I use to do a car wash shop, that had to be audio recorded. They paid $21 for the wash, plus $15 fee. Now they don't even pay for the wash. It's just a $15 fee. Not worth it when you have to record it and fill out the report, with pictures. I can do cell phone shops they pay much better and have a much shorter report.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2023 05:39AM by johnb974.

as you have probably experienced and witnessed, someone on this board will justify taking the shop… boggles my mind, this is the only field i know where pay rates go down year after year…

Not sure why you are "boggled." This is basically a low to no-skill job that is open to anyone that wants to sign up. So someone who just wants something to do or to reduce their cost of doing something, will take the shop.

I would like to think I have "skills" at this, but I am no better than someone else who clicks self-assign at a price that I might not take.

We like to think we do a good job and deserve more pay, but this is not high-skilled labor here. It just takes someone willing to front the cost of food/gas/service/etc and fill out a report. I understand that some of us are more observant or more detailed than others, but it doesn't matter to the MSC. They are happy to fill shops for as cheaply as they can and there are those willing to meet their wishes.

@LindaM wrote:

as you have probably experienced and witnessed, someone on this board will justify taking the shop… boggles my mind, this is the only field i know where pay rates go down year after year…

Just wait if you can. They will eventually up the fee. I’ve seen it increase from $5, to $7, to $10 to as high as $25.

I’ve mentioned it before but additional requirements such as audio recording I immediately dismiss if it’s low or no fees. Especially given that this car wash is annoyingly repetitive with additional comments each section of the report.

As a general rule, I completely agree with daddy. Two exceptions that come to my mind are conditions and heavy narrative.

The skill that I see lacking in people is the inability to be objective and to follow the guidelines. Most people I've known what to write in the vernacular, treat the report as a personal review and have trouble keeping track of what needs to be done. So there is a skill set needed.

as expected…

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

Not sure why you are "boggled." This is basically a low to no-skill job that is open to anyone that wants to sign up. So someone who just wants something to do or to reduce their cost of doing something, will take the shop.

I would like to think I have "skills" at this, but I am no better than someone else who clicks self-assign at a price that I might not take.

We like to think we do a good job and deserve more pay, but this is not high-skilled labor here. It just takes someone willing to front the cost of food/gas/service/etc and fill out a report. I understand that some of us are more observant or more detailed than others, but it doesn't matter to the MSC. They are happy to fill shops for as cheaply as they can and there are those willing to meet their wishes.

@LindaM wrote:

as you have probably experienced and witnessed, someone on this board will justify taking the shop… boggles my mind, this is the only field i know where pay rates go down year after year…

There are some reports that really don't even require commentary/narrative. I'm thinking of Raising Canes as one. There are others that require minimal narrative like Panda Express.

I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad, but let's be honest, some of these assignments could be done by a 3rd grader. Timings, names, friendliness, upsell, clean or dirty. You don't need higher education (doctor, lawyer, engineer) to do many of the shops out there or any specialized training like a plumber, HVAC, auto mechanic,

I agree with @whosear that the BETTER shoppers are the ones that can write well and be objective, but when an MSC is putting shops up for self-assign, they are basically letting anyone who has technology (computer or smart phone) be able to assign and complete.

@whosear wrote:

The skill that I see lacking in people is the inability to be objective and to follow the guidelines. Most people I've known what to write in the vernacular, treat the report as a personal review and have trouble keeping track of what needs to be done. So there is a skill set needed.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2023 04:21PM by hbbigdaddy.

well… a no skills and no education (and sometimes no english) job like flipping burgers continues to get paid more year after year…

On this shop if the car vacuum does not work, they want you to go find an employee and tell them about it.

Why are you comparing employment to something that is contracted and pick/choose? Minimum wage for burgers or other entry level jobs goes up because government forces minimum wage higher. Last time I checked, a MCD or JITB employee doesn't sign for random assignments whenever they want and at whatever location they want. They are also working hours, not quick assignments and going from location to location to complete them.

@LindaM wrote:

well… a no skills and no education (and sometimes no english) job like flipping burgers continues to get paid more year after year…

bc life doesn’t have to be some compartmentalized. i like to see things in a big picture. you do you. bless your heart.

