...I have done a multitude of shops for them...several of them "emergency" shops in the last minute.

However in December, I went to assemble a "standee" for a movie and the instructions were not clear at all.

it ended up that it did not come as nice as they wanted it to be, I was notified that I was not going to be paid for the assignment (darn $35), and deactivated from their system.

Now...that was really ungrateful....right? I called and the manager (I had to go up 2 levels), does not even give me the time of day.

ZERO TOLERANCE for a human error? Wow...no wonder they are constantly looking for shoppers and merchandisers!!

Any how...I am waiting to reapply...what else can I do.

WHY??? Your reaction is that they were ungrateful for your help and showed zero tolerance. You were not even offered an opportunity to go rectify your error. And they deactivated you. With their past history and this experience, why would you reapply? The "what else" you can do is apply and work with other companies that don't have a burr under their saddle, and let Certified go on their merry way alienating and deactivating other shoppers.

sadly...you are right

I had the same thing happen to me with a movie shop and also tried to speak with a manager and, like you, also was treated more than rudely. I also like you want back in but why, are we gluttens for punishment? No I just love movies and am so sad and cannot find any other good movie companies. And it is as simple as that. So how do you reapply and yes why would we want to, good question. I do not think you can reapply really.

Reardon: Are you out of your mind. Get out of CRI, and any marketforce company.
They are professional deadbeats. If you cannot see this than you are either blind or romantic. I hope that they kiss you. These guys are the absolute worst bunch of conniving unprincipled, and low life people in the industry and still idiots among us do work for them. Caveat Emptor.

man...you are tough, but I do partially agree with you

What did Marketforce do?

I have been registered with CFA for over a year. The strange thing is that I have never accepted any assignments because most have been to short notice. Mainly though I had some questions that their FAQ did not answer and even though I tried contacting them for information I never got a response.

The whole Marketforce (and Certified, etc) company makes me ill. They are the lowest paying out there, and the most insensitive, cold company to work for. I don't do much for them anymore, if anything. They still call me practiclaly begging me to do jobs for them- for $6! I don't even bother to call back anymore.

My experience with market force was nothing but bad. I stopped shopping for them about 6 months ago. They were never adult enough to accept responsibility for mistakes in their shopper instructions. Plus, they would use any excuse not to pay. Just a bunch of immature idiots I.M.H.O.

You know if you dont like working for market force or certified, I believe you can email the helpline to remove you name, I have never had a problem working with them, I have been with them for about 3 years now. So instead of bashing them, just ask them to remove you as a shopper, then you dont have to worry about them calling you

According to the yahoo MS group site, it seems that Market Force is now posting some of Certified's previous theater assignments. Anyone else see any movie checks listed on Market Force's site in your area? Just curious. This is what was posted today:

1a. UNDERCOVER MOVIE ASSIGNMENTS
Posted by: "etowahdoma" jnoeldechen@marketforce.com etowahdoma
Date: Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:54 am ((PST))

1/29 TICKET BUY IN MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA 50158

WE HAVE AN UNDERCOVER ALL DAY MOVIE ASSIGNMENTS IN

MONROE, NY
WESTWOOD, NJ
UVALDE, TX
DARIEN, CT
EAST AURORA, NY
COPPERAS COVE, TX

Don't see them here, but I do find amusing the hows and wheres shops get posted. SG Marketing (now a part of Market Force) used to have banks and tax shops in my area. The banks went to the Shop 'n Chek branch of Market Force, as did some of the tax shops, and at least for a while were visible on both sites. The bulk of the tax shops are now showing up on the SG Marketing site and I'm getting emails from Kern trying to schedule them.

(Newbies be aware -- to do the tax shops you need to be due at least a refund of $1000. Your real tax return will be prepared AND filed on your behalf. Not a real problem thus far, but then . . . you need to apply and get a 'refund anticipation loan'. This WILL involve a credit check just as any other loan would. Hits to your credit report can reduce your credit score. I haven't pursued this further because I personally do not want mystery shopping hits to my credit report, but my understanding is that your refund check will retire your loan but you will be responsible for the interest, which I believe you are reimbursed. You also have the cost of return preparation and filing covered plus a nice fee.)

I would advise against doing the tax shops, unless you know the reputation and qualification of the preparer and the office/franchise. Too much could go wrong, and you don't want to mess up with the IRS or your State!

The final word on this subject should be. "Do not work for frauds,miscreants and most of all, firms that think that you are a worthless low life that should be tramped upon with no recourse. The people who think these are good companies, should really see a shrink." By the way, that is what I do for a profession. Doc.

I did several assignments. Put them into the system. And then they deactivated my account. And I am still waiting to get paid. Omg.

