Some months ago I became a little disillusioned with ms when I accepted two shops and after having accepted them, the fees were markedly reduced. Some of you may remember I went quite public about this here. So.....why do I bring this up? How it ties into now is that it's the end of the quarter and of the month and I find myself FINALLY having gotten over my reluctance to request a bonus. Now it doesn't phase me at all to do so. I guess I owe this past situation a thanks as remembering that situation, I feel like I'm working against myself if I don't at least try for a bonus. I'm also much pickier now about which shops I will do and my price to walk out the door to do a shop has gone up. I'd much rather do fewer shops I like and that work for me than try to be all things to many msc's. But that's just my take on it. Happy Easter, everyone.

Now you are running your MS like a business! If most shoppers would do this, most job fees would increase to a fair wage to compensate our time, skill, and expenses, and we would not need to ask for bonuses.

Thank you for helping the "Cause" because its going to take more of us to decline assignments worth your time. You have no reason to feel jaded, your being business smart! I find something quite interesting, when someone complains about a very low paying shop a member(I think its a scheduler or someone working for the company) starts pointing out "there a fast payer", "I can make three bucks sitting at my desk without getting dressed(they don't mention how much time or why the company is the lowest paying company in the industry.) instead we hear. Why come to the aid of a company that everyone who has done this for any time know is a screwball? The debate on the "Cruise Thread" is one example where all of us get inside to see what goes on with bigger shops. We know Schedulers will attempt to destroy questions or steer them down the wrong direction by sugar-coating cat dung or fill us full of bull manure.

One of our members has taught me to delete all nasty offers because their not worth looking at, there insulting and don't allow any time to entertain unless you so broke and can't get jobs paying less than farm workers. One example is the Luxury Bathroom store who feels two and a half hours of time is worth no more than $12. The scheduler calls each month asking if I will take the job and remembers I refuse clients who have no common decency. Paying us $12 for two-point five hours shows how they value you, their perception is your time is worth less than regulated wages.

With our phone call for the luxury brand shop, I cut her off and said "I appreciate this third chance to get involved with your company but this shop is not the right fit for me because your client refuses to allow a bonus. The pay rate is not enough to pay my gas, sorry you are disappointed!". She called back in December asking "Can you do this shop?" I asked "Did the pay go up?" she said "no, the client can't afford it". So a luxury kitchen store, the most expensive kitchen brands can't pay more than a Home Depot credit shop. I still can't grasp why you feel jaded because you value your time and won't work for $5 a hour?

Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/2016 07:20PM by GrosMichel.

Wow.....you bring up very valid and very good points.

Here is a real example of how this can work. I used to be signed up with a MS company that had the nicest staff, but most of their shops paid $8 and required me to front $60 or more and wait up to a month for reimbursement and shop payment. Some of their shops required me to eat on my own dime and still give lengthy narratives.

The schedulers frequently called me or emailed me to see if I would do shops. To save us both time, I eventually told them that I appreciated their interest, but mystery shopping was my only source of income. I explained that food and drink did not pay my rent, and I needed to be paid in dollars. I explained that it did not make business sense for me to lose money by doing such $8 shops when I could do shops for other companies and make a decent wage for my time and get reimbursed on my next bi-weekly paycheck. She empathized and asked me what I considered a decent wage, and I told her what it would take for me to do the jobs.

Going forward, I only received email and phone offers that were bonused enough to be worth my while. I never had to ask for a bonus with this company. The bonuses were always realistic and applied before the offer was made.

I had to terminate my employment with this MS company about a year ago due to something beyond my control . We parted ways respectfully and they said they would always love to have me back if I found that I could work for them again.

squire, I always ask for a bonus. I don't always get it, but sometimes I do.

I don't always ask, but I'm a little surprised this month that "desperate" schedulers are offering paltry bonuses. Drive 90 minutes each way in traffic for an extra $10? I don't think so. Their jobs are still on the board - I'm wondering if Wednesday will be a big day or if clients aren't giving them completion bonuses. Interesting month; so much $ in the first week and an atypical end of the month. Nice weather here so this week might just be a staycation (not biting on the ridiculous amounts being offered.)

