Route shopping?

I am somewhat new to this business and see quite a bit of discussion about "route shopping". Can someone please give me an idea of how this works and if there are specific MSCs that offer routes? Thanks!

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Hello rrannala, basically, route shopping is when you you schedule a lot of shops along a particular "route." Many shoppers will find a high-paying shop somewhere as an "anchor shop", i.e. a shop that's worth making a long drive. Then they will find other shops in that area and along the route to supplement their income and offset expenses. A route could be anything from a single day trip to multi-week excursions. Route shopping allows you to do shops whose fees are not worth the drive by themselves.

For example, there might be 100 gas station shops in your state. You plan a driving route that let's you get as many done for the least cost and drive time. Then you look for other shops along your route. Typically, you find shops through many MSC's.

Some shoppers have negotiated higher fees for their routes due to being willing to complete a lot of shops and being able to get those in out-of-the-way locations. Of course, having positive history with an MSC helps when negotiating bonuses. As for what MSC's offer routes, that really depends on where you are. You can build routes with whatever shops are available. Sign up for as many MSC's as you can and see what's available near you.

A piece of advice: don't overbook yourself. While you might be able to complete 20 shops on paper and under ideal conditions, you might be better off with smaller, shorter routes as traffic, weather, and chatty salespeople can easily turn your plans sideways.
Troy, thanks for the detailed response. I really appreciate it. Makes sense now!
To clarify, the "anchor" might be several shops in an area that together make the drive worthwhile, it doesn't necessarily have to be one shop.
And here I thought I invented the term "anchor shop" for building a route around, LOL!!!!

That's why I like this forum -- so much help available from "seasoned" shoppers.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/2018 01:51AM by ceasesmith.
You might have. I don't recall when/where I first heard the term used in mystery shopping.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/2018 05:19AM by TroyHawkins.
I have seen, and used, "anchor" shop since volition days. For me, that would be more than 7 or 8 years ago.

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.


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/2018 11:23AM by walesmaven.
LOL! I never figured out how to use the Volition forum. But I use the term exactly as you explained -- the one shop that makes the route possible, then building around it.
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