Agree with Indianyaooper, it can be done. I work a FT + job also and have been able to pull in $1K a month. I do a lot of shops after hours, and probably put in another 30 hrs a week in shopping but have worked with these MSCs enough to get the better paying shops. I also live in a metropolitan area with tons of available shops within a 30 mile radius. Agree with the comments about negotiating fees and being helpful so that when schedulers need a go to, you are on top of the list.

I easily make $1,000-$3,000 a month not including reimbursements. I made $160 today in 4 hours doing 2 audits with no out of pocket expenses. I made $300 this past 5 days working only a few hours each afternoon with convenience stores, banks, and a car dealership. Most everything I did had bonuses attached. It took me 15 years to develop the relationships I have to be able to command the fees I get.

Hi am Aneris1 and I am new and I have not done my first shop as yet, How can I get started without spending any money, at this time I need some help on that.

Start with audits or phone shops as they dont require out of pocket purchases in most cases. Legitimate companies don't charge to sign up but purchase requirements are out of pocket until typically 30-60 days after the shop for reimbursement.

I just finished up a $1000 month and only one had any out of pocket expense. I took ten tour shops at $75 each had two other shops that paid $75 each. One shop paid $40 and three others totaling $45 plus a few phone shops that added another $60. I did three tour shops a day, then entered the reports the next day as they could take me upwards of two hours each. After I took report and driving time out on the shops I'm still at $18 an hour.

One of SQM's Shoppers has a great story. You should contact him and see if he is willing to work with you.

I have a full time job and shop, too. So far top $ for a month 1200 but not every month. Stick with higher paying jobs and be organized. Take advantage of technology, as well.

I work full-time and am single so I have all the household chores to do as well. I made over $1k each month this year, until May. I found that I could achieve the goal, but I was stressed with too much work. I decided to cut back this month and am at $685 this month. I have no doubt that I could make 1K per month if I was working at this full-time. Soon!

I started out with phone shops which gave me a good idea of what reporting would entail.
No money out of pocket in the comfort of my own house. Best of luck to you! Welcome to the wonderful world of mystery shopping!!!

I am new to this, How do you negotiate pay? I only did 3 gas station shops and they each offered 7.00 per shop plus reimbursement of up to $4.
Morning Star

@ShopperCher wrote:

One of SQM's Shoppers has a great story. You should contact him and see if he is willing to work with you.

r u employee of sqm? i saw u posted jobs on the job board.

I'm just wrapping up a PHONE project that I made almost $1300 on the last two weeks. I made almost $1500 on one in November. And each project was with one company, leaving the rest of my time for the others. I make over $1000 pretty much every single month strictly phone/web shopping. I work LONNNNNGGGG hours but get to stay home with the kiddos!

@Hoju wrote:

My secret? Nothing but negotiation. I worked very part time all year but I negotiated every fee. Simple as that.

It may be simple to you but it takes some skill to be successful at negotiating, and luck as well, in terms of the levels of competition you have in your area.

Why would they negotiate a shop that I snapped up minutes before someone else swooped in? I don't have much leverage. If they say their fee is firm, do you not take the job?

I wonder how much time *actually* goes into making $1000/month, which, by the way, would probably qualify you for food stamps. It hardly seems like a goal to reach for, even if you only shop part time. If you worked 20 hrs/week for $1000/month, your salary would be $12.50, about what the better fast food restaurants pay.

But I imagine anyone making $1000/month mystery shopping is working a lot more than 20 hours.

Factor in the time spent hunting for new MSCs, signing up, checking the job boards, checking your emails, reading guidelines, making phone calls, checking maps, traveling, then oh yeah doing the shop, organizing your notes and receipts and photos, writing the report (seldom less than an hour for a decent paying shop, and possibly as long as three hours), following up with any questions or checking your score, checking for payments and possibly chasing unpaid shops, getting paid 1-3 months later and possibly not at all if you messed up one of the above. Then wait another 1-3 months or more between visits before you can repeat that shop, assuming another shopper doesn't snap it up.

