or villages where the staff would probably be quite suprised to have a stranger come in. In one of them, it was a customer who took me to where the item I asked about was. I felt really conspicuous taking the pictures as well. I don't mind just one picture, but asking for 3 takes the (crushed) biscuit.

I (think) I had the photo taking down to a bit of a fine art by the end of it. I used my Blackberry and was walking up and down the street pretending to be trying to phone someone. I was holding the phone up to "dial the number", take photo one then walk to position two whilst holding phone to my ear, stop in position two and hold the phone up to hang up so that was photo two taken. Then look annoyed at no answer wander across the road and stand to try and phone again, taking photo three at the time. Well I hope that is what it looked like :rotfl:

spender

Has anybody had any recent payments from Abai? I was just thinking it is a long time since I had the garages or Cat payments.

proshopper

mysteryshoppingninja wrote: »

I always get a refund. Every little helps

The photographs are a complete pain though. There's cars and people in a few of mine and if they think I'm going back they've got another thing coming. I'm only prepared to skulk around the outside of a shop with a camera for so long! Some of them the cars were obviously staff ones as there were no customers left in the shop so short of asking them to move they've got no chance!

Littleoldme wrote: »

I (think) I had the photo taking down to a bit of a fine art by the end of it. I used my Blackberry and was walking up and down the street pretending to be trying to phone someone. I was holding the phone up to "dial the number", take photo one then walk to position two whilst holding phone to my ear, stop in position two and hold the phone up to hang up so that was photo two taken. Then look annoyed at no answer wander across the road and stand to try and phone again, taking photo three at the time. Well I hope that is what it looked like :rotfl:

Oh, dear! Ninja's been visiting the wrong stores. "Every Little Helps" is a completely different chain.

I also always buy something that is more likely to be refunded than replaced. Tuna & cucumber sandwiches seem to be inherently soggy. "Really nasty and wet" is a description that springs to mind and I use often!

As for photos: I think that there is potential for any of us to look crazy when trying to take three photos. In some of the rural locations I visit, anyone with a mobile phone (let alone a camera) sticks out like a sore thumb!:rotfl:

jen_br

Same one rural one I know of... is like in the bottom of a house! and there is just no way it would be easy.

partyprincess

jen_br wrote: »

Same one rural one I know of... is like in the bottom of a house! and there is just no way it would be easy.

Sounds like the one I did today! To make it worse as I went to take the photos a woman waiting in a car outside started beeping the horn, think she was trying to get the attention of her husband who was walking into the shop. He didn't even look but all the staff and customers looked out the window and there I was in the rain, camera in hand trying to get the store front image. The shop was a typical 'local shop for local people' place so I already stood out like a sore thumb.

How they expect us to be covert in places like this I have no idea.

jen_br

Yeah this store in the bottom of a house has 2 aisles... and is VERY local no trolleys maybe a handbasket lol

mysteryshoppingninja

proshopper wrote: »

Oh, dear! Ninja's been visiting the wrong stores. "Every Little Helps" is a completely different chain.

I also always buy something that is more likely to be refunded than replaced. Tuna & cucumber sandwiches seem to be inherently soggy. "Really nasty and wet" is a description that springs to mind and I use often!

As for photos: I think that there is potential for any of us to look crazy when trying to take three photos. In some of the rural locations I visit, anyone with a mobile phone (let alone a camera) sticks out like a sore thumb!:rotfl:

I'll agree completely on the tuna and cucumber sandwiches. Yuk. Bought one in one of the ones I visited and she offered me a refund AND replacement. I said I'll just take the refund thanks would only have binned the sandwich.

The best one I did was on the main road through a town and had no pavement opposite so there I was walking along the road dodging cars trying to discreetly take three photographs... Absolutely ridiculous!!

And as for every little helps I'd rather visit ten of them than take one set of egg photos! I'm beginning to think we should just refuse to take the stuffing photographs, it's not worth it for the pathetic extra fee!!