@tnlarry wrote:

I must say that I support the less newbie communication concept. I guess I am still confused as to why MSers help newbies so much. Do Ford and GM have forums to help Toyata produce and market better cars? Why do MSers (ICs in business for themselves) give encouragement and advice to other MSers ( competing ICs in business for themselves)? I mean, i understand why the MSCs like this.... more qualifued shoppers = less pay per shop. But as MSers all we are doing is creating competition and driving down the pay on our own shops.

I appreciate your post. You mention several topics that frequently appear in the forum. First, there is the concept of pay. Is helping newbies actually making a direct or indirect contribution to the lower pay, which some long-timers have noted in other contexts in the forum? This is interesting. Maybe others can provide additional information.

It is true that some ICs are in business for themselves and consider other ICs as competition. I cannot speak for them. I am a hobbyist as per the IRS and welcome other ICs to shop anyplace that I shop. This is because I strongly believe in broad-based feedback, whenever this is possible. Why should any business be limited to my feedback? Other people can do the shops and experience what they experience. The variety of shoppers may, in many cases, better represent the variety of real customers. In some cases, gender, age, and other factors might limit the shopper pool to certain people. But this is not an inappropriate discrimination. It often relates to life stages,client foci, and legal requirements.

Finally, have there been any positive or negative consequences of experienced shoppers encouraging and giving advice to other MSers? Has any experienced shopper been overtaken in business by a newer one? Has any benefit come to anyone because they assisted or were assisted by another shopper? Why, exactly, do some shoppers try to help other shoppers?

Larry, you must find value in the forum or you wouldn't remain a member. Here is what one poster had to say about the personal value they placed on the forum:

Edited to remove a quote from an old post because everyone is entitled to change their opinion without have something they said a year ago thrown in their face.

MSing is a lonely profession because we do it surreptitiously. This forum allows us to connect, share stories, learn from others mistakes, ask for clarifications, ask how to remedy shop or payment issues, and sometimes, ask bluntly, "How did you handle this scenario? What exactly did you say?"

Personally, I don't understand the philosophy that helping someone else sabotages one's own success. If there is a new shopper in your area and they outshine you, then you better hope that they have a more generous outlook than you and are willing to share their success tips on the forum. That way you can learn from them. Success and experience are not a wedded pair. It's possible to have one without the other.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/02/2017 06:45PM by ChrisCooper.

Generally, in any industry, the less successful entity is the one most scared of competition, and the most successful the least scared. I do 95% of my work with 4 MSCs. 2 of which work with probably 10 or less shoppers and 2 of which are probably the 2 most prolific as far as jobs available. I am not scared of someone taking my spot at the first 2, that will only happen if I screw up enough that they deem me replaceable. The other 2 continue to give me large amounts of work. Competition does not scare me.

New shoppers come and go with or without our help. My town has gotten many new shoppers finding MSing on their own. I don't help them, but enjoy seeing someone from out of town on the right path. This is my charity work, kidding aside, if I feel a forum member needs an answer and I can provide it, I will. Someone in another state won't take my jobs, and I in turn learn something from them....one hand washes the other. I recently heard of a company from the forum, signed and got a good job here in my town. So much to learn, and nice to share with others in your situation.

@bgriffin wrote:

Generally, in any industry, the less successful entity is the one most scared of competition, and the most successful the least scared.

Tell that to my old boss:
[www.amazon.com]

LOL. I figured folks would see that post. I am not sure where to begin. I guess as far as the "less successful entity" post, that must make every corporation that defends its patents and copyrights a "less successful entity" since patents and copyrights are specifically design to prevent competition.

Gee Larry, I wonder why schedulers (not 3rd party like Summit or Kern) who work for various MSCs share shopper information with each other? I don't think the MSCs are too worried or it wouldn't be allowed. I am certainly not worried about competition as I have plenty of work, more than I need. I actually share leads for work with another shopper in my area and she does the same for me. Often both of us are too busy to do more than we already do.

As far as the rest of the posts, I am not "scared". In fact I rarely post here, simply because I am too busy shopping and I don't want to "rock the boat." I have never complained about what shoppers do because it is their business. But I do wonder if the people commenting on my post are the same people who complain when they notice shoppers taking shops that usually pay $25 for only $4 and $6?

