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Camera equipment...

January 31, 2014 09:22PM
I am looking to purchase my own undercover equipment. I have seen a lot available online, but I am not tech savy. I recently used a button cam and most of the footage came out diagonal b/c my boobs moved it around. I'd rather have something more stationary, was thinking about the glasses. Any opinions, links, advice will be gladly accepted. I don't want to spend money on something that will not work.

Thanks!

*living my childhood dreams of harriet the spy*
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More About Equipment for Mystery Shopping
January 31, 2014 09:35PM
Video glasses are not acceptable for most video shops. You need a body-mounted camera so that you can turn your head to look at something that the target is pointing out to you without turning the camera away from the tagget. In addition, the motions in the video from glasses cams make the viewers motion sick in many cases.

Please go to the New Mystery Shoppers area of this forum and read the second thread. It's about video and audio recorded shops. Expect to pay $600 to $900 for aprofessional rig with extended battery. There are also many ways to secure the camera to your shirt or bra to overcome the problem that you describe.

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.
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January 31, 2014 09:53PM
Advice needed when performing a luxury car shop. I was just wondering those of you who shop the lamborghini, porsche and Maybach assignments. Do you walk to these locations or rent a "luxury" car just for these assignments
I drive a pretty beat up vehicle and when I pull up to the dealership in these locations am not sure how the sales associates will treat me.Do I say I just won the lottery or how do I explain that am looking to get a car worth over 100 K when am driving a car valued at less than 10K.
What I do not like about these luxury dealerships is the customer parking is right in front and there is no where to hide my "real car".I have considered parking nearby and walking in to the dealership or grabbing a cab.
PS I have faced second class treatment before when I did a luxury apartment shop but I persevered. It was a recorded shop and having strapped the voice recorder on my chest I proceeded with the shop as it was paying 85 for 30 minutes of my time.It was not fun and the sales associate was sneering at me as I left in my "car"
In my real life I try to avoid snorty places but it appears car shops are the only ones that are paying anything worthwhile
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January 31, 2014 11:10PM
I think there are responses to your question on the other thread where it is posted.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
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February 01, 2014 01:51AM
this is confusing. Wales, I am already up on all that intro stuff. I was looking more for personal opinions on equipment and ideas of the best places to purchase from. Also, would love other options than the button cam. I could not imagine that my head would be more unsteady than my chest. I got dizzy watching my own video from the button cam.
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February 01, 2014 02:08AM
Standard equipment is the PV-500. I don't know any shoppers using anything else unless it is company owned Archos cameras, the previously preferred camera. BTW, the Archos is supposed to be high quality, but I was trained on one, know shoppers who still use them and they are difficult at best. Wales is absolutely correct about button cams versus glasses.

As hard as that button cam may seem, the glasses have a bigger learning curve and the shoppers I know who have successfully used them are veterans who still prefer, and primarily use, their button cams. There are several applications where the glasses may be preferable, but those are not standard. You would be better served finding some of the various options available for securing the camera.

So far the best price any of us have found for a full rig is through Measure Consumer Perspectives because they have worked out a deal where we get volume pricing. Study what they have to offer before attempting to compare prices on eBay or some other web source. Often those lower priced units are not comparable and/or you are paying for components and will have other items to purchase taking your total much higher than their complete set up.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.


Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/23/2014 05:21PM by LisaSTL.
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February 23, 2014 05:09PM
I do not own a camera yet, so I cannot help with that, but most of the luxury car shops that I have seen require you to drive up in a 40K plus car. I have seen a suggestion to borrow one, which I personally feel odd doing. The only other option you would have would be to park off lot, and walk on. The only way that would work would be if the dealership was very close to other public venues.
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February 23, 2014 06:00PM
LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> So far the best price any of us have found for a
> full rig is through Measure Consumer Perspectives
> because they have worked out a deal where we get
> volume pricing. Study what they have to offer
> before attempting to compare prices on eBay or
> some other web source.

When I took the last Undercover Essentials workshop in Atlanta, Carrie said that MCP and other companies were no longer selling video equipment. She said that she would update us when she received new information but since I never got my certificate of completion, I am not holding my breath.

Was she wrong in telling us that? Or did MCP stop selling equipment and then start up again?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix

“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain

“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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February 23, 2014 08:21PM
There were issues with getting equipment because one model had been discontinued. They are now selling the newer models on their website.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
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February 24, 2014 04:31PM
I looked yesterday and did not see a link on the site for this equipment. Is this only applicable if you have passed an exam or something?
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February 24, 2014 11:33PM
You can't get to it through their shop website. Here is a link. Scroll down to "store."

[measurecp.com]#

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
Reply
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