Ercotat,
In the beginning we have all had to take some routes where we just broke even with fuel costs to get the experience and build our reputations. I suggest that if you can make only $5 on a mini-route to gain experience and establish yourself with an MSC as reliale, that will begin to pay off well.
When I started, I needed to clear $400 per month. Step by step, I built my reputation, and learned to build more and more profitable days; at the same time, the schedulers were gaining confidence in me. Within 3 months I was easily netting $400 per month AND schedulers had started calling me with offers that were not yet posted. That was my chance to say, "I can go if you can add enough more shops, or bonuses to make it worth while to spend x hours on the road."
Keep looking and you will also find grocery shops where the client does not require such specific purchases. If you have not found those, you are not signed up with enough MSCs.
When I started out and built my profits up quickly, I used every day that I did not have as many shops as I wanted as a day to sign up with TEN more MSCs. It is up to you to build your business by investing your time in it. That is how all successful shoppers started. MSCs would not be begging my shopper buddy to drive to your area from the DC suburbs of VA if there were not a lot of shops there; and he would NOT be going if the pay was not worth the trip. But, he would be delighted if he did not get those calls to drive so far in one day. That is why ha shared this info with me! He can make as much as he wants within 30 miles of his home. He only drives to your neck of the woods as a favor to desperate schedulers who trust him with a lot of good jobs closer to home!
Oh, and yes, once I reached $400 a month on a regular basis I never looked back. Onward and upward is exactly how it went, lol.
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 09/19/2019 02:46PM by walesmaven.