I have done several gas station mystery shops. Now I'm seeing basically the same shop posted; however, it is described as a mystery shop followed by a revealed audit. There is no pay increase. Can anyone tell me how time consuming or involved the revealed audit portion is, please?

I am not sure if I am much help. I did my first one a couple of weeks ago. I am new to all of this so I feel like jobs take me longer. Keeping that in mind, it took me an hour and a half total. That's the mystery shop and going back to the car and answering the first half of the questions. Revealing myself and auditing the pumps, canopys, signs, store with pictures etc. Now that I know what to expect, it wouldn't take me near as long to do another one.

I would not do this shop for base pay. It can be very time consuming depending on the number of pumps and how busy the station is.

Get as much money as you can. The work for the revealed audit requires substantially more of your time than the basic mystery shop at the same/similar locations. Even though you will become efficient over time, there is always the possibility that you would experience delays in getting all the required and site-specific situational images. One MSC will not allow you to do mystery shops at the locations if you have done audits there. At least one other company allows you to do both types of assignments at their locations. If you have time, consider routes and more for each location on your route.

Also, if you choose reveal you could then be restricted or ineligible for future mystery shops with that brand.

Yes, if a reveal that you are a shopper does not prevent you from shopping the entire brand in the future, at the very least the location of the reveal will be off limits for any future shops. Probably not worth it.

@sestrahelena wrote:

Also, if you choose reveal you could then be restricted or ineligible for future mystery shops with that brand.

@nycrocks wrote:

Yes, if a reveal that you are a shopper does not prevent you from shopping the entire brand in the future, at the very least the location of the reveal will be off limits for any future shops. Probably not worth it. I don’t do audits but it seems like they would be a better option.

@sestrahelena wrote:

Also, if you choose reveal you could then be restricted or ineligible for future mystery shops with that brand.

Wait for the BONUS if you can. I never do these for base pay. Just take pics of every thing. Be sure to get the required photos. I usually end up with 30 pics most I don't use.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/31/2019 11:07PM by ShoppingDad.

That would be a "fast pass" for me. I have done the MS and I have done the Audit and a few times both together. But in all cases, the MS is a certain fee and the MS/Audit is a higher fee. Never accept this if the price is the same. It's too much work.

I do these for Maritz and for Ipsos and it takes me, max, 20 minutes on site if I don't use the app, 30 minutes on site if I use the app and am moving slowly, regardless of the number of pumps. I do at least 3 brands and find them super easy, mostly because not only do they pay my expenses but I have no narratives to write (literally have been known to put me to sleep). The minimum I do per month while school is in session since my kid doesn't drive yet, very part-time, is 70, during the summer I do 100-150 per month. Most employees are proud of their stations and enjoy having their hard work recognized. The only times I've had an issue is if the person who did it before me was a jerk (one literally sexually harassed the clerk then blamed it on side effects from his stroke so I don't photograph the clerks at that location, another one the person wasn't discreet with the bathroom picture so I just shut the door when I take it at that location). Initially it might take you longer, after a time you will be able to speed up significantly. I prefer the revealed ones because it's so much less stressful when the employees know why you're there. It's a part of their sales agreement so it shouldn't be a surprise that you're there. The advice I would give: refer to them as site visits (less ominous than audits), be polite and friendly, try to do each station the same way (i.e. order of pictures) each time so you don't forget a picture, try to do mostly the same brand on the same day so you don't have to think about remembering the quirks between brands as much, and always thank them and let them know you're all set before you leave so you leave a good impression.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/31/2019 10:17PM by KarenMSW.

Thanks Karen for your comments. I've been working with Maritz for years on audits and really enjoy them. Do you know what company is doing the BP stops now?

Milkman, we're not allowed to tell you. But if you're signed up with the 15 "most discussed" companies on the list provided here, you'll find them.

I finally did one if these the other day after the pay was raised by 2 dollars ( fee now 10 dollars). It isn't worth it. The gas station I audited had several problems with it so I had to take a lot of pictures. This meant that uploading my report took way too much time and was so frustrating due to the glitches on the website. I will never do another one of these shops again until they increase the pay for them to make it worth it.

@So_Free wrote:

I finally did one if these the other day after the pay was raised by 2 dollars ( fee now 10 dollars). It isn't worth it. The gas station I audited had several problems with it so I had to take a lot of pictures. This meant that uploading my report took way too much time and was so frustrating due to the glitches on the website. I will never do another one of these shops again until they increase the pay for them to make it worth it.

If that 's the fee that you're getting then you are not talking about the same assignments that I referenced above. If it's the one that I'm thinking about, then yes, the fee needs to be raised and yes, that brand often has many problems (at least the ones in my area that are still that brand, although I saw a station that had recently been renovated and it's now one of the nicest looking stations of any brand in my area) and most of the locations have rebranded within the last few months (however, the new branded stations don't seem to look any better than before and some look worse). I almost always hold out for more money except for one location that is always in great shape and if I am literally driving right past it.

Love this, Karen. Can I ask you a few questions in regards to how you do them?

@Cbrander wrote:

Love this, Karen. Can I ask you a few questions in regards to how you do them?

Absolutely! I'll be happy to help if I can.

Well, the audit shops have dropped in price ever since the MSC lost the contract for the hamburgler shops, Guess they were using the excess of those to cover the other shops.