Shopper Julie. You've already done a job and liked it. You are well on your way. Use the list at the bottom to sign up with companies. Try jobs you think you'll like. If they seem hard, consider that they might get easier with practice and try again. Over time you will find what is available where you live and what you like. And what you don't like. If a shop is hard and you don't enjoy it, don't choose it again. If a company really does treat you unfairly, then have a little vent here so we can make you feel better.

Use the search function in this forum to see what people have said about various companies. There are only a handful of companies that get continuous negative comments.
We don't get paid if we make a mistake. When I was new, that seemed harsh but I learned that it is part of my "training".

There is lots of information on the forum about making sure you make money at this. (not driving further than a shop is worth for one)

Have Fun!!

Hi, Julie, welcome to the forum. What I did when I started in 2008 was to apply with the companies on the list at the bottom of the page. I just went alphabetically down the list and hit them all. Some I skipped because something on their website turned me off.

BUT - before accepting an assignment for a new-to-me company, I did a search on this forum and read what was written about them. Keep in mind that the larger a company is, the more will be written about them. When considering feedback written by other forum members, I don't get too concerned if there are a few negative posts, especially if a post seems very angry and/or provides no actual details about what happened - that type of post doesn't pass the "smell" test. I disregard any posts that say only "Don't work for XXX," "XXX are scammers," "XXX is rude and unprofessional." etc., with a lot of emotional complaints. I only consider a negative when the poster clearly explains a problem, giving details.

Realize that all companies will have some negative posts. I am not too concerned with a couple of negatives, UNLESS it is a repeated theme by multiple posts, especially payment issues. Any posts about a company that indicates that they do not pay according to their stated payment terms makes me hesitate. I don't mind those pay "slow" - for example, a company who states they pay at 90 days - as long as they DO pay at 90 days. Any indication in posts that a company does not do what it says it will ..... and I don't shop for them.

Yes. Read about the companies here on the forum. But don't take one person's word for it. You don't get a good overall picture of the MSC that way. Like I'm frustrated with the MSC that does the Arches shops but they do other shops that I enjoy so I'm hanging in with them for those others that I like to do. But I don't give any company that doesn't pay me correctly per our agreement another shot at me. It costs me mo ey to perform these shops from the time I start my car until I pull back into my driveway. I don't believe in paying the boss so I can work there.

The best thing I ever did was join this forum. the advide is priceless from experienced shoppers. I am building a carreer and pastoring a country church. The shopping gives me extra income to fill in for expenses that coome up.

For me I have done a lot of bank shops that are fun and easy and because of the relationship built they call me often for long distance shops that pay large incentives. when I first started out I never asked for more than was offered but now I do and often get more. I do a lot of gas station shops. but only those that give you re-emburesment for some fuel and in store purchase as well as the shop fee.
One of the things i learned that was valuable was to take more photos than you need and when in for the day I organize the photos into folders with the visit id - edit them and title them along with the reciepts for the shop. then when I do the reports all i have to do is locate and upload the photos. that was a learning curve for me.

I now only shop a couple of days a month but like yesterday it was a 212.00 day for 6 shops with incentives of 60.00, 23.00, 20.00, 17.00,6.00, a good day

search and study the posts on the different areas of the forum it is invaluable You will have some toough days and may want to quit. take a break cool down and figure it out and you'll make a buck or two

Good luck

I think you must love Eeyore (sp) and might find something about everything that makes whatever it is "Sucks." I am retired, shop on average three days a week (and usually schedule those shops just one or two days in advance) and find an extra $1200 to $1400 a month. This averages to about $16.00 an hour before I will declare mileage and expense deductions, etc., on my taxes next year. (Which I think will make that $16 rise to the neighborhood of $20 an hour.) Not bad for a stress free, "I'm my own boss," schedule everything I do around my retirement fun years, easy kind of part time job.
$1400 for 12 days work each month... part time job. And as the person earlier mentioned, whenever a road trip or weekend jaunt, or something fun comes my way to play, it is sooo easy to pack my kit, and go on down the road...

