After performing 14 perfect shops (including high dollar luxury shops) for a single specific Secret Shopping Company on the iSecretShop platform, I completed and turned in a shop -- which was denied. I realize that many secret shopping companies have contract workers often scoring shop results. I didn't understand why the shop was rejected and asked the reviewer to pass my response for review by one of their supervisors (as I've never had a single issue with this company prior). There was no response.
I tried to communicate with the Secret Shopping Company on their own website. There was no response. I tried calling their company directly and left several polite messages asking for a return call. There was no response.
I asked for assistance with iSecretShop and was told they provide this wonderful platform but are not responsible if the Secret Shopping Companies which use it do not pay Secret Shoppers that use it, and that the specific Secret Shopper Company does not want me to contact them further and has banned me from future shops they list on iSecretShop.
Further, if I sought legal action to recover payment from the specific Secret Shopper Company, which might expose the company I shopped (as part of a legal complaint), I would be banned from the iSecretShop platform for a violation of their terms of service. I was instructed I could seek resolution or ask for assistance here and at MSPA and other Secret Shopper forums, so long as I did not reveal the company I shopped.
Has anyone ever experienced a situation like this on iSS or another platform? What did you do? Are you aware if the MSPA assists members with Secret Shopper Companies that refuse to pay for contracted jobs performed? I thought I'd ask here first before posting this request for assistance on other shopping forums (which iSecretShop suggested I do)?
Eliot
Asking questions can get you banned by a Secret Shopping Company on iSS. From personal experience, it was because I politely asked for an explanation why a completed shop was denied payment. When I received no answer, I appropriately sought assistance from iSS. I was told by iSS that the Secret Shopper Company no longer wanted to hear from me, then banned me from their shops on the iSS platform (after completing 14 shops successfully with the same company). iSS reports it is not responsible for actions by the companies it contracts to use its wonderful platform, even when negatively impacting its dedicated shoppers (as in us) or we're denied payment for our work. Thus, it is best to not ask questions if not selected for a shop or denied payment after turning in a completed shop.