@rothers27 wrote:

I've been secret shopping for about 10 years. I'm super educated, very available, have an impeccable record, and have never ever been offered a shop that has paid more than 20 bucks, and that was like once. The bonused shops go FAST. In my experience, people don't contact you requesting you to do a shop. It's posted online, you reply, and only one person gets it. Most likely A LOT of people, all of whom have relationships with the scheduler, request it. One person gets it. IMO, there are shoppers who will go the extra mile for a scheduler, so they help each other out. But I think it's rare and IMO, not a good use of time. I'm not going to put energy into building a relationship with some unknown random person in order to be prized the bonused shop. That's me.

Also, the theme I've noticed is that the people who brag about making money, make it through bonused shops. Bonused shops are also rare, bonused at about $5, and nothing to be too proud of. Again, IMO.

Reality folks. It's biting you.

I think you may just live in a really crappy location. Near quarter end where I am at, in a decent sized city, bonuses get bigger and bigger. I've seen the normally $10-$15 shops up close to $100 since they need to get them done. My reality here is I'm making a decent supplemental income to my day job.

Rothers27: You think those of us who want to encourage others to do better (because we are making this work) are bragging? Those of us who have figured out how to make things work want to give a positive outlook to others, not to brag. Plenty of money can be made, depending on geography (people who live in larger cities might have a harder time of it because of traffic congestion) and how much work someone puts into it. Most of my shops are not bonused. The shops I have been doing online that pay $60 were not bonused. The credit card opening shop I did online for $200 plus the $50 followup assignment and mail tracking for $20 was the regular rate paid to anybody. The convenience stores I do pay a whopping $7 each (with an additional reimbursement of $4). They are bonused slightly over their base pay of $6 because I always pick up a huge amount of locations each month. But, they are mostly within a few miles from each other and I can do 4-5 of them in an hour, including the report time using an app on my phone, so I am making $28 to $35 per hour there (plus free snacks and drinks). And the post office shops I do at $12? Also the base rate. That car dealership shop I did for $150 was not bonused. That was the going rate for the shop. It was a 50 mile round trip, though. I probably could have gotten it bonused, but I felt as if the fee was fair for the amount of work. It took about 1.75 hours driving there and time spent at the dealership, then about another hour for the report. That's fair.

In fairness, all shoppers do not have an equally convenient access to huge amounts or multiples of shops. Their baseline is dismal due to a dearth of shops within a small radius. Their demographics and personal lives might permit easier or more strenuous routes. They will know what is good for them, even if they realize more or less of money, deductions, travel, or stuff than others do.

This does not diminish anyone's efforts.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/2019 12:21AM by Shop-et-al.

For DoorDash, the food is nearly always ready within a minute of when I get to the restaurant.

For the record, I do really well at mystery shopping. Some months I do part time hours and other months I do full time hours. I have traveled around the country with my family mystery shopping. I aim to earn $30/hour and sometimes make a lot more.

Sometimes I see certain jobs flying off the board for base prices and know that the person can't possibly be making $5/hour. I have family members who do Uber, DoorDash, InstaCart, and a medicine drop off gig. They maximum make $20/hour without expenses. DoorDash pays $4 an order? My Mom once drove 120 miles out of state for Uber and made $90. Using the $0.58/mile rule she lost money traveling back home and not being paid for it. I try to tell my relatives this information, sometimes they listen sometimes they don't. Some people need money and the prospect of instant money is bigger than the money they might be losing on the back end when there car breaks down.

Interestingly enough the New York Times just posted this article www.nytimes.com/2019/11/14/nyregion/uber-new-jersey-drivers.html . I guess this issue is getting more play on bigger stages. Independent contractors need more protections, I am sure we can all agree on that.

Independent contractors already have the biggest protection. They can just say, "No!" They are free to refrain from entering into any specified job agreements.

Flyy states-- Independent contractors need more protections, I am sure we can all agree on that.

Bob disagrees--While a few, some or even most may agree, all definitely do not see the situation in your light; I am in that category. Protection has a price; it is known as loss of freedom.

@Flyy1220 wrote:

Sometimes I see certain jobs flying off the board for base prices and know that the person can't possibly be making $5/hour. I have family members who do Uber, DoorDash, InstaCart, and a medicine drop off gig. They maximum make $20/hour without expenses. DoorDash pays $4 an order? My Mom once drove 120 miles out of state for Uber and made $90. Using the $0.58/mile rule she lost money traveling back home and not being paid for it. I try to tell my relatives this information, sometimes they listen sometimes they don't. Some people need money and the prospect of instant money is bigger than the money they might be losing on the back end when there car breaks down.

