I started doing shops at Base Pay. After 5 months, a few schedulers contact me with unposted jobs. Do a good job and be patient.

"richest 1 percent in the United States now own more additional income than the bottom 90 percent”

[en.m.wikipedia.org]

The "richest 1 percent in the United States now own more additional income than the bottom 90 percent”.

[en.m.wikipedia.org]

@DT wrote:

The "richest 1 percent in the United States now own more additional income than the bottom 90 percent”.

[en.m.wikipedia.org]

There's an argument that the poor and rich get the most tax or social wealth transfer benefits. It's the people one rung up from the poor that have it the "worst," some argue. They don't have the wealth of the rich or upper-middle-class, but they work longer/more than the poor and don't get the "free" benefits the poor can get.

I think these are some things the poor can qualify for:

free healthcare
subsidized housing
food stamps
earned income tax benefits

Oddily, the working class (one rung up from the poor and slightly lower than middle-class) may have it the "worst."

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/08/2019 06:20PM by shoptastic.

There are lots of jobs I won't take at the low rates, but you bet I'll take the $5 + $9 and the new $4 +$12 grocery store shops. I'm recently divorced and my ex makes 3x what I do, so I am feeling the crunch, and doing two grocery stores on a Sunday to get $28 or $32 worth of groceries is well worth it to me, especially if the stores are close to each other, which is how I try to route it. And I do wait for PAD plenty of times when the stores are further away. I just did two stores in one evening that were a few blocks from each other, at $25 each (factoring in both the flat fees and the reimbursements).

I just can't feel apologetic about this. The way I look at it, I can't afford to NOT do these shots. I got the house, for which I'm thankful, but that also means mortgage, insurance, and property taxes, and I got all the cats -- again, grateful, but I spend a fortune on cat food and litter. These grocery assignments are a godsend.

The problems I had with the grocery stores paying $5 + $9 were two fold: In 2006, the pay was $5 + $9 for a shorter form and there are several stores charging less for groceries, at least in SW Ohio. If one utilizes the CPI index number reducing $14 to $10.38, a more time consuming report and savings at other grocery stores, the 2006 pay of $14 in now in the area of six dollars.

If the above logic is faulty, please correct me. I am NOT criticizing any shopper for completing those jobs. My lone reason for stating the above was so folks would understand.

@shopperbob wrote:

The problems I had with the grocery stores paying $5 + $9 were two fold: In 2006, the pay was $5 + $9 for a shorter form and there are several stores charging less for groceries, at least in SW Ohio. If one utilizes the CPI index number reducing $14 to $10.38, a more time consuming report and savings at other grocery stores, the 2006 pay of $14 in now in the area of six dollars.

If the above logic is faulty, please correct me. I am NOT criticizing any shopper for completing those jobs. My lone reason for stating the above was so folks would understand.

The math is right, shopperbob. You are definitely getting less (over 50%) and the reports do seem long.

For the record, I don't like grocery shops, but I do them. My argument in favor of grocery shops is that:

a.) I need groceries anyways. I DON'T need a giant steak dinner, a greasy hot dog, a fancy breakfast, etc. Sometimes I enjoy them. But, I don't need them. When working for non-premium fee shops, I focus on ones that provide necessities. I would have bought groceries anyways and see the shops essentially as a savings on them (maybe with a small "gain" here and there if I route well).

If I do a $100 seafood dinner reimbursement shop, then all I get is ONE night of food. A grocery shop can provide me with many nights worth of food. That saves me money over time.

b.) Continuing with the above logic, I don't waste a ton of time or mileage if I am doing something I would have done anyways.

Having said that, I think grocery shops do need to go to $20 at least (total combined compensation). EVen before someone locally started taking all my shops, I had been getting more and more borderline with them - often considering just not doing them, due to the hassle.

I appreciate the grocery shops. I feel like they are a bread and butter "core" shopping strategy - at least, for me. They are always around and they plentiful.

I just wish people in my area would stop hawking them. I really need to stop praising grocery shops, b/c I worry someone may ahve listened and is taking all of my options the past few months!

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/09/2019 12:49AM by shoptastic.

