I recently completed a dog and cat study for a company and it took me 5 hours to complete it. I now am having to transfer the information I gathered at the pet store to the report. I was under the impression that most of the sales items would be listed on the form provided where I could just list the regular and sale prices but found that I was so wrong. I have to listen to 5 hours of recordings I made during the shop and key them into the report. The shop pays $30. But it took me three days to collect the imformation and it's going to take me 5 plus more hours to listen to all of the brand names, upc codes, and prices. Does anyone have any advise on how to complete these types of shops in a less time consuming manner? I want to complete the shop since I have already invested so many hours in it but I do not want it to consume much more of my time because in the end I have taken a huge lost because it takes away time I could use completing other shops.

You are doing merchandising in that pet store. Granted the pay is OK but you actually earn every cent. If they had to hire someone to do what you are doing, it would cost them over 100 bucks. I use a form that I made for this type of shop and it lists the price, the product and the markdowns taken on it. That is what they want to know. It gets easier as you do it. Don't fret.

tiffylowe, completing this time-consuming shop speaks positively to your work ethic. I have only done this shop once and kept my fingers crossed that the store wouldn't have many sale items. It's an unrevealed price shop of the competition. On-site takes time whether relying on audio or video assistance. I also used the form, and made a few trips to my car to fill in the blanks. And the sales associates were so darned helpful when I just wanted to be left alone to do my thing. I think whether this shop goes in the win or loss column also hinges on the size of the store. The shop I did was a 45,000 square foot store. It was a loss and I won't do it again.

I agree with both Mert and dr.lloyd. This shop appears to pay well until you get into it. It really isn't worth the time it takes to get all of the information they require. It is grossly underpaid for the work involved.

I really would not be able to do a job like that. I don't like anything that has to do with merchandising. If you figure the time it took you to do the job and all that paperwork, you are at a very low hourly rate. I give you credit for being able to complete it.

Thanks for the heads up. I think I have seen this shop advertised as "easy". Umm-hmm ... thanks for the warning!

Use the ad, it saves a LOT of time.

Other than the suggestions you have already gotten, I have a question and a potential suggestion. When using the recorder, did you keep it on while you were not speaking? Five hours worth of talking seems like a lot to me. If you turn the recorder to pause in between speaking, you do not have to listen so long to each recording. Also, if you are going to do a form using the recorder, it is helpful to do it in the exact order the form goes, so you can just go down the input report in order. My personal opinion is that paper is better for audits like this, but your mileage may vary.

My shop did not have an ad. I have to think the employees realize their store is being price shopped. Realistically, how many times in and out can you manage without calling attention to yourself. No purchase required either which also is unrealistic, after spending so much time looking at products. I think I recall the guidelines mentioned something about leaving the store if asked to do so. Wouldn't have surprised me if a manager showed me the door.

I used my cell phone, pretending to be talking, in actuality I was leaving messages on my home phone with UPCs and pricing. I'd go to the car and access my messages, filling in the form provided. Talking on my cell also prevented, somewhat, employees approaching to offer assistance.

I used my my cell phone pretending to be talking many times as I browsed the store as well. The store ad never has all of the sales items listed. The shop required me to record the UPC number, the brand and type, sales price vs regular price, and pounds for EVERY dog/cat food and treats. Realistically, it is impossible to complete the shop undetected. I was asked to stop recording by a store manager on one shop I completed. It was embarrassing! He said that security tipped him on that I was on the same aisle for an hour looking at prices. The shop is not difficult when the store is small. However, when you get into the huge stores like Petsmart and Petco it is almost impossible to complete the shops whithin a reasonable amount of time. My recorder was on for a total of five hours over a three day period trying to complete the shop with no breaks in between speaking. The store had sales items everywhere. I believe these stores make it very difficult to have someone just simply come through to record their sales items because many of them match or beat other advertised prices. So the more sale stickers they have, the more difficult it is for someone like me to complete a comparison shop. The form that the company provided did not have 3/4 of the name brand items that pet stores carry. That shop was a monster. And to be completely honest, I think I'm going to have to take a lost on this one because I have been missing out on many shops trying to do this one shop. Now with other comparison shops like recording candy brands for Halloween were easy. But the pet study was a MONSTER!

I really appreciate the responses. This was my first post to the site and it has been great to have support from other shoppers. I have been shopping for almost two years and did not know this site existed until recently.

I think that the best way for the company to have this type of shop completed would be to have different shoppers complete the shop in portions, such as, by brand names. If they would assign shoppers to complete the Eukanuba sales brand, and another one to complete Purina, and so forth then the shop would not be as difficult. On top of that, you have to pick up and/or turn over large 40 lb plus bags to get the UPC number if the store doesn't provide it on their shelve.

I'm glad you found us, tiffylowe, and only sorry we had no magic button to make it work for you. Certainly a shop that would be easier with a very good hidden videocam, but even the transcription of the kinds of volumes of information you are talking about would make little sense for $30.

tiffylowe Wrote:
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> I think that the best way for the company to have
> this type of shop completed would be to have
> different shoppers complete the shop in portions,
> such as, by brand names.