Mileage is the #1 thing I think we need to help educate newbies about, Flyy.

I feel I am would only be repeating myself if I were to go into my mileage rant again. I've harped on this so many times and have even said people can fall into a never-ending, possibly money losing loan-like trap if they get this part wrong. If you are actually losing money from mileage, then you are working for more like a loan and have to keep doing this work forever (conceivably).

But, yeah, a lot of people who do gig economy work don't understand it. They just look at gas and not full "mileage" (which takes into account the cost of owning a car and driving it per mile).

I've been meaning to type up an "automated" response of sorts that I say to people in the newbie section on mileage. It should be the first warning and piece of advice given, imho.

In the end, when more desperate and/or financially ignorant (I was myself in the past) shoppers do better financially, I think we all do better too. ....less people taking low-ball fees may force the MSCs/clients to pay up if they value the information provided to them.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/16/2019 11:15AM by shoptastic.

Economic freedom does not truly exist in a corrupted oligarchy.

I tend to see the people taking $8 mattress shops as desperate and without true choice - not free.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/16/2019 12:00PM by shoptastic.

That's assuming we live in a corrupted oligarchy.

As far as bonuses, I have gotten many bonuses. If the MSC wants shops done in the city, I always tell them I will shop 3 with bonuses, I will not go into the city for one shop regardless of the bonus. Fortunately I have a husband who drives me to the door of the shop, usually banking. $30 to $40 per shop including the bonus. I do think it is about where you live and how experienced you are. I worked the circuits at the airport for 12 years too. I would never do one or two shops at the airport, most of the time it would be 12 to 17 shops. 4 to 5 hours at airport and the same at home for reports.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/16/2019 09:51PM by shopper8.

@shopper8 wrote:

As far as bonuses, I have gotten many bonuses. If the MSC wants shops done in the city, I always tell them I will shop 3 with bonuses, I will not go into the city for one shop regardless of the bonus. Fortunately I have a husband who drives me to the door of the shop, usually banking. $30 to $40 per shop including the bonus. I do think it is about where you live and how experienced you are. I worked the circuits at the airport for 12 years too. I would never do one or two shops at the airport, most of the time it would be 12 to 17 shops. 4 to 5 hours at airport and the same at home for reports.

How were you ever able to figure out 17 shops at the airport? I can never get assigned to one, and I always try when I'm actually flying out of the airport. I don't even need a ride.

I'm so glad to see these comments. I've ALWAYS wanted to do airport shops, WHEN I'm at the airport, because to me, that's a no-brainer. If I have to fly, might as well do some shops since I'm there anyway. I never get these! Ever! If it's true that they go to people who do circuits or whatever, that makes a lot more sense. There is really just no way to win with this.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/26/2019 08:07PM by rothers27.

I would guess they didn't "figure them out." They probably worked out a deal where they get the same 17 shop circuit every 3 months (or some other interval).

As a long time shopper who does this as his full and only source of income I felt the need to give my perspective. I have lived in Buffalo, NY and shopped the local area for the majority of my shops. I have also done huge amounts of shops within 200 miles one way of my home base. I also lived and shopped in AZ being midway between Tuscon and Phoenix. I did the majority of shops in Phoenix and Tuscon when I lived there. I have also shopped most of Ohio, and PA. I have done shops in WV, KY, VT, NH, and CA. I have done shops paying $2 to $25 for phone shops those you are just making a phone call. I have done shops paying anywhere from $5 to $200. The highest non bonused shop I have seen is $150 with regular ones in the range of $15 to $ 50. I emphasize these are base rate non bonused. I highly employ those of you not asking for bonuses to ask. The worst they can say is no. Figure out what a shop is worth to you and ask. The only shops you should take at base are those higher paying fair ones or those you are adding as fillers on routes where they take little time and you will be passing them anyways. An example there is a best buy shop I am doing and the sprint store is 2 doors down. The sprint shop shows up paying $6 but takes 10 mins in store and 5 minutes to report. $6 for 15 minutes no extra mileage or wear and tear on the vehicle equates to $24 an hour. It works. I have done that exact instance and have also gotten $25 for that same sprint shop. This brings us back to bonuses if they call you it means they need it done ask for more. I have had shops bonused from a minimum of $5 extra to $165 extra. The minimum I will need as a bonus is $5 more. You learn which mscs are fair and work with you and which its all about doing as cheap as possible. Is there money to be made yes, but it does require you to treat it as your own business. Some people are not fit to run their own business, and they may be the ones who should only do it part time for extra income if at all. As a open disclosure I am a single male with no wife or kids. I have only myself to support and no pets. I am however limited to what my physical disability allows.

