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Video shoppers please advice

October 07, 2011 07:51AM
Hi
Any companies out there doing video shops in the North east newyork area that provide equipment?It looks like most video shops are for apartmentsand new homes.Anyone know of any other kind of shops?Secondly does anyone know of any other companies that provide equipment apart from epms?
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More About Video Mystery Shopping
October 07, 2011 10:36AM
Most video companies have at least some shops per year in the NE. Most will provide equipment. Assisted living, skilled nursing and new cars are among the other industries with active video shopping.

Please do a search here, and on volition forums for "video" for a ton of info.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
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October 07, 2011 01:48PM
Hi

Thanks for the info. These companies rarely advertise. I have applied with several and I hear they only give out a bunch of shops for people willing to travel. I would like to travel and get my own equipment but the opportunities seem few and far between. I really need the experience but is finding it hard to get any shops .Do you know of any companies that are actively recruiting ?

Aspiring video shopper New England area
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October 07, 2011 07:48PM
They are all recruiting, but you need to get some close to home experience with video before risking a route. Afterall, if a route shop is rejected, you lose the fee AND part of the travel allowance. It is easy to lose money on a long route if you are not already a very accomplished video shopper. EPMS is a good place to get experience close to home. They do not pay travel, BTW. Training by Undercover Essentials will automatically get you refered to seven top video companies.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
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October 08, 2011 05:46AM
I took the training class in June and applied with several companies listed on the back of a form provided in class.I guess they hire only a small clique of select few and will use only certain experienced shoppers.With this practice how are new trainees suppose to get any experience. I was just wondering if there are new and upcoming companies that are willing to give new hires like me a chance.This is suppose to be the elite in mystery shopping however it does not appear their recruitment practices are professional as everything is by word of mouth as one recruiter openly told me they do not post jobs even on the video shopping network website.I was hoping to get in to this industry but do not want to purchase equipment only to hasve it seating becasuse I have no shops. The equipment is not cheap .
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October 08, 2011 11:48AM
I have met and corresponded with several newly trained video shoppers who are each being used by several video companies. The companies cannot just use the same shoppers over and over because the clients require 18-24 months rotation between returns to the same site, PLUS no return as long as the target still works there! Just keep applying and be sure to let the companies know when you will be traveling because you might get an out of area shop if they don't have to ante up for travel.

New England does not have a lot of video opportunities, but you also do not have a lot of competition there, You should remind Clear Evaluations and Intellishop of your location. They have had some in the recent past and were desperate because a New England shopper had flaked and/or gotten ID'd by the targets.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/2011 11:52AM by walesmaven.
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October 08, 2011 12:01PM
As for not posting on the Video shopping Network, only the 7 companies that are members can post there. EPMS is NOT a member and posts 90% of its shops on its site. EPMS does assign directly to shoppers who BOTH have their own equipment AND have a track record with EPMS of high quality product and absolute reliability.

Since EPMS has far more total audio or video shops than most video companies, you will be well served to get experience with their shops.

BTW, bad news travels very fast. If I were to screw up a shop for one of the seven VSN companies, the other 6 would know about it very quickly. So, stay in telephone and email contact with your v-scheduler and let them know immediately of any issues, delays, etc. As long as you keep the lines of communication open and timely, they will help, and be quite understanding. Virtually all v-schedulers are seasoned v-shoppers. It's unlike other shopping in that respect.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/2011 12:02PM by walesmaven.
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October 08, 2011 09:30PM
Ok

I get it am a neewbie but would really like to start doing some video shops soon.I was trained in June and only EPMS have given me a chance. It is true that the NeW England region has very few video shopping opportunities. I will take your advice and email the schedulers regularly reminding them of my availability .Am in a catch 22 coz the ones that offer shops also require the shopper to have their own equipment.While I would like to spend 400 and get the equipment am not sure when I will recoup that money. As per my earlier email this industry is tightly controlled by a select few companies wish they would be open minded and give newbees a chance
But thanks for your advice I will keep in touch with the schedulers and hope for the best
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October 09, 2011 12:48PM
It is not that most require the shopper to have the equipment. It is that all give priority to shoppers who have equipment. Most v-companies will still loan equipment.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Reply
October 10, 2011 12:35PM
So, how does this work? I mean the video part. Are you still a mystery shopper, i.e., anonymous/blind?
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October 10, 2011 01:21PM
jersey07032,
Yes, you are very much a mystery shopper. You would be using a concealed video camera to record a long interaction with an apartment leasing agent, a new home sales, rep, a tire sales person, etc.

Please do a search both here and on volition.com for threads about "video". Most of the material you will need is on the volition site.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Reply
October 11, 2011 12:15AM
Most apartments take about 20 minutes. It's longer when you have to wait for the target, ie; they stepped out to show an apartment, they went to lunch and should be back. Otherwise apartments are the easiest for me.

walesmaven Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jersey07032,
> Yes, you are very much a mystery shopper. You
> would be using a concealed video camera to record
> a long interaction with an apartment leasing
> agent, a new home sales, rep, a tire sales person,
> etc.
>
> Please do a search both here and on volition.com
> for threads about "video". Most of the material
> you will need is on the volition site.
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October 11, 2011 12:36AM
Mysteryme, I sent you a PM. I might be able to help you.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/11/2011 12:37AM by Porhammer.
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October 11, 2011 11:24AM
BARE has a few video shops at apartments and will supply equipment. Be careful about buying your own equipment. I ran out of video shops for EPMS and now have equipment I rarely use. Some of the video MSCs have clients that will only allow you to do 1 shop and then they want a new shopper. Some areas are flooded with people who have experience and getting a shop can be long time coming. I have done enough shops to pay for equipment I bought but now have a hard time getting shops in my area. The time and expense for routes is not for me worth it. The paperwork for most video shops is very short so that is a bonus. Equpment will run you 400.00 and you only get 10.00 extra for owning your own equipment. It takes a long time to get 40 video shops at 10.00 extra a shop to cover cost. I love doing them and have done many but have run out of video work in Southeast Florida.
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October 11, 2011 01:36PM
My video camera was the only piece of equipment I ever bought without first having jobs lined up to cover the cost. The camera and training were paid for with my first route. I don't look at my camera as only an extra $10 per shop because there have been numerous shops I would not have gotten at all because time constraints didn't allow for shipping equipment. It's still not for everyone and starting with borrowed equipment is a good idea if you're not sure how it's going to work out for you.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
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October 14, 2011 12:56PM
EPMS aka Ellis also will provide the equipment. They have apt shops through out the U.S. and a great company to do video for.
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