Yes, it is. It's a cluster of rich, entitled, rude, jerks.

Which is why the bank shop that normally pays about $50 paid $265.

So your saying all rich are entitled, rude, jerks, how rude.

Oh, no, Irene, I didn't say that at all.

Just the ones I ran into in Jackson Hole.

And I personally know many very nice rich people.

I have a friend I've known for years, only online, that I've known since ebay had groups (maybe 2005ish) who had a dream of buying an RV and traveling between her 3 kids who lived all over the US and some other cool place for the rest of her life. She has a decent retirement plan, but was worried about the expense of traveling. I told her about MarketForce and one other MSC that has gone out of business since. She started doing shops while she was still working, but now she lives on the road with her husband and 2 dogs mystery shopping while enjoying this wonderful country of ours. Besides their retirement, they ONLY do mystery shopping. Once they got used to MSing, they were doing a lot of big pay shops and spending a lot of time reporting, looking for hotspots, etc. Now, they do those $7 gas stations times 20 and do the fast food/casual dining places for $6, the grocery stores for a $15 reimbursement because that is what works for them. That is who does these shops. I've often thought about doing the same thing, though I and my SO have several years left until we can retire and I cashed my retirement in when I was taking care of my dying sister. I think a lot about doing this until I die and I would do whatever it takes to survive, so I'll take those measly money shops when I need lunch or groceries. There's a shop for everyone.

The $15 grocery shops are useful. We would buy groceries regardless. I have also taken the $5 convenience store with the $2.50 purchase, since my husband buys coffee there and I would normally just wait in the car. Doing the shop doesn't add any time and the report is short.

@ceasesmith wrote:

Yes, that does make more sense.

I think maybe learning to search effectively would be a tactic for you to master.

For example, say I'm headed to Jackson Hole, WY. First I check Presto; are there any shops there with MSCs I'm not already familiar with, and do they look interesting? THEN I'll check my job boards for my favorite companies -- companies I KNOW have gas stations, hotels, post office, or bank shops. All of a sudden, I have 7 shops lined up for Jackson Hole, with a total of about $400 for a day's work. I have spent 15 minutes.

I know within 300 miles of me who has shops. I do not know who has shops in Jackson Hole, WY.

I do not know if you are urban or rural. But I could not function without a list of which companies offer shops I do/like/want/need.

I want to go to Jackson Hole. I know who does hotels, so I check that particular company to see if they have anything. I know who has gas stations, c-stores, post offices, retail, and banks -- so I'll check those websites.

I don't SURF. I search with specificity.

I always felt Jackson Hole sounded like a funny city name. *shrug* I don't know why.

Yeah, I need to try that Presto App. I made note of it before, but haven't used it yet.

I do sort of do what you said above (maybe with some tiny variation). But, I also surf/browse too.

I used to accept emails from all 140 MSCs I'm with, but when I took that year off (2018), it was a living nightmare from hell to clear my email! I'd log in every three weeks or so and get super steamed from the clutter.

I stopped allowing emails from the majority of companies. I only accepted them from about 10 and then I browse the other 130 companies from time to time.

Not sure if my "system" is efficient or not, though. It's just what I'm doing currently. RECENTLY, I've been annoyed mainly because someone is grabbing up every single shop from several MSCs in my area. I see all these disjointed ones that are far apart. I will try Presto next time I'm planning something!

That might change my experience dramatically.

LOL. They are taking the shops because they are getting the e-mails.

You might want to turn back on the e-mails you turned off.

I know exactly what you mean; I get about 200 e-mails a day. On my phone, I can swipe them off probably 200 of them in a minute or less.

I keep PrestoInstaMaps open on my computer 24/7. Since it's a map display, you can route from it so easily. It shows SASSIE company only shops. I am NOT talking about the phone app.

@ceasesmith wrote:

LOL. They are taking the shops because they are getting the e-mails.

I re:'d your point above in the other thread, cs, but I said I did have emails ON for the MSCs/shops I wanted to do.

Summary:

I have notifications "on" for about 10 MSCs for which I do the most shops or am curious about (including the ones I said had shops all taken). So, I DO see the emails.

The remaining 130 or so, I have off. Those are ones I have never done or do few shops with. I'll browse those every now and then.

@ wrote:

I am NOT talking about the phone app.

Yeah, I just use "app" as a universal word for software service (which I assumed Presto was). Not sure if that language is technically correct or not.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/2019 03:06PM by shoptastic.

Ooops. I see "app", and I automatically assume it's an app, not a website. I keep the website open. I believe it's PrestoInstaMaps.com

@1cent wrote:

@ShoppingDad wrote:

@bgriffin wrote:

If you evaluate each individual shop on its own even many high paying shops don't make sense. You need to learn how to evaluate groups of shops.

How does that increase the shop pay?

So I prefer to lose money when I have the time and learn how to get it done properly. Because when bonuses are going around, the number of offers can actually be overwhelming. Anything that I can do to prepare in advance will result in higher earnings.

I prefer to NEVER lost money. I've never encountered a shop I couldn't read over 15 mins before doing it and then do it. Granted an all day audit is another story, but haven't seen any offered at $5.00

We are all different.

Never encounter any of these in my area. My experience has been that its take a lot more time than its worth for me.

@JASFLALMT wrote:

But a $5 shop that takes 5 minutes (including report time) can be worth it. Lately one MSC is evaluating gas station kiosks that belong to a regional grocer store in my area. I prepay $5 in gas to see if they ask for my loyalty card, thank me, and invite me to return. No names, no descriptions, all yes and no answers, no narrative, report on phone. Pays $5 and reimburses $5.

@ShoppingDad wrote:

I wouldn't even do a $5.00 shop even if its on my way to a high paying shop, not worth the time it takes to do it.

Right. They are regional. One of them is 4 miles from my house. None of them are more than 20 miles away.

I never accept any low paying shop. I am shocked anyone would. Look: The name of the game is to get the shop done at the lower cost by a competent shopper who shows up and completes it in an exemplary manner. MS companies want to avoid shoppers who are not reliable because a shop not completed up to standard, or not completed at all, is detrimental in a highly competitive mystery shopping industry. There is your bargaining chip; don't underestimate your value. Once these mystery shopping companies realize you are skilled and reliable, they usually have no problem offering a fair compensation, in my experience. But, you do need to explain what your cost is for transportation, parking, gas, time, urban driving hassle, etc.

shopwatch, do you get that if you can do 4-5 low paying shops in an hour that are all within a few miles of your home and each other, it can average out to $20-$30 (or more) per hour?

A lot of the lower paying shops I do I pick up in the middle of a route. Oh, the marketforce app has a shop for that drive in across the street. I can spend 15 minutes doing the shop for $6 and meal I would eat anyway or I could spend 10 extra minutes on the phone and make it a $10 shop. The extra 10 minutes is more valuable to me than the extra $4.

I think "free" food tastes better, LOL.