Hairballs Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Never got paid. I asked why and they
> said they never received an invoice. I happily
> resent my receipts etc only to be ignored.

But, did you send the invoice? Their system is a bit archaic, but if this step is missed, you won't be paid.

Yes. I have always sent the invoice. The system might be archaic, but sending the invoice is a requirement.

Have you dealt with Chirs Tiefel directly about this? That's who I do my assignments for and I get paid like clockwork. I have one to do today. Sorry you're having such trouble... Joni


krazekatt1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Intelli Shop, still waiting for pay since
> December!!

I'll be anxious to read the other comments regarding Best Mark, but I wait for the end of the month for their assignemnts when the bonus' are attached and I keep my vehicles serviced thanks to them. Reports are easy and actually make sense. I've had to fight for the bonus' promised, but usually it's because the previous scheduler no longer works there. As long as I prove my position with the paper work, I've always gotten my money. I'll admit it requires following up on, but it's worth the effort in my experience....


Irene_L.A. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bestmark, for reasons told in other posts....FF,
> gas,jobs under 8.00 and the list goes on. I did
> mention IKEA above. I don't work for Marketforce
> in L.A., but do in Vegas.

Flash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Maritz is the only one I specifically told to
> terminate me.
>
> While there are a whole lot of companies I will
> not currently work with for a variety of reasons
> (slow pay, lousey communication, failure to value
> my time and effort, general jerks), I anticipate
> that many of these companies in the future may
> revise/reform themselves and turn out to be
> companies worth working with.

Flash, I got to the point where I did the exact same thing, yet I got to where I established reliability with some of the schedulers and when the bonus' are added at the end of the rounds, they call me for help. I honestly don't care that I can't se;f assign shops anymore. They seem to have a turn over rate within the varous departments and I believe the one that was causing me to have the most problems is gone.... But, I can appreciate your standing on your principals, because I told them the same thing.

1.DSS
2.Any shop that has RaMac scheduling associated with it
3. MCP - they require Unlawful recording of employees and your IC agreement requires you to defend them if you or they get sued over an assignment.

4. Any company that has you call an employee through a recorded phone line. It is called wiretapping and against the law, unless you are an EMPLOYEE of a company that has a signed release from that specific call recepient on file. Do you really want to be called into court for wiretapping or video/audio recording of someone suing over wrongful termination. This is a job for employees and not independent contractors. I have had several schedulers from other states using the statement, "I am sure it is legal, we do it all of the time." But checking with my state's Attorney General, it seems that it is the best way to send an attorney or two to the local Porsche dealer.

I do not have to think about companies I will not work for. They deactivate me as soon as I get through with them. Many of us are professionals and should not take abuse. I have shopped for 6 years and still will make a mistake every now and then. I did a shop today that I was supposed to tell them at the end that I was a shopper doing a report. I forgot. I called the scheduler and she said to fill out the rest of the report and submit it. Now I am going to see if they use the shop and don't pay me. For 7 dollars I want write them off because it was my bad to begin with. They furnish me with a couple of hundred dollars a month in various shops so if they stiff me every once in a while I either call and get it resolved or just blow it off. I have to remember they have employees who have the right to make mistakes as well. To the ones who want to do work part time I suggest learning how to do video shops and audio shops. They pay a lot better and most of the companies that do them pay quickly.

Corporate R. I. sends invisible emails for follow up.
And run for those 50 cent shops!

Did 2 phone shops for Corporate R.I.,what a waste of time! Measley pay and then a percentage of pay deducted for using paypal. But was new to MS and didn't know better. Did one shop for them at a well known retail shop with no pay, but was able to spend up to 14.00 on a shirt for my teen. I would do that one again as I found a super good looking winter shirt for 11.00. I just got lucky on that one as I was a backup as the other shopper cancelled. Get emails every single day from them. One today was for a shop for a well known craft store paying from 3.00 to 17.00, checked my area and it was a whopping 3.00! Oh, how exciting! I get to spend wasted minutes taking the test which I always seem to fail because there was no mention of this or that in the test, I'm sure most of you know what I am talking about. They do a pool shop in my area that pays o.k., but they have to keep upgrading the pay before anyone will take it. Not so sure about spending 20 minutes in a SMALL pool shop, and I'm talking TINY. Would have to flirt with the employee to waste time! CRI even had a news letter sent out stating that there have been shoppers not spending the 20 minutes in the store, per the clients request, so they did not get paid. I have an inground pool, and when you need something you know what you need and yes browsing is normal, but this is not walmart. This store is about the size of lets say, a normal 2 car garage.

jmh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'll be anxious to read the other comments
> regarding Best Mark, but I wait for the end of the
> month for their assignemnts when the bonus' are
> attached and I keep my vehicles serviced thanks to
> them. Reports are easy and actually make sense.
> I've had to fight for the bonus' promised, but
> usually it's because the previous scheduler no
> longer works there. As long as I prove my
> position with the paper work, I've always gotten
> my money. I'll admit it requires following up on,
> but it's worth the effort in my experience....
>
> love, love, love Bestmark!

carol

Aliasllt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bestmark- Rude and very demanding. Write 250
> words on buying a sandwich, they have to be
> crazy!!!!! Stay away from them
Agreed, I did a lot of tanning shops with them, the reporting was almost ridiculous, but I was going on a beach vacation and I wanted to look good. I did this for accouple of years
Then, I applied again before my last vacation. They have a hard time filling these shops, and they kept sending emails begging for shoppers. I finally emailed them directly and told them I would do a shop. They replied that I was ineligible as I had given them my drivers license more than once. I told them that was impossible, since I had to assume a different identity on every shop, and I had never been asked for my license. They agreed to give me one of the jobs, but only reimburses half the fee. I asked to be removed, andci will not work there again.

