Mystery Shopping Thread 25 *PLEASE READ THE OP FIRST**PLEASE NO CLIENT NAMES OR FEES

Big_Graeme

cupboardie wrote: »

I tried to sign up with them and my e-mail bounced back! Maybe they've folded?

No they have not folded, I've just been speaking to them.

Its quiet, they are quiet this period every year, their job board isn't being used as any jobs they have are hand allocated to shoppers who do regular work for them, even if your email had gone through you wouldn't have been signed up unless they need shoppers in your area, its old school mystery shopping.

Big_Graeme

hayley11 wrote: »

Going to London next weekend and React have two touristy places but not for when i'm going, typical!

Email them, they may extend the dates if they can't shift the jobs, don't ask don't get :-)

JohnnyG

bylromarha wrote: »

Anyone negotiated GfK up on their fees at all? Had a phone call from them yesterday - told them I'd need to look at the job spec, but wondered if they went up from standard fee and, if so, what sort of extra percentage on top of the fee would be normal for them to agree to.

I've negotiated extra fees in the past, but usually in the way of mileage. Must admit, it's never easy with them though, they play hard ball at times.

JohnnyG

Macadamia wrote: »

Thanks to all those who provided ideas.

Now here's another question. What can you buy for £1 in a tile shop?

Answers on the back of a fag packet.....

Did one of these visits yesterday, got a tile for £1.08.

superliss

For those that do Gap pizza's the really good deal on certain style pizza's for just over a 'burger fee' (is that too cryptic?) is back that means you can get all what the brief instructs for well under the reimbursement.

cziffra

(I've also posted this in a new thread, but thought I might as well make it visible here too)

Stay well clear of Retail Active. I have written extremely few negative reports in any of my mystery shops for any company, but the conduct and general incompetence of this company simply beggars belief. When I received my first payment, it fell short of what my records suggested should have been paid. I immediately contacted them, to politely request a full payment breakdown. Remarkably enough, such a routine and simple request was actually refused. I was told that I'm supposed to keep my own records. When I pointed out that I had indeed kept my own records (which is why I was aware of having been incorrectly paid and why I needed to see a breakdown of the unexplained payment that had been issued) they still point blank refused to provide further information and made no offer to investigate the matter unless I filled in a form that I could not complete- as it was a claim form for a specific unpaid job. Seeing as they refused to provide routine accounting records, I had no idea which job had been underpaid.

After a string of evasive and completely unhelpful emails, they eventually sent a breakdown- after I threatened to stop wasting any more time and simply take them to court. One of the jobs had indeed not been paid and was not listed. I told them how much I was owed and which company it was for and then heard nothing for over two weeks. When I complained yet again, I was blamed for not providing clear details of the missed payment (despite having stated the amount and which company it was performed for). Still not a single word of apology had yet been given or a word to accept responsbility for not only the error, but the refusal to investigate it. I simply received yet more flimsy excuses for what is clearly a completely incompetent system of accounting that is completely disorganised. Apparently they were unable to trace the unpaid job from the list of just five assignments I had performed for them...

Today I received a phone call from someone at the company. Although they made the first apology I have received- they revealed that the company is inherently the same and it was not one single individual at fault. The company is just a mess and they are not willing to be held accountable for it. They tried to tell me that all mystery companies are the same and that I was not paid because they did not have my bank details on file when the assignment was performed. When I told them that my experience with other mystery shopping companies is NOT the same (and that all others paid me correctly, regardless of whether they needed to request my bank details) she became equally rude and uninterested as the person who had sent the emails. She was only out to recite inaccurate excuses and was not prepared to listen when I was forced to correct her about statements that were patently untrue. No other mystery shopping company has behaved with the same incompetence and made the same refusal to provide accounting records for verification purposes.

This company is run by the rudest and most incompetent staff I have ever encountered in any professional organisation. Don't go anywhere near them. They have very few clients at present, and aren't worth getting involved with.

Sunny_spell

JohnnyG wrote: »

Has anyone seen anything from RM lately?

I've noticed there's been nothing on their website for a while, and I've not seen any e-mails from them for equally as long.

I only did one job for them just before Christmas.

ljshopper

cziffra wrote: »

(I've also posted this in a new thread, but thought I might as well make it visible here too)

Stay well clear of Retail Active. I have written extremely few negative reports in any of my mystery shops for any company, but the conduct and general incompetence of this company simply beggars belief. When I received my first payment, it fell short of what my records suggested should have been paid. I immediately contacted them, to politely request a full payment breakdown. Remarkably enough, such a routine and simple request was actually refused. I was told that I'm supposed to keep my own records. When I pointed out that I had indeed kept my own records (which is why I was aware of having been incorrectly paid and why I needed to see a breakdown of the unexplained payment that had been issued) they still point blank refused to provide further information and made no offer to investigate the matter unless I filled in a form that I could not complete- as it was a claim form for a specific unpaid job. Seeing as they refused to provide routine accounting records, I had no idea which job had been underpaid.

After a string of evasive and completely unhelpful emails, they eventually sent a breakdown- after I threatened to stop wasting any more time and simply take them to court. One of the jobs had indeed not been paid and was not listed. I told them how much I was owed and which company it was for and then heard nothing for over two weeks. When I complained yet again, I was blamed for not providing clear details of the missed payment (despite having stated the amount and which company it was performed for). Still not a single word of apology had yet been given or a word to accept responsbility for not only the error, but the refusal to investigate it. I simply received yet more flimsy excuses for what is clearly a completely incompetent system of accounting that is completely disorganised. Apparently they were unable to trace the unpaid job from the list of just five assignments I had performed for them...

Today I received a phone call from someone at the company. Although they made the first apology I have received- they revealed that the company is inherently the same and it was not one single individual at fault. The company is just a mess and they are not willing to be held accountable for it. They tried to tell me that all mystery companies are the same and that I was not paid because they did not have my bank details on file when the assignment was performed. When I told them that my experience with other mystery shopping companies is NOT the same (and that all others paid me correctly, regardless of whether they needed to request my bank details) she became equally rude and uninterested as the person who had sent the emails. She was only out to recite inaccurate excuses and was not prepared to listen when I was forced to correct her about statements that were patently untrue. No other mystery shopping company has behaved with the same incompetence and made the same refusal to provide accounting records for verification purposes.

This company is run by the rudest and most incompetent staff I have ever encountered in any professional organisation. Don't go anywhere near them. They have very few clients at present, and aren't worth getting involved with.

Dont take this the wrong way but you sound like a bit of a moaner to me.

cziffra

I've scarcely even written a single negative report, as a shopper. However, I don't take kindly to evasive responses, when I have to request very basic information due to an error on the company's part (that they didn't care to investigate). I don't casually ignore that kind of totally unprofessional and uncaring behaviour. If a company doesn't feel that they have any obligation to verify (incorrect) payments by providing a breakdown of pay (either as a matter of a routine or even upon direct request) they should not be in business at all.

ljshopper wrote: »

Dont take this the wrong way but you sound like a bit of a moaner to me.

ljshopper

cziffra wrote: »

I've scarcely even written a single negative report, as a shopper. However, I don't take kindly to evasive responses, when I have to request very basic information due to an error on the company's part (that they didn't care to investigate). I don't casually ignore that kind of totally unprofessional and uncaring behaviour. If a company doesn't feel that they have any obligation to verify (incorrect) payments by providing a breakdown of pay (either as a matter of a routine or even upon direct request) they should not be in business at all.

How much are you short ?