The grocery store shops near me ended, and the nearest locations are at least one hour from home. Given the mandated time frames (which are late for me due to the fact that I work at about 2 AM), time to drive, report, and process groceries, it is not convenient for me to get my groceries via mystery shops. i need shops that fit my need for on-site and for reporting, which vary from day to day. Some shops are more desirable at any price than others, depending upon the day.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

The grocery store shops near me ended, and the nearest locations are at least one hour from home.

Are you using diff. MSCs for them, shopetal?

I use:

Market Force
Trend Source
Confero
Anonymous Insights***
Second to None

There is a sixth company too, I believe, but I have yet to do their's. I've never seen all five (or six) lose all their clients.

Trend Source is the one that seems like everyone is taking jobs on lately. They are gone ASAP after posting. Second to None shops sit.

***Only saw the emails, but never done one.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/09/2019 07:07AM by shoptastic.

@amyann2 wrote:

and doing two grocery stores on a Sunday to get $28 or $32 worth of groceries is well worth it to me, especially if the stores are close to each other, which is how I try to route it. And I do wait for PAD plenty of times when the stores are further away. I just did two stores in one evening that were a few blocks from each other, at $25 each (factoring in both the flat fees and the reimbursements).

When I could actually get good routes, I used to love doing:

grocery store 1
grocery store 2
drive-thru fast food shop 1
drive-thru fast food shop 2

I'd always do three or four shops of a combination of grocery and fast food. I hated the grocery shops, but did them for the economic value.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/09/2019 07:13AM by shoptastic.

In this tiny town, there are only two grocery chains in addition to Wal-Mart. At various times during the year, I merchandise in one chain and in Wal-Mart. The closest grocery store shops are at least an hour from home. Drive time and reporting make these undesirable. Merching allows me to keep my food needs separate from my work while allowing me to earn some of the money that I need for the food that I need. (I need a major food overhaul. Even coffee and tea are suspect now and have to go!)

@Shop-et-al wrote:

In this tiny town, there are only two grocery chains in addition to Wal-Mart. At various times during the year, I merchandise in one chain and in Wal-Mart. The closest grocery store shops are at least an hour from home. Drive time and reporting make these undesirable. Merching allows me to keep my food needs separate from my work while allowing me to earn some of the money that I need for the food that I need. (I need a major food overhaul. Even coffee and tea are suspect now and have to go!)

I guess no one has it perfect, shopetal.

Small town = few shops and far drives
Big town = lots of competition and "fighting" for scraps

Yes. What one person would not do might be perfect for another shopper who lives and works in a different way on a one-time basis or regularly. We do not know every factor, and it is not our business to go beyond the boundaries of our own businesses (or hobbies). If I keep saying in this enough different ways, the seemingly endless mandates for who shall take shops and at what fees might end.

Who are these people who purport to be independent contractors and yet dare to command other independent contractors? This oddness is concerning.

That depends. You left out a lot of middle (and above) ground. There isn't a lot of competition for the assignments I do. I don't fight over scraps, I let others take them.

@shoptastic wrote:

Small town = few shops and far drives
Big town = lots of competition and "fighting" for scraps

Merchandising is an excellent way to fill in the gaps.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

In this tiny town, there are only two grocery chains in addition to Wal-Mart. At various times during the year, I merchandise in one chain and in Wal-Mart. The closest grocery store shops are at least an hour from home. Drive time and reporting make these undesirable. Merching allows me to keep my food needs separate from my work while allowing me to earn some of the money that I need for the food that I need. (I need a major food overhaul. Even coffee and tea are suspect now and have to go!)

What gaps? I am the person who is rearranging work so as to have personal free time. I can buy groceries with or without shops-- and do food in general more efficiently without them. What are you talking about?

@JASFLALMT wrote:

Merchandising is an excellent way to fill in the gaps.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

In this tiny town, there are only two grocery chains in addition to Wal-Mart. At various times during the year, I merchandise in one chain and in Wal-Mart. The closest grocery store shops are at least an hour from home. Drive time and reporting make these undesirable. Merching allows me to keep my food needs separate from my work while allowing me to earn some of the money that I need for the food that I need. (I need a major food overhaul. Even coffee and tea are suspect now and have to go!)

Gaps in income stream.