What kind of shops do you tend to avoid?
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Southern Cali is big; lots of travel and time considerations, Its easy to avoid any shop paying less than $100 and taking more than a couple of hours. So many i see pay just a few $ and would take 1/2 day to fulfill
Pawn shops. Seriously, @#$%& those jobs with an electrified barbed wire trident tipped with poison.
If we can't make at least $20 an hour net profit we don't leave our house.
Exceptions are made for workation routes as our motivations are not purely profit driven.
If we can't make at least $20 an hour net profit we don't leave our house.
Exceptions are made for workation routes as our motivations are not purely profit driven.
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US Wide route shopper with 12k+ shops completed over 48 states and 6 countries.
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US Wide route shopper with 12k+ shops completed over 48 states and 6 countries.
Airbnb host based in Chicago and 10% discount if you mention this forum
@spicy1 wrote:
The TS grocery shops are the easiest and fastest, if you know how. I can do them in my sleep.
I agree -- it seems people either love them or hate them. Once you understand what they are looking for, it is very easy to make the observations and do the reports. Also the narrative is a restatement/sentence.. nothing large. I have a circuit of 3 stores I hit every week or two, and occasionally they throw me a huge bonus to go out of the area as well as the occasional printer manufacturer at the giant store shop.... so I can't gripe about TS... they pay most of my grocery bill each month
I avoid banks unless the bonus is at least $40 on top of the $20 (like right now), but I still haven't pulled the trigger on it. I did one car dealership, never again. I'm still leery of the BBB even though it's right up the street. And forget Sonic. Horrible pay and mostly bad meals. One i really miss is Dollar Store phones, easiest shop I've ever done but they're all gone. Still hoping to get picked for Ruth's Chris but I'm not MS certified so I guess it'll never happen.
Chances are--You will regret having anything to do with the BBB shops.....Just sayin'---Have been mystery shopping for 17 years....don't know it all by a long shot-----...but---BBB evaluations!? Beware....There are reasons the shops sit on the board......i did many of them during my earlier days--when I did not know any better........Not worth the time, aggravation.
They haven't changed........SAME with both mystery shopping companies......Again, there are reasons the shops sit on the board.
Oh, bed, bath & beyond. Havent tried one yet because of msc. Will try one this month maybe
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2017 09:08PM by spicy1.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2017 09:08PM by spicy1.
Dealerships. Lowes without a bonus. Gas stations without a bonus. Anywhere that requires a purchase but doesn't reimburse. Shops that equal less than $20 an hour, unless special circumstances. Shops that require writing a novel, don't pay well, and the shopper isn't appreciated.
There are shops that are just not worth the time required. The one shop that I absolutely refused to do after seeing the guidelines only after it was assigned is a money transfer shop that requires the shopper to ask the employee to do something illegal. That, I am not going to do. I told the scheduler that I wouldn't do the shop, and she didn't give me a "flake".
Five Guys: the reimbursement doesn't cover the cost of the meal, the food is not worth what it costs. One location that gets listed repeatedly is hard to get to and the location is an open-air mall with no shelter from the wind.
Had a bad experience with WU via computer - won't do these again.
Don't enjoy car shops. Some dealerships I refuse to go to because of previous bad experiences.
Anything that does not include a fee payment, even if I really like the food or shop there anyway. I shop to supplement my income.
Purchase and return shops, unless I can return to location easily.
Anything with a shop fee under $10, unless the report is short and I can do it from home.
I also wait to request a shop until the shopper payment increases to something I consider acceptable.
Shops that require me to upload more than a few pictures. They take too long to sort out and label.
Had a bad experience with WU via computer - won't do these again.
Don't enjoy car shops. Some dealerships I refuse to go to because of previous bad experiences.
Anything that does not include a fee payment, even if I really like the food or shop there anyway. I shop to supplement my income.
Purchase and return shops, unless I can return to location easily.
Anything with a shop fee under $10, unless the report is short and I can do it from home.
I also wait to request a shop until the shopper payment increases to something I consider acceptable.
Shops that require me to upload more than a few pictures. They take too long to sort out and label.
If Five Guys ever decides to make a grilled chicken sandwich I'll do them all. But compared to other fast food they're top notch and usually always get great grades in my areas. Yes it is expensive and you'll only walk away with about $5.50 profit but I use it as my lunch at work sometimes.
I don't do car shops because I feel I am taking money out of their pockets. They spend up to an hour or more with me when they could be working with someone who might be buying a car.
Or they could be twiddling their thumbs for an hour instead of getting real world feedback that might improve their sales techniques.
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.
"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.
Or maybe theyre sitting on their hands waiting to be evaluated. Its practice with feedback; good for everyone. But only for $45 or more...it posted before me, argh
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2017 10:00PM by spicy1.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2017 10:00PM by spicy1.
Personally, I tend to gravitate toward mystery shops/audits that I enjoy doing, which aren't always the ones with the best compensation.
I stopped doing car dealer shops after my first few months as a mystery shopper.
I don't mind the fast casual and restaurant shops if it's somewhere I would normally eat, but after too many shops at a particular fast food establishment (which I often agreed to only because of the bonuses), I swear I will never eat there again.
I stopped doing car dealer shops after my first few months as a mystery shopper.
