MYSTERY SHOPPING THREAD 18 - please don't mention client names or fees on here!!

StacFace

Could anyone suggest a reason why Gap have postponed the dates on a supposedly urgent chicken shop in my area from this week's Wednesday and Thursday to next week's Wednesday and Thursday when the timeframe says it can be done Monday-Sunday? They emailed me yesterday asking if I could do it this week but I can't do the timeframe on a Wednesday or Thursday. However I could easily fit it in tomorrow...

scubaangel

StacFace wrote: »

Could anyone suggest a reason why Gap have postponed the dates on a supposedly urgent chicken shop in my area from this week's Wednesday and Thursday to next week's Wednesday and Thursday when the timeframe says it can be done Monday-Sunday? They emailed me yesterday asking if I could do it this week but I can't do the timeframe on a Wednesday or Thursday. However I could easily fit it in tomorrow...

They've moved the next shop forward rather than this one back. The store is being shopped twice in a short space of time so this week would coincide, tbh there are loads of reasons they alter dates especially with the 'urgent' stuff.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

mysterious_girl wrote: »

Oh hang on, is it the audits?

Yes indeedy.

mimi1234

By jove, fees are dropping like mad. First of all RE dropped most of theirs, then ESA, and now RM are at it too. At least 2 types of visits have fees which are both down £2. I can see them dropping down further in the not too distant future!

Also, GAP are genius. When they can't get anyone to do the local pizza near us they call my brother and tempt him with 4 local petrol stations. Do they do that with everyone? Shame ESA don't do that with me. I have now had 4 calls from 4 different people to do 1 shop which I am not interested in at all! Err.

PS. Without sounding like a sooky lala, please can people check alerts before posting? Got a repeat alert at after midnight for a store that someone had already alerted about 3 hours before. Not having a go at anyone and it's really nice that people want to alert us, but if it's not necessary, don't alert!

jen_br

Im finding ESA THE WORST! im tired of their attitudes when they call me up. They want a job doing urgently I ask for extra fee and they offer 1.00 or say well you live close so why should we pay you more?

I feel like saying... If you want jobs done then you need to raise your fees to be in line with the current petrol prices and well darnit my time isn't cheap!

look_after_the_pennies

Unfortuantely in this economic climate, more and more people are turning to mystery shopping in their spare time to earn some extra pennies. If there are shoppers out there who are willing to accept a job for a pittance because they are either 1) desperate for some extra cash 2) none the wiser about what constitutes a "decent" fee or 3) in the area anyway and happy to accept the job to fit in with what else they are doing; mystery shopping companies will get away with charging a low fee.

I've noticed that ESA have reduced their fees and have decided not to accept any of their jobs immediately. I like to take a gamble and play a waiting game and watch the fees increase as they can't cover certain jobs. I did a clothes shop once with a 50% increase in fee and virtually on my doorstep which was a Brucey Bonus too.

Particularly with the increase in fuel costs, I'm more wary about what jobs I accept and how many miles I am willling to travel.

However, it is a competitive market out there and the mystery shopping companies are battling it out to win contracts. I suppose cost is involved when companies decide which ms company to use and therefore the ms companies have to reduce their fees too in order to win the contract. I have no doubt in my mind though that they still have plenty of money to play with when deciding how much to pay us shoppers per job. We can see that when they start increasing the fees to get urgent jobs covered. Why not give that fee in the first place?!

mimi1234

And the RE refer a friend drive is just another way of saying bring us more shoppers who will accept the low fees because they don't know what a good fee is. So be very wary. You may get £1.50 for your troubles, but they will get new shoppers who will work for less.

Monkeynut

look_after_the_pennies wrote: »

We can see that when they start increasing the fees to get urgent jobs covered. Why not give that fee in the first place?!

You've answered that in the rest of your post!
Why pay more than needed, even though they could easily afford it, if someone will do it for less!
It wouldn't be good business sense unfortunately for us!

borders

look_after_the_pennies wrote: »

I've noticed that ESA have reduced their fees and have decided not to accept any of their jobs immediately. I like to take a gamble and play a waiting game and watch the fees increase as they can't cover certain jobs.

Particularly with the increase in fuel costs, I'm more wary about what jobs I accept and how many miles I am willling to travel.

Totally agree with you pennies. I've already decided to sit back and watch what happens with certain jobs. Not just with ESA but with all the companies. Didnt do many jobs in December but almost every one that I did do was at an increased fee. I was a far happier shopper with that.

mysterious_girl

borders wrote: »

Totally agree with you pennies. I've already decided to sit back and watch what happens with certain jobs. Not just with ESA but with all the companies. Didnt do many jobs in December but almost every one that I did do was at an increased fee. I was a far happier shopper with that.

Too many people in my area snap them up at the low fees so never a chance of getting an increase here