The mystery shopping thread - part 4

janiusbaktus

Hazzanet wrote: »

I was thinking about setting up a Picasa style album where people could upload pictures of stores in their area and use them when they need a photo of a particular store. We all have to take photos of these stores (particularly for one company), so it might be useful to have a 'gallery' of all the photos we've collated and use them - particularly if it's difficult to get a photo, or your camera mucks up.

Anyone interested in me doing this?

Sounds like a great idea!

We might need to have photos for different seasons, as they might get suspicious if you for instance upload a photo in summer and there is snow on the pavement in the picture...

josie

Hazzanet wrote: »

I was thinking about setting up a Picasa style album where people could upload pictures of stores in their area and use them when they need a photo of a particular store. We all have to take photos of these stores (particularly for one company), so it might be useful to have a 'gallery' of all the photos we've collated and use them - particularly if it's difficult to get a photo, or your camera mucks up.

Anyone interested in me doing this?

It sounds like an awful lot of work. The only company I've had to take photos for were RE - not sure if I'm not signed up to another firm who asks you to do this - who else does?

Anyway, the high street store that I had to take a photo of for RE hasn't appeared on there for almost a year and it probably has about 800 branches, so the chances of finding a photo of the one you need would be slim?

Sorry if I'm missing something here, but haven't taken a photo of a store for over a year

Hazzanet

josie wrote: »

Sorry if I'm missing something here, but haven't taken a photo of a store for over a year

I've had to take about 6 since March - from pictures of sandwich shops through to phone shops and the like. RE is the main one where I've had to upload photos, but I vaguely recall one other.

janiusbaktus

josie wrote: »

It sounds like an awful lot of work. The only company I've had to take photos for were RE - not sure if I'm not signed up to another firm who asks you to do this - who else does?

Anyway, the high street store that I had to take a photo of for RE hasn't appeared on there for almost a year and it probably has about 800 branches, so the chances of finding a photo of the one you need would be slim?

Sorry if I'm missing something here, but haven't taken a photo of a store for over a year

It is a sandwich shop that RE does where they require you to take a photo, and these assignments are relased something like every or every other week, I am doing 4 of them this week. I have a little album on my computer with 10 pics already. The only obstacle though I guess would be to keep them updated, so you can't tell that they are old photos.

cranezoe

Sounds like a way to make things easier and share info but I dont really think its a good idea as I think that it could have problems. the reason we are asked to take a picture is to ensure that we went to the right store and also to prove we were there. If people just upload a picture they find then people could make up the visit or end up having visited the wrong store. The info wouldn't be useful for the companies.

I have only had to take photos for RE too.

I thought it would be useful to have a list of lefts and rights for stores but hadn't worked a way of this being done without knowing who shopped where and then breaking confidentiality etc.

josie

cranezoe wrote: »

Sounds like a way to make things easier and share info but I dont really think its a good idea as I think that it could have problems. the reason we are asked to take a picture is to ensure that we went to the right store and also to prove we were there. If people just upload a picture they find then people could make up the visit or end up having visited the wrong store. The info wouldn't be useful for the companies.

I have only had to take photos for RE too.

I thought it would be useful to have a list of lefts and rights for stores but hadn't worked a way of this being done without knowing who shopped where and then breaking confidentiality etc.

I agree. I like the idea of left and right, but again, a huge piece of work to do and to keep up to date. I've been mystery shopping for a couple of years now and did one y'day, where I forgot to check left & right :mad: at myself! fortunately, I had done this place back in March and still had the previous notes - phew!

janiusbaktus

cranezoe wrote: »

Sounds like a way to make things easier and share info but I dont really think its a good idea as I think that it could have problems. the reason we are asked to take a picture is to ensure that we went to the right store and also to prove we were there. If people just upload a picture they find then people could make up the visit or end up having visited the wrong store. The info wouldn't be useful for the companies.

It's true that it should of course not be done as a way of cheating, but when it comes to RE you always have to upload the receipt as well, so that makes it impossible to fake a visit. The receipt also shows the address which can confirm that you have been to the right store, so to be honest I don't know what they actually need the photos for.

It might not work out anyway, but I really appreciate the idea and the initiative.

newmoneysaver_2

bobthego wrote: »

Just done a snail job, and got home to an email saying that the fee was incorrect - so I checked and from being a VERY generous fee it is now no fee!! Really annoying.:eek:

I'va had the same - they sent the email at 12:20, but I had already set off to do the job as it had to be doe betwee 12 and 2pm. I have upload the report and emailed to say that I expect them to hoour the fee/re-imbursemet that I had siged up to. If they had contact before the job or even by telephone - they have no excusses, they have my mobile number, I would have cancelled it.

bobthego

janiusbaktus wrote: »

It might not work out anyway, but I really appreciate the idea and the initiative.

I'd happily send in any photos that I take


does anyone feel weird taking a photo of the sandwich/etc shop? I do! :rotfl:

mimi1234

It is quite funny when you are stood outside a shop taking a photo and people are walking past giving you funny looks. I actually heard someone saying WHATS THAT MAN DOING TAKING A PHOTO OF ******. I just looked at them and smiled. *** I think it's good TNS and GFK are merging. I might actually get to do some shops for TNS this way. At the moment, they have nothing on. Nothing at all. I went through the long test process only to be given the opportunity to do err nothing! What a waste.