I was very happy with Certified doing only trailer movie checks. Someone called me and asked would I do a merchandising job. I told her I didn't think I could. She said it would be easy and could I agree to have these be recurring. She explained what to do. After I did one I called her back to say I can't be responsible to do a good job with these stores. It's too hard for me. I did her a favor but they deactivated my name from the merchandising which I expected. I didn't expect to also be activated from the movie check side. They told me if I don't do the merchandising, I can't do the trailer checks either. at least I can say no problem getting paid when I was allowed to work for them.

I know the original poster is 3 years old, but that's pathetic that they still deactivate people for not doing a shop. They did that to me way back in the day. The guy was literally pushing me to do a merchandising assignment. I only like to mystery shop by the way, but gave in occasionally to simple merchandising assignments. When I read the instructions, I realized this assiginment would be a 3 hour ordeal. I decided to simply cancel. I know they are now part of Market Force. I have no idea if they still function in the same way and have no desire to register even though the movie shops seem appealing.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2012 09:56PM by shopper_in_cali.

I've posted this before, but it still makes me so mad, I just can't stop myself from posting it again.....

Last summer, I accepted a shop from them to drive to a bank and take pictures after dark...easy peasy, right? I took the job from them after getting another one of those frantic phone calls asking me to take the job. Well, I tried to log on the day of the shop and discovered I had been deactivated because I didn't log in and download the paperwork in a timely manner. Really? Were the instructions to go take a picture after dark that detailed that I needed to download them in advance to study them???? (oh yeah, ask me if that was mentioned in the phone call)....

Typically, I found their shops paid a little better than average, but their way of doing business was so disorganized and cluttered...Not really the type of environment where perfection can be demanded of the shoppers....

Considering it is an Independent Contractor's right to take jobs or not, they really pushed the envelope by telling someone if she would not take a merchandising job she could not have anymore trailer checks.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Considering it is an Independent Contractor's
> right to take jobs or not, they really pushed the
> envelope by telling someone if she would not take
> a merchandising job she could not have anymore
> trailer checks.


I guess this sums up why I get so angry when I read here the horror stories of shoppers who seem to take MSing seriously and treat it as a profession...

When it's convenient for them to mistreat their shoppers, they always pull the "independent contractor" card and play it to justify it when they treat shoppers like crap...

However...

When we choose as independent contractors to make choices that best suit us professionally, (which may not best suit the MSing companies)..we are seen as not playing nice and chastised or de-activated...

When Certified calls me I always try to get more money out of them. There assignments are always harder then they portray them to be. Don't do any of there $10 shops. It will work out to 3-5 dollars an hour after diving and input. I recently did a retail sales penetration audit that paid $75 for 4 hours in the store and 30 minutes input. They offered me $45 when they called at first. If they ever burn me I wouldn't shop for them again. I recently had Shoppersview deny payment on a 5 minute phone shop. It was only $2 so no big deal. I am glad I found out early how picky they are. I will not take any more shops from Shoppersview. One time is enough for me.

rardon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...I have done a multitude of shops for
> them...several of them "emergency" shops in the
> last minute.
>
> However in December, I went to assemble a
> "standee" for a movie and the instructions were
> not clear at all.
>
> it ended up that it did not come as nice as they
> wanted it to be, I was notified that I was not
> going to be paid for the assignment (darn $35),
> and deactivated from their system.
>
> Now...that was really ungrateful....right? I
> called and the manager (I had to go up 2 levels),
> does not even give me the time of day.
>
> ZERO TOLERANCE for a human error? Wow...no wonder
> they are constantly looking for shoppers and
> merchandisers!!
>
> Any how...I am waiting to reapply...what else can
> I do.


You asked what else can I do ?

lol - I'd go back and disassemble the stand thing i put up.
No pay - no play

I choose my shops with this company. I will not do any of the standee jobs because they are not worth the doing.
I do not take movies that force me to do each showing in the same theatre over a full day. Too boring and although I do have a price for doing this particular job they won't pay it. $175 for the day.
I love movies so I take $7, $8, and 10 or 12 dollar movies and get to see a free movie and my popcorn and soda is paid for.
Of course I only take movies that I am interested in seeing.
In 6 years I have never had a problem.




dr.lloyd@sbcglobal.net Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Reardon: Are you out of your mind. Get out of
> CRI, and any marketforce company.
> They are professional deadbeats. If you cannot see
> this than you are either blind or romantic. I hope
> that they kiss you. These guys are the absolute
> worst bunch of conniving unprincipled, and low
> life people in the industry and still idiots among
> us do work for them. Caveat Emptor.

icanpray4u247 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was very happy with Certified doing only trailer
> movie checks. Someone called me and asked would I
> do a merchandising job. I told her I didn't think
> I could. She said it would be easy and could I
> agree to have these be recurring. She explained
> what to do. After I did one I called her back to
> say I can't be responsible to do a good job with
> these stores. It's too hard for me. I did her a
> favor but they deactivated my name from the
> merchandising which I expected. I didn't expect to
> also be activated from the movie check side. They
> told me if I don't do the merchandising, I can't
> do the trailer checks either. at least I can say
> no problem getting paid when I was allowed to work
> for them.


