Please review the following Frequently Asked Questions before submitting your Application.

 

Click Here to Proceed to the Shopper Application

 

Menu:

 

Spam / Junk / Bulk Email Settings

Viewing Assignments/Open Assignments

Requesting Assignments

Getting Scheduling an Assignment

Assignment Requirements

Pay / Reimbursement

Rescheduling / Cancelling

Submitting Results/Receipts/Photos

Payment Process

Assignment Status

Grades / Shopper Status / Re-Shops

Updating / Changing your Profile

Contact Info

Application / Homepage

Spam / Junk / Bulk Mail Settings

You must set your spam, junk, or bulk email filter or program to accept all mail from our company domain.  This will allow all mail from any email address at our domain (amusementadvantage.com).  This is often called a white list, safe list or friend list.  If you use a spam, junk or bulk email program that requires us to respond to some type of automated email to be accepted onto your safe list, be advised that our system will NOT respond to any automated requests.  You MUST add us to your list yourself.  Please ask your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for help with your settings to ensure you will receive all mail from our company.  Do not contact us for help with your spam settings.  Only your ISP can help you with these settings. 

EarthLink Users

Webmail & Spamblocker - How to Allow Email Messages from a Specific Domain using Web Mail and spamBlocker:

Article ID: 28334 - http://kb.earthlink.net/case.asp?article=28334

 

EarthLink Total Access - How to Add a Company (Domain) to the EarthLink Mailbox Address Book to Allow All Email From That Company Into Your Inbox:

Article ID: 22853 - http://kb.earthlink.net/case.asp?article=22853

If you absolutely cannot figure out how to allow email from our entire domain you can should at least setup the following email address as safe or allowed.   Although we can't list all the specific addresses that our company might send you mail from, here are some that you can count on receiving mail from:  noreply@amusementadvantage.com, shopperprofile@amusementadvantage.com, webmaster@amusementadvantage.com, shoppersupport@amusementadvantage.com.

Phone Call Information - If you use any type of call blocking, etc. on your telephone you might want to be advised that sometimes when someone from our company attempts to contact you, the caller ID display might show unavailable, the following phone number (from our digital phone system) Phone People 858-869-9800, or various phone numbers from the 303 or 720 area code.

Return to Top of Page

Viewing Assignments/Open Assignments

When are most of your assignments released?  Most assignments are released in the afternoon on the Friday closest to the 15th of each month for the following month.  We strongly suggest checking our website often on the Friday closest to the 15th each month and then checking back every day during the week following that Friday to see if you were scheduled for any assignments that you requested.

Why are there no assignments listed once I login to my Shopper's HomepageAll open assignments may have been filled or we may be offering assignments only to select chosen shoppers.   You are welcome to check for open assignments as often as you choose.  If you receive an email about an open assignment and then can't find it once you login, then the assignment was already filled.  Please do not email us asking if the assignment was filled.  All open assignments ALWAYS appear on our website.

Can you send me postings of other jobs outside my state?  Yes.  Notification of new postings in our system is sent to shoppers within a short distance of the assignment and to shoppers who listed that specific zip code as one they frequent outside of their immediate area.  If you wish to include zip codes outside of your state in your profile then you will receive email notification of open assignment in that area.  You are also welcome to login to your Shopper's Homepage and check for open assignments in any area.  We do, however, rarely schedule shoppers who haven't worked with us before on assignments outside their immediate area.

What kind of email notifications are sent about open assignments?  The day following the release of any new assignments, emails are automatically sent to all shoppers in the immediate area of those assignments.  Each shopper will only receive 1 email when there are open assignments in there area, but there may be multiple assignments at different facilities available.  Our schedulers will also sometimes send custom bulk emails to certain groups of shoppers about open assignments they are trying to fill.

Why am I not getting any emails about available assignments?  There are several possible reasons.  There may not currently be any assignments available that match your criteria in your area.  Your spam, junk or bulk email program may be blocking our emails from getting through.  Be sure you have setup our entire domain (amusementadvantage.com) and/or all the addresses listed above as safe senders so you are sure to receive emails from our company.

