How many companies?

February 19, 2015 05:04PM

I have now gotten familiar with mystery shopping, I have successfully been doing mystery shopping for a month now, so Im still a newbie

But i've read on here that it is smart to sign up with a whole bunch of a companies, which makes sense. More companies more opportunities. How many companies are the more experienced shoppers signed up? And how do you keep track of them all!?

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February 19, 2015 05:24PM

Experienced shoppers are signed up with around 150 shops. At least over 100.

February 19, 2015 06:41PM

100 to 200

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

February 19, 2015 06:45PM

I've only been doing this since August. Signed up with about 40 companies thus far and I keep track of everything on an excel spreadsheet.

February 19, 2015 11:25PM

I am signed up with over 200, but I have only shopped for 35. Unfortunately, you can't find out if they have anything in your area until you have signed up.

February 21, 2015 05:58AM

around 150 for me, but I've only shopped for about 45.

Time to build a bigger bridge.

February 22, 2015 03:55PM

Newmom,

You are very perceptive to see a need to keep track of all the companies you have signed up for. I use a spreadsheet that contains a bit of information about every company I have ever come in contact with. It currently has 240 listings. In fact I used it earlier today when I found the name of a company that was new to me, or so I thought. When I looked at my spreadsheet, I found a note about it. It said I did not sign up with them and why. The quick reference saved me the time to research that company a second time. I suggest you do the same as you consider companies.

My spreadsheet includes,

The company name,
The date I heard of it,
How I heard of it,
Are they an MSPA member?
Have I shopped for them,
If so, did they pay?
A comment box - for anything relevant.

Happily shopping Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut

February 22, 2015 10:29PM

@Roxie wrote:

Unfortunately, you can't find out if they have anything in your area until you have signed up.

I took advantage of a snow day last week to sign up for about ten more companies. Nine of them didn't have any jobs for me, but I did a happy dance when I struck gold with the tenth.

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt

February 23, 2015 03:52AM

to me, those "Eureka!" moments are part of the fun of mystery shopping. Finding someone who has one of your favorite stores especially if they pay decently for the shop.

Time to build a bigger bridge.

February 23, 2015 09:31PM

Thank you for all of the responses! I took today to sign up with many many many companies, so I thought until I saw people are in the hundreds on here! Im starting with about 50 but I took everyone's advise and logged it with excel... time consuming but it seems like it will be worth it

thanks again everyone!!

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February 23, 2015 09:44PM

Good for you. Creating the system and getting accustomed to using it take time in the beginning. Over the long haul it will save you a lot more time. Are you using a system to partially fill in the forms? Google Chrome does it for me and programs like Roboform have also been popular. If you haven't run across any yet, eventually some companies will want a writing sample and possibly a resume. Create a couple of samples to have on hand so you can copy & paste into an app or attach them to an email. All those things will speed up the process.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

February 24, 2015 02:05PM

LisaSTL

I have not come across any systems.. I did sign up for jobsinger plus, which fills out the sassie forms for me but I did the freetrial and its almost expired.. what systems are out there that are free that would help?

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April 23, 2015 05:29AM

I have my companies saved in my bookmarks tab in order of how interested I am in doing the shops that they offer. In my area intellishop has a lot of options so it is my number 1 slot and it goes on from there.

April 24, 2015 01:57AM

Newmom,

The 'system' referred to is how each of us manages the data in our business. Part of that could be how we keep track of MSCs we do business with. Another part is how we search for jobs. Another is how to schedule shops and track payments. Emails and phone calls? Those too.

Good luck.

Happily shopping Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut

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