Visit can take 15-45 minutes depending on how busy the store is on that day.

Report can take 15-25 minutes depending on the details.

Gas for car.

What are you being paid for your time/gas? Where is the profit for the shoppers that do these?

I did some when they were $15 but I almost feel insulted when I get these emails for $10

These can make good filler shops between other locations. There are often several within a short distance of each other. When I take these I try to pick middle of the week, earlier in the day times. They tend to not be busy then and I can get in and out rather quickly. The limit of three a day means that I have to be in that area for other shops though as I live in a rural area and have to travel to get to anything. I don't go the 30 or more miles just for these.

If they are even 15 miles each way that is $4 in gas.

If the sales person does their job well even with no wait its 15-20 minutes in the store.

Probably average 20 minutes on the report if not more.

I feel you are worth more than that.

Thinking use common sense. If doing multiple in same area then there is a profit. If doing one umpteen miles from your house then perhaps not. Just simple common sense and basic math.

I have done 9 of these shops but only when they provided a bonus. My pay has been a minimum of $15 and a maximum of $25.

Delwilliams Wrote:
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> Thinking use common sense. If doing multiple in
> same area then there is a profit. If doing one
> umpteen miles from your house then perhaps not.
> Just simple common sense and basic math.


Maybe profit was a poor choice of words. $1 can be a profit but I do not want to be encouraging people to work for $1 profit for 40 minutes of work. I hope most people value their work, time, and gas more than this kind of compensation.

jwolpert Wrote:
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> I have done 9 of these shops but only when they
> provided a bonus. My pay has been a minimum of $15
> and a maximum of $25.


That makes sense. That is a minimum of 50% more than the $10 compensation. I did one for a large bonus but I will not do them for $10 even if I was doing a shop next door that day.

I wouldn't consider them. I don't do any shops that pay under $15 unless it's a reimbursement I really want.

I only do them if they are bonused. I live in a big city and can bike to many of the locations for free, but for the time, $10 just isn't worth it. Once they get to $18, I start to look at them.

I view low paying shops on a case by case basis. If the shop is relatively quick and easy, I'll likely take it as a filler if I'm on a route, while I'll skip the exact same shop 10 minutes from home if I have nothing else going in the same direction.

I won't do them for less than $15 and at times I've held out and picked up a few at $20 and once for $30.

As long as l can get 3 shops near each other. Same day lt is good for .me to do the shops.

I also only do them for $15 minimum, and picked up two the other week for $25. I do really like the MSC, but I agree...$10 is just not worth it for the details needed in the report.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2013 03:11AM by bedenji.

I try to do these shops over my lunch hour during my full time job ... this way, it costs me nothing, as I'm already in the neighborhood for work. Won't do them if they aren't close

Am I the only one that hates cell phone shops? I've done 3 different types so far and the only one that was enjoyable was part of a Sam's Club shop and the salesman was spectacular. Like seriously if I needed a cell phone I would get a Sam's Club membership just to buy one from him.

SAVS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Visit can take 15-45 minutes depending on how busy
> the store is on that day.
>
> Report can take 15-25 minutes depending on the
> details.
>
> Gas for car.
>
> What are you being paid for your time/gas? Where
> is the profit for the shoppers that do these?
>
> I did some when they were $15 but I almost feel
> insulted when I get these emails for $10


There's also 15-30 minutes involved in printing out and studying the shop instructions, plus the actual cost of paper and ink, which is around 8-15 cents per page.

I like these T Mobile shops as I find them very easy and they don't involve a lot of travel for me, as I live right in the middle of Central Phoenix. There are many T Mobile locations close in to me and I take the bus to these shops to flatline my overhead. I do think the $10 pay is a little low but like I said, these shops don't involve a great deal of travel for me and I have taken this shop before bonused at $17 - I was so surprised that no one else took it as it was in Tempe, a close in suburb, two blocks south of the light rail stop.....I was thinking, what more could you ask for of a shop, so easy to get to via mass transit?

15-30 minutes studying instructions and printing them all out? These days my only printing is required paperwork for audits.

The pay on these shops used to be $12 and now it is a bonus for $12. I will shop for $15, but not less than that.

I think I did one once for $43. That was a sweet day... but I don't consider them unless they are at $20. They used to have a 6 month rotation... haven't done one in a long time so not sure if that's still the case.

