Marketforce cancelled my contract because a friend of mine worked at xxx 4 years ago. I don't even know how they knew we are friends. It is crazy that I cannot do shops based on what my friends used to do. My friends jobs was not even in the same state as me.......... I did a bunch of jobs for them so I consider it their loss not mine......I don't want to do business with a company like this anyway.

how do you know that is the reason why? Did you tell your friend you were doing shops and then that friend told someone at who then reported it......

No We are using the same computer and she tried to sign up for them. They did tell me the reason my email. I don't do xxxx shops mostly xxxx and phone shops. She might have put my name as a referral. I still think it is dumb to exclude me for this.

You're letting your friend use your email address?

Something doesn't smell right here.

Another possibility why you were deactivated: Market Force might suspect that you and your friend were actually the same person pretending to be two different shoppers. I do not know whether Market Force tracks the IP addresses of applicants.

If I were you, I would blame my friend or myself before I would blame Market Force.

As things stand, they don't want you to work for them and you said you don't want to do business with them. So,

BTW, you are, once again, identifying an MSC and one of its clients in the same thread/posts.

Since Marketforce is very specific about not allowing an ex-employee to perform a mystery shop for a client, obviously your friend would not be able to perform mystery shops for that client. By logging in on your computer, your friend connected the two of you in Market Force's eyes. If you and your friend are sharing the same computer, do you also have the same e-mail address, telephone number, and physical address? If your friend has access to your computer, then Marketforce would certainly believe your friend might have access to your Marketforce account and to your shops. Don't blame Marketforce for the deactivation. Blame your friend. It would probably be wise to password-protect your computer and not allow your friend access to it. Having another person able to access your computer jeopardizes your mystery shopping career.

And FWIW, you never have a contract with Market Force - you are a completely independent contractor.

More information: MarketForce not only tells you up front you may not accept any shops for this burger client if any close friends have worked for this client within FIVE YEARS but it also requires you to answer that question every single time you complete a report for this client. Every report for this client requires you to answer this question:

"By answering this question "Yes," I am stating that neither I, nor anyone I know (including, but not limited to, any family members, spouse or fiancé, businessassociates, and close friends) is, or has been during the past five (5) years, closely associated with or employed by XXX or any franchisee thereof nor have I or any family members had any affiliation in the last six (6) months with any other QuickService/Fast Food Restaurant including XXX or XXX. I understand that if I have completed this assignment, but did not answer honestly to this question, and all the screening questions at the time I accepted the assignment, that Market Force may be forced to remove me as an Independent Contractor."

So, you knew your friend had worked for the client. If the friend uses the same computer as you, she is obviously a close friend. Every time you completed a report for the client, you said that you did not know anyone who had been employed by the client which was not true. Marketforce told you that if you did not answer the question honestly, you would be removed as an Independent Contractor. You did not answer the question honestly, and now they have removed you as an Independent Contractor.

What exactly do you not understand?

So, I got a call yesterday to do the shop referenced above. I originally declined because my daughter has a job a Fazoli's. When I asked about it, the person on the phone said she didn't think that counted ---only the other burger chains which she listed by name. However, that isn't how I read the above.

Any thoughts?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/13/2012 12:22AM by Shelly.

The names I deleted from the above quote were all burger fast foods. I think they are want to avoid those who have friends and family working for their burger client and close burger competitors. I think you are OK if your daughter works at a Fazoli's fast food. I LOVE Fazoli's! Wish I had a kid working there!

I just remember there being a long wordy thing you have to confirm at the end of the report. I really wouldn't mind not being able to do those shops, but they keep calling with bonuses.

The long wordy confirmation question at the end of the reports only talks about burger franchises. It names the client and says no relative/close friend can have worked there within 5 years. It also indicates competitor burger shops, naming 2 major burger competitors (one of which is shopped by MF also). Based on the qualification questions and the confirmation at the end of each report, it is my belief that they are only talking about burger fast foods not all fast food restaurants. I would go for the bonuses if I were you. I don't think a family member employed by Fazoli's disqualifies you.

They might have cancelled you anyway since you do not seem to have a good grasp on the English language.

Sometimes I wonder of a person from one MSC intentionally posts derogatory comments (as with this one) aimed at a competitor. Just a thought.

So many of these "Market Force Ripped Me Off" type threads are started by members with only a few posts, often only one.

