Also please consider that the MSC is billing the client $70-150 for that car dealership shop.

I have been discovering how much the MSCs rake in from their clients, and the more I find out, the angrier I get.

Yes, I realize that that $70-150 has to be split between shopper, editor(s), scheduler(s), project manager(s) and the like, but WE shoppers are performing the vast majority of the work..... and receiving very little of the total fees that the client is paying.

The answer to this is threefold:

1. Think about how much more the MSCs are making from your time, and value yourself accordingly.

2. Ignore the Chicken Little $17 shops completely.

3. Sign up with enough MSCs so that you have a broad base of 150+ companies to gather well-paying work from.

Whenever possible, take a peek at the shopper evaluation form before you accept an assignment so that you can evaluate time V. money.

@ColoKate63

"Also please consider that the MSC is billing the client $70-150 for that car dealership shop.

I have been discovering how much the MSCs rake in from their clients, and the more I find out, the angrier I get. "


This is why in our own interest we should share such information. Knowledge always help.

I decided against picking up the auto shop today. The reason: since MSC's haven't been mentioned, Honda USA is offering their dealers $5,000 per car for each vehicle they sell above what they sold last December [if the dealer sold 100 cars last December, they will get an extra $5,000 per car for each car they sell starting with car 101]. The manufacturer has just made doing the shop a pain, as now it will be even more high pressured.

There have been several times on different assignments and different companies, I have noticed the questions and requirements increase, but the pay does not. You have to be very careful to make sure it is worth your time.

I NEVER do car dealerships anymore. They are so difficult, and I feel really bad that I'm shopping the salesman (and taking so much of his/her time) with no intention of actually buying anything.

penngirl28 Wrote:
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> ... I feel really bad that I'm shopping
> the salesman (and taking so much of his/her time)
> with no intention of actually buying anything.

While I certainly understand your discomfort (I'm not trying to argue with you OR change your mind...), I have come to the other conclusion. Someone wants to know how that employee is performing, and is willing to pay another company to perform mystery shops. Sure, it is possible that a "no-brainer" sales customer could walk in 5 minutes after you engage with your saleswoman, so she loses what would otherwise have been her sale in the rotation. I mentally worked my way through that issue many moons ago, under the heading, "It's not personal. It's business." Picked up that gem on these pages, by the way! :-)

I realized just how settled the issue had become for me about two weeks ago during a bank shop, when my teller called the banker about 15 seconds before a paying customer, who also needed the banker, was done at the next teller window--so she had to wait while I did my thing. I felt a twinge for her as I recognized the conflict, and briefly (1.346 seconds by my digital timer-equipped smartphone that does NOT have Geoverify) considered stepping aside and allowing the lady to go first. I went ahead with the shop instead.

I applaud your empathy for the salesman. MS'ing can grind empathy out of you if you don't fight to keep it.

On the other hand, late last year I did a new car shop with a saleswoman who hit the ball out of the park. She talked every time she should have, and didn't cross the line into annoying chatter or overt salesmanship. After the first few minutes of technical discussions, we made some small talk for the rest of the drive, and I really enjoyed the shop. Assuming we could agree on a reasonable price, I would not have hesitated to actually buy from her if I was in the market, and it was easy to write the report, as she solidly hit every metric. Two days later I had a voicemail from her (yikes!) saying she assumed I was her mystery shopper and that she appreciated the positive report.

We provide a service to the company that pays for the MS, and secondly, for those employees who care about their performance, we give them feedback. Sometimes that feedback is painful, other times, it can be a boost to their morale.

That's why I don't stress anymore about taking up someone's time that might otherwise be generating revenue.

For everyone reading, I hope the next few weeks give you LOTS of reasons to smile...

If any of you are in North Carolina, South Carolina, I schedule dealerships for $60 and in Georgia, I have video shops @ $135 have loaner equipment & Florida have non video and video shops. I am always looking for new shoppers for these shops. Just PM me.

Lisastl,

What company pays $30-$35 for car shops ?

Thanks, sue!

I did several car dealership shops for about $20 each with a gas "incentive", simply because we were in the market for a new car! I got paid to test drive cars I would have looked at anyway!

(Having decided to rebuild/refurbish my present ten-year old car and keep it until it's a classic, I'm no longer in the market, and don't do dealerships.)

I am a motor head and love Auto mystery shops. I was paid $50.00 for the first one I completed. Now they are down to $17.00 and everyone is applying for them. You have to take a test drive and complete a lengthy report with lots of narrative. There are just too many people willing to work for $3-$4.00 per hour. I am not one of them. I no longer check the job boards for 95% of the companies I am registered with, because of sub-standard, way below minimum wage, pay rates. I am doing less shops and making more money, plus I have put the extra, free, no-stress time to good use. I suggest you thin out the MSCs that do not pay you a fee commensurate with the work and expense they require. As long as we all are willing to work for slave fees, that is all we will receive.

I did several of the $17 dealership shops when I started MSing last summer. After a while, I realized how little I was making per hour and gave it up - just not worth it. I found an MSC that pays $30 to $50 for shops close to my home. Last week, I picked up a really fun dealership shop for $30, with nice bonus to boot. Apparently, the other shopper flaked out at the last minute.

Very low wages are usually the case when you take into consideration time spent on the lot. I was thinking fondly about a situation about a year ago where a new salesperson was so laid back and honest that he insisted that I visit another maker before he would show or offer a test drive for his brand. Okay then. Easy day, easy report. Tons of "cut and paste" in the narrative sections.

Kathy C said "I was thinking fondly about a situation about a year ago where a new salesperson was so laid back and honest that he insisted that I visit another maker before he would show or offer a test drive for his brand."

You are kidding right?

Gina Wrote:
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> If any of you are in North Carolina, South
> Carolina, I schedule dealerships for $60 and in
> Georgia, I have video shops @ $135 have loaner
> equipment & Florida have non video and video
> shops. I am always looking for new shoppers for
> these shops. Just PM me.


Hi Gina,

Please add a signature line to your post, identifying your MSC. Also, posting in the Mystery Shopping Job Board forum may help you book those shops. [www.mysteryshopforum.com] I have already done two Good luck in filling those shops!

FYI, Phone shops NEVER pay that much.. I have never seen a phone only shop for more than $8. Everyone wants them.. so they never last to get bonused much. I would call and explain that you are new and you misunderstood the directions.. It is pointless to do a shop that you will lose money on.. I refuse to work for free...