Return to Top of Page

Requesting Assignments

Can I request more than 1 assignment?  Yes, you can request as many assignments as you choose.  Keep in mind, however, that you can only request each assignment once, but there may be many of the same assignment for a particular location.  To have the best chance of getting an assignment, request each different assignment at the same facility that you see.  You will never be scheduled for the same facility twice in a month.  Also keep in mind that we have long shopper rotation periods for most shops ranging from 3-6 months and even 1-2 years for some locations.

Once I request an assignment what happens?  You will ONLY be notified if you are scheduled on the assignment.  If you are NOT scheduled you will NOT receive any notice as we keep your request for the entire month in case an assignment opens up.  You are not scheduled until you receive an INSTRUCTIONS email from us and you CONFIRM the assignment via those instructions on your shopper homepage.  Do NOT call or email asking if you got the assignment.  If you are looking to get a status you can always login to your homepage to see if there are still open assignments, etc.  If you are scheduled on an assignment it will appear on your homepage and inform you as to what the next step is to complete the assignment.

How do I change, update, or delete my request?  Once you have submitted a request for an assignment you can change the dates that you submitted or delete your request altogether by clicking on the Change/Withdraw Dates for Requested Assignment link found on your homepage.  You will only be able to update you assignment requests while the assignment is still open.  Once the assignment is filled, this link will disappear from your homepage.  Failure to update your request may result in a lowered grade in our system.

Return to Top of Page

Getting Scheduling an Assignment

How are assignments scheduled?  Assignments are scheduled based upon client requirements and shopper experience, demographics, order requested and date availability. We do keep your request for the entire month in case we have a new opening. We receive hundreds of requests for some of our assignments, and we do rotate shoppers.

What can I do to increase my odds at an assignment?  Request early, request often and keep your profile updated.  Also be flexible in the dates you request.  Requesting less popular days may help your chances.  Most assignments are scheduled for dates in the first 3 weeks of the month so we strongly avoid requesting dates in the last week of the month unless the assignment just became available during that time.  To improve your chances make sure your profile is updated with all certifications and shopping experience, your writing samples are as detailed as possible and high quality and request assignments early. Most assignments are released on the Friday closest to the 20th each month. We are looking for positive, professional, experienced shoppers who enjoy visiting amusement facilities with a keen attention to detail and good writing ability.  MSPA Certification is highly regarded and will greatly increased your odds of getting scheduled if you are certified.  Click here for more information about the MSPA certification program.  To enter your shopper certification into your shopper profile click here.

How does Shopper Self-Assign Work? - When you click the "Request/Self Assign" link on the Available Assignments List page the system will review a number of factors including your distance from the assignment, any required demographics for the assignment, if you completed an assignment at that location before, how long ago was it, what your grade in our system is (either applicant, or assignment) and determine if you are currently eligible to self-assign the shop at that time. If you are, it will route you to the self-assign screen and populate the dates that are currently available for self-assign.  You can select one of those dates and assign the shop, or request other dates that you wish to be considered for.  If you aren't eligible to self-assign that location at that time, you will be routed to the regular assignment request screen, where you can request dates for that assignment.
Check Back Often!  - Every day that passes more shoppers become eligible to self-assign each of the open assignments.  We strongly recommend that you check back daily after you notice an open assignment that you are interested in to see if you can self- assign that location on that later date.  To do so, simply search for open assignments again and then click on the "Update Request/Self Assign" link to see if that assignment is now eligible to be self-assigned to you.  The more aggressive you are in checking to see if you can self-assign a shop, the more likely you will get a chance to self-assign the shop.
 
Requests are Still Used  - Be sure to always put in a request for the assignment, even if you are not eligible to self-assign the shop at that time.  Eventually if no shoppers has self-assigned the shop, a scheduler will pick a shopper from the requests in the system.  If you don't put in a request, we cannot consider you for the assignment.
 
New Shoppers  - For shoppers new to our system, if you never request an assignment, you will never receive an applicant grade from a scheduler and will never be eligible for self-assign.  To increase your odds at getting scheduled, be sure to include a very detailed writing sample in your shopper profile.  This sample should be an evaluation of the service at some type of entertainment or amusement facility.
 
Veteran Shoppers  - Shoppers who have successfully completed work for our company and received a good assignment grade have a much higher preference in the self-assign process  They are eligible to self-assign most shops as soon as they are released, where new applicant shoppers, must wait 1 or more days before they are eligible to self-assign. 