Yes, life is to short to be mad and pout, and spread your anger about life around to hit whoever is near or might be paying attention to you. Maybe your expectations were unrealistic or set too high by something or someone other than yourself, couldn't be met, which frustrated and angered you.....

May you find peace in something you choose.

A lot of people are making good money shopping. I haven't found any that pay that well. Maybe someone could let me know where these jobs are posted. I am new and have only done dinner shops and one matress shop. I would like to do more for the experience. I have seen Mcdonalds and some other fast food shops but for me it doesn't look like it's worth the free burger. I also see cell phone, specific car shops and 4.00 phone shops. For the drive and time, it isn't worth it either. The dinner shops are usually reimbursed up to 75. They are fun, the reports are long though and I need to work on my reports because I still get questions after. Just glad I haven't had a rejected report. Even though it takes me an hour to do the report (if anyone has any suggested how to shorten it, lmk) I am still having fun! I live in SW Florida.

@laurenh33 wrote:

A lot of people are making good money shopping. I haven't found any that pay that well. Maybe someone could let me know where these jobs are posted. I am new and have only done dinner shops and one matress shop. I would like to do more for the experience. I have seen Mcdonalds and some other fast food shops but for me it doesn't look like it's worth the free burger. I also see cell phone, specific car shops and 4.00 phone shops. For the drive and time, it isn't worth it either. The dinner shops are usually reimbursed up to 75. They are fun, the reports are long though and I need to work on my reports because I still get questions after. Just glad I haven't had a rejected report. Even though it takes me an hour to do the report (if anyone has any suggested how to shorten it, lmk) I am still having fun! I live in SW Florida.

Try the job board here. You will see lots of work in FL and also you'll see what is available elsewhere. Apply to about 200 companies. Clients change all the time.

@laurenh33 wrote:

A lot of people are making good money shopping. I haven't found any that pay that well. Maybe someone could let me know where these jobs are posted. I am new and have only done dinner shops and one matress shop. I would like to do more for the experience. I have seen Mcdonalds and some other fast food shops but for me it doesn't look like it's worth the free burger. I also see cell phone, specific car shops and 4.00 phone shops. For the drive and time, it isn't worth it either. The dinner shops are usually reimbursed up to 75. They are fun, the reports are long though and I need to work on my reports because I still get questions after. Just glad I haven't had a rejected report. Even though it takes me an hour to do the report (if anyone has any suggested how to shorten it, lmk) I am still having fun! I live in SW Florida.

Glad to hear you're sticking through with mystery shopping, laurenh33!

Just keep in mind that just because you're receiving clarification questions from the MSC about your shops doesn't necessarily mean you did something wrong; this could be a sign of improvement, as you already stated. Not having your reports rejected is a great sign! It means you've stayed within guidelines. So, keep it up! The more you do, the easier they come. You'll notice a similarity with each type of shop. Shops also become naturally easier (at least, that's what we hope for) when you perform more shops with the same client / MSC.

You should also start getting offers for higher-paying shops after you do some of the smaller ones, especially for up-and-coming MSCs that are trying to build their client base.

I did a phone call for one of my companies. They paid me $6 but I didn't have to travel anywhere. I sat on my couch and did it. It all adds up.

Mike, have you factored in the taxes on your income?? I'm trying to figure this out before end of year.

I have been mystery shopping for about a year and a half now and I must just be lucky or something because I dove into the business and although it is not my sole means of support it has helped a lot. I can easily make a couple/ few hundred a month doing shops that are challenging and fun. I LOVE mystery shopping!!! Plus I don't take shops that are extremely low paying either. I've done a lot of shops and I know my experience has helped me learn a lot about different industries and how to get better deals on things and to know my products. I've learned how to deal with car salesmen when buying a car because I do auto negotiation shops and they pay well and are challenging and fun. I live in the greater Los Angeles area in Southern California where there is a lot of competition. Thankfully there are a lot of MSC's so there is usually plenty of work. At first I was really frustrated with Intellishop because they expect perfection seemingly. However they encourage me to do better work and be much better at what I do. I'm also a licensed Life and Health Insurance Agent so the two jobs balance out well.
The ironic part about it is there were these scammers that wouldn't leave me alone claiming that they wanted to hire me for mystery shopping. I knew it was a scam and I just happened to be looking for work and boom! I looked up mystery shopping on the web and haven't looked back. I thank God for the work and the money I have been able to make mystery shopping!

