I am new to this forum but I have done mystery shops for 3 years. One thing I do not undevrstabd is why companies come In so low on their pay rates. Then when time passess and it gets closer to the deadline they they up the rates. If they would just pay us fairly then they would not be in a position of struggling to get the shop done.makes more sense to me and it would encourage people to do a good job.

If I was the MSC I too would start at the lower end so a poor smuck can do it at a cheap fee. Im all about the dolla signs.

MSCs know that some people will take the jobs at a lower pay in areas where there are a lot of shoppers. That gives them extra money for bonuses for hard to fill locations such as places in rural areas where there may not be many shoppers.

I'd imagine the MSC's would be skimming by if they offered the higher rates upfront. a good business would plan to profit as much as they could for overhead, as they should always plan for the worst (when a client moves on from their relationship with the MSC).

Those are all reasons why the companies offer such low pay - they think some shopper will take it. The problem is that there are shoppers who do take jobs for low or even NO PAY. No matter what their reasons are for doing jobs for low pay, that is the number 1 reason why the low pay continues. It's simple supply and demand. A supply of shoppers who will work for near nothing or nothing guarantees that the low fees will continue.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/2016 01:02AM by AZwolfman.

Op
its simple because they can. They will always find a newbe or village idiot or uneducated person to do some of the shops at low initial rate. When it gets closer to the deadline the ones left are those that they cant find any of the above people so have to increase the pay. On the reverse end if their was a shop by you and there were no other shoppers in the area within 1000 miles and you knew this. The msp had to get this done as they were going to lose the client if they didn't and they were willing to pay any amount up to $20,000 and you also knew this. Of course they didn't know you knew. What would you request? If they would accept an offer of $20,000 you would quote them that. Now some people have morals and wouldn't but most would. I personally would get a high amount well staying semi reasonable say $3000. You can sheer a sheep many times but only skin him once.

I've been shopping a while and I wanted to toss my opinion out. I understand the desire for higher pay and the frustration of having to wait until the end of the month for the struggle to fill shops begins. I am likely part of that problem as I do take shops on the low end for various reasons.
I am a stay at home mom with time on my hands. I do this as a hobby. I enjoy the shops I take and yes, I don't get paid a lot of money to do them. It gets me out of the house, I am able to maintain relationships with the MSCs, and there are benefits that out-weight the fees (oil changes, pizza night, etc). I consider putting my $25 back into my pocket for the oil change or the reimbursements for mailing packages to my niece in Nevada wins for my family. The extra $5 is nice and goes into my reimbursement account for future shops.
I like to think that because I take the low shops, it allows MSCs to put more money and investment into heavier ones that most of you do. I don't consider myself a sucker or the village idiot and I'm sorry that taking the low shops puts a big hit on your own profits. I will continue doing this as long as it works for me. I'm not out to get rich. I do like feeling that I contribute to my family's wellbeing regardless.

Here is my fashion retail example. The new Fall season reveals that "must have" skirt, sweater, shoes, whatever at full price of $350.00. Some people will buy the item at full price because they have to have it before anyone else does or they are afraid that their size or desired color will sell out. There are many variables.

But for the patient person, they can wait 1-2 months or for the end of the season and buy that same exact item at 50% off, 75% off or more. They take the chance that the item will still be available in their size or the color they want. It is all a retail game.

The same can be said for the MS'ing game. Wait until the end of the month for the bonuses but you take the chance that another shopper will take the shop. So how bad do you want that "must have" skirt, sweater, shoes...I mean shop.

Paying fair wages would mean they actually have a heart. Choose for yourself what a fair estimate is, do one shop that could possibly meet that estimate, get paid, if satisfied continue shopping, if not ask for a bonus after multiple emails that meet your cost benefit choice, do one more shop, if paid bonus that is recieved in writing continues relationship, if not or doesnt meet your choice complain here so we know about cruddy company's and move of with life.

A cost benefit analysis is determined simply by adding up the actual time that the shop took and dividing by the task payment.

So drive time, wait time, gas cost, shop time, reimbursement, report time added together. Take that sum and use it to divide the task payment by. Thats your rate. This cant be done until you do one shop.

