I have just recently started to pick up shopping again. However, I am far from full time. If I do 10 shops a week, that's a lot for me. I have four kids who I homeschool. And I make up my own curriculum. Which is time consuming. Very time consuming. They are all in soccer and every day I drop all of them off to their respective games and/or practices, try to make it to at least half of whoever's game is going on. They are also all in ballet...and practices are Tues and Wed., so I'm running around even more on Tues and Wed. They also take sign language lessons, piano lessons, and guitar lessons. And all of this stuff is regularly scheduled stuff.
There are also "unscheduled" things like an extra practice or photo day, etc. Additionally, we are having a house built, so there are meetings for that. Also, we are meeting with professionals about wills, trusts, etc. I also do drop in, last minute, date night daycare...nothing full time, but I have as much work doing that as I can handle. Many of the families who I watch kids for would prefer to have me do it more often for them (I require that they have a back up babysitter....or view me as only "backup....").

Needless to say, I'm busy.

Here's my issue: One of the reasons that I like shopping is because it's very flexible. I don't HAVE to work in weeks that too much other stuff is going on. BUT>>> Schedulers have begun to call me at home to ask me to complete shops. I have had to say no. When I say no, I have had them offer more money/flexible scheduling, etc. I have not been swayed. If I can't do it, I can't do it. I have tried to explain to them that <on the dates you have asked me to do the shop,> I have four soccer games....or I have a piano recital for my kids that day...or whatever. Sometimes the whole week (or even month) is full as crap.

To get to the heart of the matter: When I have to repeatedly tell schedulers "no," I feel like I'm pissing them off and making a "bad name" for myself. I wonder if I should just put mystery shopping aside and pick it back up when the kids are grown. The issue I have with *NOT* shopping, is that shopping is precisely the perfect way to make money on my own schedule....but OTOH, I feel as if I am letting people down and "calling in sick to work too often," per se.

Relax... I don't think anyone's taking your no's personally.

You are on the right track so just keep doing what you're doing. By declining shops you are not only NOT offending schedulers or putting yourself in a bad light, rather you are setting yourself up for success. While it may not seem like that now, you will develop the very positive reputation of being a shopper who gets reports filed timely.

@mom.for.hirehotmail.com wrote:

You are on the right track so just keep doing what you're doing. By declining shops you are not only NOT offending schedulers or putting yourself in a bad light, rather you are setting yourself up for success. While it may not seem like that now, you will develop the very positive reputation of being a shopper who gets reports filed timely.

Thanks guys. It just sometimes feels like "calling in to work sick once too often...." even though it's NOT the same....

From a scheduler's point of view, we remember those that say "yes" more than those that say "no", and most of us understand that you have a life outside of shopping. If you enjoy it, and like the extra cash or "free" meals, there is no need to put it to the side. We will simply call the next person and hope they are available.

Schedulers are not going to get pissed off unless you accept shops and then flake. Don't worry about it.

I wouldn't make too much of a big deal about it. If you can you can. And to save time, I look at my caller ID. If it's the MSC named after the sea bird (and I have time) I pick up. If I don't want to do any shops, just let it go to vm. I'm sure the scheduler will just call the next person on the list.

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Shoppersouthwest, I don't mind sloppy, last minute leftovers as long as they pay well, LOL.

@Shoppersouthwest wrote:

On the profile pages of the companies that I am signed up for there is a box where I can click it to say that I would like to be contacted by phone, by email and by text. Since The Source likes to call me on the phone and not have a bonus offer but expects me to provide a bonus offer first, and then when I do tell them what I will accept the assignment for, they counter with $2 I unclicked the box that says that I would like to be contacted by phone. Those are the strangest and most awkward calls and I always feel terrible because their tone and little exasperation sounds makes me look like the bad guy. The companies that tell me that they will think about my offer and call me back, I know they are calling other shoppers to get better offers of a smaller fee, and those companies get unclicked for phone and text as I don't take sloppy, last minute left-overs.

Yes...exactly that. The exasperated noises made when I say that I can't do it...

In the last week, I've had schedulers from 4 companies call. One called my HUSBAND'S phone! I had no idea how they got that number until I looked at my profile. They require TWO phone numbers on the profile. I only have one since I don't work (and would NOT want to be called at work anyway!) and only have a cell and no landline. So I put in my husband's number. Never thought they would call...lol. I tried to delete it last night and it won't let me have less than two phone numbers....ugh

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I wish a scheduler would call me offering a free meal, I mean one I did not have to work for.

@KSSPete wrote:

From a scheduler's point of view, we remember those that say "yes" more than those that say "no", and most of us understand that you have a life outside of shopping. If you enjoy it, and like the extra cash or "free" meals, there is no need to put it to the side. We will simply call the next person and hope they are available.

@Jill_L any company that requires more then one phone number I just put the same number in multiple times, I have never had it kick back, all they check for is the format is correct. I would bet you could put in (111) 111-1111 as well as the second number. If they question you tell them you only have one number. They should not be surprised as many who have cut the cord on a land line just have their cell and nothing else.

I never put a phone# that I can hear ring onto a msc profile. I put a google voice/hangout phone# that automatically sends me an email and/or text whenever someone calls and leaves a voicemail. I also have the option to have that phone call actually ring on my cell phone. So I never get bothered unless I want to. Best of all, google voice/hangouts are free to use with a gmail account. There are so many other free features from them that I use also. Not to say the least, I initiate my msc shop calls from the google voice#.

Actually some do. When my dad died a scheduler had the guts to say why didn't you plan on that before you assigned yourself the shop? Ummm yeah right.

@alfredos wrote:

Relax... I don't think anyone's taking your no's personally.

@CANADAMOMMY wrote:

Actually some do. When my dad died a scheduler had the guts to say why didn't you plan on that before you assigned yourself the shop? Ummm yeah right.

@alfredos wrote:

Relax... I don't think anyone's taking your no's personally.

Canada, That's one schedule I'd NEVER do any shops for ever again! Shame on that scheduler!!

@Jill_L..as others have pointed just uncheck the box to contact you by phone. I only want to be contacted by email...it is my personal preference I feel like myself and the scheduler is protected that way since everything is in writing and who wants to be on a super awkward phone call if you have to decline or are busy.. I had one msc contact me by phone that I am signed up for but haven't done any shops for and left a vm for a shop with no bonus..I refuse to work for a company who can't be bothered to check my contact preferences.