Back again after 7 year hiatus, can I get an up date on changes in the industry?

I've decided to get back into mystery shopping this year. 7 years ago I was shopping in Hawaii and managed to make 1300-1400 for a few months til I gave it up to get married. Well I'm not married anymore and thought this might be a good way to get me back on track with finances. Can anyone give me a brief update on what's changed, is Jobslinger still good? Any new places I should know about?

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

Already a member? Log In.

Jobslinger is still useful to find who shops what.
Some companies only assign through isecretshop.
Fees have not increased.
@prince wrote:

Jobslinger is still useful to find who shops what.

Am I the only one who feels Jobslinger isn't exhaustive? I feel like they miss some shops in my area that I'll get emails for. But, they do get MOST of them I think. smiling smiley

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2020 07:14PM by shoptastic.
Some prophet shops have finally migrated to Sassie which is great. Papa John's MSC owner passed away and there was a sad bankruptcy with many unpaid shoppers. MSC's seem a bit more reasonable about bonuses but fees are the same. Many shops changed helm captains and some sailed away.
Use the link at the bottom of the page to go to the list of MSCs and start signing up. You'll pretty quickly find out who's got work in HI.
@shoptastic wrote:

Am I the only one who feels Jobslinger isn't exhaustive? I feel like they miss some shops in my area that I'll get emails for. But, they do get MOST of them I think. smiling smiley

JobSlinger only posts shops that are hosted on the SASSIE platform. So, shops that are hosted on shopmetrics, Prophet, or MSC specific platforms won't be seen there. smiling smiley

Administrative Manager for Shoppers' View
p: 800.264.5677 | e: christinew@shoppersview.com | w: www.shoppersview.com
Prices are either the same or down, from where I sit, others will say it differently....shopping restaurants are the big thing in my world.

Live consciously....
@sbobgal wrote:

Some prophet shops have finally migrated to Sassie which is great. Papa John's MSC owner passed away and there was a sad bankruptcy with many unpaid shoppers. MSC's seem a bit more reasonable about bonuses but fees are the same. Many shops changed helm captains and some sailed away.

Papa John's owner stepped down, he did not die. There is still an open Papa John's in my area so they may not have filed yet, but getting ready to.
No peg, the MSC owner, not the owner of Papa John's. The MSC owner committed suicide.

Edited to add that there was more than one MSC that shopped them, but the MSC where the owner committed suicide had no money to pay many shoppers, including me. They went out owing me almost $700.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2020 11:44PM by JASFLALMT.
@JASFLALMT wrote:

No peg, the MSC owner, not the owner of Papa John's. The MSC owner committed suicide.

Edited to add that there was more than one MSC that shopped them, but the MSC where the owner committed suicide had no money to pay many shoppers, including me. They went out owing me almost $700.

Thanks for clarifying that. Wow thats too bad.
Smartphone apps are increasing in popularity.

I currently have three on my phone that I use as “filler:” Observa, FieldAgent, Presto Insta-Shops.

There’s no ICA, no interface with schedulers. You generally get a short period of time (2-6 hours) to perform an observation and if it’s not completed by the deadline, the shop disappears and is often unavailable for reassignment.

I like the apps, personally, for the following reasons:
1. Quick pay: anywhere from 10 minutes to 10 days max. My experience has been that the average is 72 hours.
2. No emailing with schedulers. There are none involved at all, as far as I can tell.
3. Decent support for questions from app users, usually done by email.
4. Pay is anywhere from $3.00 to $20.00 for quick jobs that have no narrative requirements.
5. Routes are possible; I had a gig on Field Agent recently that had me photographing all four sides of each building in two condo complexes. There were 50 buildings, each one paying $5. I got my dog, walked the complex for three hours on a Sunday morning, and received $250 by 6 pm on the next day.
6. The work is interesting and varied, and it’s heavily based on photographs instead of reports and narrative.

Good luck!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/2020 10:05PM by ColoKate63.
They absolutely do have ICAs. Filed Agent calls it Agent Participation Agreement.

@ColoKate63 wrote:

Smartphone apps are increasing in popularity.

I currently have three on my phone that I use as “filler:” Observa, FieldAgent, Presto Insta-Shops.

There’s no ICA,

Kim
@kimmiemae wrote:

They absolutely do have ICAs. Filed Agent calls it Agent Participation Agreement.
[/quote]

I stand corrected. I was a beta user of Field Agent years ago, and never signed an ICA. Guess it has changed.

Another recent change I’ve just thought of: many MSCs have Facebook groups, blogs, and are starting Twitter accounts. Following their social media presence can be beneficial, as they occasionally announce new projects beforehand to their followers.
Maybe because you were a beta tester? Plus, I'm sure the app has evolved since it first started and they've added all the legal stuff now.

