I accepted at job for a certain rate, then when they paid , it was for a different rate.. then they wanted an email confirmation. but it showed up in my assignments page. also they have just reduced their rate by half for a specific job that i have been doing for over 1 yr. what is going on anyone else expierencing similar problems

Is this for the purple side?

yes

If you do a search on this forum, you will see that some other shoppers have complained about this. I have only done one job for the purple side. I have seen some people post that the pay rate was changed AFTER they completed the job. I am not sure how it happens.

I was told that I would get a certain fee for doing a covert audit, but when they sent me the check it was lower than what they promised me. I sent an inquiry through the website, but never got a response. It wasn't by much, but I stop doing projects for them on the purple portal nit just because of that, but also because of the other peolpe that have complained of the same thing. The blue portal is wonderful, however. They pay me on time and accurately.

I am a big fan of the Blue Portal. I have not treaded on the purple side for many reasons outlined in this forum.

Now see- I have a poor opinion today of BOTH portals. Today the purple portal changed the time frame on a job I have been doing for almost 2 years. I got a nasty message and a "your shop is overdue." When I called , I was told that the new time frame is M-W, only 3 days instead of the 5 it has always been. I told her to please remove 3 of the 12 locations. Thats not worth my time, because I can't guarantee it in a short frame. The blue portal paid me today for an audit, and only paid half. I do have my CPI. When I arrived after a 40 minute drive to do the audit, I found the store in the process of a liquidation sale because they were closing. I went in and got my paperwork signed and took a photo of the store closing sign. I expected a full payment, and got half. By the way, the new Purple website SUCKS!!!

I thought it was me! MF cheated me on a shop that was supposed to pay $40. The check was for $30. When questioned, they told me I was wrong. The following cycle a scheduler called me to do the shop again. She said $40. I said $50, you cheated me last time. Needless to say, I will not be doing that shop again.

Market Force is a joke, their pay sucks.

I think Market Force and I are parting ways although I hope this issue can be resolved. I look forward to serving Market Force again. The Help Desk does not allow me to help them. As you read you will notice the issue is much more than helping Market Force. There are potential innocent victims that may be affected by Market Force.

Mystery shopping was not my first profession or vocation. Unless a shopper was fresh out of school most of us brought knowledge and experience of many professions and vocations to our clients. The "Help Desk" in my humble opinion, believes Market Force is the final authority on issues and cannot be challenged. This issue must be challenged.

Shoppers should watch out for Market Force's Mexican Restaurant shop. They previously required only one alcoholic beverage to be consumed during the shop. The "reasonable man" would believe Market Force required the shopper to drink that alcoholic beverage. Excuse me for not reading the guidelines but the guidelines really does not matter in this issue.

Market Force recently required the shopper to have an alcoholic beverage at the bar and another at the table. The change required a shopper to violate the law. I would not expect any restaurant would allow a shopper to consume more than one Alcoholic beverage per table. It would set them up for liability, as it would be difficult to prove who drank what during the course of the assignment.

In Law a party cannot be contracted to buy a drink at the bar and another at the table as it would cause the shopper to violate the law in 50 states and the District of Columbia as the shopper most likely would blow a 0.08 blood alcohol level when tested. Setting aside the requirement to buy two alcoholic beverages would not void the contract. The law would set performance of that part of the contract aside. If the other parts of the agreement are performed satisfactorily Market Force must pay the shopper for the legitimate portion of the contract performed. I am willing to test that issue.

The contract says that the shopper must indemnify Market Force from legal actions and losses. If that part of the contract requiring the shopper to have two alcoholic beverages during the performance of the shop were set aside Market Force and the Mexican Restaurant client would be liable. Should a shopper follow the guidelines and proceed out of the restaurant and have an alcohol related incident causing injury, property loss and death of innocent victims the victims legal counsel would be looking for the deepest pockets and it would not be the shopper's pockets.

The restaurant expects the server and bartender to be attentive. If a customer at the bar or table does not drink the alcoholic beverage the server or bartender will ask if there is a problem and offer to replace the drink. The manager would get involved. A shopper can not sip and leave a drink at both the bar and the table as the manager might ask a logical question. The question would be, are you insane or are you a mystery shopper? Minutes ago you had an issue at the bar with a drink and now you are having the same issue at the table.

Since the shopper can not refuse two drinks the shopper must consume the drinks. This would require the shopper to commit a crime as it is not legal to operate a vehicle in fifty states and the District of Columbia with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 when tested.

Albert Einstein said, Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Ordering a alcoholic beverage at the bar refusing it or having it replaced does not allow the shopper to have an issue with the alcoholic beverage at the table as the shopper would be doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

Other companies are quite specific about the use of alcohol. Several companies responsibly require the shopper to have one drink. If a shopper has two drinks the shop is invalidated. It is not the intention of the clients to have a shopper go out of the venue and kill or injure innocent people because the shopper blew over a 0.08 blood alcohol level when tested after the incident.