Many of us do it for reasons other than money, or are limited by our circumstances and obligations. But we're lucky if it beats minimum wage. And anyone who's working hard enough to make well over $1000/month consistently should probably channel their energies into something more lucrative. They can always leave MS as their hobby.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/2017 07:33AM by ShopWhisperer.

I perfectly agree with you ShopperWhisper. I stated before that some shoppers don't take into consideration the time they put in to read emails and guideline, search for shops, gas, time from one shop to the next one and filling out the report, which might take at least 30 minutes for certain shops.
I truly believe they work more than 20 hours.
I don't believe MSing is worth anymore, unless you live in an area with a lot of high pay shops.
I only do shops when I need to go to a certain area and the shop fee will cover my gas.
I also find most of the reports too long and very boring for the money offered.

I'm at just under $2800 for April and May combined and I work full time - plus another $650 in reimbursements. I find that the key for me is the be efficient with my time. I scan the job board when I would be otherwise idle, so I don't really feel like I am spending a lot of extra time doing that. I don't go out for a shop unless my trip out will be better than $30/hr - including travel - this makes up for the time that I'll be writing reports later. I am not shy about asking for bonuses. I use days off work to go on long road trips to pick up juicy shops in more remote areas....

I'm going to have to disagree with ShopWisperer and Miss shopper. I do this full time and I rarely get out of the house if my profit is only $1000 per week. Through a whole year I work about 1700-1800 hours. I make about the same as I did in my last full time employment in the IT industry, however the situation is significantly better. I pay much less in taxes, and while I will have much lower SSI income at retirement it is more than offset by placing the difference into tax deferred investments. So I have more money left over, I have more money in savings, I work less, and get to make my own schedule.

Based on the standard 40 hour which would be 2080 hours, you are already working 280 to 380 hours less per year. Since most salaried people don't work just 40 hours, you are probably doing much better.

It is newer shoppers who spend a lot of time searching for MSCs, checking job boards, reading guidelines, etc. As shoppers gain experience those things become minimized or go away completely.

I always count the gas reimbursements as income.

Does anyone know where I can tune up my report writing skills? It takes me so long to write my reports and I would love to shorten that time frame. Thanx. L

I want to cancel this

I no longer want to be a member

I recently completed a route of 34 last minute shops over the course of 6 days. I cleared $1100 plus $140 in useful reimbursements.

Even in a highly populated area you have the possiblity of many many more shoppers...so it gets tough.

Having the ability to use your phone as a hot spot can come in handy, too.... I am currently sitting at a ferry dock waiting over an hour for the next ferry. It seems everybody and their brothers thought it would be wise to circumvent the construction-riddled brutal freeway traffic by taking a nice relaxing ferry ride... What to do? I just finished my last report on my laptop and am now debating if I am in the mood to do a couple of phone shops.

any recommendations as to which companies have the most phone or online shops available? Or any that you think pay the best?

Get the free app Grammarly

I'm not aware of any specializing in phone or online. If you use the search function and select all dates, it should provide some names.

Funny thing, the companies paying the fastest tend to be those who pay the least. They appeal to shoppers willing to trade off better pay in order to have the money in a week or two. While there are definitely some you can count on to pay better for the same work, often you will find it is still specific types of shops paying more. Short scenario retail might only pay $5 to $20. Longer scenario like new cars, apartments and senior living facilities tend to pay more.

@LaurieS wrote:

any recommendations as to which companies have the most phone or online shops available? Or any that you think pay the best?

Can I ask what mystery shopping companies make up the bulk of your income?

Hello everybody,
I am regular mystery shopper in India, wanted to know more global companies which carry out mystery shopping assignments for India region especially. Just wanted to check whether if i am not missing out any company to register.
Also, i am interested in restaurant, hotel and automotive mystery shopping programs, therefore, would like to get in touch with global companies wherein they provide such audits for global chains available in India or overseas.
Regards,
Pushkar Brahme