I've been exploring the various types of shops that are available in my area to give everything a chance, see if enjoy that type of shop, and if I feel confident in doing them. I'm very new, so I'm still learning and growing.
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. I don't want to exclude learning opportunities, but I also don't want to get in over my head.

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.

I don't include "study time" as I am planning as, most of the shops that I do are the same as others I have done many times. I do look over the guidelines to check for specific questions I need to ask or to see if there have been changes, but this amount of time is pretty minimal. Now, if I am thinking about picking up a shop that I do not anticipate doing again, I do include "study time" in my math as it always takes a little bit to sort through the directions - which are often unnecessarily long and/or unclear.

As you get going, you will simply take longer to do shops. You are unfamiliar with the sequences, reports, expectations, etc. However, you'll find that across all MSC's different categories of shops are very similar, so once you've done a bunch of apartments, for instance, they are all about the same - with just a few variations here and there.

I do not count that. The time on-site and the reporting time are the work/the job. Everything else is something else.

Of course! Any time I have to spend preparing for a shop is time "on the clock" toward that shop. Sometimes it takes longer to read the guidelines and surveys than it does to do the shop. That has to be figured into the hourly rate I set for myself as a minimum. Last week I did a two-part shop I'd never done before. The prep time was an hour. The shops took 16 minutes, the reports about twenty minutes to half an hour each. I'd be a fool not to count that prep time. My hourly rate didn't quite reach my goal, but I'm hoping to do another of these. All I'll need to do is briefly review the materials ahead of time, so my net rate will be higher. On average, I'll realize my goal.

If I've done a shop many times before and only need to take a few minutes to review materials, then I don't count the time precisely, but I do keep it in mind when deciding whether or not to take the shop.

Personally, I think shoppers do themselves a disservice not to count "prep" time as work time. In my freelance business, I often have to do research before writing something. That time has to be billed to the client, not just the time from when I sit down and start typing! Otherwise I'd be short changing myself tremendously.

Sometimes the guidelines are very long. I find myself needing to take notes or make a plan/checkoff list so I can keep track of everything.

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.

Oh, I’m not suggesting to ask for more money. I’m trying to figure out what my pay rate comes up to at the end of the day. Are the shops worth doing if there are 5 pages of guidelines and can only do the shop once?

If a shop has 5 pages of guidelines and you're SURE you can only do it once, for me, that wouldn't work.

Prep time is work time.

I do not count studying/printing time, as it is our responsibility to read the instruction's, not theirs. They (most of the time) pay the fee for doing the job at the location, unless you arrange travel time ahead. I am a very part time shopper these days, and liberal as to pay, not down to the penny.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/11/2018 02:51PM by Irene_L.A..

Some people negotiate for the darnedest things and might not have to show them on tax forms. Is anyone willing to admit here that they negotiate for payment by the minute, the second, or the nanosecond?

I know that in many other businesses and working situations people are not paid for their prep time, whether that involves showering or shaving in order to be presentable or reading guidelines for a mystery shop. Some people can deduct assorted cosmetic treatments if they can prove that the cosmetic treatments are necessary for employment.

Paid training is another matter entirely. Are there any mystery shops or other assignments that provide training?

Another aspect of preparation is general. Attending the mystery shopping conventions counts as continuing education for your work generally in this industry, and your expenses for that are tax deductible. You can be trained in video at a conference. This is not paid training per se for the shopper, but it might pay off handsomely for the shopper in future fees and opportunities.

You originally asked about the end of the work day. But how about this: At the end of the tax year, would it be more beneficial to have the potentially large deductions for your continuing education?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/11/2018 04:22PM by Shop-et-al.

I think there’s a misunderstanding. I’m not asking for payment for prep time or training.

Is there any way to block someone on this forum so that I no longer can see them and vice versa? I’d just like to avoid anyone who seems to be looking to admonish or berate others.

@BirdyC wrote:

In my freelance business, I often have to do research before writing something. That time has to be billed to the client, not just the time from when I sit down and start typing! Otherwise I'd be short changing myself tremendously.