If your average shop only pays $10 (unless it takes 10 minutes onsite and can be reported on your phone), you are doing the wrong kind of shops. I would suggest signing up with more MSCs.

I work about 20-30 hours a week most of the time. I get lots of sleep and take lots of vacations. Going to Mexico soon for a 2-week vacation, can't wait!

@rothers27 wrote:

I don't see how anyone could possibly live off of mystery shopping as the sole source of income, and frankly, I don't believe anyone would be able to pay for health insurance, car, rent, food, utilities, gas etc., on shopping money. With the average shop pay about 10 bucks, you'd have to do 100 shops a week to make 50K a year. And give up any type of life and forgo sleep. You'd go bat @#$%& crazy.

Sounds like they were badged to do routes at airports.

@rothers27 wrote:

@shopper8 wrote:

As far as bonuses, I have gotten many bonuses. If the MSC wants shops done in the city, I always tell them I will shop 3 with bonuses, I will not go into the city for one shop regardless of the bonus. Fortunately I have a husband who drives me to the door of the shop, usually banking. $30 to $40 per shop including the bonus. I do think it is about where you live and how experienced you are. I worked the circuits at the airport for 12 years too. I would never do one or two shops at the airport, most of the time it would be 12 to 17 shops. 4 to 5 hours at airport and the same at home for reports.

How were you ever able to figure out 17 shops at the airport? I can never get assigned to one, and I always try when I'm actually flying out of the airport. I don't even need a ride.

Airports now have additions and are like a mall, with shops/restaurants everywhere. LAX, SFO, Vegas, Chicago, and large airports. I always do a few jobs when traveling, and can do report right there with free wifi....
love those jobs.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/20/2019 07:47PM by Irene_L.A..

ROTHERS27 , BGRIFFIN, JASFLALMT IS CORRECT.
I used to get badged and shop quarterly circuits at the airport. I did this for 12 years, you would get anywhere from 12 to 17 shops depending on the quarter. IRENE is correct, the airports are like a large fancy upscale Mall now. Great restaurants, shops, and food courts. Love the shops. Narratives got easy with experience on how to write them.

@rothers27 wrote:

With the average shop pay about 10 bucks, you'd have to do 100 shops a week to make 50K a year.

I think few of us take shops that average $10 except as fillers for better paying ones. Even a 15-minute postal shop (that's including reporting time) pays more than that.

I don't shop full time, but know that I could easily do $50k if I needed to.

Does the post office shop example of fifteen minutes include time for obtaining supplies, sent items, storing receipt for same, wrapping and addressing the package, parking, feeding a meter, walking, and/or standing in line?

i don't shop full time and I only want to repeat a few assignments. I will not get close to $50K in several years from mystery shopping. My time in this large industry has inspired me to attempt to change one job type and to choose assignments that are the least bad for me, all things considered. This means mostly part-time merchandising, indefinitely. It is far from hyping up mystery shopping and helping others to build their careers. It is one person's choice and it accommodates ongoing life changes for a family member which impact on my availability. Somewhere, there should be a celebration of small and large working lives. Big careers-- for people who want that-- should be deemed 'as good as small careers'-- when small careers are chosen over big ones. People who might not want or need more than a $10 gig once in awhile should be valued instead of the subject of snide posts and threads. People who occasionally have a shop rejected or incur some unforeseeable expense should be encouraged to ask their tax pro about non-reimbursed expenses or some such monetary salvaging technique instead of presumed to be 'not fit' or otherwise bad. Newbies should know that due to their own factors or factors beyond their control, work results might not meet expectations. The need is to question the underlying assumptions and expectations. Were those realistic? How can the work be configured with a greater chance of success in future?


I do not know what anyone's average shop pay is. There are posted fees on job boards and in e-mails. And then there are the negotiated fees... btw, Are all the alleged high fees justified? Is it appropriate to assume that receiving the big bucks is the same as being worthy of the big bucks? With so much bonus money going at eom and eoq for timing and desperation, the only requirement for some of the big bucks is availability... Now, linking back to the above-mentioned posted insinuation of being 'not fit' to run a business, we might wonder: Is being available the same as being not fit?

*end of early morning rant and time to get ready for my daily local and other jobs*

@iShop123 wrote:

@rothers27 wrote:

With the average shop pay about 10 bucks, you'd have to do 100 shops a week to make 50K a year.