I do not believe Market Force's legal department is aware of the issue. They may be under the impression that they are working on the previous guidelines limiting the table to only one alcoholic beverage.

I would welcome a response from Mr. Mc Garr or the legal department, as the help disk is no help at all to the shoppers or Market Force. This post is not meant to annoy, harass or intimidate. I can only SUGGEST that I have the experience and I am trying to help. I am trying to prevent an unfortunate experience before an alcoholic related incident caused by a shopper leaving that Mexican restaurant involving innocent victims proves me right.

This is one bizarre post.

Twoeyeballs1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think Market Force and I are parting ways
> although I hope this issue can be resolved. I
> look forward to serving Market Force again. The
> Help Desk does not allow me to help them. As you
> read you will notice the issue is much more than
> helping Market Force. There are potential innocent
> victims that may be affected by Market Force.
>
> Mystery shopping was not my first profession or
> vocation. Unless a shopper was fresh out of school
> most of us brought knowledge and experience of
> many professions and vocations to our clients. The
> "Help Desk" in my humble opinion, believes Market
> Force is the final authority on issues and cannot
> be challenged. This issue must be challenged.
>
> Shoppers should watch out for Market Force's
> Mexican Restaurant shop. They previously required
> only one alcoholic beverage to be consumed during
> the shop. The "reasonable man" would believe
> Market Force required the shopper to drink that
> alcoholic beverage. Excuse me for not reading the
> guidelines but the guidelines really does not
> matter in this issue.
>
> Market Force recently required the shopper to have
> an alcoholic beverage at the bar and another at
> the table. The change required a shopper to
> violate the law. I would not expect any restaurant
> would allow a shopper to consume more than one
> Alcoholic beverage per table. It would set them up
> for liability, as it would be difficult to prove
> who drank what during the course of the
> assignment.
>
> In Law a party cannot be contracted to buy a drink
> at the bar and another at the table as it would
> cause the shopper to violate the law in 50 states
> and the District of Columbia as the shopper most
> likely would blow a 0.08 blood alcohol level when
> tested. Setting aside the requirement to buy two
> alcoholic beverages would not void the contract.
> The law would set performance of that part of the
> contract aside. If the other parts of the
> agreement are performed satisfactorily Market
> Force must pay the shopper for the legitimate
> portion of the contract performed. I am willing to
> test that issue.
>
> The contract says that the shopper must indemnify
> Market Force from legal actions and losses. If
> that part of the contract requiring the shopper to
> have two alcoholic beverages during the
> performance of the shop were set aside Market
> Force and the Mexican Restaurant client would be
> liable. Should a shopper follow the guidelines and
> proceed out of the restaurant and have an alcohol
> related incident causing injury, property loss and
> death of innocent victims the victims legal
> counsel would be looking for the deepest pockets
> and it would not be the shopper's pockets.
>
> The restaurant expects the server and bartender to
> be attentive. If a customer at the bar or table
> does not drink the alcoholic beverage the server
> or bartender will ask if there is a problem and
> offer to replace the drink. The manager would get
> involved. A shopper can not sip and leave a drink
> at both the bar and the table as the manager might
> ask a logical question. The question would be, are
> you insane or are you a mystery shopper? Minutes
> ago you had an issue at the bar with a drink and
> now you are having the same issue at the table.
>
> Since the shopper can not refuse two drinks the
> shopper must consume the drinks. This would
> require the shopper to commit a crime as it is not
> legal to operate a vehicle in fifty states and the
> District of Columbia with a blood alcohol level of
> 0.08 when tested.
>
> Albert Einstein said, Insanity is doing the same
> thing over and over again expecting different
> results. Ordering a alcoholic beverage at the bar
> refusing it or having it replaced does not allow
> the shopper to have an issue with the alcoholic
> beverage at the table as the shopper would be
> doing the same thing over and over again expecting
> different results.
>
> Other companies are quite specific about the use
> of alcohol. Several companies responsibly require
> the shopper to have one drink. If a shopper has
> two drinks the shop is invalidated. It is not the
> intention of the clients to have a shopper go out
> of the venue and kill or injure innocent people
> because the shopper blew over a 0.08 blood alcohol
> level when tested after the incident.
>
> I do not believe Market Force's legal department
> is aware of the issue. They may be under the
> impression that they are working on the previous
> guidelines limiting the table to only one
> alcoholic beverage.
>
> I would welcome a response from Mr. Mc Garr or the
> legal department, as the help disk is no help at
> all to the shoppers or Market Force. This post is
> not meant to annoy, harass or intimidate. I can
> only SUGGEST that I have the experience and I am
> trying to help. I am trying to prevent an
> unfortunate experience before an alcoholic related
> incident caused by a shopper leaving that Mexican
> restaurant involving innocent victims proves me
> right.

