Curious what shops have you dropped over the years?

When I first started mystery shopping, I was fairly young and making so-so money. I picked up a lot of fast food shops and didn't care about pay. After a while, the shops I do and MSC I work with now are different.

I can still pick up the shop for a bonus. It's like muscle memory, and I'm aware of all of the gotchas that other shoppers miss.

Lately, my health is not the best. I've been getting more picky with the shops I do. I no longer do certain restaurants which required difficult photos depending on the traffic and substantial narratives, especially if the meal reimbursement was really the only form of compensation.

While some shops pay a good amount to start out with like luxury retailers, I now only do it if I'm in a position to negotiate the fee and get a sizeable bonus. Some of these shops require too much preparation and research beforehand. Also, these long-form narratives are starting to wear me out. Ever since a couple of years ago, I write all of these reports from scratch as I ran into issues with editors on multiple occasions.

Cellphone shops.
Every single time I tried one, it was like pulling teeth to get the information I needed out of the salesperson. All they seemed to care about is their carrier's phone plans and not the phone itself.

Every. Single. Time.

Anything paying less than $18 unless I wanted the food LOL

I don’t do the fast food burger shops until the fee is at least $20..they start out at $9 now so sometimes I catch them at 20-30 in the undesirable areas. I don’t do the guys burger shops either because the pay never gets high enough before someone takes it for a cheap fee. Those reports are longer than most to accept for a measly fee.

I hardly do any mystery shops any more.

I was driving right by a Canadian Tire where there was a Credit Card offer shop for $15. I didn't want to stop, read all the info, do the shop and the report for that. Probably not going to do several of them so it would get easier. Too much effort for one.

I do a $15 audit for Canadian tire. It's easy and I'm familiar with it.

I do some simple gas station shops. Esso, I hate taking the pictures so I don't do them.

Cell phone shops - I don't enjoy. I don't do them even if I'm right there.

Fast food shops seem to have disappeared here. Except Burger King and I hate getting the pictures and then the temp after rushing back to the car within 3 minutes. (And they didn't pay me because I forgot to alter something on the menu - face palm. LOL) Anyway, not doing it again because too much to do in 3 minutes.

I go to a couple restaurants that I like the food- if I'm right in the area.

In-N-Out, because of their responses to Covid. I don't even go when it's not a shop and I used to go at least once a week.

Cell phone shops that require me to purchase a phone/plan and return/cancel later.

Targeted call shops. Apartment shops. High-end purchase-and-return or purchase-and-ship shops. Bar integrity shops.

Most out-of-town shops that require me to be away from home for more than two nights in a row.

Anything from TrendSource.

We don't have In-N-Out here yet. What was their response to COVID?

@BusyBeeBuzzBuzzBuzz wrote:

In-N-Out, because of their responses to Covid. I don't even go when it's not a shop and I used to go at least once a week.

.

Restaurant shops that require me to record almost non stop timings of when I was greeted, when the menu was handed over, when I placed a drink order, when the manager walked through the room, when the empty plate was removed etc etc.

There was more than one response.

The first response that I was aware of was in San Francisco.

[www.theguardian.com]

One thing that made it worse than just their non-compliance was their hypocrisy. They posted the necessary notices that gave customers a false sense of security, thinking In-N-Out was checking for proof of vaccination when it actually wasn't.

In-N-Out wasn't just not complying with rules and mandates in SF:

[www.theguardian.com]

Pleasant Hill was my regular In-N-Out.

Then, In-N-Out went from their we-don't-have-to-follow-government-rules-or-mandates to we-don't-want-to-let-our-employees-wear-masks-to-protect-themselves:

[mailchi.mp]

[calmatters.org]

I stopped doing In-N-Out shops or spending my own money there in 2021. I miss Double-Doubles and I am sure In-N-Out doesn't care about my business. I won't contribute to their success in any way.

@DRJ wrote:

We don't have In-N-Out here yet. What was their response to COVID?

@BusyBeeBuzzBuzzBuzz wrote:

In-N-Out, because of their responses to Covid. I don't even go when it's not a shop and I used to go at least once a week.

.

@KA047 wrote:

Cellphone shops.
Every single time I tried one, it was like pulling teeth to get the information I needed out of the salesperson. All they seemed to care about is their carrier's phone plans and not the phone itself.

Every. Single. Time.

.