Glad to see others have had the same experience with Market Force. I was dropped and never told the reason for being dropped. I wrote twice asking for a reason and have never got a response. Of course, all they ever seemed to offer was McDonalds shops, and I was getting pretty tired of them so I guess that is one plus. I just wish they were professional enough to respond to my questions.

I was dropped by Market Force a couple of years ago. It took a while to get through to someone, but they finally let me know why... it was because I had a state tax lien and the state wanted them to take a percentage out of what they paid me. MF told me their payment system wasn't set up to do that, so I could no longer shop with them. After several months, I got the lien paid off and let them know. They just asked that I fax them the notice of release of the lien, which I did. I was then back on with them. I'm really glad I got reinstated with them because they have a few clients that I really enjoy shopping!

They just started calling me a couple of months ago to ask (beg!) me to do some of their "Billions and Billions" fast food shops. I just tell the scheduler my own schedule is pretty full right now but that I'll let her know if some time frees up to do one for her. Of course, I never do find that free time.

So, I just do the shops for them I enjoy doing and put up with an occasional annoying scheduler calling me.

I noticed that Cirrus was only mentioned once. I did two long and involved shops for them. Made me miserable with demands for additional information and so far, there has been no pay. I would be very careful with them. Does anyone have a different experience?

vanster2000 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> 2.Any shop that has RaMac scheduling associated
> with it
>

You know that June is now working directly for Consumer Impressions as a scheduler, right? I've had no problems with her there.

I don't think I would trust June for much of anything, especially after how she treated Van.

Carol

I would never work with Bare again. I have worked as a mystery shopper for seven years and they have been the only bad seed. Not worth the time and effort.

coffeyk Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would never work with Bare again. I have worked
> as a mystery shopper for seven years and they have
> been the only bad seed. Not worth the time and
> effort.


I've just started shopping for Bare and I'm curious why you won't shop with them again. Any info you can share?

I did a shop with BARE got a score of a 10 then did another shop with them and got another score of a 10. Then a week later they tell me they cannot use either of my reports and I’m out $140. In total it took them over 1 week from my first shop to say they did not like how I handled the shop. They said I did not give the associate enough opportunity to sell. They were not there so I do not think they really know how the visit was performed. So I would just be careful. I do not understand how I had a perfect score for more than a week however! It’s one of those things we both would have a good argument about. I would not recommend them to anyone. Fortunately for me this was my first and only problem over a successful 7 year period. Live and learn I guess and share what you can! Good luck.

angela12 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> coffeyk Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I would never work with Bare again. I have
> worked
> > as a mystery shopper for seven years and they
> have
> > been the only bad seed. Not worth the time and
> > effort.
>
>
> I've just started shopping for Bare and I'm
> curious why you won't shop with them again. Any
> info you can share?

I completed my first and only shop for Bare in 2006. After submitting my report, the scheduler sent me a letter complimenting my work, but I then received word from an editor stating my report was completely unacceptable. Being confused, I called and spoke with a female whose job was to solve shopper problems; she stated she'd need to investigate and would phone me, which was certainly understandable. When a week passed and I didn't receive a call, I placed a total of 3 messages with her voice mail over a week, but failed to receive any replies. To their credit I was paid for the work, but I decided not to establish a relationship predicated solely upon poor communications. I requested and was given deactivation, a decision I've never regretted.

I do 4-6 postal shops for BARE every month. I LOVE them- they are great about extensions, and I love the fact that my great niece gets her little gifts or my daughter gets a surprise package or I can even mail holiday packages for nothing. I've had no problems so far.

57carol Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Franchise Compliance because of the pay issues.
> Had to contact BBB before I could get my pay from
> 4 months previous. $100 reimbursement too, so
> wasn't just waiting for $10 or $15

I have an update. After doing a carpet cleaning job for Franchise Compliance in mid January (and emailing my scheduler 15 times and two other schedulers a total of 20+ times) I finally received my $120.00 on May 19th. FIVE MONTHS Later

If there is anyone still owed any outstanding payments I suggest you contact Kami Olsen-she is in charge of accounts payable. kolsen@franchisecompliance.com

I see now where they are looking for schedulers to sign up shoppers for the carper cleaning jobs - I hope the realization of not paying in a timely manner and being unprofessional to the shoppers by not communicating is apparent, and that the jobs remain unassigned.