I think few of us take shops that average $10 except as fillers for better paying ones. Even a 15-minute postal shop (that's including reporting time) pays more than that.

I don't shop full time, but know that I could easily do $50k if I needed to.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/2019 08:41AM by Shop-et-al.

@Flyy1220 wrote:

Bob - I guess you don't think there should be a federal minimum wage then?

I'm not Bob, but why should people be paid more than they are worth? If it's worth it to me to take an hour-long job for $5, I have determined my worth. Maybe there is more than financial consideration in that, but again I'm determining my own value.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

Does the post office shop example of fifteen minutes include time for obtaining supplies, sent items, storing receipt for same, wrapping and addressing the package, parking, feeding a meter, walking, and/or standing in line?

There was a great tip here awhile back about turning Amazon packages inside out, so my "supplies" are tape from the Dollar Store whenever I'm there anyway, or their 2/$1 padded envelopes for which I'm reimbursed. I've been sending myself spaghetti that I'd be buying and eating anyway. When it's the padded envelope, it's about 30 seconds to put it in and seal it, and another 30 seconds to address it. Yes, it includes all of that; doesn't include the driving, but I'm usually able to plug in another shop between postal visits.

Obviously, there are times when it's longer, but there are also times when it's shorter. From experience, I know which locations are going to take longer. I'll ask for more money for those or leave them for someone else. The report is on an app so reporting is quick and easy. The holiday times will be much longer, but the scheduler knows I'm reliable and she's always been willing to bonus for me when I ask.

I live near a major metro area where the shops are plentiful. That helps.

I have one package addressed for my HazMat shops and continually use the same one until someone accepts it. There is no package timing involved until I need a new one. For the regular box shops, I ship eBay packages or send to myself. I have a few boxed up with my own address on it. I cover the package front with tape and pull off the old labels so I can reuse the boxes again and again until they become too ratty-looking. Sometimes I just print a new shipping label and tape it over the old ones so it looks fresh. It doesn't take more than a few minutes for package prep. I have been in and out of most post offices in less than 5 minutes. Yes, some take longer with a wait time now and then. I do like those shops and the app reporting makes it quick. I usually finish submission at home to check photos and get the submission number. I have a ton of boxes from my hubby's enjoyment of online shopping. I reuse them or buy them on office supply shops with the reimbursement.

BTW, starting soon will be the time that I avoid post office shops with the long holiday wait times, however, I will do a few in early Dec. for gift mailings.

Sounds about right! We are looking to bail out of this place!!!!! CA

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/20/2019 02:10AM by Watchin4.

I used some re-made boxes when I did post office shops. It took more than fifteen minutes to make a "new" box and pack it properly. I know how long it takes (on a good day) to find parking and walk to/from post office counter, for several post offices. Shoppers should know that their prep time, travel time, and time on-site might consistently be longer than fifteen minutes. The information about a quick report is probably accurate for all or most shoppers. People who charge by the minute should plan for more than fifteen minutes...

I had one Post Office wait of 14 minutes. I was about 200 miles from home, and the shop was HIGHLY bonused (think 3 figures). My usual PO shop, I'm in and out in 3-5 minutes. I mail packages to myself, remove the labels, and reuse. Reuse until the box is too beat up to mail, LOL. Prep time, including photo of box, less than 5 minutes. I do the report at home, and, slow as I am, it usually takes less than 20 minutes (but a younger shopper would be much faster; I'm old, and slow). The only complaint I have is there are only 7 or maybe 8 PO shops within 200 miles of me.

It is especially difficult in States where the cost of gasoline, and the cost of living, is upto 30% higher than the national average.....

@rothers27 wrote:

How were you ever able to figure out 17 shops at the airport? I can never get assigned to one, and I always try when I'm actually flying out of the airport. I don't even need a ride.

I am not badged, but get 5+ shops every time I fly out of my local airport. This is where building a relationship with a MSC has come in handy. There is one MSC that has the same 5 airport shops every month + an additional 5-6 quarterly. I did several shops with the MSC and spoke directly with the scheduler several times on those shops. The airport shops are never posted on the board and one day she directly asked me if I happened to be flying out. And here we are a few years later, I e-mail her every time I am flying out of the airport and she assigns the shops to me because she knows I will get them and give her quality reports.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

It took more than fifteen minutes to make a "new" box and pack it properly

You might try going the padded envelope route. It really does take less than a minute to put a box of spaghetti in there, pull the tape, and seal it.