Income potential
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With a personal vehicle and daytime availability, you could move quite quickly to $1000 per month in a market like the Chicago Metro area. More if you invest in doing video shops after you have learned the basics of doing apartment, new home, auto purchase, assisted living and valet parking shops. But, learn to do the non-video versions FIRST!
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
It is too variable from person to person and region to region, and also takes time to build relationships with the companies you work for, for me to be able to give you an accurate answer on what YOU can make. Traffic and ability to move quickly from location to location plays a big part in how much you can make, also types of shops available and what types of shops you want to do, and of course the number of shoppers in your area competing for the shops you want to do. I live in NE Ohio in a small city of about 250,000 people, and I can get anywhere I want to be during nonpeak traffic times in about 20 minutes. When I started 16 years ago I made about $100-$200 a week part time and now it's between $400-$700 per week, and I am very part time, as I have other means of income. There are shoppers who make $1,000 or more per week but those are maily video shoppers I believe. You are going to get a drastic range of input on this.
Thanks! I would love to do video shops eventually, but I'm getting my feet wet doing other shops. I would like to make a full time income doing this at some point! There's a lot of flexibility and as a single mom I need flex!
It's variable, as has been pointed out.
In the Chicago metro area, I am pretty sure it would beat getting a part time job.
In the Chicago metro area, I am pretty sure it would beat getting a part time job.
My answer was based on what I know Chicago-based shoppers who also do video and at least do day trips outside of the metro area are making. A beginner will have to build their business but can move move up fairly quickly in that location.
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shaynes5,
You did not mention your age. Regardless of where you live, if you are young-ish, you can do age compliance shops. Someone can tell us what the age ranges are for tobacco and alcohol compliance shops, and you can determine your eligibility and interest in these shops. Good luck with whatever you do about mystery shopping!
You did not mention your age. Regardless of where you live, if you are young-ish, you can do age compliance shops. Someone can tell us what the age ranges are for tobacco and alcohol compliance shops, and you can determine your eligibility and interest in these shops. Good luck with whatever you do about mystery shopping!
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu
I was only questioning mobility because a few months ago I was with my sister coming back from Wisconsin to Ohio, and we bypassed Chicago--which took about two hours to do, and it wasn't during peak traffic times. I am guessing it would depend on a lot of factors, since that is such a large city, such as whether you live in an area where you can walk to a lot of shops, take a train, or if you live in the outskirts and not in the city limits, etc.
My daughter lives and works in Chicago (W. Loop) and while there are many jobs, traffic is impossible,parking costly, however you could do a few in the downtown area and not need a car as walking is easy and transportation good. We take Uber or walk. Living in the city is an asset, do you live in the city or Subs.
Dinners and paying for your perks is very feasible. I would sign with The Source and see how it goes.
Building relationships with your companies take a few months, but all in all, you can supplement your income,
it's worth a try. I work part time now due to Lo Angeles and the driving problems, takes all my time getting there, whatever you do, it's worth a try. This Industry has a bit for all, it depends on you.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2017 03:33PM by Irene_L.A..
Dinners and paying for your perks is very feasible. I would sign with The Source and see how it goes.
Building relationships with your companies take a few months, but all in all, you can supplement your income,
it's worth a try. I work part time now due to Lo Angeles and the driving problems, takes all my time getting there, whatever you do, it's worth a try. This Industry has a bit for all, it depends on you.
Live consciously....
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2017 03:33PM by Irene_L.A..
There are also a ton of parking shops in DT Chicago that can be used to "anchor" many other shops within walking distance, plus a whole lot of shops that I know shoppers fly in from, say, Minneapolis. rent a car to do and make a profit. So, there is a very good range of shops within 2 hours of Chicago that must need route shoppers or route folks from WI, MN, IN and OH would not be making money in that area! I follow a major FB site full of route shoppers and they post about what they are doing, so I know what's going begging within day-trip radius of Chicago! There is also a pair of Chicago residents who do not own a car but use public transit combined with cheap rental car options to shop full time. Met them at an IMSC conference and keep up with them on FB private pages for route shoppers.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2017 04:07PM by walesmaven.
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2017 04:07PM by walesmaven.
