#1 - Ditto with Lisa. Depends on shop density and how far you are willing to travel. I shop two metro areas. One I'm 20 miles from civilization, so I try to line up a series of shops to do. Video shopping or the longer shops are a good way to make more money About 1/2 of my shops are bonused each month. For example, I have five shops today that would normally total $100 that I will earn $183 instead.

#2 - How many hours a week do most of you put into this? It varies. I look at travel time, depreciation on the car, and report time.

#3 - What is the average payout for a shop? Varies. I generally do not accept shops less than $12 total fee and reimbursement. But I have self-assign privileges with several companies

#4 -I signed up for over 100 companies initially. While I search for shops on jobslinger.com, Mystery Shopping Job Board, Gigspot, Prestomap and others, emails are the primary source of my jobs. I do repeat shops and have several companies I check regularly. One sends an email with a list of open jobs. I have other MSC in which I can self-assign and may use to fill out a dance card.

#5 - There are a few companies that have some jobs that require it, but they are few and far between. It may be that shops in which you apply may take it into account.

#6 Most MSC/schedulers communicate via text or email. There is one exception.

#7- I began with the MSPA website. When I signed up with jobslinger,com, they had a list of Sassie MSC companies. As I progressed I went from information on this site to sign up for more companies.

#8 - Unsure. I use gmail.

Like mentioned, assuming you know the guidelines and not double checking before you shop is the easiest way to have a shop rejected.
I ended up doing three shops this weekend...all shops I'm familiar with, and all 3 had changed the questions/guidelines slightly.
I noticed 5 guys shop detail recently added the red polo shirt can be a manager (took the company long enough as the red polo shirt was discussed on here months ago)
In one shop I was mentally making note of a product recommendation as it was required last couple times I did this particular shop.Not required this time.
And i one food shop the old requirements used ot make you write in what specifically you ordered. Now they don't.

These changes were all simple enough, as the shops no longer required stuff I was used to getting, but the point being, even the tiniest little thing can change on a shop. So double/triple check your guidelines.

Where are you that it's 12:15am April 19th

I keep forgetting to ask this question -- though it has been on my mind since I started researching mystery shopping...

What type of shop, in your opinion, would be best for a newbie?

I realize this can be quite subjective, dependent upon location, MSCs one signs up with, fee desired, etc. So, I'm asking from the angle of assumption that:
a) all of the following shops are available in a newbie's geographic area
b) said newbie is willing to take a variety of shops to get started

Shops available: automobile dealer, automobile service, bank, bar, casual dining, fast food, fine dining, hotel/resort and mail.

USPS shop guidelines are clearly written. Although it looks like 90+ questions on the evaluation, it only takes me about 10 minutes to complete the report. Very straight-forward and the only narrative is if something extraordinary happens. I count them as super-simple.

Fast food, also very simple.

I found the oil change/car service shops to be well written, easy to follow, and simple to report. I drive so much I qualify for an oil change about every other month; love getting something I need and getting reimbursed for it! In my area, they also pay $25-$30. There is more narrative involved, but not an overwhelming amount. Several timings, descriptions, and names required.

Banking can range from simple and easy inquiries to long, involved discussions about planning for retirement.
They range from $15 to $250. Obviously, the $250 shop is NOT for beginners! Heavy narrative requirements.

Automotive dealers, depending on the MSC, can be easy or impossible. I personally find some shop guidelines to be so poorly written as to be confusing and difficult. Others are so clearly written and easy to follow that they are a joy. Some companies give new shoppers "sample narratives" -- if you follow the structure of the sample closely, you'll be a rock star. I would overall state, though, get some other experience under your belt before attempting these.

You get into fine dining/hotel/resort, expect HOURS of detailed narrative. Not for the newbie -- too much at stake if you goof and your report is not accepted.

Apartment/senior living (I know, you didn't ask!) can range from difficult to impossible. Not for beginners!

Some companies, if you're upfront with your scheduler that "I'm new, I might have a lot of really dumb questions", will say "we'll walk you right through it" and be encouraging and positive -- those are the ones you want to do your best for. Others will throw you under the bus.

