I can't remember the last time I did one of these. The new MSC is offering them at $7 per location. At first I thought the fee was an error. Last night, after three hours trying to figure out the certification test (and before I was informed of the fee) - there were two questions I had missed, but I did not know which one - I finally passed. But nowhere do I find a copy of the actual report I would have to fill out.

At $7 per shop, I assume there is zero narrative, and that the only requirements are to upload the photos with no other questions whatsoever. Is this wishful thinking on my part?

Anyone that did these for the other company please let me know about the field form. Thanks!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/2014 01:48PM by jonk.

I just passed the test last night too, but I did not see any shops for it in my area. Wonder if a different company will do Marathon in my area.

$7.00 a shop is too low for me! Not worth getting in my car and driving to the nearest Marathon!

If there were bonuses for completing a route I may consider, I have been getting great bonuses with other route companies.

I forgot to mention there is also a required but unreimbursed purchase. And there is no route completion bonus mentioned.

Several years ago with the old company you had the typical questions along with the photo upload. The only comments were for negatives. If these are similar to other shops for the new company there may be no narrative, but you will have to comment on every single question. The $7 fee seemed high for the new company. Adding in a required purchase without any reimbursement puts them in line with all their other low paying shops.

7 dollars is a joke compared to the old company but with the new
one it is no surprise.

The fee with the new company is not comparable to the old. The form and evaluation are the same, except you are adding narrative (short) to each negative question instead of in an overall box.

I was upset the client moved from the old company, but more upset now that I can get my old route back for about $400 less. No thanks.

I hope people hold out on them, but of course, they won't. $7 isn't enough. It is an audit, but the old company you had a 48 hour turn around on reports, reimbursement up to $1, and a higher fee with completion incentive. Also, you are only allowed to do 20 a day. I used to do about 30 give or take. This would stretch the route out longer.

I saw the routes in my area today.... They are just the $7 each and no bonus here. They put a route together of 139! needed complete by February 8 - And the radius is very large! Nope, not touching these!

Although the total route fee is quite nice, the c-store only aspect PLUS no reimbursements means that I've found my "You've got to be kidding" threshold. $7, for at least 6 photos, possibly more? Once I subtract out cost of gas plus wear and tear on my vehicle, that's less than a dollar per photo. I don't sell the copyrights to my photographs for less than a dollar each, and that kind of mileage would end up costing me way more than the reimbursement.

Curious what you that are more familiar with route shops would consider fair pay for these shops? I was considering one just to get some experience with a large route.

I signed up to do a route for the same reason as one of the other shoppers. I have never done a route before and this one has 114 shops( the one that I applied to do). I realize the pay is not great and was surprised to see that the purchase was not even reimbursed but I still want the experience of doing that many just to see if this old body can still perform.

why not make your own route of shops instead of
taking them at a substandard rate?

I think the real question is, is the msc intenionally underbidding the
contracts to get them so they have to pay low or are
they just screwing over the shoppers as much as they
can because they know there are plenty of suckers out there.

I just did the math for a small route around my home with 6 in my home town up to 5 miles away. 29 shops total. It would have to be done in 2 days because I can only complete 20 a day. It came out to 6.69 an hour after I factored in drive time, onsite time (10 minutes), report time (15 minutes), unreimbursed purchase @ 25 cents (rare find!! more realistic is tea or chips @ 99 cents), and gas. BUT they also have to be reported in 12 hours or your fee is reduced. So actually this would probably make it a 3 day route. I had myself driving 7 hours on day 1 of the route, this didn't include on-sight time. There is no way I would be able to turn the early day shops around in 12 hours.

I would consider these for $15 plus reimbursement up to $1. Honestly, I have done these, I know what they take, I understand the audit (same as before). The audit itself is very easy, but it all takes time. I'm not out to get rich, but the fee being offered isn't fair. Your time is worth more than less than the minimum wage offered....even for the experience.

