Despite needing to earn extra income, I'm becoming increasingly reluctant to perform mystery shops. The pay for most (especially Intellishop) is pathetically (often insultingly) low. Shops that include reimbursement put my own cash at risk if the shop is denied (or "excluded" as Maritz so cutely phrases it).

In addition to mystery shopping, I use the two popular apps, Field Agent and Gigwalk on a regular basis. I find that using them is often fun, sometimes mundane but ALWAYS profitable. I can make $5 in a matter of minutes doing gigs for them and often the gig is approved AND PAID before I even get home from the store.

To compare and contrast, yesterday I did two Field Agent jobs and one Gigwalk. Two were at the same store (membership club) and one was at the big grocery store in the same shopping center. Each job paid $5 and I was able to do all three while doing my regular shopping. Total time actually working was less than 10 minutes, was paid $15 and the funds were in my Paypal a few hours later.

On the other hand, I just reluctantly accepted a dine-in dinner mystery shop. For this I need to drive to the restaurant which serves overpriced, greasy, fried food, order an appetizer and an entree (reimbursed for up to $25), take copious discreet observations, go home, spend at least 30 minutes filling out their report, then hope nothing goes wrong or else I'm out the cost of the meal. Total shop pay? $5. And wait 2 months to be paid.

I think I'm just going to cancel the shop. And possibly stop mystery shopping altogether and just do the app gigs.

Am I just burned out or do other folks feel this way too?

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2016 07:47PM by BlueMoose.

Only you can know what you want/need from mystery shopping. Each has their own notion of the benefits and how they pertain to us. For me, for example, it is not the speed of payment that makes ms-ing interesting, it is rather the overall value to me of the shop. So for me the reimbursement counts. A restaurant shop where we don't like the food is not worth performing unless there is a very substantial fee attached. A restaurant we would likely visit on our own dime can be worthwhile on a reimbursement only basis, even if it is not reimbursed for a couple of months. As our personal needs/wants change, so will the shops we accept and the MSCs we will work with.

I have weeded out from my MSC 'preferred list' those companies I found were "gotcha" companies that found fault with everything and everyone (judging from posts of those who still try to work with them). Yet others are still willing to shop them because it works for them. Different wants/needs at different times.

If you are finding some things work for you--which it sounds like your quick pay companies are doing--that is not so much burn-out as finding your own niche in the business.

@BlueMoose, it says that you have been a forum member for 3 months. How long have you actually been MS'ing? If you are that much of a newbie, it sounds like you have been picking the wrong shops and for the wrong reasons.

If you don't like the food at a particular restaurant and it is reimbursement only with no pay or bonus, why take it? Lots of forum members love doing FF shops at base pay. Since I can't even stand the smell of most FF places, no bonus amount will entice me. That is my rationale, my reasoning and it works for me.

I agree with Flash when you says: "If you are finding some things work for you--which it sounds like your quick pay companies are doing--that is not so much burn-out as finding your own niche in the business."

Yes, I definitely agree with you on this. I only have taken shops at establishments that I would shop at on my own. I have no desire to punish myself. I go through periods of time, where I do take a hiatus from MS so I can focus on my main income. Then I do MS in strong spurts that combine for a profitable season of studious work.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/06/2016 01:22AM by lmmb.

I too would only take shops that I would do on my own. I did a shop at a Mexican restaurant and wasn't happy with service or food so I don't take the shop anymore.
I don't take long periods of time off though (I have a full time job also) but do take a few days or a weekend off here and there or maybe just do a quick mystery shop of a gas station.

App shops are far easier. Yes less pay but no paperwork and you can decide while you are out and about.

Yeah, it's not for everybody. I poked into it a few years ago, made enough money to get myself out of the hole, proved a stream of income to get a car, and then mostly moved on to more profitable work in location scouting and such. I hold on to hotel jobs that get me reward points, the odd food job I enjoy, and the one that keeps me in a health club membership. Otherwise, I'm mostly out.

I still look in here once in a while to see if there's something interesting, but I can say that if it doesn't feel right to you, well, either tinker with it until it suits you or move on.

I have been MSing since March. I find that I start feeling burnt out when I take jobs that i know I don't enjoy, like jobs where I have to pretend to be something that I am not. I am the type of person who, if I want to buy a product, will research it online beforehand. When I finally go into a store to make the purchase, I know what I want and how much I am willing to pay. I hate doing a shop where I have to act like I am too stupid to know what I want, can't make a decision and need a salesperson's help to decide. So I tend to gravitate to the gas station audits, restaurants, display setups and property inspections.