You could drink the first one and leave the second one on the table as you leave. I don't see why this is such a big deal. The human body metabolizes about one drink per hour. If you are at dinner for an hour you might well burn off all the alcohol in the first drink. BAC depends greatly on the size and body composition of the drinker. An 80 pound female might be over 0.08 on one drink. A 300 pound football player would probably have negligible effects from two.

The assignment, from what I can sort out from your somewhat rambling post, requires only the purchase, not the consumption. Big difference between them *requiring* you to drink it and it being possible that you could drink it. By your rationale, even because they send you somewhere that serves alcohol they could be liable because they can't prevent you from doing 10 tequila shots and getting drunk.

Seems to me the answer is clear - don't drink all of the drinks. If you don't feel comfortable raising those questions with a manager (I have ordered drinks I didn't finish all the time and am seldom asked about it), don't do the shop.

I would not expect any restaurant
> would allow a shopper to consume more than one
> Alcoholic beverage per table.

Per table or per person?

> In Law a party cannot be contracted to buy a drink
> at the bar and another at the table as it would
> cause the shopper to violate the law in 50 states
> and the District of Columbia as the shopper most
> likely would blow a 0.08 blood alcohol level when
> tested.

Are you an attorney? I am. Your post has that tinge of someone who thinks they have come up with some clever way to justify their point. It is not in ANY WAY illegal to have a 0.08 BAC. It is only illegal to then DRIVE. BAC depends on what you order. It is absolutely not strictly true that two drinks in a dinner would result in drunk driving. "Most likely" is not the same as "illegal."

Most shops that limit your drinks I suspect do so because they question the ability of the shopper to recall events accurately while drinking alcohol.

too much coffee??

There are several of us who have had the issue with Market Force where you'll accept a job at one rate and they'll pay you another (I've never seen it that the shop has been paid more than the rate initially agreed upon). It's sad and the justification is usually that they changed the rate just prior to the job's submission because the client said they'd pay them less. IMO, that's their issue. If they agreed to pay me a rate and I accepted the job, that's a binding contract between us, but.. I don't have the energy to even pursue it. Especially over $3.00/per shop. (;

You either make your peace with the fact that this is the way Market Force does business or you part ways. That's really the only options you have available, I think.

Sending the best,

Jen

I agree that purchasing and consuming are entirely different and the assertions regarding BAC and individual metabolisms are right on target. There are simple ways to prevent any questions at the bar. Carry your drink to the restroom and dump it down the sink. Order a clear liquor and a separate glass of water, drink the water and pour the liquor into the water glass. The bartender is not going to be sniffing your water glass before pouring it out. The same tricks can be used at the table or order a glass of wine and drink about half.

jentodd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There are several of us who have had the issue
> with Market Force where you'll accept a job at one
> rate and they'll pay you another

Is this the blue side, the purple, or both

I've had it happen on the Purple side, but not the blue

Twoeyeballs,
Please clarify your legal credentials and how they happen to apply to all 50 states.

It's not illegal to have such an elevated alcohol level. It's illegal to drive while having an elevated alcohol level. What defines that level actually varies by state. One can bring along a designated driver, walk or travel via public transportation, not drink the entire amount, and/or wait for the effects of the alcohol to disipate sufficiently to make driving legal.

It is NOT illegal to have one drink at the bar and another at the table in any state that I am aware of.

I don't know of any restaurant that would limit you to one drink at the table. Most will gladly get you a second drink.

According to this site, given an hour with most drinks, I wouldn't even be close to .08 with two drinks. They claim I would be impaired and shouldn't drive but in the .04 to .05 range.

[bloodalcoholcalculator.org]

Shelly Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't know of any restaurant that would limit
> you to one drink at the table. Most will gladly
> get you a second drink.
>


Most would hope you'd buy at least one more. There's good money to be made selling alcohol.

I had the same problem with purple. I did a covert audit that I had listed as $10 (I believe it had a bonus) but was only paid $7. When I questioned them they said I was wrong. Nothing I could do b/c I had no proof. I don't think I'll be working for them anymore either unless it's a hugely bonused shop and I'm sure to document it in some way.

I feel the same way. The jobs on the purple side pay so little as it is, even bonused. To be cheated out of some of it is just too much.

Twoeyeballs1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------
> Shoppers should watch out for Market Force's
> Mexican Restaurant shop. They previously required
> only one alcoholic beverage to be consumed during
> the shop. The "reasonable man" would believe
> Market Force required the shopper to drink that
> alcoholic beverage. Excuse me for not reading the
> guidelines but the guidelines really does not
> matter in this issue.