Why was I removed from an assignment after being assigned?  If you received an email stating that you were removed for not confirming that is because after 48 hours if you haven't confirmed the assignment via the link on your shoppers homepage we have to assume you are not able to or do not wish to accept the assignment and have removed you to schedule another shopper.  We strongly suggest checking our website every day for 3-7 days after requesting an assignment to see if you were scheduled.  Do NOT rely upon email to know if you were scheduled.

How do I confirm my acceptance of an assignment once assigned?  If you received an email stating that you have actually been assigned the shop and your confirmation is required then you need to follow the specific instructions listed as to how to confirm the assignment via your shoppers homepage on our website.  For ALL assignments you will be required to login to your shoppers homepage and complete a confirmation acknowledgement page.  This will involved printing out all required documentation and instructions and possibly taking a certification test for your specific assignment.

Why is it important to read all required documentation when I confirm the assignment?  All of our assignments have very specific requirements that must be followed or your assignment will not be complete and you will not receive payment, etc.  The instructions and requirements often have information that you will need to know in advance of the actual date of your assignment.  It's also important to verify that you are comfortable with all requirements of the assignment and fully capable of completing all requirements when you confirm the assignment to avoid a cancellation later when our company has little or no chance to reschedule or makeup the assignment.  Last minute cancellations can result in being put in an ineligible status in our system.

Return to Top of Page

Assignment Requirements

When must the assignments be completed?  Each listing will specify the month and days/timeframe that the assignment must be completed.  For example:  Month - January, Timeframe - Fri 12-10, Sat 11-10, Sun 11-8.  Do not list available dates in another month or on other days/times or your request will be discarded.  Once you are scheduled for a specific date that is the date the assignment must be completed.  We usually have multiple assignments at the same facility in the same month and specific spacing requirements must be met.  As a result we count on you to complete the assignment as scheduled.

May I reschedule my assignment if something comes up?  It really depends upon what type of assignment you are scheduled to complete and when you are able to notify us of a request to reschedule.  In general many of our assignments cannot be moved or rescheduled as we are completing several assignments at the same facility during the same month and contractual obligations with the client require specific spacing and timeframes for each assignment.  The sooner you notify us of a request to reschedule, the more likely we can possibly make a change.  Failure to notify us in a timely manner may result in the assignment being cancelled and your rating with our company being lowered.

What if I absolutely cannot complete my assignment?  The most important thing is to contact us immediately via phone at 800-362-9946 and choose option 5 for urgent shopper issues.  Failure to contact us ASAP about the assignment will possibly result in removal from our database regardless of any good history with our company.  Sometimes we must reschedule an assignment with another shopper immediately for the same day or another day very close to the original assignment date and failure to notify us ASAP only makes that harder for us, which makes it difficult to meet our contractual obligations with our clients and can result in the loss of a client.

Why am I required to purchase an additional ticket?  Shops that include free tickets often also require an additional ticket be purchased at the facility.  This is required so that you can evaluate the employee at the facility who you purchase a ticket from, during a normal paying transaction.  Our clients want to see how the process works for a normal paying customer.

May I use a coupon or discounted ticket?  Discount coupons or admission tickets are allowed only if you will still be purchasing at least one ticket at the facility actually being evaluated.  You must have a paid transaction with a ticket booth employee at the actual facility to meet the assignment requirements.

Return to Top of Page

Pay / Reimbursement

How is the pay/reimbursement figured?  Because we only service the amusement industry our shops are FUN!  As a result in many cases we don't provide a large payment or any payment aside from the set reimbursement/payment amount of expenses.  We generally are able to provide reimbursement of all expenses required to evaluate the facility for 1-2 people.  Sometimes there will be additional funds for pay above that amount figured into the TOTAL payment.  Regardless the entire pay and reimbursement is always listed on the posting.

What is the $5 Early Return Bonus?  This is an incentive to submit the shop as soon as possible.  ALL results, receipts and pictures are due by 10pm (server/Arizona time) the day following your visit, but if they are all submitted by 10am the morning following your visit may be eligible for the additional $5 Early Return Bonus payment.  (You can view the current server time by looking in the upper right-hand corner of the Shopper's HomepageResults completed and receipts and pictures must all be uploaded to your shopper's homepage by 10am on the day following the assignment for you to be eligible for the bonus.