I only do them when they are bonused. I hate the report. I really liked them when they were with a different MSC in 2010.

I don't hate cell phone shops generally. But I am irrationally iritated by how little the associates know about the cell phones and how often they are wrong.

I usually only do them bonused for around $15-$20. I don't take them at the base $10 anymore; they're just so time-consuming.

I did one for $10. But it was near my grocery store and I had to go shopping anyway. The salesman did nothing and I was in and out in 10 minutes. I wouldn't go out of my way for $10 though. I do the Costco ones for $15, but only when I'm going to Costco.

I am doing one one Friday bonused for $20 near the Pretzel shop that is bonused for $20 plus 5.00 reimbursement on my way to the movie in the same Mall location.

that's a nice bonus on the pretzel shop...I've never seen a bonus in my area near that high...best I ever got was $12 I think.

I take a few close/convenient ones only when they hit $20.

They added a huge bonus to these $10.00 shops around here: $3.00!

DanceMom Wrote:
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> They added a huge bonus to these $10.00 shops
> around here: $3.00!


I have been learning that I actually make more money when I refuse shops I feel are not compensated fairly. This is what I have been doing and it has worked out well.

Cell shops=$15 minimum
Auto Shops=$30 minimum
Apartment shops=$30 minimum

The shops are too spread out to pick up for $10 around me. But someone doesn't seem to mind picking them up for $10.

Unlike some of you, I am in a remote area of my state. Every assignment I take will cost me a minimum of eight dollars. And to top it off I have total travel time of an hour and a half. As a business person, I just can't ignore these factors.

As a professional mystery shopper, neither I nor you should participate in continuation to support these fees. I only do this part-time and I wonder that I may be earning more than many of you.

As a professional, I built my reputation by never flaking and never being late and having all of my assignments accepted with high grades. I focus on my grammar and my spelling in an effort to provide excellent reports. This means my reports take longer to submit online.

I think it's a lot to ask to expect a professional will accept these assignments. I won't, unless it is a fill shop for my route. Otherwise, I don't even read the details of the shop. I simply move on and let other people, like you, spend your time working for pennies.

Since the topic has come up, I feel obliged to encourage you to set your sights higher and get paid for your time reimbursement for your gas and the quality of your work.

These $10 assignments are for nonprofessional shoppers who for some reason are desperate and willing to give away hours of their time in an effort to survive. I do not begrudge them. For one reason or another they are doing what they have to do and that's okay with me. In the same breath, the professional mystery shopper is not in the same class. You do yourself this are as a business person giving away hours of your work every day just to keep busy.

I have been a business person, for more than 35 years. I will donate my time, if there is justification. I.e. help a scheduler in appreciation for their assistance in the past and goodwill in the future. Even so, that's limited to practicality. The gesture on occasion, is the purpose of the shop. You don't continually make that gesture to the point of destroying your reputation and profitability. To continue this "gesture"could be part of an agreement whereby it is accompanied by profitable assignments as incentive.

I have "gestured" entire days for exceptional ongoing assistance after a relationship has been established with the scheduler. And I did it for my personal satisfaction. And in time, I will do it again. And it has to do with profitability in the future. I want the schedulers to know that it's not all money with me. I am willing to give back and assist them when they really need help and their hands are tied. There are times when the scheduler is caught between a rock and a hard place. These are the times that we are heroes and developing goodwill.

Profitability can be as little as one dollar. I do not consider one dollar to be profitable for my time. Each one of us should come up with a formula to calculate "True profitability." I.e. my expenses for gas, a minimum of eight dollars per hour for driving time, cost of ongoing maintenance should be factored in, my time on site and online submitting the report are all considerations. Your fee is for your time on site and submitting the report. Everything else should be your bonus.

With this formula, which I accepted, is a complete contradiction to the acceptance of a $10, T-Mobile shop.

Each of you will have to make the decision for yourself. This is a very competitive business competing with everyday shoppers that are working just for the joy of it. Let them be the ones to do the $10, T-Mobile shops and all the other assignments like it.

If you are a professional set your sights higher and know that you are providing a professional service. For you, this is not just fun, it's your business. A business has guidelines, deadlines, overhead, and expectations. These are the very factors that set you apart from the social shopper out for an afternoon. That person is not dependent on acceptance of the shop and approval of the company listing the shop. You do!