Wow. What did you do to deserve that kind of response?

If it's a shop that I can't repeat and there's study time, tests and a whole lot of guidelines I won't do it at all. For shops that are rarely done, I'll try and go for the ones with the bonus to make up for the time I had to put in. So, I do count for the study time and try to include the time it takes to find the shops and get little routes together.

@JerseyGirlShopper wrote:

Wow. What did you do to deserve that kind of response?

The person went off the rails around June 6th. Hasn't been here since June 18th.

From this thread:
Private Eyes Online contact went MIA after promising bonus

People can be unstable. That's about all I have to say about that. I try not to engage people like that, so I blocked the person. Apparently, they did not like being blocked?

Some shops require training or certifications through the MSC before becoming eligible to perform them. I don't consider that time when determining if the pay for the actual job is worth it. I doubt I would bother applying for a true one-and-done shop unless the fee was VERY high anyways.

When I shopped full time, I tried every shop under the sun that did not require an outlay of cash. I learned what shops I enjoyed and which ones to put on my ten foot pole list. I never included study time.

@SoCalMama wrote:

@JerseyGirlShopper wrote:

Wow. What did you do to deserve that kind of response?

The person went off the rails around June 6th. Hasn't been here since June 18th.

From this thread:
Private Eyes Online contact went MIA after promising bonus

People can be unstable. That's about all I have to say about that. I try not to engage people like that, so I blocked the person. Apparently, they did not like being blocked?

It boggles the mind that anyone would even ask what someone did to DESERVE that kind of response.

SoCalMama, I don't even read the PMs from such people anymore.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

Hmm. A slower reader or slower learner could charge more than a faster reader or faster learner for dealing with the same steps and/or materials associated with preparation. Some clever soul could dawdle and/or pad their expenses. These situations would not serve anyone well.

But we're self employed. Dawdling and/or padding expenses hurts only ourselves. Not to mention self-defeating: since MSCs typically accept the lowest bid, any shopper "padding" their estimate just won't get the shop.

I spent 6 hours one day last week planning a route. Had to study the guidelines, take the test, etc., etc, etc. Only to ultimately not accept the route (just not enough profit to make it worthwhile).

I'm very, very aware I spent 6 hours at exactly ZERO dollars per hour.

I do if it's a one-time shop that doesn't pay very well.

For recurring shops, I don't factor it in. E.g., Five Guys You can do 10's...100's? of FG shops and only have to study the guidelines once (and maybe browse for a few moments if you forget them later).

If I get an offer to do x job and x job looks like a one-time thing and/or:

1.) it doesn't pay very well
2.) it looks like it's quite tedious to perform

...then I'll factor in how long it takes to learn the job into my desired salary. If I can't get that amount, I've learned not to take the job, because it'll just frustrate me and I'll lament it and be griping (in my mind) the whole time. I just skip those nowadays OR ask for a huge bonus.

You didn't even say. You just wrote a response to my post that I was not worth talking to or something. Both of you did. Now you're talking about it here, out in the open, in a thread that doesn't have to do with anything.

Hey, growing up where I grew up I know chicks can be nasty to each other just for the sake of being nasty. I hadn't expected that to happen here because, there's no competition for anything. Unless this place is is sacred for your self-esteem or something. Otherwise, why be nasty to people here, just for the sake of being nasty.

@SueGraftonFan wrote:

@SoCalMama wrote:

@JerseyGirlShopper wrote:

Wow. What did you do to deserve that kind of response?

The person went off the rails around June 6th. Hasn't been here since June 18th.

From this thread:
Private Eyes Online contact went MIA after promising bonus

People can be unstable. That's about all I have to say about that. I try not to engage people like that, so I blocked the person. Apparently, they did not like being blocked?

It boggles the mind that anyone would even ask what someone did to DESERVE that kind of response.

SoCalMama, I don't even read the PMs from such people anymore.

Uh. Maybe I'm confused, but I think perhaps you are. The conversation SCM and SGF are talking about was with Spicy. If you read the referenced thread you will see the whole conversation. Your account is 1 month old, the referenced discussion is 2 months old. That should be a clue. lol

Unless you're secretly spicy with a new account?

As I went to bat for @johnb974, and these same two girlies were doing the same scheming thing to me, I responded. I'll admit it, I've never been able to determine what is the best way to shooo mean-girls

So @bgriffin, you think that they are confusing me with other posters and that's why they are making snarky remarks about my posts?

It seems to me, after reading this forum for quite a while, that you respond to threads, especially the deliciously controversial ones and most especially ones where girls are getting together tackling a girl but don't ever create any threads of your own also. You like watching girls tackling girls and maybe even tossing a little gas on the fire, yea! Cool hobby.

Ah. So you ARE Spicy. Welcome back Spicegirl.

I’m not sure what’s happening here. I’m not interested in drama. I just want to work, learn from others, and try to pass along any info that I’m able to share.

I got a bunch of PMs explaining the situation. Apparently, people can't go around knowing about mystery shopping, or anything else really, because only the couple of people here supposedly really know and can say. We can only ask stupid questions and be corrected and pretend we don't know anything and rely on the sage advise of the couple of professionals here.