That is exactly why I hate them and do not do them. It is time for me to stop doing the shops when I get the feeling that I am ready to make up something just to get out of there without looking like a damn fool (re: Can you show me how the camera works? I realize I am not 90 years old, but I have no idea how an app on a cell phone camera works because I'm such a dumbs*it!)

We really need a laughing button on this forum

@BusyBeeBuzzBuzzBuzz wrote:

There was more than one response.

The first response that I was aware of was in San Francisco.

[www.theguardian.com]

One thing that made it worse than just their non-compliance was their hypocrisy. They posted the necessary notices that gave customers a false sense of security, thinking In-N-Out was checking for proof of vaccination when it actually wasn't.

In-N-Out wasn't just not complying with rules and mandates in SF:

[www.theguardian.com]

Pleasant Hill was my regular In-N-Out.

Then, In-N-Out went from their we-don't-have-to-follow-government-rules-or-mandates to we-don't-want-to-let-our-employees-wear-masks-to-protect-themselves:

[mailchi.mp]

[calmatters.org]

I stopped doing In-N-Out shops or spending my own money there in 2021. I miss Double-Doubles and I am sure In-N-Out doesn't care about my business. I won't contribute to their success in any way.

@DRJ wrote:

We don't have In-N-Out here yet. What was their response to COVID?

@BusyBeeBuzzBuzzBuzz wrote:

In-N-Out, because of their responses to Covid. I don't even go when it's not a shop and I used to go at least once a week.

.

Apparently I'm not the only one: Never will I ever do another cellphone shop.

Probably will never do another senior living facility, unless the pay is really massive.

Not a fan of the upscale car wash shops where you have to buy a bunch of things from different retail areas.

Haven't done apartments in a long time, and they used to be my specialty. I need my $$$ faster these days.

My list is too long to list.....

I am in agreement about the restaurant shops that have too many timings and pictures. It used to be worth it for a $50 reimbursement, but nowadays I am often out of pocket $10-$20 due to tipping and ordering what is required and the food is not good. Cell phone shops are also on my 10 foot pole list.

I reserve the right to update this.

Shell audits. Pay never changed in 20 years.

Cell phone shops and bank teller shops. Boredom may put me into a coma. Plus low pay.

Sizing audits under $25, even if I am there anyway. Pay is the same as 1999.

In N Out. I don't care about the COVID issue at all. That's a can of worms. I just don't eat their food and I got tired of throwing it in the trash. Fee is minimal anyway.

Sonic. Just say no to food poisoning.

Almost anything with Marketforce. I used to do around $1000/year with them. Fees are too low.

Amusement Park revealed audits. I was the go-to person for this for decades. My kids are adults now. I don't really do a lot of rollercoasters anymore. I'm not against them, but if I wanted to do that, I'd just buy a ticket. I don't need 3-4 tickets anymore.

I can't think of any job I "won't" do. I will do just about any job as long as I am being paid what I think it's worth.

"Probably will never do another senior living facility, unless the pay is really massive."
Let me vent and whine here. Sr living shops just began to be posted in my area. The pay is good. The guidelines want info on independent living. I have going to these places anyhow--to inquire about memory care for a relative in reality. Can't go back for a shop 8~(

Anything Observa and resetting travel plaza displays.

The travel plaza displays...good grief these are a ton of work. I've actually got the jewelry resets down to a science, and can get one done in about 90 minutes. I don't do them for less than $80, and the scheduler generally agrees to that (sometimes it takes her a couple weeks to agree). But the clothing resets I will not do at all. Its so much manual work lugging boxes around and searching for hangars and filling out forms....there is no amount of money at this point that entices me!

I will not do any of the cell phone shops at this point. I did them for a few years when they were bonused, but the narratives are too much and I eventually was unable to pretend to be interested in cell phones. And most of the salespeople are so cringey and cheesy, or alternatively just clueless about things. Too painful!

@BusyBeeBuzzBuzzBuzz wrote:

There was more than one response.

The first response that I was aware of was in San Francisco.

[www.theguardian.com]

One thing that made it worse than just their non-compliance was their hypocrisy. They posted the necessary notices that gave customers a false sense of security, thinking In-N-Out was checking for proof of vaccination when it actually wasn't.

In-N-Out wasn't just not complying with rules and mandates in SF:

[www.theguardian.com]

Pleasant Hill was my regular In-N-Out.

Then, In-N-Out went from their we-don't-have-to-follow-government-rules-or-mandates to we-don't-want-to-let-our-employees-wear-masks-to-protect-themselves:

[mailchi.mp]

[calmatters.org]

I stopped doing In-N-Out shops or spending my own money there in 2021. I miss Double-Doubles and I am sure In-N-Out doesn't care about my business. I won't contribute to their success in any way.

