MYSTERY SHOPPING THREAD 19 - please don't mention client names or fees on here!!

cheekychipmunk

Lil_Me wrote: »

Good point! I forgot about that aspect! Wonder if there is some kind of law against that? Thinking about it there must be!

I agree. Think they would be on very dodgy territory in legal terms. I am starting to think this hasn't been thought through at all...

Lil_Me_2

csh wrote: »

The shop i used to work for has like, no staff ever! Its a long up to 14 hour day and exhausting and if I found out that some numpty had chased me round the shop asking what I think they should have for their dinner, spend 99p on some eggs and 50p on some crisps then brought them back for a refund taking up even more of my time then I do think thats 'for nothing'!

I just don't agree with the principle of competitor shopping :cool:

I know it's unlikely that a genuine customer would do all of the above, but I think it just shows what kind of a poor company you used to work for if you got pi$sed off for being asked to pretty much just do your job.

xxvickixx

Now I'm not so sure about the return of the item either. I didn't have a problem with doing the regular egg scenario as if I did get caught I could hold my hands up and explain, but I imagine you can get into serious trouble for what they want you to do, some kind of fraud?
Has anyone spoken to ESA about it yet?

misssarahleigh

It must be some sort of fraud. Purposly damaging a product to gain a refund. If you went to a clothes shop and tore a top and took it back that would clearly be against some law. Just because the items are small doesn't mean the same rules don't apply.

Robert_Roberston

Gfk!

I was with for a while but in 2010 I missed a few postal assignments and didn't get anything for ages, I emailed to ask and they said you fell below the level required and the like so was removed.

I re-applied back end of last year and when I applied I put a note on the application to say I had been removed but was wondering if I could be reinstated, it all went through and I received my new user id.

I've done a fair few shops for them too (10 or so?) until I got an email saying they noticed I'd signed up again (erm I told you when I re-applied?) and have now removed me?

Nice tight controls there!

cheekychipmunk

misssarahleigh wrote: »

It must be some sort of fraud. Purposly damaging a product to gain a refund. If you went to a clothes shop and tore a top and took it back that would clearly be against some law. Just because the items are small doesn't mean the same rules don't apply.

I think the fact they have just attached the egg shop brief onto these competitor shops shows how well it's been thought through - instructions are identical. Do you think that ESA will have informed the competitor stores of the program and agreed to reimburse them for the damaged goods? Maybe they have, but it would mean a load of unnecessary expense and time spent.

All they needed to do was remove that last element from the brief and it would be much easier for all concerned. It all seems a very slipshod to me.

Robert_Roberston

Lil_Me wrote: »

Good point! I forgot about that aspect! Wonder if there is some kind of law against that? Thinking about it there must be!

I was going to say, what next? Go in and smash 5 bottles of their highest priced spirits on the aisle to see what the reaction time of their cleaner is?

xxvickixx

I can't find contact number, do you think it's OK to use the number from my "missed call" history?

boyoboy1986

cathj wrote: »

That's the part I don't like, some of these shops have very strict waste budgets. My dh works for a chain I ddn't see on there but similar to one I did, and they would be fuming about things being deliberately damaged and returned, it is only 1 thing but it all adds up.

There were none close to me anyway.

Nevermind that, the electronic stock replenishment systems will have a field day at the sales of eggs. They will think it's pancake day all over again. Buyers in all these different companies will be sending messages to farmers up and down the land to get their birds to lay faster.

I doubt that ESA or the client will have advised all these different companies that this is happening. The 'return a small product below X price' message is in the brief for a reason. I haven't picked any up myself however returning the products at the larger supermarkets probably wont be a problem. Although try returning something to the German 'budget' lot. I bought a George Foreman grill that didn't work and was nearly at the small claims court by the time I got an exchange nevermind a refund! Also some of the other stores are independents who operate under a banner (think GAP corner shops) I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that in there either.

boyoboy1986

xxvickixx wrote: »

I can't find contact number, do you think it's OK to use the number from my "missed call" history?

If its ESA TRY 01727 730217