Why do some assignments only provide tickets and not payment?  In some cases payment comes in the form of several free tickets to the facility.  In this case you will receive some tickets before the shop and the additional tickets are provided after the shop as reimbursement for expenses associated with completing the assignment.  Generally speaking you will receive a portion of the tickets up front and a portion of the tickets after we receive all your information (return tickets).

Is there additional reimbursement for expenses, etc?  The TOTAL reimbursement and payment is listed on ALL assignments.  This is the total possible amount you can earn on the assignment regardless of amount spent, etc.  This total includes reimbursement for reasonable expenses associated with completing the assignment such as parking and purchases you need to make at the facility such as tickets, food, merchandise and games or attractions charges.  This does not include the $5 Early Return Bonus.  Aside from the bonus, there is NO additional reimbursement or payment aside from what is listed in the assignment posting.

What if I take more people with me or spend more?  Unless specified on the assignment instructions you are welcomed to take anyone you wish with you and purchase anything you wish.  There is still no additional reimbursement, payment or tickets.  The amount stated on the assignment posting is the total possible amount.  There are NO exceptions.  Although we sometimes require that you take a second person with you on the assignment if the facility offers pay-as-you go pricing we can't always provide enough payment/ reimbursement for the shopper and their guest to participate in everything.

Return to Top of Page

Rescheduling / Cancelling

Can an assignment be rescheduled?  That greatly depends upon the specific requirements of the client and when the shop was originally scheduled and when you may be able to reschedule.  Many of our assignments have a very small window in terms of when they can be completed and rescheduling may not be an option.  All assignments are scheduled for a specific date.  If you feel you may be unable to complete an assignment for any reason at any time (once your assignment is confirmed) you must CALL us immediately at 800-362-9946 and choose option 5 for urgent shopper issues.  Do NOT just email us, even if the assignment is several weeks away.  You absolutely must CALL us to cancel or reschedule.  Failure to call us to cancel or request a reschedule for an assignment, may result in being removed from our system.

How do I cancel an assignment?  We ask that you only cancel an assignment if you absolutely cannot complete it as required and we are unable to reschedule it for another day.  If you feel you may be unable to complete an assignment for any reason at any time (once your assignment is confirmed) you must CALL us immediately at 800-362-9946 and choose option 5 for urgent shopper issues.  Do NOT just email us, even if the assignment is several weeks away.  You absolutely must CALL us to cancel or reschedule.  Failure to call us to cancel or request a reschedule for an assignment, may result in being removed from our system.

Return to Top of Page

 

Submitting Results/Receipts

When are the results and receipts of the assignment due?  Our clients depend upon getting timely results of these evaluations for immediate coaching and accommodation of their employees.  All assignment results, receipts and pictures must be submitted by 10pm (Arizona/server time as listed on your Shopper's Homepage) the day following your visit to the facility at the latest.  For group sales shops all results are due by 10pm the day after your last call to the facility at the latest.  To qualify for the $5 Early Return Bonus all results, receipts and pictures must be submitted by 10am the day following your visit to the facility.  Group Sales Phone and Website only shops are NOT eligible for the early return bonus.

What if I submit my results, receipts or pictures late?  There is a very limited amount of time that your results are good for.  Results, receipts or pictures submitted 1 day late may result in a minimum $5 late results fee taken from your total payment.  Results, receipts or pictures submitted more than 1 day late may result in a minimum $10-20 late results fee and may result in rejection of the shop and non-payment.  Failure to respond quickly to follow up questions about your results either via phone or email can also result in a late results fee or rejection and non-payment for the assignment.  Late results not only provide our clients with poor service, they also cost us extra processing time and money as we have to pay editors for after hours work.  It is our discretion based upon how late results, receipts or pictures are submitted, the cause of the delay and the impact on our company and our client as to what kind of late penalty is imposed for each late assignment.

How do I submit the results of the assignment?  All assignments results must be submitted via the on-line evaluation form on our website by 10pm the day following your visit to the facility.  You access these forms by logging into your Shopper's Homepage.  Once you are confirmed on an assignment, you will see an Enter Results link on your Shopper's Homepage that will take you to the online evaluation form.  You MUST submit your results in this manner.  To avoid any loss of data we suggest you keep an electronic copy of your results for your records.  To do this we suggest typing your narrative responses into a separate document and then pasting those answers into the web-form once they are all complete.  The is especially critical if you are using a dialup Internet connection.