@DRJ wrote:

We don't have In-N-Out here yet. What was their response to COVID?

@BusyBeeBuzzBuzzBuzz wrote:

In-N-Out, because of their responses to Covid. I don't even go when it's not a shop and I used to go at least once a week.

.

Oh pleeze that is not the reason.

@BayShopper22 wrote:

Sonic. Just say no to food poisoning.

I have found if I leave off the lettuce and mayo, I get food poisoning way less.

I do Sonics under duress and only when they are heavily bonused. I won't do money transfer shops, or the testing center shops. I tried them, I but when I realized it was a set up to get folks in trouble or fired, I won't go near them anymore. I like doing bank account opening shops, but I've been burned by one MSC doing them, and I'm wary of risking my reputation with the stagecoach folks. I may do a complaint shop after doing another checking account opening shop if no one offers me paper checks again.. that's if I can use that as a scenario. I won't do any shop with Nikki or Elise's names on it, unless it's on Presto. I didn't miss out on the pizza shops this round, they said to order mushroom and pepperoni, I don't eat mushrooms, I don't like the texture or the flavor, and even if you pick them off the pizza, the flavor stays.

I will never do another pancake house shop. I hadn't been in years but did one recently; I felt like I was being tortured. The service was painfully slow, the food was overpriced and tasted awful, and they didn't make half our order right. I hate writing bad reports. One or two things are fine, but when the whole shop is just an awful experience, it just makes me work harder. 
I like most of the sit-down restaurants because I like food. I was doing the pizza shops, but my son confessed he doesn't like their pizza, and the new one they have, I didn't care for that either, so I likely won't be doing any of those anymore. 
I dont care for the integrity shops but will do them sometimes when bonused and travel time is minimal. 
I will never do another beauty shop where my hair is required to be cut, but I would do another blowout or style.
I wouldn't mind going to the amusement park shops, but I just can't justify it. The reimbursement is only $2 for each location, and there is no way I can get a drink for $2. We just went this past weekend with the kids (non-MS) and got a one-size drink, and it cost $5+, so I feel like I would be spending way more than I would be reimbursed for, especially if I was assigned to do 8 locations there. 
I won't do shops that pay minimum and require you to make a purchase.
I also won't do sit down restaurant shops that require you to order very specific things, like two very specific cocktails, a specific appitizer and 2 specific entrees. Thats too controling. Part of the payment is ordering what i want and what i will enjoy eating.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/2024 04:01AM by JSuing.

@BusyBeeBuzzBuzzBuzz wrote:

In-N-Out, because of their responses to Covid. I don't even go when it's not a shop and I used to go at least once a week.

I used to regularly shop In-N-Out. Sometimes multiple times each week. Their response to Covid-19 was pathetic at best. I stopped doing their shops and joined the boycott against them when they prohibited employees from masking.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/2024 06:04AM by Rousseau.

Anything Totes/Isotoner. I agreed to merchandise a rack, not organize Kroger's stockroom.

Car dealerships. I hate having to shop for a car even when I actually need one. I would rather go to the dentist. I did them frequently when I started, finding one out of town that paid well and building a route off it. Gosh they were a lot of work with all the role playing, test drive, and remembering what they said. Now I would rather do a bunch of little, routine jobs that add up to the same amount of money. And money transfer shops, Basically two shops when you count getting the refund.

I don't miss the shops because the fee is low. I usually did the Double-Double ones only and did them mostly because Jeff at the MSC was so nice. I wasn't even aware there was a boycott and just did what I thought was right for myself.

@Rousseau wrote:

@BusyBeeBuzzBuzzBuzz wrote:

In-N-Out, because of their responses to Covid. I don't even go when it's not a shop and I used to go at least once a week.

I used to regularly shop In-N-Out. Sometimes multiple times each week. Their response to Covid-19 was pathetic at best. I stopped doing their shops and joined the boycott against them when they prohibited employees from masking.

I used to love the Kroger shops with the last company. You got reimbursed within a few days and they paid me well to drive to the several that were 90 minutes away. The new company immediately told me they don't pay those size bonuses to do shops so I told them "Okay, good luck getting someone to drive 90 minutes for $9". I think they actually pay $20 or $25 for them. But still not worth the drive and there is nothing else in the area to do to make it worth my while. I miss the groceries though especially with the cost of them now.