This is a similar situation when I was deactivated. I completed one auditing but refused to do another one. A trigger-happy employee deactivated my account. I did not say anything but someone contacted me and reactivated my account. Then I foolishly accepted a standee and with the help of my son, completed it. They kept on asking me to do another one but I said, "Sorry, my partner is not interested." After saying that a number of times, I was expecting them to deactivate me again but they just kept on asking me to do another standee or auditing and asking me how much it would take for me to do them. So I told them, those are the types that I will never ever do again. They have not left me alone so far or deactivated me.

I am very picky about what I mystery shop. I will try it once but never again if I don't like it. I don't care how much bonus they offer.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/2012 12:22AM by risinghorizon.

I have been with Market Force since I started just a few months ago. This discussion is scary? I have not had any trouble with them so far and now your comments make me wonder if they are going to "stiff" me for a few lousy dollars?

What about: Person to Person Quality I had one assignment with them and after it was completed, I was notified that I did not meet the guidelines to be assigned the shop and that they would not pay me. I told them not to worry about it, but it was a $50 assignment. They made it sound like it was my fault since I applied for a shop that had listed age requirements. I informed them in the beginning the age differences and they gave me the assignment anyway.

Could it be that they let me do the shop deliberately so they could refuse payment? I would hate to think that is the truth. I am gullible, I admit it. But I prefer to trust people until they give me personal reason to not trust them. I would love to hear from anyone with personal experience with "Person to Person Quality". You know, I would just like to hear that they are good people and will treat me right.

davidlhall@suddenlink.net Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have been with Market Force since I started just
> a few months ago. This discussion is scary? I
> have not had any trouble with them so far and now
> your comments make me wonder if they are going to
> "stiff" me for a few lousy dollars?
>
> What about: Person to Person Quality I had one
> assignment with them and after it was completed, I
> was notified that I did not meet the guidelines to
> be assigned the shop and that they would not pay
> me. I told them not to worry about it, but it was
> a $50 assignment. They made it sound like it was
> my fault since I applied for a shop that had
> listed age requirements. I informed them in the
> beginning the age differences and they gave me the
> assignment anyway.
>
> Could it be that they let me do the shop
> deliberately so they could refuse payment? I
> would hate to think that is the truth. I am
> gullible, I admit it. But I prefer to trust
> people until they give me personal reason to not
> trust them. I would love to hear from anyone with
> personal experience with "Person to Person
> Quality". You know, I would just like to hear
> that they are good people and will treat me right.


David,

do you know that when you first sign into this forum or on the top
"Mystery Shop Forum" if you look to the upper right in small letters
you see "search"

click it, and put in the namne of the company, you probably should put in 90 days
or one year or something like that - and the search function will come up with past threads about the company. You do know to check out every company here on the forum with that search function , right ?

That's first.

Second, do you have the email sent to you that your age did not matter?

always ask for confirmation of what scheduler is saying in an email. If it
doesn't arrive don't do the shop.

Third,
$50 is nothing to sneeze at.
Email them back, explain that you informed the swcheduler of the age thing, that scheduler said go ahead anyway, you performed the shop perfectly and you expect to be paid. If they intend to rip you off, you will notify the etter Business Bureau, the AG of your state, and warn other shoppers how you have been ripped off by this company.

Fourth:
What is the saying, trust and verify ?

always check out company's reputation here.
stop being so trusting when it comes to Mystery shopping companies.
don;t ever lay out money for a MSC until you see their reputation and take
a job with them first that does not require laying out money. See how they pay
and how they treat you.

Market Force does not treat its shoppers well. and nickel and dime shoppers, deducting $2 for this error and $2 for that error etc.

If you have the e-mail informing them you were outside the age requirements and the e-mail assigning you the shop, send them and tell the company you expect to be paid. I've had companies make exceptions to age requirements and none has ever then refused to pay me.

David ,

you just asked about Person to Person Quality

I did a search for you as I described above

Here's one of the threads from 2011 I think , people complaining about being
cheated out of full pay:

[www.mysteryshopforum.com]

if the url doesnt come out put in http www in front of

mysteryshopforum dot com/read/6/116159

I have been doing shops outside the age limitations and no one has said anything. But, I always tell them before I accept the shop that I am outside the age limitations.

In this particular case, I notified them in email and on the phone. I just guessed it was an oversight/mistake. I did follow up with another email pointing out the fact: I notified them when in writing when I requested the shop. There was no response.