I personally don't like doing many different types of jobs in one day. I might do 3 banks today and 5 gas stations tomorrow, and 3 fast foods the next day. Other shoppers do 17 shops in one day, and mix them all up. I couldn't possibly keep that many different types of shops straight -- I'd for sure screw up some of them. Especially if several of them were "new to me" shops.

That being said, today I'm doing one gas station, one price audit, and one fast food. But they are all shops I have done before and I'm extremely comfortable with all of them. And since you didn't ask, I'll tell you -- I'm
getting $110 for the audit, $125 for the gas station, and $50 for the fast food, so I will make $285 plus reimbursements for my 8 hour day.

Simple bank teller shops are a good starter category. They are so thick on the ground that once you get comfortable (after 2-3 such shops) you could really load up on them. FF shops, as said, can be easy. My first 2 shops were a bank and FF. That was my last FF shop; I discovered that I hated split-second, multiple, timings. YMMV

Parking shops, except perhaps for high end hotel valet parking, are easy and pay from about $10 to $25 for non-video. (Less for shops that focus on "please and thank you" issues and more for cash integrity shops.

Casual (not FF) dining shops vary so widely in the precision they require that you may want to ask about the peculiarities of those by simply asking about each client. (Remembering to NEVER name both the client and the MSC in the same thread.)

@CharlieJ
I've been doing this for right about a year now.... I live in an urban area that seems to be short of mystery shoppers, so my numbers might not match others', but...
* I work full time and still can pull in better than $1000 in a month. I can pull in better than $1000 in a week if I'm off work. However, in order to do that, I have to be willing to drive and negotiate a little with the MSC's. I specifically look for shops in rural areas about an hour from home that have bonuses and have been left undone for a while. I can put together a long day on the road for $300-$400 two or three times a week.
* Honestly, doing shops near me is not much more efficient - unless they are really close by - as driving in the city makes ten miles seem like 100 sometimes. Plus, it's a lot more stressful. For the sake of efficiency, I avoid malls and big box stores, unless I can park once at said mall and do about four or five shops. For the most park, if the shop doesn't profit at least $15-$20, it's not worth the time -even on a short form - unless I'm already standing at the location and waiting.
* What type of shop should you do to start? I'd pick a shop that is similar to what you have done as a regular customer. It makes it easier to conduct yourself as an actual customer and get a feel for the observations and timings you'll have to do. I am familiar with car sales, so I found that doing new car shops was an easy way to get myself into a groove. Banks were easy, too.

That's an excellent point you make, MF. I actually know people who have never eaten at ANY fast food establishment. They might own Pepsi stock, or Coke stock, but have never, EVER, eaten at a McDonald's, Burger King, or KFC! I would think a ff shop for them would be extremely difficult.

Really good point.

I would suggest taking a Marketforce smartphone shop, that way you get the experience of making up a story and sticking to it, but the report is a breeze. If you fly through that then you can do some shops that require a little narrative and get a feel for it, perhaps some retail or some teller shops. Then do a new car shop and if you like those branch out into apartments. I think that is kind of a natural progression.

@CharlieJ, along with the good advice above, my recommendation would be to shop the kind of places you already use, whether you've gone to that particular place or not, where you don't feel you have to pretend to have a reason to go there, and they don't require some involved "scenario." You'll feel awkward enough without having to make up things and keep your story straight.

My first shop was at a retail store that had nothing I could or would wear, and way above my budget. The staff is trying to help me but there's nothing, so we shift to shopping for a gift, and I have no one I need to buy for. I don't remember if I had to buy and return, or I could just leave, but it was so awkward I wouldn't do it again for years.

If you mess up, you could be stuck with the bill. It's a little better with retail because you can almost always return it, but you can't return a meal. You may hate mystery shopping, they may hate you, but at least you won't have paid out of pocket for a miserable experience. One great benefit of MS for me is discovering casual restaurants I never would have tried; now I go even on my own dime.

(Editing to add: Even Marketforce recently polled us on whether we've continued to frequent businesses we were introduced to through MSing. I think it was around 90% yes.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/2017 09:38PM by ShopWhisperer.

My 2 cents for what its worth. I doubt anyone is making 2K net per month 3-4 days per week not living in a major metro area.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/20/2017 03:25AM by ShoppingDad.

You are probably wrong. Metro areas have more shops, but more shoppers which means less opportunity for bonus.