@ColoKate63 wrote:

@kimmiemae wrote:

They absolutely do have ICAs. Filed Agent calls it Agent Participation Agreement.

I stand corrected. I was a beta user of Field Agent years ago, and never signed an ICA. Guess it has changed.

Another recent change I’ve just thought of: many MSCs have Facebook groups, blogs, and are starting Twitter accounts. Following their social media presence can be beneficial, as they occasionally announce new projects beforehand to their followers.[/quote]

Kim
Thanks for all the responses, I did find the Field Agent app. Has anyone completed the shop at a Big Superstore that requires speaking to 6 employees, is there any narrative involved?
@hawaiishopper wrote:

Thanks for all the responses, I did find the Field Agent app. Has anyone completed the shop at a Big Superstore that requires speaking to 6 employees, is there any narrative involved?

Yes, I’ve done them - usually bundled together with a photo audit for the recycling in the back, and a shelf audit for specific products. Observa also has some photo audits that are around $15, so a quick hour in the big box store can net you $30.

There’s three questions, Y/N - on whether the employee greets you, offers assistance, give you a farewell. And you have to get their name off the name tag. Zero narrative.
Ive been hesitant to do one because it says you have to interact with a manager. I never never never see a manager at one location. Is there an option that allows you to choose "did not see manager" or something?

@ColoKate63 wrote:

@hawaiishopper wrote:

Thanks for all the responses, I did find the Field Agent app. Has anyone completed the shop at a Big Superstore that requires speaking to 6 employees, is there any narrative involved?

Yes, I’ve done them - usually bundled together with a photo audit for the recycling in the back, and a shelf audit for specific products. Observa also has some photo audits that are around $15, so a quick hour in the big box store can net you $30.

There’s three questions, Y/N - on whether the employee greets you, offers assistance, give you a farewell. And you have to get their name off the name tag. Zero narrative.

Kim
I have been interested in doing these shops on Field Agent, etc. yet have hesitated because it appears I don't have the correct phone. Everytime I leave my home I loose internet connection. So if I don't have internet connection I can't possibly do any jobs. What I have is a Tracphone. What phone should I get that stays connected to the internet? Or am I just behind the times where I am not up to date on technology? Thank you.
Yes, you can connect to the BIG BOX wifi and use it while performing your jobs.
I don’t have a Tracfone. I don’t know if it would work or not.

RE: BIG BOX management: I am 100% on finding them around the front of the store.

Worst-case scenario, I go to the Customer Service Desk and ask about a money order, or layaway terms, or adding money to a prepaid card. There’s always a manager there (look for the yellow tag underneath their name badge.)

There’s a decent Facebook group that is centered around Field Agent. Lots of good advice, and a few overtalking blowhards.
I'll tell you my experience at finding management. I was in the parking lot walking toward the store and it was windy. I saw a cart hit a car so hard it took off the side mirror. I went in to report it, and the greeter took me to the package pickup area while he knocked on the door to the manager's office. Waited 20 minutes and they never came out.

Then the other day I went to pick up my prescription glasses I had ordered. A fight broke out in customer service. The customer got so mad at the clerk she threatened bodily harm. Cashiers were yelling "Call security!" Did a manager come over? Nope. I would have been fuming if I had worked there and a manager didn't come out to handle that.

I have seen managers freely walking the floor in other stores, just not the one that I shop at.

Edited to add: I wanted to share my experience with seeing (or not seeing) managers on a regular shopping trip. This is why I am hesitant to take one of those shops where you have to speak to management.

Kim


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2020 04:03AM by kimmiemae.
I have a Tracfone and I connect to the store's wifi with it.

@Clamchatter wrote:

I have been interested in doing these shops on Field Agent, etc. yet have hesitated because it appears I don't have the correct phone. Everytime I leave my home I loose internet connection. So if I don't have internet connection I can't possibly do any jobs. What I have is a Tracphone. What phone should I get that stays connected to the internet? Or am I just behind the times where I am not up to date on technology? Thank you.

Kim
Clamchatter, Tracfone is not the phone you have, they are were you purchase minutes. I have Samsung, android which I purchased from Tracfone. Which model do you have? As long as your phone is a smart phone you will have no problem, have been using one for years. No bills, no taxes, just purchase minutes and data. Takes great pictures too. I purchase minutes and data by the year, not the month. Some people that use unlimited data, watch movies, text by the thousands, play games etc. this phone is not for them. Perfect for mystery shopping. You can use your phone just like any other phone including the overpriced Iphone.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2020 08:40PM by shopper8.
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login