What was your FAVORITE shop this year?

Saw this topic on another forum and wondered what people here had to share on the subject?

I think mine was a motorcycle "clothing" shop in a nearby town where you had to shop leather jackets. The people were VERY friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Of course, it didn't hurt that it was "bonused" to $45 for about an hour(including report input) of work!!

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

More About Favorites

I think I just received my favorite shop for the year about five minutes ago. Two different people called me and they each gave me a super price. Just when I thought I was not going to take anymore for the year. I was called about two Micky D's that need to be done at noon tomorrow and they are going to pay me $100.00 bonus for the two plus the regular commission plus reimbursement. Not too bad for two FF shops.

My favorite shop is Nortsrom. I visited a lot of stores during the Christmas holidays but by far Norstrom was the best. Whenever I needed assistance or had a question the sales personnel were kind and friendly. I am so pleased with their professionalism and concern for thier customers. The sales personnel always smiled were very polite and never waivered from our conversation when distracted by other customers. I will continue to shop at Norstrom simply because of their excellent customer service!

How did you get a Nordstrom shop? Which firm gave it to you?

You should only give CLUES as to the name of the MSC if you reply, as you might not want to include the name of the client and MSC together in the same thread. It could be considered a breach of your ICA and/or Confidentiality Agreement.

Generally, it is acceptable to name one or the other in a thread, but NOT both. You can give CLUES as to the one not named, though.

Since you already named Nordtstroms (the client), you shouldn't outright name the MSC.

My favorite was a steak house fine dining at a place named for a football coach. The service was elegant and spectacular, the food poetically good and the bill around $100 per head. Our instructions were basically "not the cheapest or the most expensive items on the menu". While the preparation of the food was fairly straightforward, the quality of ingredients was just amazingly wonderful. We have decided that if there is a very special occasion we would repeat the experience even on our own dime.

My favorite shop was plumbing shop for ATopShop scheduled through
Palm Scheduling.........reimbursed $300 plus $5 for report.........was easy report and I got some well needed plumbing work for free!! Plus I am now on the mailing list for the plumbing company that sends me e-coupons..........

Nice Bugs! I would love a shop with a fence company to replace some rotted fence around here! I'd even be happy to take it on a reimbursement only basis

IMYST has invisable fencing shops.

My favorite was a motorcycle shop - I got $80 to shop for a Harley for me. But I enjoy the reveal shops most. I like to interact with the managers and let them see the problem right now - when they can address it, instead of waiting for days.

Do you suppose that an invisible fence would keep the darn bull in the pasture instead of dining in my garden and leaving pasture patties in the front yard?

Not a bull! Just think of the beautiful grass you will have next spring with all that extra fertilizer - - - This company may do jobs for other types of fencing as well. Check them out.

Just think what the lawnmower will smell like when I hit a 'pile' with all that glorious grass on it

I had seen their shops and for normal residential use to keep the dog/cat in it could be an interesting proposition.

What part of the country are you in? With all our snow and freeze/thaw- it would be far gone by spring - - -well intigrated into the soil. The shop for the invisible fence is a home shop and not too bad a commission. You don't even have to leave home to do it. The time involved would depend solely on how persistent your sales man was - - and we all know they can be long winded! A scheduler called me last week and offered to double the fee, but I don't have a yard - - - so no cats, dogs, or bulls for me!

The sunny, sunny south

Ripe and Juicy - - - Huh?

I'm originally from Arkansas - know what you mean - - I'll keep my future remarks about bulls and fences to my self!

Carry -on

Squishes great between bare toes when you go out to hang laundry on the line and don't see the pile for the laundry basket and didn't realize he got out again and has been visiting the back yard

He is sweet and all that, but 'the grass is always greener. . .' seems to be his motto.

Warning: This User Has Been Banned or Is No Longer Active

Favorite shop so far...

Palomino restaurant, great dinner house. Got $100.00 reimbursement, couldn't eat that much.... they are in Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles, The second fun job was for Escada in Beverly Hills, another great day, but no pay, just reimbursement. It's not always about the $$$$.

I totally agree about not always being about the money. It is what benefit I get out of it. Who wouldn't want to go to a great restaurant and have a wonderful meal, then have the cost reimbursed - isnt' that still getting paid to eat??

