Let's make a big list of all the kinds of shops available. There are so many out there....and I'm curious how many there are actually are...and which kinds the members here have actually done...

So, add to the list, and tell us a little bit about how the shop works if you'd like...

Just off the top of my head:

Fast Food Shops
Movie Theater "Trailer Checks"
Gas Station/ID Checks
"Standard" Retail Assignments

....

Restaurants
Hotels
Testing Centers
Gyms
Hair Cutting Places

Banks--platform and teller
Funeral homes
nursing homes
land fills
zoos
Loan shops
pizza dissection shops
phone shops
truck stops
car dealerships
carpet cleaning shops

groceries
oil changes
cellular providers
retail locations
making sure product demonstrators are present when scheduled
audits

Cell phone providers
Charity compliance
Insurance company
Computer Repair
Plumbing
Advertising display shops

resorts
spas
jewelry
apartments
new homes
RVs
car dealerships
credit cards
money orders
sewing machines
electronics stores
shipping

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/2009 12:05AM by Flash.

asking city employees directions,
grocery store audits,
manicures and pedicures,
gravesites,
collecting menus,
personal training,
airline shops,
cosmetic,
high-end retail,
home flooring,
dry cleaning,
gift stores at various museums,
movie theaters,
asking greenpeace volunteers questions,
wax museum shop,
aquarium shops,
and on and on...

one that I've done that not on the list -Travel Agency

This is interesting and confirms what I thought; there are many things out there for us to have fun with.

You know what would be interesting, a list that includes the companies that offer these assignments. Now that would be a list! Well one that I would want since I am new to this business

Richard

There have been lots of "compliance" shops for business and verification shops of existing businesses...generally photos are required.

I have completed shops for:

Chiropractors, Massage Therapists, etc
City government offices
Checks on C-Store compliance w/Bd. of Health regulations
Establishment's compliance w/advertiser directives (bars,clubs,concert halls)
Integrity shops-- various venues from ff to casino bars

banks
retail shops
job centres
mobile phone companies


cant think of any more at the moment

RA Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> You know what would be interesting, a list that
> includes the companies that offer these
> assignments. Now that would be a list! Well one
> that I would want since I am new to this business
>
>
> Richard


Unfortunately that is a list that we cannot provide you since our Independent Contractor Agreements with every company I have ever seen has a confidentiality agreement that we cannot disclose who their clients are. Most of them go further indicating that we are not to disclose any details of their methodology for information collection, forms, instructions etc. etc. etc. With a forum such as this we are skating very close to the edge of that agreement and folks need to be cautious about what they disclose. The generally accepted levels are not to mention the client (business shopped) and the company (the Mystery Shop Provider) in the same thread.

Over the years I have found it useful to keep a list of clients and as I discover who shops them put it next to the name. I choose to do this in Excel so I can resort the list easily. My most frequent source of intel is taking the time when on the job board of a company to expand the view to my entire state and note all clients the company has for the state. While hints in forums can help and with many companies I can do a nationwide search to see who their clients are, you have to realize that in many cases a client who is shopped by XYZ in CA will be shopped by ABC in NY and maybe by two or three other companies in between. Also the beginning of a new year brings client musical chairs where many of them change companies they are working with. Lastly, a particular client may show up being shopped by multiple companies in your area. I can think immediately of one location near me that is shopped by 1) a beverage provider; 2) the fast food franchise that is inside; 3) the chain itself.

• Pet Clinics
• Bowling
• Club Memberships
• Phone Shops
• Online Websites
• Rental Facilities
• Cosmetic Surgery Facilities
• Parking Facilities
• Storage Facilities
• Health Clubs
• Time Share
• Cruise Ships
• In Home Sales Demo
• Tax Prep
• Airport Fast Food Locations


Along with mystery shops there are many audits offered by the same companies such as:
• Retail/Fast Food Outdoor Signage Audits
• Kiddie Ride Audits
• Retail Display Case Audits
• Entire Mall Audits
• Storage Facility Audits
• Safety Audits (fast food chains)

That's it for now.

pet clinics, pedicures were do all these come from I have not recieved any of them they sound like fun!!

May or may not have been listed above, my favorites: casinos, hotels, auto dealerships,pharmacies,hardware stores,and of course, restaurants!

ekpk@charter.net Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> pet clinics, pedicures were do all these come from
> I have not recieved any of them they sound like
> fun!!


You need to register with many shopping companies. Check out MSPA.org for starters and then Volition.com. Certainly networking with other shoppers helps me out.

Lastly, coming to this forum has given me a huge edge. I've only been shopping for a year and have had a great run so far. Now, I'm really getting a lot of offers.

Good luck!

*phone shops
*recorded phone shops (I do them but they terrify me. I've found that my new cell phone tells me exactly how long the call was.)
*recorded real estate shops (My husband, for a change, enjoyed being roped into
this one with me. The technological aspect and the questions appealed to
him.)
*unrecorded new home shops
*video shops
*apartment shops (very pleasant for me)
*banks/other financial
(some of my worst experiences, especially how my accounts are treated)
*U. S. government agency
*websites
*carpet cleaning
*bathroom remodeling
*symphony
*prize fight
*zoo
*museums
*valet parking
*festival booths
*credit card application booths at outside locations
*bookstores
*speakers who are selling something (The MSP's seem to like detailed
descriptions of speakers' clothing and personalities.)
*businesses that are unique to their industry (If I told you which industries,
you would guess the company names.)
*new car dealerships
*repair shops
*oil changes
*life or health insurance
*doctor's offices or clinics (I enjoy the narrative and get good scores. I
notice things that the MSP's like.)
*the doctors themselves
*dentists
*pharmacists and their staff
*veterinarians
*blood plasma centers
(getting paid twice--once by the MSP and once by the plasma center)
*payday loan inquiries
*cash checking stores
*tax return companies
*revealed shops (mostly at fast food restaurants)
*purchase and return
*multiple department shops in large stores (never worth it for me)
*cell phones/other electronic
*opinion research companies in malls
*grocery stores
*home appliances
*pet shops
*dog grooming salons
*buying club
*gyms and fitness centers
*alcohol/tobacco compliance
*retirement communities/nursing homes
*children's sports leagues
*private schools and nurseries
*receiving product and unpacking it to see if it was packed properly, then sending it on
*shops in foreign languages (not me, but I notice them)
*appliance shops
*covert price checks
*timeshares
*surrepticious photography of businesses
*surrepticious questioning of people leaving movies
*covert patron counts and movie trailer counts at the theater
*movie rental
*the freshness of a packaged vegetable at the grocery store for its distributor
(could have just as easily been merchandising)
*the square footage of buildings of retail establishments and other information

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/2009 04:26AM by Sandra Sue.