Why Do We Refuse Mission Results?

This is a guest post written by the Mobee validation team

Nobody likes to see a Mission refusal. The goal of our team is to reduce refusals as much as possible and encourage our users to submit Missions more often, all why ensuring the data is accurate for our clients.

What we look for varies based on the scope of the Mission and the types of answers being reviewed. Typically, we are looking for data accuracy, question directions are being followed, and the answers make sense. Seems simple enough, right? So what types of issues might lead to a Mission refusal?

Here are a couple of refusal reasons our validation team will utilize:

Photo/Answer Contradicting: the item/display in the photo does not match your answer. You might have indicated that an item is on the shelf, but it is not in your display photo. Please be careful that your answer aligns with the question. We compare all of the questions to the photos you’ve taken in your Mission, so this is extremely important to look out for.
Answers Contradict Each Other: our team reviews answers submitted to make sure they don’t contradict themselves and that they are aligned with what is or is not in the photos taken.
Contradicted by Other User’s Data: many of our clients request multiple results per location. If multiple results are available, our team will review the other results from other users to determine consistency across all the results. If there’s a big discrepancy between Missions, that could lead to a Mission refusal.
Photos That are Blurry or Make it Difficult to See The Requested Products/Displays: the photo is not clear, or too fuzzy. Please check that your mobile device’s lens is clean, and the operating system is up-to-date. Allow the device to focus on the item before taking the photo.
Photos of the Wrong Area/display: Many of our Missions are display based, so identifying that a display is available is critical. If you are unable to locate a display as shown or described in the Mission question, a “NO” answer is the best choice. Our Missions are designed to request information on what is available in the store.
Photos of the Wrong Product: as with displays, taking photos of the requested products is of the utmost importance. if an item is not available, please make sure to answer “NO”. If you indicated that an item is on the shelf, by selecting the answer choice “YES”, our team will be verifying if the item is available on the shelf.
Photos That Are Too Zoomed In: please make sure the item or display is available within all four corners of the photo. It’s always better to include more in your photo than less.
- Pro Tip: Some of our requested “straight-on” photos may be difficult to take depending on the aisle size. Be sure to include as much as possible in your photo at the “straightest” angle you’re able to get. We understand that some aisles are smaller than others. Take the best photo you can and you’ll have the most-likely get the best results possible.
Not Enough Time Spent Completing a Mission: our Missions are designed to be quick and easily navigated through some of our stores. Time is a critical component of Mission development, though, and our team has estimated times set for Mission completion. If we see a Mission is completely too quickly, we will refuse it. Make sure you take the time to peruse the aisles for the items or displays that the Mission questions are requesting.
- If your Mission completion time is less than the estimated Mission completion time, that is okay. We’re looking for unrealistic Mission completion times. For example, if you’re able to complete a Mission in under 5 minutes that has taken the rest of our users 20+ minutes, this would be a red flag for our team.

There are a lot of things to consider when validating a Mission. Our goal is to approve as many Missions as possible to help you earn the most points, but the accuracy of your answers is extremely important. So, always remember you can say that a product or display is not available if you can’t find it in the store, the photos you take need to be of the correct products and easily visible to our team, and don’t forget to use the “Did you have any issues” question at the end of each Mission to share any difficulties or issues you had completing a Mission.

Good Luck, and Happy Mobee-ing!

Author Note

The Mobee Validation team has been a crucial member of the Mobee team since it’s start. They are responsible for ensuring all Mission results are honest and accurate. Check out their tips and tricks to help you get your Missions approved.

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