by Barbry Booth, Senior Scheduler
Occasionally we hear from a frustrated shopper who is unable to apply for a shop or has never been assigned a shop, no matter how many times they apply. Unfortunately, there can be barriers that may prevent a shopper from getting a shop. Oftentimes the shopper isn’t even aware that there may be a problem with their Profile until they try to apply for a shop. Here are a few examples of things that might keep a shopper from being able to apply for or be assigned a shop:
- Invalid or deferred Social Security Number
- Account has been deactivated, for something like the following examples:
- Too many flake citations
- Poorly written reports and shopper is not showing improvement
- Invalid SSN
- History of failing to complete shops or habitually canceling
- History of submitting late reports
- Does not meet the demographic or other requirements specified by the client
- Shopper rating is too low
- A shopper’s rating can drop. This can occur because of failing to complete a shop, submitting an incomplete report, not getting back with an editor in a timely manner, rejection of a report by a client, etc.
- The client has specifically requested that a shopper no longer be used for their shops (reasons vary).
How can you get these barriers to come down? There is no sure-fire way to do so, but we do accept appeals from shoppers. If you find yourself experiencing this type of circumstance, ask us about it! Simply send an email to a scheduler or someone else in our organization, explaining the situation. If you do not know why you’re unable to apply for a shop, please ask, and we will be happy to assist you. Here are a few tips that might help you avoid situation:
- Don’t miss a shop that has been assigned to you. If you have failed to complete a shop assigned to you in the past, contact your scheduler ASAP and explain to them why you missed the shop.
- Make sure your SSN is valid. If your SSN is not valid, we cannot pay you. If we cannot pay you, you cannot be assigned a shop.
- Don’t submit a late report. If there is a circumstance that will prevent you from submitting a report within the given deadline, contact your scheduler ASAP. If we are unaware of the situation, you will be penalized for submitting a late report.
Second chances are a blessing which many people deserve! No doubt, life happens, so if you find yourself in this situation, please do not hesitate to ask. While there is no guarantee that we can reinstate you as a shopper, we will definitely do all we can to assist you.
Have you ever had difficulty getting a shop assigned to you? Did you reach out to the company to try to rectify the situation?