Me: *spends three weeks interviewing, researching, following up, fact-checking, double-checking critical info, getting quotes approved, asking guardians for permission to quote their minors, getting said minors to say anything besides 'um, yeah, it was cool'*
Me: *writes the article in an hour* *pitches the article*
The Boss: 1,000 words? $100 sounds fair to me.

@Rhondabryant wrote:

Is there any way to block someone on this forum so that I no longer can see them and vice versa? I’d just like to avoid anyone who seems to be looking to admonish or berate others.

Click on their name and then click
Toggle visibility
You won’t see their posts but they will see yours.

Some loser that I blocked sent me a nasty pm anyway. (Eye roll)

OMG fine I'll stop!

yep you can

omg i bet it is the same person I have blocked (clique)

Inquiring minds want to know, come on SoCalMama, spill the beans.

I got a stupid PM after I blocked someone, too. That message was about as clueless as most of that person's posts.

As for "study time," I take everything into account, but "study time" is negligible for many shops.

I count study time...but I do not figure out an overall hourly wage as I am a part timer and have reasons in addition to $$ that I mystery shop. I just figure out about how much time I am spending for an individual job including reading the notes which are distinct in my mind from prepping for work in general such as getting dressed nicely or combing my hair or attending conferences. If it is job specific I count it and then think about whether the whole package of the shop is worth it to me to do. I include in worth things like clock time, driving time, aggravation during driving and finding parking, enjoyment of the specific shop, reimbursements etc. It is all subjective on my part but I come up with an idea about whether the shop is worth it. I have done one off shops with longish instructions if I think they sound fun, interesting...fun to me not the scheduler.

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

Inquiring minds want to know, come on SoCalMama, spill the beans.

I’ll post it later again. I’m shopping (I already did 4.5 hours OT @ regular job)

I consider it work time. Work time with a coffee on the deck. So a lower rate of pay is acceptable to me for that.

So maybe 4-5 pages to study carefully, then a report with several pages to study is probably best for shops that can be done more than once. Maybe at least a few times to offset that time. As a new shopper, I’m slower, of course. I’m trying not to miss anything.

It's good to take your time in order to minimize errors.

Wait til you hit the shops with 40-46 pages of stuff to print out! And the tests you have to pass, too.

Oh gosh, I’m definitely not ready to take that on!

SueGraftonFan 6m New
I got a stupid PM after I blocked someone, too. That message was about as clueless as most of that person's posts.

As for "study time," I take everything into account, but "study time" is negligible for many shops.


It was me that she blocked. She said a pretty crappy one liner about my post and I pm'ed her to ask her why she would do such a crappy thing to someone. She just made herself look bad by coming on to the thread and just saying that I was stupid. Why would anyone do that? Now, she's calling all of my posts clueless. She must be the drunk that was on the imsc call.

@ceasesmith wrote:

It's good to take your time in order to minimize errors.

Wait til you hit the shops with 40-46 pages of stuff to print out! And the tests you have to pass, too.

Oops...looks like I did the quote thing wrong.

Anyway, the quizzes are what gets me more than the time spent prepping.

When I prep, I read through the directions and make notes about things that I know I won't remember or specifics. By making notes on paper, it helps me remember and then I write on that piece of paper after the shop. Sometimes it's the back side of my "working paper..." with shop ID, address, etc.

I do count the paper in my expenses, though, just as I count mileage.

The thing about prep is that when you do a certain shop a few times, prep is minimal. And many times schedulers will highlight any changes, which helps tremendously!

On the other hand....quizzes. Ugh. I hate quizzes so much that I probably miss out on hundreds of shops! I don't want to take the time to read through the materials and answer a quiz...when I'm going to read through the materials anyway (and take notes) to do the shop. I honestly have completed less than 10 quizzes in 10 years of shopping, leaving me with less work. I'm too busy to add quiz time (study and take) to my list of things to do. I rarely get bad reviews on shops; I do read and comprehend directions. I wish just shoppers who really mess up had to do quizzes. Recently, I was hanging out at my mom's house in the mountains, with nothing to do. I took 2 quizzes. I rarely, though, have "nothing to do...."

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

Inquiring minds want to know, come on SoCalMama, spill the beans.

Here you go Irene!

From: spicy1 To: SoCalMama 06/06/2018 04:59PM
Skank

Pretty classy, right?