How does the receipt process work?  You are required to upload copies of your receipt(s) via your shoppers homepage by 10pm (Server Time - Arizona) the day after your visit to the facility.  Receipts are required to document the date that you were at the facility and some of your purchases.  They will not increase your compensation in any way.  Your shop will not be accepted without receipt(s).  If don't have the ability to upload or fax your receipts to us by 10pm the day after your visit, at the latest, do not take the assignment. 

How do I submit my receipts?  Receipts must be uploaded to your Shopper's Homepage.  To upload receipts go to your shoppers homepage and click on the link in the Manage Receipt/Picture Uploads column.  This will take you to the Uploads screen where you can upload your receipts.  You can use a digital camera or scanner to take a picture of your receipts for upload.  If you absolutely have no way to get your receipt into a file to uploading, you can also fax them to us using our special Fax Cover Page.  Do not call or email us asking if you can email your receipts.  They must be uploaded or faxed.

What if I can't take a digital picture or scan my receipts If you do not have access to a digital camera or scanner for your receipts you can also fax your receipts.  To fax receipts, Click the Fax Cover Page* link on your Shopper's Homepage and print the Fax Cover Page and fax your actual receipts to us by 10pm the day after your visit to the facility.  Please check your shoppers homepage after 11am the day after you fax your receipts to confirm they were received.  If they were not received, you must fax them again.  It is your responsibility to verify that they were received by checking your shoppers homepage after 11am the day after you fax your receipts.  You MUST use the Fax Cover Page found on your Shopper's Homepage and NOT any other cover page to ensure your receipts are processed correctly and in a timely manner.  Please do not include any other pages or documents aside from the Fax Cover Page and receipts.  Faxes are only processed once daily shortly before 11am seven days a week.  *If you cannot access the fax cover page our fax number is:  866-430-9750 (toll free).  Please list your name, the name of the facility visited and the date of the assignment on the cover page.

What if my fax isn't received?  First be sure that you have waited until after 11am (Arizona/Server time-listed on Shopper's Homepage) the day after you fax receipts (if faxed after 11am) to ensure that we have had time to process them.  Faxes are only processed once daily at approximately 11am.  If they were not received, you must fax them again.  It is your responsibility to verify that they were received by checking your shoppers homepage after 11am the day after you fax your receipts. 

Unfortunately having a confirmation or fax receipt from your fax machine or fax service only serves as proof that you sent the fax, it does not guarantee that the transmission went correctly and that our fax service successfully received the fax.  There is no way for the sending machine to get confirmation from the receiving machine that it was successfully received.  Because fax technology relies upon conventional phone lines, they are prone to problems.

How do I submit my photos?  Photos must be uploaded, they cannot be emailed.  To upload pictures (if required) go to your shoppers homepage and click on the link in the Manage Receipt/Picture Uploads column.  This will take you to the Uploads screen where you can upload your pictures.

What happens after I submit my results?  After you submit your results you should first confirm that they were received by our system by logging in to your shoppers homepage and checking the status of your assignment.  Once we receive all required items including your online evaluation form results, your uploaded receipts, any digital photos or recorded phone calls (only apply to some assignments) then an editor will be assigned to review your results and contact you about any questions they may have.  Please check your voicemail and email TWICE a DAY for a full 48 hours after submitting your results so that you can quickly answer any questions that we may have or provide any information that you left out in your original results, etc.  Failure to respond quickly to follow up questions either via phone or email can result in a late results fee or rejection and non-payment for the assignment.

Return to Top of Page

Payment Process

How long does it take to receive payment and/or return tickets?  Payment will be issued via PayPal within 21-28 days of submitting all required information such as results and receipts.  Return Tickets are usually sent in 21-28 days.  When we near the end of a facilities season, return tickets will be sent sooner.  You can log into your Shopper's Homepage to check the status of your payment at any time.

Where can I enter my PayQuicker or PayPal Account info?  At the bottom of your shopper profile there is a field for PayPal email address / account address.  Please note:  If you only accept payments via PayPal through a website that you have setup, we are unable to make payments to such websites.  We only make payments via PayPal directly through PayPal.  Please do not select PayPal unless you can accept the payment directly through PayPal and not through a separate website.