But the guidelines DO matter. If you accept a shop and don't feel comfortable after reading the guidelines, you can go ahead and cancel. Although I can't remember the number, I know that Marketforce doesn't penalize for cancellations unless it's habitual. (They "say" it can be up to a certain amount per month, but I'm going with habitual!) I think I've done it once because of guidelines, which I discovered after reading, would have obligated me to purchase something I didn't need, and would have been way too heavy for me to carry. Bottom line is, if you don't feel comfortable with the guidelines or scenario, don't do the shop.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2012 02:23PM by nicelytwicely.

I always have them email me the rate I am being paid before I do the job. Some reps so it without me asking .

I am new at this and never have done a job for mystery shoppers. I did get a call from Western Union, but I was afraid it was a scam. Can anyone tell me what are the best companies to work for and give me an estmate of pay per hour.

1. Western Union "shops" are in fact scams

2. This forum has a lot of information on many legitimate mystery shopping companies. Reading and researching here will help you decide the best companies for you.

3. We are small business owners and Independent Contractors. We are not paid by the hour. However, we can affect our "hourly" income by the assignments we choose to do (or choose not to do), and our own efficiency. Mystery shopping companies pay per assignment. The amount is the same whether the assignment takes you 30 minutes or 5 hours.

I've been trying to upload a receipt and a photo for a shop report for almost 2 hours. I sent an email to the Help Desk, but as the images need to be attached to the report, it won't let me submit the otherwise finished report. To cover myself, I also faxed the images in, but without a submitted report, I'm concerned the whole thing is going to get rejected. Any advice? Or should I be OK because I contacted the Help Desk and sent in my fax?

Will the report allow you to save? They will then see it is completed and it should CYA until they get around to responding.

asdca Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've been trying to upload a receipt and a photo
> for a shop report for almost 2 hours. I sent an
> email to the Help Desk, but as the images need to
> be attached to the report, it won't let me submit
> the otherwise finished report. To cover myself, I
> also faxed the images in, but without a submitted
> report, I'm concerned the whole thing is going to
> get rejected. Any advice? Or should I be OK
> because I contacted the Help Desk and sent in my
> fax?

Personally, I have always found the Help Desk to be understanding, as long as I've kept them appraised of any problems. I wouldn't worry about it, but if you don't hear back, you might to email again or give them a call.

You all enlighten me. Thanks! But I have no problem with MarketForce paying me. And jobs I'm not paid correctly for, I don't do the jobs again until I see a pay increase attached.

Actually, in the state of Oregon, it is illegal to be inebriated and be walking, biking, etc. If they catch you out and feel like you are inebriated, they will test and arrest. The law states "in public." So not sure what state you're in, but my BIL is a deputy sherriff and said each state is different, and each person should weigh their alcohol consumption based on THEIR state laws.
juliel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You could drink the first one and leave the second
> one on the table as you leave. I don't see why
> this is such a big deal. The human body
> metabolizes about one drink per hour. If you are
> at dinner for an hour you might well burn off all
> the alcohol in the first drink. BAC depends
> greatly on the size and body composition of the
> drinker. An 80 pound female might be over 0.08 on
> one drink. A 300 pound football player would
> probably have negligible effects from two.
>
> The assignment, from what I can sort out from your
> somewhat rambling post, requires only the
> purchase, not the consumption. Big difference
> between them *requiring* you to drink it and it
> being possible that you could drink it. By your
> rationale, even because they send you somewhere
> that serves alcohol they could be liable because
> they can't prevent you from doing 10 tequila shots
> and getting drunk.
>
> Seems to me the answer is clear - don't drink all
> of the drinks. If you don't feel comfortable
> raising those questions with a manager (I have
> ordered drinks I didn't finish all the time and am
> seldom asked about it), don't do the shop.
>
> I would not expect any restaurant
> > would allow a shopper to consume more than one
> > Alcoholic beverage per table.
>
> Per table or per person?
>
> > In Law a party cannot be contracted to buy a
> drink
> > at the bar and another at the table as it would
>
> > cause the shopper to violate the law in 50
> states
> > and the District of Columbia as the shopper most
>
> > likely would blow a 0.08 blood alcohol level
> when
> > tested.
>
> Are you an attorney? I am. Your post has that
> tinge of someone who thinks they have come up with
> some clever way to justify their point. It is not
> in ANY WAY illegal to have a 0.08 BAC. It is only
> illegal to then DRIVE. BAC depends on what you
> order. It is absolutely not strictly true that two
> drinks in a dinner would result in drunk driving.
> "Most likely" is not the same as "illegal."
>
> Most shops that limit your drinks I suspect do so
> because they question the ability of the shopper
> to recall events accurately while drinking
> alcohol.