I was contacted about some out of state shops and I have never even requested a bonus before so I'm curious what has been done - what works, what's common, etc.

The first one is all by itself, 220 miles away (3-1/2 hours). Seems too close to request a hotel, but a little far to do one shop and then turn around come straight back. The good thing is, it's in a fun little area, so I might actually enjoy it.

The others are grouped into a route containing 2 main areas. It will take me 5-6 hours to drive to and complete the first group (4 shops). (Spend the night?)

The 2nd group is 200 miles away from them and they are spread apart - 2-1/2 hours between the 3 of them. (Spend the night?)

Then the drive home will be another 350 miles.

I was thinking about requesting 2 hotel stays and a bonus for each shop. Is it common to request a per diem also? Is there anything else I should consider or know before I start negotiating? How much bonus is typical on a $15 out of state shop? Any help/input/advice/experience is appreciated.

Are those shops all for the same client? I can't imagine you are going to get any MSC to give you a hotel bonus if they are offering your jobs from multiple clients. For the same client? I would guess it is possible, I have never heard a shopper mention a bonus like that.

Well, if you were contacted specifically, not just a general email sent to their shopper database, you have a leg up on requesting a bigger bonus. Generally, your requests will come in the form of a bonus for the shop(s) themselves, not as a specific voucher for a hotel or mileage, for example. However, you can certainly say that is a 400 mile round trip and I need to stay over somewhere. How much to ask? I will re-post something that was in reference to end-of-quarter bonuses that should help a bit.


"Think of what it takes for the CEO of your mystery shopper company (You) to get someone (You) in the car to journey to the location during the appropriate time range to do the shop. Think of time spent (Yours) and expenses (paid by You) that must include mileage (which I think is 56 cents a mile in 2015). It can also include time (Yours) to prepare which can include printing out (on Your Paper and Ink) forms (on Your computer equipment that You paid for) and instructions. Don't forget the time it takes (Yours) to do the shop and fill out the report.

This is a time to make it work for You. Yes, You.

You can get ideas from other posters about what they have gotten for different particular shops. Try searching the forum for that shop for threads. Or ask.

If it is too much, then all they can do is say no. There are stories about a large request being denied at first, they granted a short time later as the deadline looms closer. "

Good luck.

Don't take them without a good bonus. to help pay for expenses

@redvettemama wrote:

Don't take them without a good bonus. to help pay for expenses

I'd put it a different way. Don't take them without an adequate bonus to cover ALL expenses. The exception would be if you have a personal reason to go that makes a negative profit trip worthwhile.

And remember when determining expenses, gas is not the expense, mileage and travel time are what you calculate. I can drive 60 miles in an hour and my gas consumption would only be $5 while it actually costs me $30 in vehicle maintenance and my tax deduction would be almost $34. If I take a $15 shop and request $5 for gas I will receive nothing for the hour driving and the trip will show up as a $14 loss tax purposes.

See what a pleasant enough motel would cost in the area in question and add that plus $10-15 for dinner to your mileage request. If they are knowingly asking you to drive that far they will likely be expecting a bonus request.

Thank you for all of your replies. I know they are expecting a bonus request but I get lost somewhere between a $5 and $50 bonus, haha. Your insight gave me plenty of things to evaluate and some to research. Thanks again. (Yes, the shops are all for the same client).

The only time I've seen it happen was when it was multiple apartments.

It also depends on what the shops are for. There is more of a buffer in some than in others it seems. You can not just ask what the bonus should be on a $15 shop. It is comparing apples to oranges, so to speak. You definitely need to coordinate bonus money on each shop, but I would also look into other companies to coordinate more bonus money. When I have done those kinds of trips, I would work straight through and either be sitting up at McD to input paperwork through the night or work in my car. This then keeps me from paying for a room. It can be 48-72 hrs sometimes working straight through for me. Doing reports between shops or at night when things quite down. I record all my shops and it allows me to have more security that I won't forget something when I am tired. I trained like this for school and work over the years, so long hours was nothing new. I worked 48-72 hrs straight sometimes, depending on what trouble people found themselves in. I was their to bail them out and fix them, medically speaking. The older I get though, the longer it takes me to recover lol

I keep a blanket and pillow in the back seat, just in case I need to rest my back or eyes for awhile. It never hurts to be prepared for the worst! Pack things for a long trip and in case you were "stranded" in your car and you will have most of what you might need. It is better to have it and not need something, rather than needing something and not having it!

I keep a battery source to charge electronics, jumper and air pump that can also be converted into battery power for charging electronics to enter reports, if McD does not work out. Bottled water, something caffeinated, snacks, blanket, sheet, pillow, wet-wipes, Kleenex, napkins, small plastic grocery bag for trash, headphones with a microphone (sometimes I dictate), small mini flashlight and even a portable digital handheld tv, if I find time to use it lol Sun shades to block out light from security lights, drive-thru lights, etc. if it interferes with seeing electronic screens or just want some privacy.

That is just a few ideas off the top of my head anyway. If you have a friend anywhere near there that could let you stay, it would be a huge difference in profit! When hotels are needed it gets VERY expensive, if they are not reimbursed. There is no PRN or pier diem fund that I am aware of and I asked this when I first started. They expect you to have that calculated when asking for a bonus and that would encompass all of the other expenses.

Hope this helped give you some more to think about! Good Luck!

Thanks again for all the input. They offered me a great bonus on the single shop that's 3-1/2 hours away, but not so great on the multiple ones out of state (less than half as much for those and no mention of hotel, gas, etc. although the hotel may have been a given.)

I am going to mull it over for a bit before I call the MSC back and ask more questions and then decide whether or not to counter-offer or decline. At least with all the above information I have lots to consider before deciding. You've all been very helpful.

Maybe check this out, people of Waterville, ME !

[www.watervillemainstreet.org]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/2015 08:29AM by MelanieOR.