That is great evemarie that you persevered after the scammers "introduced" you to mystery shopping. Our local media spends so much time warning about those scammers that I think everyone considers mystery shopping a scam altogether!

I too was introduced to mystery shopping as work, because of scammers. I had heard about it years ago at an old job, and that company was one that got reports back from mystery shoppers. At the time, I wasn't sure how to try to start doing it, so I didn't.
A few months ago, my partner got a text from scammers about mystery shopping. I googled the company and found a legit article outlining the scams vs the real thing.

$4 phone shops aren't worth it?? You must live in a different economic bubble with priorities much different than mine! Those $4 shops, once you get the hang of them, are there ALL THE TIME, like the noisy kid next door, or the squeaky wheel on the shopping cart...no matter what, there they are, you can't get away from them. Now that I think about it, the same can be said of Republicans, but that's a little off-topic! :-)

I can do 3 to 5 of those $4 shops in a day and take full advantage of the 300 mile radius I am allowed. In fact, many times I've been allowed to reach far beyond it because the company knows the quality of my work. Doing ONLY those $4 shops, there were several months last year where I grossed 300 or more in a month...working only 2-3 days each week...IN MY UNDERWEAR!

Trust me, my friend, $4 phone shops ROCK!

Good for you. But you can keep your $4.00 phone shops. Since I have a FT job, I can not (and I have no desire to) perform phone shops during work hours. I MS, audit and work on special projects on a PT basis and I am grossing more than $300 in a week, only working a few hours a day, 3-4 days a week.

That is why this business and working as an IC is great. We can pick and choose what works best for us. You prefer working in your underwear for $4.00 per shop; I prefer working commando for a lot more money.

@CovertlyObvious wrote:

$4 phone shops aren't worth it?? ......... I can do 3 to 5 of those $4 shops in a day and take full advantage of the 300 mile radius I am allowed. ........ there were several months last year where I grossed 300 or more in a month...working only 2-3 days each week...IN MY UNDERWEAR!

Trust me, my friend, $4 phone shops ROCK!

I agree. Those $4 phone shops have their place. I do $12 ones and $7 ones but they don't show up as often.

I can walk into a jewelry store and shop for diamonds. I can breeze into the BMW dealership and test drive the latest model. But I shudder at the thought of phone calls. I don't enjoy the ones where I am required to call beforehand; I force myself to make those calls. But I just dread phone shops. Never did one, won't voluntarily do one. I have no idea where the dread and foreboding come from; not a clue. Just know I can't force my fingers to dial those numbers! Phone-o-phobia?

Even though some unexpected and amazing things happen in this business (and in rerospect these more than make up for any hassles) I am cutting back on my efforts.

I must have more personal and hausfrau time.

The way to have that is to do less of this business.

p.s. I love some of the phone call shops. I have a fave short call which is always informative and quick to report. I want to keep my beloved hotel shops and to find more hotel shops. I need to try other kinds of shops.

p.p.s. I probably will not try to do a phone shop in my undies.

I love reading rants as much as success stories here in mystery shopping. I will use the information that I have learned so I will never end up frustrated and disgusted. Learning from those who had good experiences encourages me to try mystery shopping too.

Bye, Felicia...

