Maximising income - Mystery Shopping? Surveys? (Part Three)

Groovegal

Hi just read your replies guys thanks for taking time out to help a newbie!!

I forgot that I wouldnt pay tax as even if my husband is working with 3 kids at home I wont be and the MS defo wont take me over the tax threshold so I guess I am just keeping records to prove to HMRC that I havent made money over the tax threshold?

Also thanks for the tips that I can charge other things to the business but (and sorry I sound really dumb here) would that really make any difference to me if I'm not going to hit the tax threshold anyway?

One thing I thought might be useful but not sure is if I am technically classed as self employed could I get a cash and carry card? Like Makro or something as I think even self employed people can get cash and carry cards. Does anyone else do this?

Thanks again

Geeves1980

Why do GAP exist? What is their point? It's certainly not to gain an accurate refelction of their client stores service!

I am so upset with them as they are refusing to pay me for betting shop assignments I have completed as they have said I have been spotted.

I'm not surprised as I followed the format of placing a £3 bet on football, using the toilet and enquiring about the stores inhouse betting card.

The only reason they are doing it is because one tiny detail was not perfect. I marked that the assistants did not inform me of other betting options available to me. I've done eight of these shops now and some inform me and others haven't. I've niavely marked the ones that haven't.

They are using the most irrelevent excuse too, saying that the reason I used during my enquiry for the card did not give the assistants the opportunity to discuss other options.

I've emailed them back and said that the transaction had already been put through before I enquired about the card and they had ample opportunity to discuss other options.

Now, because the stores assistant did not do theit job properly, I'm not getting paid for my time or reinbursed for the bets that I had to place.

I'm now worried about the computer store assingment as I've marked that truthfully as well, they're obviously going to pull the same 'Oh you've been spotted so we are not going to pay you' line for that one. The guy was very nice, but a rubbish salseman. Despite marking him up for several things, there were some areas for his sales that I couldn't mark as perfect.

GAP just want you to lie!! What is the point of us even going to the shops and spending time remembering the brief if all they want us to do is come home and mark every highlighted box as perfect?

I'm going to be down over £40 this month if they query every report I have done for them where there were some areas that were not perfect.

I wouldn't mind but all the shops have had positive reports, there has never been anything bad. Just the assistant not fully doing their sales pitches correctly!:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Timmne

You appear to have learnt a hard lesson - honesty is not required with GAP reports; just a lot of clicks in the right boxes. The branches must know this too that they only have to lie and they can refuse a report.

The most annoying thing about GAP is that they'll still use your reports, they just won't pay you for it....

This is why I only do the GAP jobs that are genuinely convenient for me to do, so if they shouldn't pay me for any reason I won't be out of pocket.

Geeves1980

Timmne wrote: »

You appear to have learnt a hard lesson - honesty is not required with GAP reports; just a lot of clicks in the right boxes. The branches must know this too that they only have to lie and they can refuse a report.

The most annoying thing about GAP is that they'll still use your reports, they just won't pay you for it....

This is why I only do the GAP jobs that are genuinely convenient for me to do, so if they shouldn't pay me for any reason I won't be out of pocket.

Well I've got a bee in my bonnent about this one as it's absolute bull****. It's not worth putting it through a small claims court as the amount they owe me is less than what it would cost to file the report. but this is really what I want to do.

I'm sitting here fuming about how to get my money or them back!!! I did these shops in good faith, but their whole business is a fake!

Quentin

By posting here you get some revenge.

As hopefully mystery shoppers with some self respect and moral fibre who read this won't touch them.

That will just leave them with riff raff as their secret agents who will lie on their reports.

Eventually their Clients will realise what is happening, and either give up on mystery shoppers altogether, or move to a more reputable agency.

wensie

Groovegal wrote: »

One thing I thought might be useful but not sure is if I am technically classed as self employed could I get a cash and carry card? Like Makro or something as I think even self employed people can get cash and carry cards. Does anyone else do this?

Thanks again

Yes, you can. I've got the cards to two different cash and carry chains.

Have a look on their websites and check what kind of proof they want. I just took the appropriate paperwork to my local branches and was signed up. :j

willowthecat

Geeves1980 wrote: »

Well I've got a bee in my bonnent about this one as it's absolute bull****. It's not worth putting it through a small claims court as the amount they owe me is less than what it would cost to file the report. but this is really what I want to do.

Although remember if you win they will have to pay the costs

I wonder if we went the same shop. I had a similar problem with the card in that I was just directed to the leaflet, which I put in the report, but apparently the manager knew I was a shopper and he was adamant that he had given full details about the card. I was e-mailed about this whilst I was on holiday, to which I replied that what I wrote in the report was what had happened, but if it helped then I'd consult my notes when I returned home. But of course, they don't read their mail properly and I got even more e-mails about it, even though they knew I was holiday, practically calling me a liar, until I turned round and basically said that I don't have any affiliations to the company and the manager does, so go and work out what really happened! I haven't heard about it since and whether I've got paid for it I don't know. They didn't say they wouldn't!

I can't be bothered now because one of my bets won, which more than covered any potential loss.

But I know what you mean, in that you're made to feel as though you have to lie to avoid having a debate about what really happened. And yes! It is pretty obvious being female, walking into a betting shop, going the toilet and asking questions, that's why I'm not doing anymore of these particular shops. Just the same as going into fast food places, particularly at the weekend and asking for a receipt :cool:

Once you build your portfolio of different companies to work for, you'll probably find that you don't bother with this particular MS company as much

Geeves1980

My tactic is going to be extreemly persistent and annoying! I've emailed them back and will wait and see if I get a reply (ha ha!)

I have got a telephone number for them too, which is freephone. I am not letting this one go as they are wrong! Lets see if they like having their customer service evaluated!

I've been looking to see which Ombudsman covers this type of thing, I can't find one that would cover this category of business. If I'm going to get them to take me seriously, I need to let them know I am prepared to take it further.

If they really refuse to pay me, I'll inform them that I'll be putting in an official complaint to their company and taking it further.

Hopefully they will relaise it is not worth the hassle, pay me and then I will do no more for them.

82much

Thanks Wensie. You are obviously a 'busy bee'!!
I'm looking forward to having a go, hopefully something will come up in my area.

josie

It's funny, I would say the majority of my bookies' reports have been fairly negative. I've only ever once been offered other betting options and q often don't even get a greeting. I know they've rumbled me a few times, esp because of the toilet bit, but Gap have never queried any of these reports with me.

Perhaps the staff are starting to cotton on to the fact that they can get their report discounted if they say they knew who the mystery shopper is or something and then that gets them out of trouble with the area manager or whoever.

I've had a petrol one and 2 convenience ones queried, but have always stuck to my guns and have always been paid - there was never any talk of me not being paid, but then no one has ever told Gap that they've sussed who I was.

Can't say I've ever had any issues with Gap and have always given honest reports even if they have been poor. As for the kids toy type store they do, I've only ever given poor reports because that's the service I received.