How is your state rebounding with mystery shopping?

Minnesota is very slow. I can usually always find an assignment on MF and ACL, but still nothing.

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Florida is slow as well. I live in one of the 3 counties that have high populations and high Covid rates, so we are not opening as fast as the rest of the state. I have done 3 drive thru FF in the last month, and Tuesday I have my first "real' sit-down restaurant shop in 3 months. I'm actually nervous about it!

High Plains/Mountain West: I completed almost a dozen small shops and merches in three cities. Twice, I scheduled work near mil, but it was never the right time for a visit with her. On those days, it was not possible to pick up little assignments on the fly. Oh, well. I had to pass on one delicious and well-paid better restaurant because it was not in the budget before I found out about the assignment. Mind you, I updated next month's budget to include this tasty shop, just in case this is a monthly event...

Meanwhile, gas station audits are available, but I am avoiding them. I want to be a gas station mystery shopper and do that only when I need fuel for my car. This never happens. But I always hope for something logical and efficient. UTV/ATV phone and in-persons are back, along with the car negotiation shop programs. Ciggie and booze compliance shops have always been here, but I am too old for them and only see them by chance on the boards.

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/12/2020 05:09PM by Shop-et-al.

California, I have been seeing lots of shops in the northern half of the state for weeks now but not much in my bottom half and general area which is West LA> Restaurants are just now opening up Tons of Jack in the Box shops are going begging and posting bonuses but I never did ff before and I am not about to start that now during a pandemic. Waiting for the choice pick up restaurant shops but so far have not seen any and would probably need to be online 24/7 to beat the competition when they do arrive.

My area of SC (northwest) has had enough shops to keep me busy these first 2 weeks in June! Ink audits, PO shops (regular & micro), several merch jobs, grocery shops, and various phone app jobs....etc).

N California. Very few, just tthe Jack in the Box which I won't do anymore. None of the nicer restaurants from Coyle or ACL has open up yet, not even for take-outs. The ones I used to do are open for take-outs but no shops available yet.

Has anyone seen the Burger King shops that are looking for shoppers but you have to pay out-of-pocket? $3 burger, reimbursement $2, another was $12.99 required dinner order but reimb is only $7, and a $5 one with only $3 reimb? And don't even think about shopping fee. What's happening to mystery shopping? Our wages are going lower instead of up. I refused to take these shops, cause frankly they are insulting to our worth.

I keep getting their emaisl, so I responded with, "How much is the Fee?"

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/13/2020 07:01AM by ShopperFun99.

SC here. I haven't seen a huge number of shops, or at least not a huge number that I would usually do. I've seen the grocery store ones near my house go up to $31 + reimbursement (if I wasn't away for work I would have taken them and ensured I had an effective mask). A number of gas stations giving a good bonus too. However I've only been able to do FA app product reimbursements. I fortunately now have enough laundry products to last me the rest of the year.

Texas, we are coming back nicely. I have been doing some merchandising and some mailing of packages. Also picked up some health and safety shops. A few fast foods are back, but not as many. But some of the shops are just not coming back, yet. Some companies have blank maps, which is an eerie feeling for me. Now, we are starting to get more and more COVID cases, too, and I am wondering if they will pull back on what has been opened. Time will tell. My favorite shops to do right now are health and safety. It is interesting to see how different industries can be. Today while I was merchandising in a grocery store, I noticed they have posted new signs that say people should stay at least 3 feet apart. That is half of the recommended distance I see everywhere else.

San Diego - slow. I have received a few offers but none that I am willing to take right now. There are mailing shops, apartment shops, and a few miscellaneous. Have not seen any gas stations or restaurant shops yet.

In CT/MA/Hudson Valley of NY, it's coming along about where it could be expected I would say. What I am not seeing is a large increase in shoppers and this is a hard hit area with unemployment. That (more competition) is my biggest concern, so I like that trend. The slow nature of shops trickling in should help here.

California has Jack in the Box, Post Office shops, grocery shops. HP shops apartment shops, car wash shops. I'm doing them all. After two months with no income, I am shopping with a mask and social distancing.

I've mainly seen fast food, post office, and gas station audit shops. Phone shops never went away, but all of a sudden there seem to be more of them. Nothing so far has incentivized me to apply, but this week I've realized I have sheltering in place inertia; I need to start scheduling SOMETHING to do besides read, cook, and walk outside.

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt

@KathyG wrote:

I need to start scheduling SOMETHING to do besides read, cook, and walk outside.

Become a phone/home-based contact tracer.

My county had so many applicants for tracers they stopped taking applications!

@shoptastic wrote:

@KathyG wrote:

I need to start scheduling SOMETHING to do besides read, cook, and walk outside.
Become a phone/home-based contact tracer.

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt

My problem took care of itself; I got a call from the Census Bureau tonight and I will start again as an Enumerator (for Group Quarters-nursing homes and college dorms) at the end of the month.

