What has been your favorite place to shop since mystery shopping?
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I have several favorite MS restaurants. A steakhouse, a bbq place, a brewery, and several others. I first got into MSing just for the restaurant shops.
I'm with you, cake ..... I'm all about the food! I love the casual and fine dining shops. I'd rather eat good than make money....although it's nice to do both! My two current favorites are a steak house and an Italian place. Mmmmmm
My favorite are two hotels, one in DC and one in NYC, where the service is so excellent that it makes all of the shoppers feel that the whole staff must be on to us! At the DC location, the doorman has been there for 30+ years and could do a TV ad for any company that wanted to sell "dignity and unflappable charm!"
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.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
My favorite shops are they pay me to play golf and reimburse my fees. They are now doing a bonus as well.
One particular restaurant/bar that I pulled myself from since I felt I was coming too close to being identified.
Cell phone photo audits - love love these! Love the company too!
The Fannie Mae shops (yes, I had fun with those, I was getting scheduled anywhere up to 30-35 of them each month which added to a nice check. It got so I knew right off the bat how to put out those reports in about 15 minutes)
And, some may find this weird - but shopping a Funeral Home (and making funeral home calls). It helps that I absolutely LOVE the scheduler I have; but it is also because I have really learned a lot from those shops. It's not something a person thinks about until it's too late and you are staring at $10,000 + in funeral home costs for a loved one!
Cell phone photo audits - love love these! Love the company too!
The Fannie Mae shops (yes, I had fun with those, I was getting scheduled anywhere up to 30-35 of them each month which added to a nice check. It got so I knew right off the bat how to put out those reports in about 15 minutes)
And, some may find this weird - but shopping a Funeral Home (and making funeral home calls). It helps that I absolutely LOVE the scheduler I have; but it is also because I have really learned a lot from those shops. It's not something a person thinks about until it's too late and you are staring at $10,000 + in funeral home costs for a loved one!
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Proud To Be A Soldier's Mom
Proud To Be A Soldier's Mom
For consistency, Meijer stores. Pleasant, simple paid for each department. I can shop for anything there.
the check cashing shops, good pay, less than 5 minutes in the store
BJ's Brewery, Lucilles BBQ, upscale retail, Williams Sonoma and a Timshare now and then.
Live consciously....
Shoptilyoudrop Wrote:
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> I did my first Pandora shop a few weeks ago and
> ended up with a great ring.
>
> Your turn =)
on my very first set of shops, i was required to be wired with a hidden audio recorder sent to me by the MSC. all i did was walk around some furniture stores, slightly interacting with the salespeople, but everything was recorded. then i verbally answered a questionnaire for each shop, but didn't have to type up reports. i just had to send the audio recorder back to the MSC with the recordings.
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> I did my first Pandora shop a few weeks ago and
> ended up with a great ring.
>
> Your turn =)
on my very first set of shops, i was required to be wired with a hidden audio recorder sent to me by the MSC. all i did was walk around some furniture stores, slightly interacting with the salespeople, but everything was recorded. then i verbally answered a questionnaire for each shop, but didn't have to type up reports. i just had to send the audio recorder back to the MSC with the recordings.
I, too, like the check cashing shops. And I just did a $90 payday loan shop that went to the top of the list. Wish there were more of those.
wow you guys do some exciting ones! my mystery shopping life is boring compared to yours!
Lanbeau Field! Shelly, this Cheese Head is jealous!
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.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
food and more food..... i keep looking for different kinds of food places. love being able to have a variety. italian, bbq, burgers, mexican, sandwiches.
My current faves:
Manchu Wok-I get to satisfy my craving for Chinese food, the employees are super nice, and the reports are easy.
The Keg-great food and classy ambiance. I don't mind the long report but only after I've had a good night's sleep.
Aveda-I love getting my hair done there, the spa treatments, and hair products. The staff is very professional.
Ben & Jerry's-love their ice creams and the reports are short and simple.
Comic book shops-I'm in and out of there after 10 minutes, sometimes even less. The shopper fee is decent too.
Movie trailer checks-super easy and the theater staff is always friendly. The managers usually let me stay and watch movies for free but I try not to take advantage too often.
Manchu Wok-I get to satisfy my craving for Chinese food, the employees are super nice, and the reports are easy.
The Keg-great food and classy ambiance. I don't mind the long report but only after I've had a good night's sleep.
Aveda-I love getting my hair done there, the spa treatments, and hair products. The staff is very professional.
Ben & Jerry's-love their ice creams and the reports are short and simple.
Comic book shops-I'm in and out of there after 10 minutes, sometimes even less. The shopper fee is decent too.