You guys know more than I do about it, that's for sure. I've never shopped there. The three times I visited the city to be "touristy" we stayed down by the lakeside off Wacker twice and once up in the theater district, and we walked everywhere. Nice city, at least those parts. I bet the hotel and restaurant shops there are fun. I hear Southside is a little rough.
Also, I do DC Metro area which, believe it or not, has much worse traffic than Chicago Metro. And, yes, as a SE Wisconsinite, I traveled those roads often and still do when I make trips to see family in WI. (Go Packers! 1 week to preseason opening day!)
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Oh, I've experience DC traffic. I was born at Andrews AFB and lived in Arlington for a few years, though that was a long time ago. But, my husband's aunt Jean has a condo on the Chesapeake Bay and my sister lived in Bethesda for awhile, so I am familiar with the idiots who drive on the roads where you live! Boston and NYC are pretty awful, too.
No one goes to the Southside, been going there 20 years and don't have a clue as to where the southside is....
why would I.....Michigan Ave, Lakeshore Dr., and my daughters area being close to downtown, shopping, restaurants, the river and all that offers, Art Institude of Chicago, I could go on and on...we go out her door and walk 2 blks to amazing restaurants like "The girl and her goat" (winner of Food Networks best chef) right there. Whole Foods with a bar is fun, everything within walking distance. My kind of town Chicago is, Frank Sinatra's
famous song, I know, most of you are too young to even know who Frank Sinatra is, that was the age of the love song. Sorry, I digressed. Jas, it is one of the most violent city's, so location is most important, as it is in most
big cities. I always want to do a house trade with her, but she says, no Mom, Valencia is fine for you.....
why would I.....Michigan Ave, Lakeshore Dr., and my daughters area being close to downtown, shopping, restaurants, the river and all that offers, Art Institude of Chicago, I could go on and on...we go out her door and walk 2 blks to amazing restaurants like "The girl and her goat" (winner of Food Networks best chef) right there. Whole Foods with a bar is fun, everything within walking distance. My kind of town Chicago is, Frank Sinatra's
famous song, I know, most of you are too young to even know who Frank Sinatra is, that was the age of the love song. Sorry, I digressed. Jas, it is one of the most violent city's, so location is most important, as it is in most
big cities. I always want to do a house trade with her, but she says, no Mom, Valencia is fine for you.....
Live consciously....
Irene, I have never been to the Southside either, but my guess it is on the south side, LOL (sorry, couldn't help it). I know who Frank Sinatra is, love him. He was still alive when I was a young adult, you know. Oh, and my mother skipped school when she was 16 to go see him in concert, she listened to his albums while we were growing up so of course I knew who he was. I have some of his CDs and I listen to his music on Sirius XM in my car. I loved him in the movies, too. And Bing Crosby, and Dean Martin, and Tony Bennett...etc.
I'm 38 and I live on the north side of the city about 4 blocks from Wrigley. I don't work downtown anymore so I would steer clear of any shops down there or in any of the touristy areas. Simply because it would cost me $40 to park and is not worth it and I need my car for my other part time job. I've found a ton in the surrounding neighborhoods and since I have daytime availability then it makes driving pretty easy. Maybe once a week I'll try and plan a route to the burbs but that's tricky because you pretty much have to make sure and be off of the expressways by 2 pm at the latest to avoid grid lock. But there are a couple of malls that tend to have several shops going all at once.
But walesmaven says there are parking garage shops downtown, so you can make money to park and then walk to shops? Just a thought.
Macy's, the old Marshall Field is the mot beautiful store I have ever seen and the food court on the 6th fl. I bet they have jobs, just have to find out who does them. Good luck and happy shopping, looks like you have started your search.
Live consciously....
Shay, you can do parking shops and head downtown to pick up a whole slew in walking distance. Also, try Service Scouts or Amusement Advantage for Chicago attractions (don't pay much, but worth the experience). Search the forum and you can figure out who does the postal shops; some get bonused heavily at the end of the month, and if you mail stuff, they're worth taking at base price. Use the search tab to find out about parking and other stuff.
"Let me offer you my definition of social justice: I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well then tell me how much of what I earn belongs to you - and why?” ~Walter Williams
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