I worked ~170 days last year, which is about 3.5 days a week on average. This is my sole income and I wouldn't be doing it for $2k net per month.

Edited to add that in Feb of last year I moved from a metro area of 250,000 people to one with 25,000 people. Neither of those places could be considered urban.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/20/2017 03:32AM by bgriffin.

@ShoppingDad wrote:

My 2 cents for what its worth. I doubt anyone is making 2K net per month 3-4 days per week not living in a major metro area.

I don't know. I do know my 3 shops today netted me $285 + reimbursements. My friend I am mentoring made $355 today, but she had 8 hours drive time and 6 shops -- 1 ff, 1 restaurant, 2 gas stations, and 2 hardware stores. She will receive reimbursements on top of the $355 in fees. Yesterday she did 2 shops for $180 plus reimbursements, and laughed that it was a "short day" -- only had to drive 4 hours! Tomorrow she's only driving an hour and a half, but she's only making $85 (plus reimbursements). She has made over $1,100 this month
and not worked anywhere close to 40 hours a week. She has 10 days left to meet her goal of $2,000 this month. She might hit it, too!

I sometimes get lucky and get an overnight route, with between 8-12 shops, averaging $100 each.

I actually think it's easier to hit $2,000 in the rural areas. I'd rather drive 100 miles in the country with no traffic (1 hours, 30 minutes) than sit in some city traffic and not make 25 miles in an hour. And I would a whole lot rather do 20 shops for $100 each than 100 shops at $20 each! If you could even FIND 100 shops paying $20!

Did you ever get the question that you were looking for or the answers that you were looking for?

I'll reiterate the shop with what you are familiar with to start. If you have to go to a certain place or need a certain service, and you usually go anyway, those are the clients to start with. (like oil changes....people with cars need oil changes, so they are always doable in my book, I have to eat so all food places are doable in my book, in need a haircut so I'll do those)
But don't seek out shops for places you may not normally go, like say you don't eat hamburgers and fries normally then don't pick a Sonic shop (though if you do, Sonic shops aren't too difficult, and they give you enough to do to get a lot of basic shopping skills going...but they don't pay well).
The reason being if something goes wrong and the shop isn't accepted, you don't just not get the shop fee, but most MSCs aren't going to reimburse you.
So you eat a meal you don't like and don't get paid. That's no fun.
But seriously Charlie, you've asked enough good questions on here and sought out some good advice, that I have little doubt you are going to succeed at any shop you undertake.

I too have major back problems in fact I have a rod up the middle of my back that holds my spine up. I fall about ten years ago crush my spine down on all the nervser that run up it. I have be able to do many different kinds of shops . I also from time to time with found lite merchainzing work I can do . So my adivce is keep looking you will be able to found jobs.

Hi Charlie! I am still a new shopper, though I did my first shop back in September. I read a lot about mystery shopping, signed up for a ton of companies, and still felt a bit lost so I kind of stopped doing it for a while.

All that being said, your questions and many of the responses have been so helpful! I know several posters said they do not like jobslinger, but I hadn't heard of it until your post so THANK YOU After looking it up, it has given me new information that I have struggled to find, such as which companies have which type of MS available in my area. I felt kind of stuck and lacking in variety of what I had found and this helped so much.

Anyways, thanks for posting and good luck on your adventures! I'll keep working on reading this thread bc I didn't quite finish it and it has lots of great info.

Froggy, try Presto Insta Maps, as well. It shows (I think -- somebody please correct me if I'm wrong!) shops from companies that use the SASSIE platform. It's easy to use to plan routes and also extremely useful in naming the companies that have shops in your area, as well as what type of shops they are.

When you do a couple of shops, you start to learn what are your weak spots. Printing out the guidelines and reading them over does not help me remember what I needed to do. For me, I print out the guidelines only after I read it a few times & if it does not make sense, then re-read it after printing and then write down the key points. I write it down on a sheet of binder paper, what are the key points I needed to make the shop successful. Stuff like, must order 1 appetizer, 1 entree, 1 non-alcoholic beverage and no dessert, what time greeted, what time ordered, time received order, order taker's name, pick up associate's name/description, etc. They are also phone call shops to do that are recorded and non recorded. The MSC will provide you with a verification code to record your phone call for the phone shops.