I don't mind the fast casual and restaurant shops if it's somewhere I would normally eat, but after too many shops at a particular fast food establishment (which I often agreed to only because of the bonuses), I swear I will never eat there again.
HI,@BuffaloNY101 wrote:
IKEA do to the horror stories on here. Targeted apartment shops. Car shops under $50 except for one MSC which I can knock them out fast including report. Bank shops under $25 unless quick and I can grab multiple locations in an area than I will go down to $15. Bed Bath and Beyond were okay with former msc but won't touch with current one.
Could you elaborate on IKEA horror story? I saw them on the board but the one closest to me was gone. I am kinda waiting for them to come for the next month.
The criteria I follow: 1) Pay rate and work expectation. What does the pay break down to per hour? What about mileage wear/tear on your car? I've been begged to complete shops that were 200 mi. r/t... for $25. Why do MSC reps always act surprised when you explain this and ask for a commensurate bonus? [which they NEVER give.] 2) NOTHING for less than $15/hr. I've cut way back on my shops because the pay is dropping in my area -- what used to pay $15 is now paying $13 or less. 3) I'll do short audits [if the $$ is right], but $75 for an eight hour Best Buy audit??? 4) Also will NEVER work for Maritz again! It took a BBB complaint and six months to get paid for my last job with them. Won't work for companies that don't show respect for their shoppers.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2017 10:40PM by ldevere.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2017 10:40PM by ldevere.
Normally, I don't do food shops unless there is a bonus. I need money,not food.
I don't mind them. It's just that they take a long time and so do the reports but normally they don't pay much.
I don't do reveal shops because I live and work in a small town where I may encounter the same employee on another day at another store. One I have seen works three different fast food shops all on the same block! Once I've revealed myself, I'd be suspected by everybody - word gets around. I don't do cell phone shops because I will not take a contract. I don't like jewelry store shops, and I will not do Bed Bath and Beyond. Who carries something big around the store without getting a basket on her own?
I don't do shops where my demographic stands out. How many gray-haired women do you see at Hooter's or Twin Peaks? And gray-haired women are not common at Five Guys or Torchy's and similar places. I don't do shops that require a hard credit inquiry as part of the shop, like some bank shops do. I treasure my credit score and a hard credit inquiry will drop it a couple of points. I don't like shops where I have to ask stupid questions. I need to believe in the scenario to make it work.
I don't do shops where my demographic stands out. How many gray-haired women do you see at Hooter's or Twin Peaks? And gray-haired women are not common at Five Guys or Torchy's and similar places. I don't do shops that require a hard credit inquiry as part of the shop, like some bank shops do. I treasure my credit score and a hard credit inquiry will drop it a couple of points. I don't like shops where I have to ask stupid questions. I need to believe in the scenario to make it work.
1. Shops that do not show guidelines before you can accept.
2. Shops that have contradicting instructions where you have to take time to contact the scheduler.
3. Scheduler/editors that tell you in a narrative what order within it to write your answers. I copy and paste prior questions, then answer each question and delete the question. So, if the narrative is out of order, perhaps the prior questions to be answered in the narrative are out of order.
4. Shops that pay not enough to to bother to read the guidelines, drive to the shop, do the shop, drive home, then do the survey. Nothing below $15 and close and no long narratives.
5. Bank shops, car shops (not service) are good. Also, I like mallshops and did one for $50 lots of work and to far to travel. Should be worth at least $75- $100.
6. Enjoy nice dining shops and done some. One editor great, another I prefer not to work for.
7. A scheduler who attached the wrong set of instructions to a shop and can't see and correct the error.
2. Shops that have contradicting instructions where you have to take time to contact the scheduler.
3. Scheduler/editors that tell you in a narrative what order within it to write your answers. I copy and paste prior questions, then answer each question and delete the question. So, if the narrative is out of order, perhaps the prior questions to be answered in the narrative are out of order.
4. Shops that pay not enough to to bother to read the guidelines, drive to the shop, do the shop, drive home, then do the survey. Nothing below $15 and close and no long narratives.
5. Bank shops, car shops (not service) are good. Also, I like mallshops and did one for $50 lots of work and to far to travel. Should be worth at least $75- $100.
6. Enjoy nice dining shops and done some. One editor great, another I prefer not to work for.
7. A scheduler who attached the wrong set of instructions to a shop and can't see and correct the error.
That scenario is always a giveaway that one is the mystery shopper.
I am knew to this. Any referrals or help that you could give me regarding hotel shops or higher paying shops. What are some of your favorite companies to shop with. Thank You, Gail
IKEA wants a lot of information and it usually takes at least 2 hours to shop and then do the report--which takes forever. I had to "fix" mine three different times before the editor was happy. They also say to be a very experienced shopper to do it. I had been an experienced shopper of over 10 years when I did it.
Trendsource grocery shops...are they kidding with that ridiculously low pay? Most of their shops in my area are low-paying. Their only redeeming quality is they pay twice a month.
The IKEA shop I did was my idea of purgatory: wandering in a never ending IKEA looking for a salesperson to ask about a non-existent item.
$14- $17 40min, 9 stores in 20 miles, that and food shops means i only have to buy my Trader Joe coffee and no grocery, personal product bills. Add to that fuel points and clearance items, big score
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