I'm not trying to pick a fight with you. I'm trying to simply state, the standard pay will be disappointing for most shops and that will continue to happen. If people want to constantly vent/complain/murmur that is their choice, but it doesn't change anything. I am guilty of complaining about it in the past. I have changed my outlook on this issue and realized that was wasted time and energy. Now I just have to determine which are worth doing and which are not. Everyone's price is different.

For @johnb974 who started the thread, I agree the cell phone shops will pay better and be quicker. So focus on what you can control and not dwell on the things you cannot control. The MSC posting the car wash with NO reimbursement may or may not have a tough time filling the shop. But that is their problem since they are being paid to get the shops done for the client. When they fail to fill the shops, they will have to pay more to complete them or risk losing the client to another MSC.

@LindaM wrote:

bc life doesn’t have to be some compartmentalized. i like to see things in a big picture. you do you. bless your heart.

I am just surprised at how low they are going on the pay. They will get far fewer shoppers. It appears the actually car wash company does not want to give free car washers to shoppers.

@hbbigdaddy I am not trying to pick a fight here either. You know that these jobs could not be done by a third grader and an adult with a 3rd grade education is not going to be looking for this type of job.

I think that many will agree that it is rare to see compensation go down.

You wrote that "Minimum wage for burgers or other entry level jobs goes up because government forces minimum wage higher." This is true to some extent, but I have driven by fast food locations in the last week that were advertising on their sign boards pay that is 38% - 100% higher than the minimum wage. So the market is dictating the pay.

When I did a Jackson Hewitt shop earlier this week, the owner told me they were having a hard time filling the desks with qualified preparers since no one wants to work at the prevailing rate. She also said that she has become suspicious of the few that do want to work at the wage. She wonders what their true motivations are.

The barriers of entry for MS are low. I would say that one must have a certain level of interpersonal skills to perform many of these jobs. It seems that someone that is anxious speaking to people, will be limited in the number of jobs they can do. They probably won't be good at doing cell phone inquiry shops or audits where they need to interact with someone at the store. Someone that isn't good at communicating or following instructions might have a problem with getting jobs approved.

We see newbies come through here and they confess to being overwhelmed. I recall one lady that said she collapsed at the end of the day and when she woke up the jobs were gone from her shop log since she didn't complete the report before the deadline. Many of those newbies were not prepared for the fronting of pay for shop expenses that were reimbursed the typical 30-55 days later or got involved with some companies that had stopped paying shoppers for months.

I think you are onto something, don't dwell on the things you can't control. I focus a lot on the low pay of many of these jobs. If we all stop doing this, the traffic on this site will drop by 90% and then Jacob will be complaining.

@heywave

The OP posted about doing an audio recorded car wash. So yes, a 3rd grader couldn't do that shop legally since they are too young to drive, but the actual "skills' to record the interaction and complete an online report is doable.

I think people "over-value" the skillset needed for this type of work. It does not require training. You learn "on the job" and improve things as you go. The market will dictate what price needs to be paid for these shops. We have already seen other posts and know that people are taking shops at base pay or even no pay because it can offset their costs or fill gaps on a route.

So the skills needed to complete the 1 shop are not really needed. But to be an effective, efficient and profitable shopper, that is where the "skills" come in. Someone who knows how to manage their time effectively, document notes and keep track of shops that have paid vs not paid and make sure you do not have rejected shops from sloppiness or errors.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2023 07:18PM by hbbigdaddy.

I have a 3rd grade daughter... she had a sleepover with friends about three weeks ago or so. They spent the entire night 'making a movie'.
They wrote the script, did makeup/ hair/ wardrobe and then used an old iPhone (doesn't have service just connects to our wifi) to record their movie. They also look lots of photos & edited them, then put them together in a photo slide kinda movie presentation.
Yeah, 3rd graders could do this job. Wouldn't be amazing work to read the narrative and mistakes would be made but it could be done. And as someone who has spent time as an editor, I can assure you MANY reports I saw appeared to be from those with less than a 3rd grade education.

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

@heywave

The OP posted about doing an audio recorded car wash. So yes, a 3rd grader couldn't do that shop legally since they are too young to drive, but the actual "skills' to record the interaction and complete an online report is doable.

I think people "over-value" the skillset needed for this type of work. It does not require training. You learn "on the job" and improve things as you go. The market will dictate what price needs to be paid for these shops. We have already seen other posts and know that people are taking shops at base pay or even no pay because it can offset their costs or fill gaps on a route.