Sit and do the math. Look at a route. MapQuest it. Factor in 25 minutes for on-sight and online reports. Factor in gas, and unreimbursed purchases. Then factor in your drive time.

I'm not jerking your chain, just being honest. $15 plus reimbursement is an honest price.

I think I may try to do my own route to see how if I can put together enough for a few days away.

who does exxon mobil mystery shops

You can ask on every thread. But we can't tell you.

pjaugustine Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I saw the routes in my area today.... They are
> just the $7 each and no bonus here. They put a
> route together of 139! needed complete by February
> 8 - And the radius is very large! Nope, not
> touching these!


I agree! Plus it is a revealed audit which seems like it would be more of a hassle. I don't want to deal with 139 managers!

people you can tell who does the exxon mobil shops you just dont want to
so i will call exxons marketing smartasses

Ok, you can do that. Probably should have done that all along.

Posting Guidelines: Be honest. Add a positive contribution to the community. You are responsible for all the content of your post. Do not reveal the clients of mystery shopping companies. We're in this together. And most importantly: Have fun!


[www.youtube.com]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/23/2014 01:51AM by SecretAgentMom.

Read your contract with the mystery shopping company and while you are at it read the posting guidelines on this forum you disrespectful little twit.

Senator, you're toast. Best to change your name and attitude or go away. We don't owe you squat and we don't need your ugly mouth.

u s senator Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> people you can tell who does the exxon mobil shops
> you just dont want to
> so i will call exxons marketing smartasses



Well then, why don't you just go right ahead and do so, and quit being an ass here. Sounds much easier, even!

The ass hat isn't finished yet. I could have sworn he was voted off the island.

Back to the thread topic, in rereading the MSC's requirements for each shop, they require all 6 photos for every station, including closed ones.

How in the world are you supposed to get an interior restroom photo for a closed station? I can't tell if they legitimately wrote the shop requirements that poorly, or if this is just a CYA to weasel out of payment for closed locations entirely.

I did some of these shops for a low fee and NEVER again. Seven dollars??? Having to deal with a manager walking behind you asking "are we doing OK?" Going back to the location- twice - because I had not taken piks of the negative items. Will happily do them for $25 - then it makes my time worth it. The report is not bad but it can take forever to download the pictures if you have slow internet- otherwise piece of cake.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The ass hat isn't finished yet. I could have sworn
> he was voted off the island.


He has now been voted off the island. Thanks Jacob and/or mods.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The ass hat isn't finished yet. I could have sworn
> he was voted off the island.


I guess he crapped in their living room one too many times!

I too was surprised at the low fee. I have done reveal audits at stations before and they take about 20 min by the time you talk to the manager and explain what you are doing. $7 minus about $1 for each purchase, photos, driving 1/3 of the state on rural roads (in the winter), filling out reports, explaining all negatives, ...

Yes the route fee looks good until you actually realize that you will probably spend more money on gas to drive around your pretty state. There are some that are located about 45 minutes from no man's land. That is about 1 shop per hour.
The economy is bad, but I can't afford to loose money for someone else's profit.

Why would I want to then buy some overpriced snack at each location?

Wow, 2 of the 3 routes near me are no longer on the board. One of the routes had 80 something stores in a geographical area that was about 150 miles wide and 150 miles tall. I don't see how someone could physically drive the route at a decent rate, not even including the shop and reports. I'm fairly certain I know who took them though.

$7 bucks and you must purchase something. (no reimbursement). So, you buy a coke, let's say...

Now your shop is worth $6 bucks ....NOT!

Mine said I must do 121 Gas Station! Ha!

bgriffin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wow, 2 of the 3 routes near me are no longer on
> the board. One of the routes had 80 something
> stores in a geographical area that was about 150
> miles wide and 150 miles tall. I don't see how
> someone could physically drive the route at a
> decent rate, not even including the shop and
> reports. I'm fairly certain I know who took them
> though.


So....they don't reimburse for miles or gas?

(if true)..>>>>

This job is now FREE! After you put gas in your car and drive 760 gazillion miles