First, don't be worried about rocking the boat

The nature of mystery shopping means people are joining and leaving all the time. Most will never know of this forum. Sure we could look at this as helping to "train" our replacements who will undercut us at every turn. There is actually another side to the coin. Many shoppers who discover forums were totally unaware negotiating is a part of this business. They are shocked, and pleased, to discover there is more to the business than taking $4 and $6 shops costing them more money than they make. I've only read of a couple of instances where the new shopper was an underhanded a-hole, backstabbing the shopper who helped them tremendously. The reality is those kind of people exist in every business or job.

Thank you forthe comment. I would like to say that I was not complaining. when I said that I am confused I meant that I am confused because it seems like the same people who are helping newbies are the people who complain that the prices paid on shops is going down personally I've never complained about either one of those topics because were all in business for ourselves and can do as we wish. I would never steer someone wrong or try to have people fail. but at the same time, just like Apple doesn't give its secrets out to every other phone company I don't feel obligated to give advice to my competition. and yes every other independent contractor is competition because there are only so many shops out there. I understand some people do this as a hobby and that's fine and I'm not complaining that they help other people. I believe everyone has the right to do what they feel they want to . I just hope they realize that as they do that they do drive the overall price of shops down because the more shoppers there are for the limited number of shops, the average prices paid will go down.

As a relative "newbie" in this business (less than a year) I wanted to speak up. I don't get the sense that anyone who has several years under his/her belt is hurting for jobs, as I read about close relationships with certain companies and schedulers that I don't have as of yet. That's something you build, and if you keep those relationships strong there should be no worry about someone else coming into your area.

This forum has provided me with insight and ideas since I joined, and I have avoided some of the low paying jobs that would result in earning $2.00/hr. I wish everyone in my area, newbies like me as well as seasoned shoppers, would be on this forum and say no to those jobs. Then just maybe the MCS's would get the hint. So, for all the jabs, sarcasm, and sometimes cliques this forum has, there are good, helpful people who are willing to share. I for one appreciate the insight and information from those who have more years of experience and I too will pass it along when I am considered seasoned.

Many of us who help newbies actually encourage them to start out with simple shops that also tend to have low pay, but also to hone their skills by trying many other shops that may be new to them. Every shopper has different needs for time at home, working around or through illness or disability, stress tolerance. Most of those who really rag about shoppers taking low fee jobs are here for about 5 minutes, have their rant and leave. With above 1 million registered shoppers in the US and Canada, the industry MSCs) are not about to change their practices just because someone rants about how we should all boycott low fee jobs. "Paying forward," what we have learned along the way is just one way of increasing the professionalism of MS shoppers. You might be surprised at the number and variety of shoppers who have been/are forum members who started out taking baby steps and have become truly top shoppers. (Leaping video routes in a single bound!)

@ wrote:

Politics and religion are divisive subjects. Cats and man buns aren't. Everyone should love cats and hate man buns and so those things are pretty simple.

cats can be divisive. i think all male cats should have man buns.

@MSNinja wrote:

@ wrote:

Politics and religion are divisive subjects. Cats and man buns aren't. Everyone should love cats and hate man buns and so those things are pretty simple.

cats can be divisive. i think all male cats should have man buns.

I happen to love man buns, and cats, not so much!!!!!

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

@MSNinja wrote:

@ wrote:

Politics and religion are divisive subjects. Cats and man buns aren't. Everyone should love cats and hate man buns and so those things are pretty simple.

cats can be divisive. i think all male cats should have man buns.

I happen to love man buns, and cats, not so much!!!!!

of course u do.

deleted due to change of mind....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/2017 11:47PM by Irene_L.A..

We're still talking about hair styles, right?

Oh, Irene and Ninja, it's just. Whatever. LOL.

My neighbor lost his hair but has great buns.

@LisaSTL wrote:

My neighbor lost his hair but has great buns.

haha better yet.....

@JASFLALMT wrote:

Oh, Irene and Ninja, it's just. Whatever. LOL.

i'm done upward to better things...

I could ask something more but won't.

That was in regards to buns. And hair.

No in regards to the nonsense between ninga...moved past it......

of course you do stirs up such strong feelings.

This forum would be so dull without ninja,Irene,and Spicy.

Now they're gonna fight about the order you mention them in

Wow Neither of you two respec..tick..able members are allowed to address me, I've received a restraining order
edited for spelling

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2017 08:19PM by spicy1.

@spicy1 wrote:

Wow Neither of you two respec..tick..able members are allowed to address me, I've received a restraining order
edited for spelling

I'll visit you in jail with a pretzel from a shop....not to worry!

Could you use a postal shop to mail the pretzel or is it considered hazardous material?