For me it is about getting out and interacting with people rather than sitting around the house all hang-face because of the terrible stressful week I had at my regular job. The kind of work I do makes me one of the most hated folks around. So being able to go shop, and interact, without that preconceived notion of me, (based on my regular job) certainly increases the the quality of my life.

The Halloween shop where I had to shop lift, and then see what the clerk would do. That is an oversimplification, but it paid well and I laughed all the way home.

Warning: This User Has Been Banned or Is No Longer Active

Jude, I agree...spirits are lifted as soon as I get in my car about to drive to one of these great restaurants that I wouldn't go to alone on my own. I can now go with a purpose (to eat gourmet food), knowing I'm there to do my job, have a great dinner, and best of all, get reimbursed. There's a good side to everything, but, we do put up with alot of stuff......

I loved portraying someone who was startled, and I had to drop my money and run, taking the merchandise. They were checking to see if the cashiers were honest; I laughed so hard I cried.

Beth

Wannabe scheduler/editor

Beth--you had to shoplift !!!?? Was there a reveal after that?

I had a letter from the company, if I was stopped. It wasn't really shoplifting (she rationalizes) because I dropped more than enough money to cover my purchase, and it was the company itself that hired the MSC to do it. But the funniest thing was that the other shoppers assigned to the project just didn't get it. They HANDED the money to the cashier, ruining the illusion that it was an accident, and the schedulers had to keep reinterating on the instructions. While I was chasing my imaginary toddler, they failed to test the honesty of the mostly teenage staff.

And it was Halloween. ooooooooooooow. The basis for the shop was sound; it was the execution that was lacking. I wound up doing a handful, because I was one of few that "got it." The report was short and I got a good laugh every time I did it.

No reveal, but I knew we were being videotaped. Woe be to the associate that pocketed my unrung up expense.

LOL
Beth

Wannabe scheduler/editor

I have to say that my favorite shop so far this year was a grocery store I did on Tuesday. For part of the shop I needed to ask a question and interact with customer service. It was the third shop of a series that had to be done in a time window. I had been delayed in traffic and arrived inside the front door barely within the window so was "safe", but to prove I had gotten there in time, I chose to purchase a lottery ticket--which is date and time stamped--at customer service. That worked for being an inquiry of customer service and was $1 worth of insurance proof that I had arrived in time. Last night when I checked the ticket I discovered I got 4 numbers correct on a quick pick, so the ticket is good for $78!

Warning: This User Has Been Banned or Is No Longer Active

Now that's worth going out in traffic for....think I'll buy one today. enjoy spending the money on yourself.

Lets not talk about the losing tickets needed to be purchased before getting a "winner". I only bother grabbing a ticket if I am close enough to the end of my shop window that there might be question about the validity of the shop. I got my foot inside the door of this one 3 minutes before my "window" to start the shop ended. Store videotapes are often inaccurate with their time but a lottery ticket is printed from an on-line feed and the time is absolutely accurate.

Warning: This User Has Been Banned or Is No Longer Active

Good thinking. Just got back from having my taxes done, and first time deducting home business. Good news, you can deduct mileage one way, phone, computer, and many costs I didn't even consider. That's the best news about this business. Keep records straight. I keep a job log in my car (thank god), and put down mileage, date, name of company and job going to...everything is there. CPA said that helps enormously. Paypal has record of everything paid, printed that out..it wasn't as stressful as I anticapated. Relief when I left. She said everyone is getting a refund, either $300.00, or 600.00. Now I can go relax...bye ya all.

Yes, that is the "economic stimulus" $300 or $600. Most single taxpayers will be seeing $600 (the amount goes down to $300 in upper income levels) and couples will be seeing $1200 ($600 in upper income levels). It is critical this year for you to file a tax return even if you owe no taxes and would not be REQUIRED to file a tax return either because of low income or income that is not taxable. Only taxpayers who file a return will be receiving the "economic stimulus" rebate.

I have a shop that I have to buy lottery tickets for; I am going to go run them all through the system.

Great idea, using it for time proof, though, Flash. Talk about thinking on your feet!

Beth

Wannabe scheduler/editor

Be sure and read your directions though. Some shops do say "no lottery tickets."

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

What was your FAVORITE shop this year?

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine