Anyone knows companies with video mystery shopping jobs? I am prepared to buy my equipment. Just want to know if there are enough jobs out there before investing in it.

Ellis has a lot of them, and they also seem to let shoppers with good track records auto-assign shops (not necessarily video ones, but either unrecorded or audio) right away. I am not familiar with how quickly they pay out, however, or whether or not they are difficult to work with.

I suppose it depends on your geographic area, but especially if you can shop an urban area and/or have your own transportation, you could likely do several video shops per week and make pretty good money. MSCs will sometimes also loan equipment to the right shoppers, though priority in assigning video shops does tend go to shoppers with their own equipment.

Depending on which equipment you get, which jobs you land, and how many you can land, you could probably make the cost back pretty quickly. You may also need to invest in certain kinds of clothing if you don't have it already, though---MSCs which schedule the video shops tend to want you to wear professional clothing with button-down shirts or jackets, and you'll probably have to make some minor alterations in order to conceal the equipment. Of course, if you have your OWN video and audio recording equipment which is more easily concealed than what some MSCs are willing to provide, then you might not have to do that. Pretty sure the more discreet equipment tends to be more expensive, though, unless you're able to make it yourself.

I don't get the "difficult to conceal" thing. I have been video shopping for 10 years and have been detected a total of 3 times; at no time was the equipment spotted. It is the poor back story or flubbing you name and phone number that gets video shoppers identified as shoppers, just like how "written shoppers" get dropped.

LeBlanc, Melinda Brody, Impact Marketing, Eagle Eye Retail Intelligence, Clear Evaluations, Shadow Agency. I'm sure there are several more but that's off the top of my head.

I'm willing and able to invest in the best equipment. What exactly would that be? Also, can I learn to do it on my own? I understand there are classes given at the conferences, but I'm not hot about the idea of attending one. I'm about traveled out after the last couple of years. If I go somewhere at this point it's going to be a deserted beach.

Nobody ever told me we are supposed to dress professionally and wear jackets Other than shirts being altered for the button camera and fitting in a way to conceal the rig, just like everyone else we dress as is appropriate to the shop. You normally won't find anyone dressing up to go look for cars, apartments or new homes. We also have general retail and fast food so shorts are not out of the question. There have even been some for pawn shops, rent to own furniture and rent by the week hotels. For all of those the recommendation is actually to dress down.

I'm fairly certain I have worn shorts to every type of video shop you just mentioned except for pawn shops. And that's only because I haven't done a pawn shop shop.

@CoffeeQueen wrote:

I'm willing and able to invest in the best equipment. What exactly would that be? Also, can I learn to do it on my own? I understand there are classes given at the conferences, but I'm not hot about the idea of attending one. I'm about traveled out after the last couple of years. If I go somewhere at this point it's going to be a deserted beach.

It depends on your personality. I have both a technology and photography background and I'm very much a put the thing on and see how it works kind of guy. I have never had any formal video training and most of the video schedulers I work for seem to considering me at least an ok video shopper.

I will say that unless you live in a top 10-15 market (I have no clue where you are) then video will probably not pay for itself without at least some travel.

@bgriffin wrote:

@CoffeeQueen wrote:

I'm willing and able to invest in the best equipment. What exactly would that be? Also, can I learn to do it on my own? I understand there are classes given at the conferences, but I'm not hot about the idea of attending one. I'm about traveled out after the last couple of years. If I go somewhere at this point it's going to be a deserted beach.

It depends on your personality. I have both a technology and photography background and I'm very much a put the thing on and see how it works kind of guy. I have never had any formal video training and most of the video schedulers I work for seem to considering me at least an ok video shopper.

I will say that unless you live in a top 10-15 market (I have no clue where you are) then video will probably not pay for itself without at least some travel.

I tend to pick things like that up rather quickly. I'd be inclined to just use the thing at home until I was really good at it. I'm less concerned about recouping the cost immediately, then I am about being able to support myself on my own if needed, without the 9-5 grind which I despise.
Anyway, thanks for the reply.

Ellis is fabulous to work for - unless you live near me. In that case, they're awful! They don't have any video in my area; I wish they did. I've done shops where nothing is recorded, the phone call only is recorded, or both are recorded. The closest city with the occasionally video shop is 6 hrs away. Ellis and GfK (keep your comments to yourself, please) account for about 80% of my work.