Hi Mary,
That indeed does sound misleading - are you sure that the 15% you mentioned is not referring to the gratuity (tip), but instead to the whole check?
From my personal experience, shops like that often have the similar compensation (about $10-$20), and similar reimbursement ($40-$80), but the reimbursement applies to the total amount spent, and you are allowed to tip the server - the tip would be also reimbursed, for example up to 15% of the receipt amount.
So if your receipt total was $50, you could pay $57.5 (with the $7.5 tip) and be reimbursed for the full $57.5. If you paid $60, you'd still be reimbursed for $57.5, since everything over a $7.5 tip is greater than 15% of the original total receipt amount.
I hope this is the case with your shop (and if so, you might want to email the MSP to update their guidelines to be more clear on this).
Cheers!
Yeah, it's like I thought :)
So you'll only have to pay for something out of your own pocket if the total (with the tip) is over $75. :)
Hi Sukhy, welcome!
You can look up this thread of the Forum - it contains some pointers and tips which you may find useful:
https://www.secretshopforum.com/thread/1/2/94/pro-tips-for-those-who-want-to-be-the-best-shoppers#post528
I hope this helps, and let us know if you have any questions!
Super glad to hear it Tara, enjoy!! :)
Oh, and if the agreement says they make payments within 45 days - I'd start contacting them on the 46th day already :)
Cheers!
Hi Jody,
Wendy and Norm are absolutely right about the red bell (alerts). Although, having an alert from a scheduler or editor is not something that would prevent you from filling out your shop report, or finalizing it.
If the iSecretShop website or app is not responding - try closing your browser/app, then start it up again, login, and try again. If it still won't respond, you should open a support ticket and explain the issue in detail so the developers can look into it.
If you can't finalize your shop report but you've filled it out, you can look into these most common reasons for that happening:
-Check if the shop start and end time and date are correct (it's not uncommon to enter the wrong date sometimes)
-Check if all questions are fully answered (some questions have a minimum character requirement, or require photos, etc)
-Check if all basic requirements were met (if required files like photos and recording are there, if the shop was done on the day when it was scheduled to be done, etc)
If all of the above is good and you still can't finalize the report, you can contact the MSP and inquire about what else is needed for your to be able to finalize your report.
I hope this helps!
Hi Crystale,
Without knowing who emailed you and about what exactly, I wouldn't be able to say with absolute certainty, but it does sound like a scam. iSecretShop does not use Snail mail, nor do any of the MSPs which posts shops on iSecretShop.
Here are a few pointers to help you determine of the opportunities you get emailed about are legitimate, and originating from MSPs on iSecretShop:
- The email address of the sender should always be a corporate email (like for example ivan@prismintelligence.com) - private emails like @gmail, @yahoo, @icloud, etc. should always raise suspicions (and are not authorized to be sent via iSecretShop).
- The emails themselves that are being sent through iSecretShop should always contain reference to the iSecretShop platform (whether by directing you to login to iSecretShop, or informing you that you are receiving the email because you're registered at iSecretShop, or something similar)
- The emails should, in most cases, contain the exact location/locations (and/or the specific address) that's being shopped, and you should be able to login to iSecretShop and look it up under Available Shops.
- The company which is offering the opportunity must be one of the companies listed on the iSecretShop Provider Contracts & Policies page - all MSPs which operate under the iSecretShop platform are listed there.
- All detailed information about legitimate mystery shopping opportunities on iSecretShop can be found on the iSecretShop website - the overview can be seen on the Available Shops page, and the full details on your Assigned Shops page once the shop is assigned to you - that's where the form is filled out, and that's where the instructions and guidelines are.
One of the surest ways to check if you are still in doubt is to ask the person who emailed you to give you the Shop ID number for the shop in question. If they do - you can look it up on the iSecretShop website, and find that it's a legitimate shop. If they refuse to, you should be very careful as it could be a scam.
These are just some of the tell-tell signs of a possible scam, so always be sure to check, and you can even open a support ticket for iSecretShop, to check if the person that sent you an email is registered as a scheduler for any MSP.
I hope this helps!
Hi Crystale,
Without knowing who emailed you and about what exactly, I wouldn't be able to say with absolute certainty, but it does sound like a scam. iSecretShop does not use Snail mail, nor do any of the MSPs which posts shops on iSecretShop.
Here are a few pointers to help you determine of the opportunities you get emailed about are legitimate, and originating from MSPs on iSecretShop:
- The email address of the sender should always be a corporate email (like for example ivan@prismintelligence.com) - private emails like @gmail, @yahoo, @icloud, etc. should always raise suspicions (and are not authorized to be sent via iSecretShop).
- The emails themselves that are being sent through iSecretShop should always contain reference to the iSecretShop platform (whether by directing you to login to iSecretShop, or informing you that you are receiving the email because you're registered at iSecretShop, or something similar)
- The emails should, in most cases, contain the exact location/locations (and/or the specific address) that's being shopped, and you should be able to login to iSecretShop and look it up under Available Shops.
- The company which is offering the opportunity must be one of the companies listed on the iSecretShop Provider Contracts & Policies page - all MSPs which operate under the iSecretShop platform are listed there.
- All detailed information about legitimate mystery shopping opportunities on iSecretShop can be found on the iSecretShop website - the overview can be seen on the Available Shops page, and the full details on your Assigned Shops page once the shop is assigned to you - that's where the form is filled out, and that's where the instructions and guidelines are.
One of the surest ways to check if you are still in doubt is to ask the person who emailed you to give you the Shop ID number for the shop in question. If they do - you can look it up on the iSecretShop website, and find that it's a legitimate shop. If they refuse to, you should be very careful as it could be a scam.
These are just some of the tell-tell signs of a possible scam, so always be sure to check, and you can even open a support ticket for iSecretShop, to check if the person that sent you an email is registered as a scheduler for any MSP.
I hope this helps!
Welcome to the Forum Jacqueline, and to iSecretShop!
You can find some useful tips and advice on this thread: https://www.secretshopforum.com/thread/1/2/94/pro-tips-for-those-who-want-to-be-the-best-shoppers#post528
Emails from the Forum are something that's being worked on right now, but as Norm said - for the time being, you won't receive any emails from the Forum.
However, once a shop is assigned to you on iSecretShop, you should receive an automated email, notifying you of that.
Good luck on your first shop, and let us know if you have any questions!