@KathyG wrote:

I've mainly seen fast food, post office, and gas station audit shops. Phone shops never went away, but all of a sudden there seem to be more of them. Nothing so far has incentivized me to apply, but this week I've realized I have sheltering in place inertia; I need to start scheduling SOMETHING to do besides read, cook, and walk outside.

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt

WA here. I am seeing a bunch of credit card applications, a few apartment tours, Jack in the Box and a couple restaurants. I am newish to the scene so am hoping this isn't normal lol.

@FrugalCat wrote:

Florida is slow as well. I live in one of the 3 counties that have high populations and high Covid rates, so we are not opening as fast as the rest of the state. I have done 3 drive thru FF in the last month, and Tuesday I have my first "real' sit-down restaurant shop in 3 months. I'm actually nervous about it!

Is the job in MIA? If so, I heard on the news that they closed restaurants again for dining in. FL is the new pandemic central.

I think it's pretty much the same everywhere. There are some types of shops that are plentiful, like gas stations. Others, like fine dining and and hotels, are almost nonexistent.

And hopefully no clueluess MSC puts out nursing home shops! Those don't need to be around for a long time (sans vaccine).

Just as I started getting emails from msc's telling me they will restart having shops very soon all the restaurants, mall retail, and many other sorts of retail got shut down again. This is in Los Angeles area.

I have seen some of these within the last month or so.

@shoptastic wrote:

And hopefully no clueluess MSC puts out nursing home shops! Those don't need to be around for a long time (sans vaccine).

Shop opportunitities are about 70% of pre-pandemic volume, but it is not worth the risk to life since we are setting new daily case records, both statewide and nationally, almost daily.

Today, shops are sprinkled around the state. Shoppers here can complete the phone shops that can be performed anywhere.

The covid restrictions at this phase remain unchanged. Our case numbers spiked due to protestors (and a few kerfuffles that were not quite riots, haha) and tourism. While one faction strongly wants mandatory masks, a different group wants exceptions for people who cannot wear masks and understanding, or compassion, for people who are unable to wear masks. How does this mask thing affect mystery shopping? We are advised by MSC's to abide by local guidelines and rules. I wear a mask when mystery shopping, etc. Some gigs require gloves (but I would wear them anyway). For me, the scarcity of disposable gloves (and the fact that is too hot for mittens) prompts me to re-consider future gigs. I need the majority of my gloves on hand for daily work. Some companies supply disposable gloves for those gigs. But I am unable to replace my basic supply. Oh, my!

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/2020 01:46AM by Shop-et-al.

I'm starting to see shops return in Florida (I'm in Orlando) as theme parks reopen ... and COVID cases rise.

In Southernmost Illinois, shopping was really sparse when everything was locked down, but I continued with FF drive-in shops. Just this week, I signed up for two hotels in August. I did one sit down resturaunt in Western Kentucky on the same day a mask mandate was implemented. Now a few more drive thru and a casual burger online shops have been scheduled. A ton of gas station audits are available, but no one seems to be picking those up. I wouldn't be afraid to complete them, but the pay isn't worth it. Our number of cases is rather low in our area.

As NJ continues it's gradual reopening, shops are reappearing. Post Office shops are plentiful. Gas stations are back. 5 Guys and some other fast food places returned. Fine dining is not around yet. Restaurants are still outdoor dining only here. Banks (Blue Bank) are back, but there's no way I'm making an appointment to chat in branch about those ridiculous requests and then leave without doing anything about it while taking up the banker's time and having to deal with Covid worry.

We have seen a dramatic improvement in our state compared to March and April. We've been masking for months now and it's become common to see people with masks on their face or in hand, if walking alone. I do have to chuckle at those wearing masks in their cars alone.

Since NJ was hit so hard early on, people took this much more seriously, (I mean, it was really bad..ambulance sounds daily...hospitals only taking Covid patients, people well-known in community dying) as opposed to those down south. I have family in SC and in talking to them, it was more or less life as usual back in March-June. I tried to warn them and now look what's happened.

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The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain

I have one more tidbit to share. When doing a mailing at the local PO mail box, I noticed an employee spraying and wiping the mail box handles. I asked how often they did that and he told me every 2 hours. I thought that was good to know. That's how seriously people are taking this here. I usually use wipes to touch anything anyway. Mystery shopping has so many more additional things to deal with and juggle these days....recorder, wipes, mask, etc. Some days I feel like I need one of those fishing vests with all the little pockets to keep me from losing all the "stuff."

*****************************************************************************
The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain

I am truly wondering if any mystery shoppers that have gone back to work tested positive and have a strong feeling they contracted the virus on a mystery shop. I know this is not something some people would reveal here on a public forum but if anyone is willing to say, including the type of shop, it might help those of us who are on the fence about going out there into the world for a mystery shop. Maybe the number is zero and that would be enlightening as well.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

kerfuffles

I must use this word at least once next week at work...lol

Kim

I had ordered a pair of pants from Macy's for work. When they came I saw they had no pockets so I returned them. Had no place to put my small bottle of hand sanitizer.

@MsJudi wrote:

Some days I feel like I need one of those fishing vests with all the little pockets to keep me from losing all the "stuff."

Kim

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