Yes, but that would cost them money. How about if they just pony up and have you purchase 15 different specific pet treats if they are available, submit a report on those and reimburse with a reasonable fee? But as long as diligent shoppers such as yourself are willing to do it their way, they will continue unchanged.

Tiffylowe,

If you were asked to stop recording, how did you get your info? Did they care that you were getting the info at all, or did they just object to your recording it?

I was unable to complete the shop. Once the store realized that I was recording several brands within the length of time I was there a red flag went off for them. I did not get much of the required info. I was only able to complete two aisles. Luckily the mystery shopping company paid me in full for the visit. I agree with Flash, they should have shoppers purchase the brands and reimburse us.

Thanks for the warning ... I have seen those around here, and they are actually posted as "easy! (So is falling down a flight of stairs while carrying three bags of groceries while your kid is screaming to be picked up, okay?) I will follow my late father's advice on this one ... "Shake your head and the idea will go away!"

As long as the store is small they really are easy. It's when you get into those large pet stores that make these tpye of shops a nightmare. It's good to double check the guidelines for the shop because there are other pet study shops out there that are not as lengthy as these are.

Those shops used to be my area. I conquered the time problem by taking pictures of all the sales items ( half hour tops). Then came home and transfered the information.

I saw one company have something like this where you had to collect 45 items for $17!! Now that is an insult!!

I would grab the 45 items for $17. That is so simple! And really $17 is pretty high pay.

CANADAMOMMY Wrote:
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> I would grab the 45 items for $17. That is so
> simple! And really $17 is pretty high pay.


I agree that it is certainly not bad pay, if the information requested is a simple price audit.

I've done a couple of these in a small store like Tiffany said. Took about three hours max, so I wasn't too pleased with the take home on that. The names of the products on the forms were useless. Most of the products weren't listed and required a separate spreadsheet submission because the online form wasn't long enough.

The last shop I did was at a large store. Took me almost three hours of continuous voice recording in the store and much longer to upload into a spreadsheet. After a 11 hours of work I forwarded my spreadsheets to them. They responded by saying I must upload the information into their online forms. I told them they could have the information I sent but I was DONE! It is unfair to expect someone to do that much work and not even make minimum wage. They ought to feel ashamed.

tiffylowe, you did the assignment the most expedient way. It is a bit quicker to use a DVD and break pricing down into segments, but the forms they give you are useless and a hindrance to getting the information. Sounds like good money but it's not unless the store is tiny. I won't do them again that's for sure.

Having been a secretary, I can tell you that transcribing recordings is just about the hardest job there is. Even if you know what is on it and you can understand your own voice, it takes time. I was going to suggest photographs but someone beat me to it. If you happen to miss a price tag, such as because it is turned around, you can go back to the store later, as long as it is not too far away. Having also done price audits, but not for this client, I will never do one again. They are way too time consuming. You don't wind up with a low rate of pay. You wind up with a negative rate of pay!!!!!

I think it depends on the particular audit, how well you know the type of products, and how well you know the store. There are some I can get in and out of very quickly. There are others I would never do again.

I asked about which company offers these shops and got the message tat this was a duplicate question and could not be asked again. I searched for Petco and Petsmart and could not turn up this question. Where is it>

You've actually asked the same question three times. The answer is that, because we sign a confidentiality agreement with each mystery shopping company when we register with them, we are prohibited from disclosing the names of mystery shopping clients.

The uPC codes usually will be the same for the brand but the last digit will change by flavor or size. I usually write one UPC and get the last digit for the rest.

Now for the 40+ lb bags I google them and get the UPC from an online site- usually amazon.

I won't be doing this shop anymore. None of the brands are carried in my store and the store remodeled and there is nowhere to hide.

So...what is the company that offers these shops. Don't tell me that this is confidential. Obviously, if I had the time, I could check out all of the MS companies and find this info. I can't spare the time. Which company now has this contract?

@ Cageguy -

Dude - no reason to be so daggone rude.

You were told by Austin Mom: "You've actually asked the same question 3 times. The answer is that, because we sign a confidentiality agreement with each mystery shopping company when we register with them, we are prohibited from disclosing the names of mystery shopping clients."

Now... look at the "POSTING GUIDELINES" listed by the Posting Box at the bottom of the page.

There's a sentence in there: DO NOT REVEAL THE CLIENTS OF MYSTERY SHOPPING COMPANIES.

Quite obviously, OTHERS have the time - and make the time - to look up information, apply with different MSC's, etc.

Why should others do the work for you - when you are being so blatantly rude?

Start applying with all of the MSC's mentioned in the forums.

Apparently the rest of us have all the time in the world and no ethics or respect for Jacob and the forum so we should just provide the information requested. Gimme a break. You ask the same question repeatedly, you ignore the fact that it is blatantly wrong on so many levels and you think that insulting everyone will get you an answer. Good luck with that.