Also if you dont like or use what you buy take the reimbursement out. You could add the cost benefit of donating it. This is very tricky, however. Selling it could be done but not always.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/23/2016 05:39AM by cooldude581.

@cooldude581 wrote:

Paying fair wages would mean they actually have a heart. Choose for yourself what a fair estimate is, do one shop that could possibly meet that estimate, get paid, if satisfied continue shopping, if not ask for a bonus after multiple emails that meet your cost benefit choice, do one more shop, if paid bonus that is recieved in writing continues relationship, if not or doesnt meet your choice complain here so we know about cruddy company's and move of with life.

Actually having a heart could put a company out of business.

I think there is a way to balance profits with fair pay. Some companies manage it.

@Tarantado wrote:

Actually having a heart could put a company out of business.

Likewise, firms which demonstrate that they have no heart can also find themselves out-of-business. It is dangerous for any firm to alienate any one of three important groups - customers, employees, and vendors. Amazingly, from time-to-time there are those firms which alienate all three at the same time.

I've taken several low-paying jobs - knowing exactly what I was doing. The rationale is simple: I was new to the company and was not likely to get assigned to any decent paying jobs when applying for them against somebody who is a known quantity. I figured I'd do a few stinkers - and do them well - so as to make myself more competitive for jobs with better pay. In some cases, this made the difference between me be able to self-assign and having to wait until a scheduler pencils me in - often 48 hours or more later. This is especially useful when I unexpectedly find myself stuck for two hours an hour away from home while my son does some sort of activity.

"Fair" is relative. A fair rate is what a shopper is willing to work for. Fair for you might be $50/hr; for me, it might be $20. Just quit taking shops that aren't worth it for you.

MfJohnston is the one of the acceptable times to take low paying shops. This is know as the get my foot in the door. I will do one or two to get a rep with a new msp and then i need that fair rate for me. Another time is if it is a I am going right by it or its at the same mall I have other shops. Now it comes down to is time to do shop and report worth it as there are no expenses such as mileage and gas.

@BuffaloNY101 wrote:

MfJohnston is the one of the acceptable times to take low paying shops. This is know as the get my foot in the door. I will do one or two to get a rep with a new msp and then i need that fair rate for me. Another time is if it is a I am going right by it or its at the same mall I have other shops. Now it comes down to is time to do shop and report worth it as there are no expenses such as mileage and gas.

no offense meant but...am i the only one that's confused by this comment? on more than one level?

jeez. based on this comment alone the question asked by the op is answered.

i rest my case and will show myself out, thank you.

@Sybil2 wrote:

...Wait until the end of the month for the bonuses but you take the chance that another shopper will take the shop. So how bad do you want that "must have" skirt, sweater, shoes...I mean shop.

So you're suggesting I take a vacation the first 3 weeks of every month and only work the last week of the month? That is no way to pay my bills or to run a business.

some companies start their pay at an acceptable rate others do not... they are in business to make one thing... that is money... as are we.

anyway to get your foot in the door is a good idea... and i used to do that for companies that i wasnt sure about or just that desperate for some extra cash... its all relative...

waiting to the last month is not always a good idea as someone could take it before you do... the bonuses usually come close to the end of the month but not always

its much better to decide what you think is a good starting rate and do research and go from there... just today i posted about a shop from a company that i worked for and i knew that working for them depending on the client was 50/50 for what i consider a good shop... after posting one said that it was possible it was not worth it... the reason i posted was it was possible knowing the company it was not worth it... and therefore i decided not to take it... thankfully this is not my main job it is just something to get me extra money

I submit that you folks who do these jobs for low fees just because, "It is not my main job; I just do it for whatever..." are the real main competitors to those of us who do this for a living and treat it as a business. I'm not saying this situation will ever change; I'm just saying that such folks are the serious mystery shoppers' real and most damaging competitors.

I'll make more tomorrow due to bonused shops than I made the whole month up until now.

@AZwolfman wrote:

I submit that you folks who do these jobs for low fees just because, "It is not my main job; I just do it for whatever..." are the real main competitors to those of us who do this for a living and treat it as a business. I'm not saying this situation will ever change; I'm just saying that such folks are the serious mystery shoppers' real and most damaging competitors.

in this business every shopper is a competitor taking low fees or not



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/2016 02:14AM by cooldude581.