How does PayPal work and will I be charged a fee?  We suggest you visit PayPal's website for more information about PayPal as their policies change from time to time and we cannot guarantee any information listed here about PayPal polices to be correct.  It is currently free to open a personal account with PayPal and receive funds under certain conditions.  If you use your account to receive funds from online auction sales or other types of sales and you exceed certain limits, PayPal may charge a fee to receive funds.  If you have a Premier or Business account, PayPal will charge a fee to receive funds for any type of transaction including a service payment such as from our company.  At this time the fees PayPal charges to receive funds on Premier and Business accounts are 2.9% and $.30 per transaction if you receive $3,000 or less per month.  Please visit their website at www.paypal.com for more info and their exact fee schedule.  Amusement Advantage, Inc. is not affiliated with PayPal in any way.

Why was my payment short?  This can be for two reasons.  You may not have met the bonus deadline or you may have entered results, receipts or pictures late.  Our clients expect to receive their results in a timely manner.  That is why we offer the added incentive on some shops to submit the results by 10am the morning after you visit the facility to receive an additional $5 early return bonus.  Unfortunately when results, receipts or pictures are submitted late this can lead to a delay in getting the results to our clients which can result in a financial penalty to our company.  As a result we may charge a $5 late fee per day that we receive results, pictures or receipts late.  Failure to respond quickly to follow up questions about your results either via phone or email can also result in a late results fee or rejection and non-payment for the assignment.

Return to Top of Page

Assignment Status (Not all assignment will have each status point)

Must CONFIRM to be SCHEDULED  -  You have been offered a specific assignment for a specific date, but MUST click on the CONFIRM ASSIGNMENT link to review the requirements of the assignment (including printing out all required documents and forms) and acknowledge your agreement to complete the assignment.  You have 48 hours to CONFIRM the assignment once it has been offered to you via email and your shoppers homepage.

You will Receive a Follow UP Call or Email FROM a SCHEDULER (When Applicable) Some assignments may require additional information be sent to you via email or relayed to you via a phone call with a scheduler.  Your scheduler will contact you to review some specific requirements and information with you.  Please do not call our office to speak with your scheduler.  They will contact you.  You can email your scheduler prior to the call if you have questions in advance.

WAITING FOR TICKETS to be Sent (When Applicable) If your assignment includes some type of tickets or passes to be mailed to you prior to your visit to the facility this will appear.  Tickets are usually mailed between 10 and 14 days prior to your assignment.  You should receive your tickets at least 3 days prior to the assignment.

You Must CONFIRM you RECEIVED your TICKETS (When Applicable) When you receive your tickets you MUST login to your shoppers homepage and confirm your receipt of the tickets in our system so that we can ensure they are activated with the facility and you can complete your assignment as scheduled.

You Need to ENTER RESULTS  -  We are waiting to receive the results of your assignment.  This status will display prior to the assignment and up until they have been entered.  All results are due by 10pm (Server Time - Arizona) the day after the visit to the facility.  For group sales only shops results are due by 10pm the day after your last phone call (or email/web request to facility if after phone call).

Your Report NEEDS YOUR ATTENTION  -  Your results have been edited, but they are incomplete.  We need some additional information or explanation for some area of your report.  Please click the link to edit results and follow the editors instructions to edit which ever group contains the missing or incomplete information.  Be sure to mark the shop as complete again once you have entered the additional information required.  Failure to respond quickly to follow up questions about your results either via phone or email can also result in a late results fee or rejection and non-payment for the assignment.

You Need to UPLOAD RECEIPT PICTURES  -  You are also required to upload your receipt pictures.  Go to your Shopper's Homepage and click on the link in the Manage Receipt Pictures column.  This will take you to the Uploads screen where you can upload your receipts.  You can take a picture with a digital camera or scan the receipts for uploading.  Do NOT fax your receipts unless you don't have a digital camera or scanner and can't upload the pictures of your receipts.  If you must fax your receipts, you must use the Fax Cover Page found via the link on your Shopper's Homepage or they will not be processed correctly.