Charx

Charx Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 57carol Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Franchise Compliance >
> If there is anyone still owed any outstanding
> payments I suggest you contact Kami Olsen-she is
> in charge of accounts payable.
> kolsen@franchisecompliance.com
>
> I see now where they are looking for schedulers to
> sign up shoppers for the carper cleaning jobs - I
> hope the realization of not paying in a timely
> manner and being unprofessional to the shoppers by
> not communicating is apparent, and that the jobs
> remain unassigned.
>
> Charx


I found it interesting that their e-mail looking for schedulers identiffies a "national carpet cleaning account" and says "We are behind in scheduling this account and are looking to hire schedulers that have experience with SASSIE, aren't afraid to pick up the phone and call potential shoppers if necessary, can start immediately, and who are motivated and driven to produce results! "

Could it be that they are having difficulty getting shoppers to sign up and think the answer is more aggressive schedulers?

They do a pool shop
> in my area that pays o.k., but they have to keep
> upgrading the pay before anyone will take it. Not
> so sure about spending 20 minutes in a SMALL pool
> shop, and I'm talking TINY. Would have to flirt
> with the employee to waste time! CRI even had a
> news letter sent out stating that there have been
> shoppers not spending the 20 minutes in the store,
> per the clients request, so they did not get paid.
> I have an inground pool, and when you need
> something you know what you need and yes browsing
> is normal, but this is not walmart. This store is
> about the size of lets say, a normal 2 car garage.


I did that pool shop also. The reason I signed up for it was because I going to be in the area so I added it to my route. I had no idea the store was going to be the size of my living room. The pay wasn't that great when I signed up for it but it was a little higher then what it starts off at which I believe is $3.00. Well after I completed the shop and did my report. I got an email a few days later informing me that my report was rejected and I will not be paid because I was not in the store for the required amount of time.

Theres also not much you can find in the store for a dollar. I found a pack of water balloons. Im sure the employees know they are being shopped after the scenario is performed then the shopper only spends a dollar.

What ever happened to your story with June, did you get paid, I see her on Facebook and she has done alot of traveling lately.... 57carol Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't think I would trust June for much of
> anything, especially after how she treated Van.
>
> Carol

I read these posts and get dizzy. Walk away from shops that have either graded you improperly or failed to follow their own rules of the shop. This really doesn't happen often enough to get upset over and the editor will sooner or later come to his/her demise with the company and you will no longer see them grading you. It's best they are gone with your $15 shops than your $150 shops. Hang in there and shop. Learn the good schedulers that work for fair editors. Oh, and never, ever think that your reports are perfect. They might be to you. If you can shop a bad company, you will excell at the great ones!

coffeyk Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I did a shop with BARE got a score of a 10 then
> did another shop with them and got another score
> of a 10. Then a week later they tell me they
> cannot use either of my reports and I’m out $140.
> In total it took them over 1 week from my first
> shop to say they did not like how I handled the
> shop. They said I did not give the associate
> enough opportunity to sell. They were not there
> so I do not think they really know how the visit
> was performed. So I would just be careful. I do
> not understand how I had a perfect score for more
> than a week however! It’s one of those things we
> both would have a good argument about. I would
> not recommend them to anyone. Fortunately for me
> this was my first and only problem over a
> successful 7 year period. Live and learn I guess
> and share what you can! Good luck.
>
>


I think I know which shop you are talking about, and in the ones I have done, those employees wouldn't know how to sell something if I slapped a thousand dollars on the table and demanded products.

vanster2000 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 1.DSS
> 2.Any shop that has RaMac scheduling associated
> with it
> 3. MCP - they require Unlawful recording of
> employees and your IC agreement requires you to
> defend them if you or they get sued over an
> assignment.
>
> 4. Any company that has you call an employee
> through a recorded phone line. It is called
> wiretapping and against the law, unless you are an
> EMPLOYEE of a company that has a signed release
> from that specific call recipient on file. Do you
> really want to be called into court for
> wiretapping or video/audio recording of someone
> suing over wrongful termination. This is a job for
> employees and not independent contractors. I have
> had several schedulers from other states using the
> statement, "I am sure it is legal, we do it all of
> the time." But checking with my state's Attorney
> General, it seems that it is the best way to send
> an attorney or two to the local Porsche dealer.


whoa. I just started doing some of these phone shops. had no idea they were illegal (they to me were mostly just pathetic, as it was like pulling teeth to get the employees to talk, and I wasn't supposed to prompt them). Guess I need to read the fine print a little more closely.

Wow,
I have been shopping for Bestmark for years...never a problem. Marketforce as well. They have always been very fair. I am waiting on payment for Sentry so we will see. I hope they will be timely.

Irene_L.A. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bestmark, for reasons told in other posts....FF,
> gas,jobs under 8.00 and the list goes on. I did
> mention IKEA above. I don't work for Marketforce
> in L.A., but do in Vegas.

Wow, I have worked for Bare for 10+ years and never a problem.

coffeyk Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would never work with Bare again. I have worked
> as a mystery shopper for seven years and they have
> been the only bad seed. Not worth the time and
> effort.