Movie trailer checks-super easy and the theater staff is always friendly. The managers usually let me stay and watch movies for free but I try not to take advantage too often.
You'll think I'm nuts but I really really like the exit polls.
Next is the Neiman Marcus, Cartier type shops.
and cosmetic shops are always fun.
And I like the Ross shops - they have some great prices on designer stuff
you'd never expect to find there. I get to look but no time to buy, since I'm shopping shopping shopping.
Next is the Neiman Marcus, Cartier type shops.
and cosmetic shops are always fun.
And I like the Ross shops - they have some great prices on designer stuff
you'd never expect to find there. I get to look but no time to buy, since I'm shopping shopping shopping.
I like the US Post Offices mainly because they're always available in my area and I'm used to the report.
Next, casual food places like Baja, Panda, and El Pollo Loco.
Then Fast Cash places. I was so bummed yesterday because there was one on the board with a 20.00 bonus but I haven't been cleared to drive yet (from my concussion). I would have loooved to take that one.
Next, casual food places like Baja, Panda, and El Pollo Loco.
Then Fast Cash places. I was so bummed yesterday because there was one on the board with a 20.00 bonus but I haven't been cleared to drive yet (from my concussion). I would have loooved to take that one.
Wales,
I have now done it twice, huge learning curve and I really got to fully enjoy the second trip. Long report, but oh so worth it. Since I had to take a guest, I got some mom points that weekend, too!
I have now done it twice, huge learning curve and I really got to fully enjoy the second trip. Long report, but oh so worth it. Since I had to take a guest, I got some mom points that weekend, too!
HeatherC Wrote:
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> Ben & Jerry's-love their ice creams and the
> reports are short and simple.
Thanks for posting that. I've been thinking about taking one. It's nice to know in advance if the pay justifies the work involved.
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> Ben & Jerry's-love their ice creams and the
> reports are short and simple.
Thanks for posting that. I've been thinking about taking one. It's nice to know in advance if the pay justifies the work involved.
I love Dairy Queen. It buys me two lovely treats, one for me and one for my daughter.
Quick evaluation jobs that I use as fillers are USPS, Arby's and Wendy's. I used to love LongJohnSilvers too, but I no longer see them.
Staples is good as a quick shop when it is CPC, but too slow when it comes down to customer service evaluation.
My favorite, the one that comes before anything else is ConocoPhillips audits. I have done so many of them that now many of them almost know me by name
Quick evaluation jobs that I use as fillers are USPS, Arby's and Wendy's. I used to love LongJohnSilvers too, but I no longer see them.
Staples is good as a quick shop when it is CPC, but too slow when it comes down to customer service evaluation.
My favorite, the one that comes before anything else is ConocoPhillips audits. I have done so many of them that now many of them almost know me by name
Shopper and auditor since March 2012.
Cover all center/north Oklahoma and south Kansas.
Cover all center/north Oklahoma and south Kansas.
Shopping my local hospital/doctor's offices. It was so cool because I was able to get into areas that normally have months-long waits and require significant referrals. I was able to get expensive testing done and to see specialty doctors, and to top it off-- this is going to out me as a Mystery Shopping Geek-- the reports were so extensive and complex I had a blast writing them (and labeling the gazillion photos I had to take, as well).
I've yet to shop any hotels. They seem like they'd be a fantastic time! I really need to look into that!
I've yet to shop any hotels. They seem like they'd be a fantastic time! I really need to look into that!
I wish I could figure out which MSCs shop these companies. I've signed up for quite a few MSC's, but have not found many good shops yet.
I did love the pandora shop though.
I did love the pandora shop though.
Texas Roadhouse and Butcher Block
Kiddeokee:
The best advice I can offer to "figure out who shops whom" is to think of a company you want to shop. Go out to Google and type "Who mystery shops [name of company you're interested in]". That's one of the best ways I've figured out how to put A with B. Also, with time comes wisdom and experience. I don't know how long you've been mystery shopping, but it shouldn't take more than a few months to get your mind wrapped around who offers good shops and what shops actually fit your ideal.
Hope that helps!
Jen
The best advice I can offer to "figure out who shops whom" is to think of a company you want to shop. Go out to Google and type "Who mystery shops [name of company you're interested in]". That's one of the best ways I've figured out how to put A with B. Also, with time comes wisdom and experience. I don't know how long you've been mystery shopping, but it shouldn't take more than a few months to get your mind wrapped around who offers good shops and what shops actually fit your ideal.
Hope that helps!
Jen
Thanks jentod. I will start doing that as I see shops y'all mention!
Kiddeokee: If you haven't already, make sure you register with Baird (https://bairdgroup.clientsmart.com/shopperregister_email.php). They're my favorite mystery shopping company, hands down. =)
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