RECEIPTS Awaiting Approval  -  Your receipt files have been successfully uploaded to the system, but not yet approved by an editor.  Please check back frequently as you may be notified if there is a problem with your receipts and they need to be uploaded again.

RECEIPTS were REJECTED and must be UPLOADED AGAIN  -  There is a problem with the receipts that you uploaded.  Go to your Shopper's Homepage and click on the link in the Manage Receipt Pictures column.  This will take you to the Uploads screen where you will see why your receipts were rejected.  You then need to upload your receipts again.  You can take a picture with a digital camera or scan the receipts for uploading.  Do NOT fax your receipts unless you don't have a digital camera or scanner and can't upload the pictures of your receipts.  If you must fax your receipts, you must use the Fax Cover Page found via the link on your Shopper's Homepage or they will not be processed correctly.

You Need to UPLOAD PICTURES  -  We have not received the required number of pictures yet.  To send us (if required) your digital pictures from your shop, go to your Shopper's Homepage and click on the link in the Manage Pictures column.  This will take you to the Uploads screen where you can upload your digital pictures.  Please only upload pictures that will be of use to our client.

PICTURES have been uploaded, but you may upload more pictures  -  We have received the required number of pictures, but you can still send us additional pictures.

AWAITING EDITOR GRADING  - All results are thoroughly reviewed by our editors prior to being submitted to the client.  Most shops will be reviewed within 24 hours of being submitted or at most within 48 hours of being submitted.  Once your results have been reviewed and an editor gives the results a final grade you will be able to access how you were scored on five key grading criteria and read any editor comments via a link under the assignment on your home page.

AWAITING PAYMENT  -  Payments are processed in 21-28 days via PayPal.  Time is from date of receipt of the results and any receipts and pictures (if required).

Waiting for RETURN TICKETS (When Applicable)Return/Post-Shop tickets are mailed 3-14 days after submission of the evaluation, receipts and pictures (if applicable).

COMPLETED and PAID  -  Your assignment is 100% complete and all payment/reimbursement has been completed.

Return to Top of Page

Grades / Status / Re-Shops

Are the shops graded and can I see my grade?  All results are graded by the editor who prepares the final copy of the evaluation.  The grades are recorded and used when assigning shoppers to future assignments.  You can view the editor's review and comments for any completed assignments by clicking on the View Grade link found in the assignment status section of your homepage.  Please don't email your scheduler asking for additional information as it is not available.

Click to view Editor Grading Criteria

Once I have completed a shop can I complete another shop?  Yes, but it may several months before we can assign you to another shop.  If you have done an assignments for us recently at a particular facility, you may not be chosen again for quite some time.  You are welcome to login to your Shopper's Homepage to check for open assignments.  Please do NOT call or email requesting assignments as we only assign shoppers via the online scheduling system via your Shopper's Homepage.

What disqualifies shoppers from being offered subsequent shops?  There are a variety of reasons that some shoppers are not offered additional assignments.  The main reason is an inability to complete the assignment as required providing all required information in a timely manner (including results via online evaluation form, receipts via uploaded and digital photos or any other required material) or a failure to respond quickly to follow up questions either via phone or email once you have submitted your results, etc.  We have a lot of specific guidelines and requirements for our assignments and we expect our shoppers to adhere strictly to those guidelines and requirements.  The Shopper Guidelines, Assignment Specific Instructions and Independent Contractor Agreement must be adhered to all times.  We look for our shoppers to take the initiative to do everything in their power to complete the assignment as instructed and help us provide our clients with the highest quality product possible.  Our rules, guidelines and instructions are established to help us meet the contractual agreements we have with our clients.  Without our clients we would have no assignments to offer our shoppers.  We receive a very high percentage of new clients based upon current client referral.  The quality of work that our shoppers provide has a direct impact on the amount of additional clients and business that we receive and our ability to continue to offer our shoppers increased and better shopping opportunities.

Return to Top of Page

Updating / Changing your Profile

How do I remove or delete my profile and email address from your system?  Log into your shopper's profile and select the Remove Profile option at the bottom of the page and then hit submit.  Do NOT email us as you must remove your own profile.  If have ever been scheduled and confirmed an assignment with our company, you cannot completely delete your profile, you can only make it inactive in our system (you will no longer receive emails and can no longer login).