Sorry @Rhondabryant

I spent a good half hour (I’m new) studying the guidelines, reviewing the report, and the website for a shop. I saw several listed and chose one to start with. It only paid $10. It took me an hour to do the shop and submit the report. I think I’ll be faster and better on the second one, but the limit for these is 2 shops.

Removed.
I see. JerseyGirlShopper = spicy1

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/14/2018 01:35AM by SoCalMama.

A half hour is a reasonable amount of time to prepare for a new shop. I think you'll be faster and better on the second one, too. It's too bad there's a two-shop limit, but your efforts won't go to waste. I'm pretty sure it'll all add to your level of confidence, etc.

@JerseyGirlShopper wrote:

Wow. What did you do to deserve that kind of response?

Ironic that you would post this since you are the one who sent the PM.
JerseyGirlShopper=spicy1

@Rhondabryant wrote:

I have noticed that doing several of the same type of shop tends to be speedier on the 2nd or 3rd time around, and that I do a better job on the reports. Many say "one and done" or have a shop limit, so I'm wondering how
the more experienced shoppers approach those.

@SoCalMama wrote:

I rarely do "one and done" shops, since it takes awhile to read the instructions. Some of the easier shops (gas stations, fast food, mailing, etc) I have done 100's of times. It is much more efficient for me.

@Rhondabryant - I understand your question to be about making best choices with your available time and being more selective in choosing assignments, rather than actually charging an hourly rate to MSCs as some appeared to assume (since we can't really do that anyway). So my answer is based on that understanding of your question.

While I wouldn't include general prep time such as having proper hygiene and appearance, when I am considering whether assignments are profitable for me to do, I include all other time working on what the MSC/client require to do the evaluation. This includes reading guidelines, taking tests, printing out tons of stuff, putting together packages, writing reports that take hours and hours, etc. So like SoCal, when I can spread the prep time across multiple assignments and over time, then it makes more sense for me to make that upfront investment because I become more efficient and eventually reach a decent (or at least acceptable) level of profit for those types of assignments.

Because I have to travel a pretty good distance to do any MS work, I really have to do routes to have any chance of making money. (I am not an entertainment MS'er; I do this as a business and it needs to produce real income and profit, not half-paid meals.) So I have to include all of the elements (travel time, hassle, expense) in my considerations of which assignments to add to my routes.

I avoid one and done evaluations. They would have to pay handsomely to be worth the trouble.

I keep getting contacted for a $50 eval that you can only do once in your life and you have to develop a complex and detailed backstory. I passed; they raised it to $60, $70, then $75. Even if something pays $75, but requires hours to prepare, then make and record calls in advance, find a target (I avoid targeted too as much as possible - another time waster and potential day killer.), record the on-site visit, and still have to spend hours to do a report, it's not worth it to me.

Again, for me (I know these must work well for others), it would just blow up my day and instead I could have done a higher quantity of other assignments with less onerous requirements. AND those are assignments I can repeat in the future with diminishing prep and time on location investment.

I don't think so. The writing styles are very different.

@bgriffin wrote:

Ah. So you ARE Spicy. Welcome back Spicegirl.

For legal or tax purposes, we might need to define when or under what circumstances we are preparing for shops. How would an attorney or the IRS view our proposed paid prep time if we asked for payment for prep which is performed while we:

- are in the tub, and taking a bath?
- riding an exercise bicycle?
- on a lounge chair at the beach while our kids play in the sand?
- on our given paid break time from another job?

My "hourly wage" that I am referring to is for my purposes only. It helps me decide if I want to do a shop or not. And differs over time. Today I may feel like doing a quiz whike relaxing on the deck, tomorrow I may not.
I took the OP's question that way.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

For legal or tax purposes, we might need to define when or under what circumstances we are preparing for shops. How would an attorney or the IRS view our proposed paid prep time if we asked for payment for prep which is performed while we:

- are in the tub, and taking a bath?
- riding an exercise bicycle?
- on a lounge chair at the beach while our kids play in the sand?
- on our given paid break time from another job?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/13/2018 06:12PM by prince.

@JASFLALMT wrote:

I don't think so. The writing styles are very different.

@bgriffin wrote:

Ah. So you ARE Spicy. Welcome back Spicegirl.

Actually if you read her post earlier in the thread she references going to bat for johnb in the discussion we were talking about and their reply to her. That conversation was as spicy. She basically just admitted to being spicy. So yes, it is her.

@bgriffin wrote:

@JASFLALMT wrote:

I don't think so. The writing styles are very different.

@bgriffin wrote:

Ah. So you ARE Spicy. Welcome back Spicegirl.

Actually if you read her post earlier in the thread she references going to bat for johnb in the discussion we were talking about and their reply to her. That conversation was as spicy. She basically just admitted to being spicy. So yes, it is her.

She doesn’t like you under either name.
Hahahaha

That's ok not many people do.

Rhondabryant
In life, you HAVE to dismiss ignorant, negative people. Some petty people live to berate each other on this forum often laced with sarcasm.
Learn to laugh at their comments and pray for their growth.

I'm fairly certain the sarcasm is supposed to elicite laughter......