So far, last week of this month looks like a good time for "gardening leave" and catching up paperwork. No bonuses as yet.

I do very little mystery shopping these days. I have a few jobs I enjoy (dining shops) that I'll do for reimbursement of most of my cost. But the regular retail shops I simply don't do unless they are worth my while. I turned down an end of the month bonused shop a few days ago. They were offering a healthy bonus, but that would only cover my mileage and not my time. If I am going to do the shop, I expect my mileage paid (and at Federal rates, not just "gas money" plus at least $10/hr for my time.

Needless to say, I don't do a lot of retail shops. But that's just fine by me.

Ladies and Gentlemen Shoppers. The industry has changed since 2002 when I did shops with hamburger fast food. In today's world my time is so valuable and for a scheduler to call me with a pittance money offer or a small bonus does not fit into my income anymore. I have found now that if I do challenging shops I will still get an editor that is not satisfied with the long and full narratives I write. These editors and schedulers, these days, are not satisfied with what I do. So, a minimum local shop of $20.00 is the base I will accept, and not lower. This is a side business for me or else I would starve doing mystery shops, buying fast food, small purchases and I will never do these. I do not think you are jaded; just becoming stronger as saying NO for companies that think they can get the work done for less. If we all started writing to say you are not giving me enough, then I think the companies would truly understand not to under value our work.

Today I got a call for the home improvement store shop, it only pays 12 plus 1. I have never done that job for less than 25 and in the last three months I haven't been doing them for less than 46 dollars which has been my price the last 4 jobs. They accept my bid every time and now I will never do it for less than 46.

Oh gosh, I have been taking them for like $15, I need to stand firm. I had the bank shop call me today with a ton of possible shops for only $9.00, I had to pass on all but two. $15.00 and up minimum on meeting with a banker I think.

Newbie here. When do you have the option/conversation that could involve getting more money? I see the rates posted, and just assumed that the rate is what is listed.

Funny I got a call for 3 home improvement shops from the older ladies msc. I asked for what I needed on 2 I was willing to do. She said she would put in the request to her supervisor and call me back. Well the offer was denied and told that they were not offering any additional incentive. Can you still do them for us. I told them sorry but I can only do them for the $40 extra I asked and they were a little bit of a distance from me. We ended the call friendly. Now I am a little perturbed calling asking what it would cost and not even countering. This MSC needs to learn don't call unless you are willing to offer an incentive. Glad the OP has learned to value his time. I think we should all try to emulate this message on the forum.
Jgittins:
If you get a call or email on jobs email back or ask when they call for a bonus fair rate. You may have to take a few jobs at base rate with each new company you work for just to prove your a good shopper. After you have a rating or rep with a company then ask for bonuses and fair pay. Many times you will get no but don't cave just set your rate and don't work for less.

I have be n a mystery shopper for over 10 years. I also do not do a lot of shops anymore. A shop has to pay at least 15.00 & be lose to me before I will even consider it. Most bonuses shops are 3-5 dollars extra. Not worth it to me. Will only take if it's in my neighborhood or a shop I like to do. I was doing high end restaurants because they paid full reimbursement plus a nice shop fee. But the reports were long. And this was a company that was difficult to work with. I ended it after a year because it wasn't worth it to me anymore.
I think the schedulers hands are tied as far as wages. It's what the client is willing to pay. And they do get bonuses if they get all their shops filled each month. So they have their on income riding on us. I had one scheduler tell me that when she bonuses a shop, she loses part of her bonus. Is that fair? Pribably not. But we all have to look after ourselves. MSC & schedulers do not know how UHC time is takes to do a shop & write the reports. I,laugh when told a report will take 3-4 hours for a restaurant shop. It takes me at leatn8 hours over 2 days. They want a lot of timings and narratives as well as doing a checklist with notations. It is very repetitive.