I have mentored many people over the years as I have been mentored. You must touch and feel life and have experiences. How do you know you will love a high end car unless you drive one. How do you experience a dinner where you read the menu from left to right or if you dare to, order from a menu without prices as money is no object. Having self made entrepreneurs who know what it is to be in your economic demographic treat you for dinner because you reached a goal gives you the incentive to reach out and help people you are mentoring. Shop for jewels dressed close to but not quite able to afford the items you are looking at thinking you will be there one day if you help enough people get what they want gives you something to think about. Shopping for houses that you can not afford YET but will afford it someday because you touched it and you know it is there. Mystery shopping allows you to pretend you are there and pays you to pretend. It is a great motivational tool. Some people do not do high end shops for the money. They are peeking over the fence and getting the "burn" to be there. They just about break even but the experience is motivating. It makes you want to get there faster. If I were a rich man. Define "rich" would you rather be a miserable wealthy man with enemies because your cheated and lied your way to the top or a respected man who mentored people to pass you and you felt proud you could help. Those people did not forget you. You get the calls, "Can you do me a favor?" Before you can say no they tell you how much they will compensate you. Before you know it you have a business you had no intention of starting and you are getting paid for something you love to do...Help people. How many high end shops do you want to do? How much reality do you want to experience that is only a goal away if you reach for it.

Ah, the $3 sub shop with the $8 reimbursement, the $5.80 reimbursement that barley covers a hot dog, drink and 'tater' choice. I have been doing MS on and off for several years and still have not found the big time stuff like some claim to have found. However, I do live in a remote place that has very little work. The largest paying in my area are car shops which I don't do.(I leave them for someone else)

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I agree with most of what you say.. esp if you're having a bad day, week or month. I'm going into my 16th yr and I'm just as frazzled sometimes.. but, every so often, I get a great shop, w/ great bonus.. read and ask questions A LOT BEFORE.. IF you're promised a bonus, KEEP THAT EMAIL UNTIL YOU ARE PAID.

All in all this is a great thread. To be brutally honest I have wanted to quit a hundred times over the past years and usually because I was frustrated with a scheduler or maybe because it took so long to upload photos and do the reports - because of my poor internet connection which is not their fault - One company it was a scheduler that just didn't answer email or phone calls, so I don't work with that scheduler but another one instead and that works out best for me and them. If she emails or calls I do my best to accommodate her and she accommodates me with a bonus. The first Subway i did was 25.00 and another for 18.00 since then they mostly go for $3-to 7 so i don' t do them at all.
I live in a rural area and most shops I do are at least 30 minutes away. Because of that I ether learned to wait until there are several in the area to make a route or come across ones with a bonus. I have also discovered that if it is end of cycle I can call and often get a bonus which makes it worth while. The funny thing is that just the time I get the most aggravated and want to quit I come across or get a call for some far out shops that are to good to say no. even if I have to spend half a day on the computer to upload photos and reports it is worth the $350.00 i made while doing the 8 hours of shop and driving the 100 miles. If only that was every month. At the end of the day for me Its all good even with the bad i will probably shop for many years and I have meat some great people and schedulers. Just remember as it is with life it is a process some good some bad You choose what to take or leave on the board that is the blessing of being an independent contractor.
God Bless
Larry

LOL, if I had the money, I would open a no-kill animal shelter and save every dog that had no home. It's a longtime dream of mine that I would fulfill should I ever win the lottery--to open a huge ranch where even a sick dog would live out his/her life in comfort and with love. I buy a weekly ticket and hope, but I'm a practical woman and realize the odds are stacked against me. I mystery shop once a day, on average, and try to take shops that I enjoy, that bring me items I can use, food that I like, and keep my brain sharp when I fill out the required forms. If it becomes a chore, or the income vs. gas cost, or more important, JOY cost, don't measure up, I can simply stop accepting jobs. That's another great thing about mystery shopping--you can quit anytime you want, unless, like eating potato chips or pistachio nuts, you find you just can't stop.

;-)

Once you have done many shops you know how to shortcut you don't have to print things down they want you to know everything but once you really become familiar with the shop in the company there's only a few things that you need to remember but if you record everything then that takes care of it