What is a fair price? It's not a set number. You have to determine for yourself what is a fair price and what is not, based on time, milage, and how you feel about the shop. And each shopper decides that every time they request/ self-assign a shop. Granted, we've all had times that we've done a particular shop for the first time and realized after completing the shop or report "oh man, that was a mistake." But otherwise, each shopper is deciding their fair price upon each acceptance. And we all learn along the way, also. I've been msing hard core for about 5 months. I've made about $1000 each month, (will surpass that substantially this month) but the number of shops, and time spent on completing shops and reports, has declined steadily each month. Would I leave the house for a single $10 shop? No, probably not. But will I add a couple quick $10 shops, and maybe even a few $4 app jobs to a route built upon an initial $60-$150 shop? You bet I would! And will I take the $5 pay, $9-12 reimbursement grocery shops? Every chance I get... Because my family still has to eat, so I'll be at the store anyways. And today, when I didn't feel like cooking, I jumped on a reimbursement only pizza shop as soon as the email came in, because my 2 year old still needed dinner even if I didn't want to cook.

Also, taking lower paying assignments and doing them well makes you look good to the MSC, meaning they'll be more likely to call with those hefty bonuses when they're desperate. I did 2 simple Arby's shops for $5.75 plus reimbursement, then got called about a more remote location 35 minutes away and got $75 for that one (on site for 3 minutes, reported in 10 min)... And because I was willing to travel some distance to do that one, the same MSC called me to do an hour long audit for a different client for $150 (Took about 15-20 minutes to report). So we're those $5.75 shops worth it? You bet.

Just saw an "urgent" appliance shop for two different appliances, for $8.00. And someone grabbed it. Unbelievable.

@AZwolfman wrote:

So you're suggesting I take a vacation the first 3 weeks of every month and only work the last week of the month? That is no way to pay my bills or to run a business.

Where did I suggest to you to take a 3-week vacay every month and only work the last week of the month? I love the "creative liberties" that some forum members take with posts.

@sbobgal wrote:

Just saw an "urgent" appliance shop for two different appliances, for $8.00. And someone grabbed it. Unbelievable.

What's wrong with that?

Honestly, I think MSCs are the same as Insurance companies....looking to pay out the least amount possible, for the work done.

@AZwolfman wrote:

I submit that you folks who do these jobs for low fees just because, "It is not my main job; I just do it for whatever..." are the real main competitors to those of us who do this for a living and treat it as a business. I'm not saying this situation will ever change; I'm just saying that such folks are the serious mystery shoppers' real and most damaging competitors.

Not sure why you would say people who don't do mystery shopping as their main job are not serious shoppers. This is not my main job because I cannot have the lifestyle I want with just mystery shopping. I am lucky that my main job pays me well and mystery shopping is a great hobby/additional income for me. That being said, I am quite serious about the work I do for MSCs. I treat it with the same respect I do my main job even though my main job pays a high wage and provides a company car, pension, 401k and I can work in mystery shopping. My MSC income pretty much goes to 100% to savings. Last year I made around $12,000. I learned a lot from the 2008 crash and one thing is to try and create as much of a cushion as possible. I am able to pass up lower paying jobs because I do this on the side, but would never negatively judge those who aren't in the position to do so. Although sometimes I have taken lower paying ones if I can make a route.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/2016 07:02AM by ninamartin.

I'm not a village idiot. I only have been shopping for a little over two years, so I could still be a newbie. I take what's available to me. Most of the time its multiples of $10 jobs and they are definitely too far and farther away.

I get real tired of this thread; that seems to be started at least once a week.

No one knows why anyone mystery shops. Some do it full time. Others do it to get out of the house pay down debt or a date night.

I don't mind the low pay shops if it helps me prove to a scheduler or a MSC that I'm worth it. This is one industry allows you to build business relationships.

Want a really crud job? Try sales, where they don't pay you anything but you are still required to be there at work every day and no customers show up.

Every thing in life has its crap factor. I'm not getting rich, but I'm seeing more of the state I live in than most residents will ever see. I save a minimum of 50% on groceries because I know where to hit the sales with my shops. Mystery shopping gets me out of the house.