I wish to be removed from your database but the delete profile option is not listed in my profile?  If have ever been scheduled and confirmed an assignment with our company, you cannot completely delete your profile, you can only make it inactive in our system (you will no longer receive emails and can no longer login).

How do I make my profile inactive in your system?  To stop receiving emails for a period when you won't be shopping you can choose to become inactive.  You will have to contact us via email when you want to become active again.

When I login it says I asked to be removed and must contact you to be reinstated?  You previously chose the inactive status in your profile.  Simply send us an email at shopperprofile@amusementadvantage.com and explain that you wish to be reactivated and we will update your profile.

Why do I have to update my profile every 6 months in your system?  All shoppers are required to update their profile at least once every 6 months in our system to ensure that we have accurate information in our database.  Although most shoppers will keep their profile updated on their own, some shoppers will apply and then change their email address and not notify us.  When we send out large bulk emails about open assignments with email addresses that are no longer valid some Internet Service Providers and Mail Providers will start to block all email from our company if there are too many invalid email addresses on the emails we are sending.  As a result to keep our company from getting blocked and to help avoid any of our shoppers from not receiving our emails, we have to make sure all information in our database is as accurate as possible.

How do I enter shopper certifications?  To enter your shopper certification into your shopper profile click here there is also a link to enter shopper certifications on your shoppers homepage.  Click that link and provide all the information requested on the form. 

How do I view what shopper certifications Amusement Advantage has on file for me?  On your shoppers homepage there is a link to enter/view shopper certifications.  Click that link and your verified and unverified certifications will be listed.

How do I obtain shopper certifications?  You can obtain various shopper certifications from the MSPA (mysteryshop.org) and other mystery shopping groups, etc.  Please see their websites for more information.  Click here for more information about the MSPA certification program.

Return to Top of Page

Contact Info

ACTUALLY SCHEDULED for Specific Assignment & Date:

bullet bullet
URGENT Questions / Reschedule or Cancel:
For immediate assistance including rescheduling or to cancel call: 800-362-9946, option 5 (urgent issues).  If you reach voicemail be sure to leave a message.  Someone will return the call ASAP if necessary.  We monitor the phones 7am-7pm Sun-Thur and 7am-9pm Fri & Sat PACIFIC TIME.

Failure to call to cancel or reschedule an assignment may result in removal from our system.

bullet bullet
Non-Urgent Questions:
Email the scheduler listed on your instructions.  You can view these instructions via the link on your Shopper's Homepage. If you cannot find the address then email:  shoppersupport@amusementadvantage.com.
bullet bullet

Submitting Results:  Click on the Submit Results link listed in the appropriate assignment on your Shopper's Homepage.

bullet bullet

Submitting Receipts:  Receipts must be uploaded, they cannot be emailed or faxed.  To upload receipts go to your Shopper's Homepage and click on the link in the Manage Receipt/Picture Uploads column.  This will take you to the Uploads screen where you can upload your receipts.  If you cannot scan or take a digital picture of your receipts for uploading please see the following FAQ:  What if I can't scan or take a digital picture of my receipts?

bullet bullet

Payments / Post Shop Tickets:  Check your Shopper's Homepage to see the status of the assignment. Payments are processed in 21-28 days (all times from when all results, receipts and pictures received).  If you still have a question contact: payments@amusementadvantage.com.

 

Return to Top of Page

 

OPEN ASSIGNMENTS & POSTINGS / All Other Questions:

 

Please do NOT call unless you have an urgent question regarding an assignment you are scheduled to complete.  We have prompt response times via email and will address your question in a timely manner.

 

bullet bullet

Postings / Open Assignments shopperinfo@amusementadvantage.com

bullet bullet

General Assignment Procedure Questions:  please review the extensive FAQ's.  Most questions are answered there.

bullet bullet

Logins or Passwords:  click here.

bullet bullet

Remove / Delete Profile:  Login to your shopper's profile and click on the Remove Button and hit submit.

bullet bullet

Other Shopper Questions shopperinfo@amusementadvantage.com

bullet bullet

Website webmaster@amusementadvantage.com

bullet bullet

General Company Questions generalinfo@amusementadvantage.com

 

Return to Top of Page

 

If you haven't yet read the FAQ's listed above, please review them now.

 

Click Here to Proceed to the Shopper Application