I agree, too many of these posts lately with strange vague details

ShopUntilYouDrop Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sometimes I wonder of a person from one MSC
> intentionally posts derogatory comments (as with
> this one) aimed at a competitor. Just a thought.
>
> So many of these "Market Force Ripped Me Off" type
> threads are started by members with only a few
> posts, often only one.

ShopUntilYouDrop Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sometimes I wonder of a person from one MSC
> intentionally posts derogatory comments (as with
> this one) aimed at a competitor. Just a thought.
>
> So many of these "Market Force Ripped Me Off" type
> threads are started by members with only a few
> posts, often only one.


agreed ..... and then after dumping the dirt, they never come back.

pvlamb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They might have cancelled you anyway since you do
> not seem to have a good grasp on the English
> language.


More likely, they would just hire such a person as a scheduler.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2012 02:49PM by Bay.

This kind of post seems very unnecessary to me, here. =(

pvlamb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They might have cancelled you anyway since you do
> not seem to have a good grasp on the English
> language.

Well, my first job with Marketforce which was supposed to be today - needed some important information before I could do the shop that was not in the guidelines so I emailed twice. The response was "Out-of-Office" no estimated time when they would return, no replacement number or address, no phone numbers anywhere on site, and was not covered in their FAQS.

I am starting to get really disappointed with this non-professionalism I encountered with some of the companies; not all but at least four (4). There are a some that are just great and have communication with you and each other. Some just plain seem like a hit-and run companies out to make a quick buck.

Savana23 (Not so a newbie anymore)








kiasardan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Marketforce cancelled my contract because a friend
> of mine worked at xxx 4 years ago. I
> don't even know how they knew we are friends. It
> is crazy that I cannot do shops based on what my
> friends used to do. My friends jobs was not even
> in the same state as me.......... I did a bunch of
> jobs for them so I consider it their loss not
> mine......I don't want to do business with a
> company like this anyway.

Not knowing which division of Market Force, here are the phone numbers.

Formerly Certified Field Associates - 800-320-1290
Market Force - 800-669-6526

They also "clean house" and delete shoppers who are not active, that happened to me, and I was just re-instated.

I'm just glad I don't know anyone-- anywhere I live so far out... there are no fast food places for anyone I know to be working!!!! Subway is a good as it gets here. People used to laugh when I told them I had to drive 10 miles for a fast food hamburger!!! I guess the only benefit is not knowing anyone at these places so I can shop them all. lol

Now that I have read all your comments, I am not stupid. The fact I get tracked down everyweek by companies to join them and do shop is a clear indicator that I am doing something right. While I hated to lose marketforce for no reason, I had great reviews on all the jobs I did for them, I have more than I can handle and it is their loss. So, say what you want! Mystery Shopping has become a full time job for me and when anybody ask me about it. I just tell them to go to the Marketforce website and become a shopper since I can't do the jobs anyway!!!

Savana23 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, my first job with Marketforce which was
> supposed to be today - needed some important
> information before I could do the shop that was
> not in the guidelines so I emailed twice. The
> response was "Out-of-Office" no estimated time
> when they would return, no replacement number or
> address, no phone numbers anywhere on site, and
> was not covered in their FAQS.
> Savana23 (Not so a newbie anymore)

When I get the "Out-of-office reply", I find they will send you a return message after you have completed the shop or so early in the morning, you are in bed when the time stamp is present. Ask for a bonus fee and they will never get back to you before the due date. How can a shop be on the board for two months but the minute someone ask for a bonus fee to do the shop. The shop disappears. I doubt very seriuosly if it was finally shopped.

You do notice this weekend is a $2 shopper appreciation weekend. If one was to look at the board yesterday, some shops were bonused, but they were gone today. So the lower fee returned.

Bay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> pvlamb Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> > They might have cancelled you anyway since you do
> > not seem to have a good grasp on the English language.
>
>
> More likely, they would just hire such a person as a scheduler.


Bwahahaha! Or, better yet, the person who writes the guidelines/instructions.

StormCloud Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bay Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > pvlamb Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > > They might have cancelled you anyway since you
> do
> > > not seem to have a good grasp on the English
> language.
> >
> >
> > More likely, they would just hire such a person
> as a scheduler.
>
>
> Bwahahaha! Or, better yet, the person who writes
> the guidelines/instructions.


There's room for everybody in this industry.