So the skills needed to complete the 1 shop are not really needed. But to be an effective, efficient and profitable shopper, that is where the "skills" come in. Someone who knows how to manage their time effectively, document notes and keep track of shops that have paid vs not paid and make sure you do not have rejected shops from sloppiness or errors.

The car wash shops in my area cost $22. After a weather event (snow/ice), I will pick up a car wash shop at whatever pay is offered on the board because I need a car wash. $22 reimbursement and $5 pay for a service I would pay for anyway works for me. This is one reason shoppers take them. I am neither inexperienced or undereducated. Its a smart financial move for me.

There are some jobs in this field that require a minimum of skills. But there are those that require a fairly high level of skill. Shops that require a lot of narrative probably suffer from a lack of people who can write both accurately (no to few grammar, spelling, and usage errors) and well (cohesive, with good flow and transitions, etc.) Shops that require extensive role-playing require people who are really good at that, can think on their feet (as is often required), and who have good interpersonal skills. Some people get nervous over those shops. Some shops, like gas stations, require someone who can retain detailed instructions and who can move fast! I'm quite sure that third-graders could not perform many of these shops.

I think shoppers figure out what types of shops suit them best. If they can bang out a high-enough number of lower-requirement/lower-pay shops to make the fees worth it, then they can make as much money as those who do fewer, more-intense shops. But my question has always been why people consistently take shops that no matter how fast they are at doing them, they're still netting like $5/hour after time and expenses. (I'm sure we all do from time to time depending on other factors, but I'm talking about people who bust their behinds for that money and seem to forget gross from net.) I think there were in-person cell-phone shops a few years ago that were paying $9/shop. Nobody can make money at that!

Anyway, I guess we all find our niches, and I've grown less inclined to complain about the lower-fee shops. I just don't take them. Doesn't mean I don't complain at all--LOL--or that I don't post a ridiculously low-fee shop here once in awhile for entertainment value. But I get it that people have their own comfort levels and skill sets--and hopefully are really good at matching those to the jobs they take.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2023 02:19AM by BirdyC.

@gigishopper wrote:

The car wash shops in my area cost $22. After a weather event (snow/ice), I will pick up a car wash shop at whatever pay is offered on the board because I need a car wash. $22 reimbursement and $5 pay for a service I would pay for anyway works for me. This is one reason shoppers take them. I am neither inexperienced or undereducated. Its a smart financial move for me.

That makes sense, of course. In your case, you end up in the plus column because of the fee. In my area, the car-wash shops that are here pay less than the required car wash, and there is no fee. I've done them to reduce the amount I pay for the wash, but I think I'm going to just buy the unlimited-wash package offered by the company. It ends up being more cost- and time-effective.

I'll take restaurant shops if I like the food, and the reimbursement doesn't put me too much out of pocket. If it's a place I'd go anyway, that's a good financial decision. I think the low-pay issue is primarily a problem with fee-only or fee plus reimbursement when the reimbursement puts one significantly out of pocket. And, of course, "significantly" is different for everybody.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2023 02:18AM by BirdyC.

I have a car, hose and soap. It's actually easier to do it myself. Plus, I can get the spaces machines always miss.

Pro tip: to save time, wash it when raining. Effortless pre-soak and auto-rinse.

Con: neighbors might look at you funny.

I don't care.

I drive to the neighborhood Wishy-Washy while it is raining; never a wait. 10 quarters gives me plenty of time , then the falling rain provides the rinse.

I can't ever remember washing one of my own vehicles on purpose. But Car Wash shops are kind of fun. They pay for the car wash, in fact if you go over the reimbursement they ask you why. And if you wait a couple of weeks or a few weeks, you can get paid $25 to do it. Which works for me nicely. And then my Jeep looks like a normal vehicle instead of the piece of crap that it is.

I did a few of those car wash shops a couple of years ago. I grew to hate them. Anyway, @John ... You still get reimbursement for the car wash.....At first glance, the job listing mentions the job fee only. However, clicking on the job comments it states the job fee "+ reimbursements up to $21.99 for a single car wash purchase." It actually mentions the $21.99 reimbursement twice in the comments. Why they don't include the reimbursement and job fee together in the listing anymore is a mystery to me. Anyway, come one come all. Have at it. No competition from me!

@1forum1 wrote:

I did a few of those car wash shops a couple of years ago. I grew to hate them. Anyway, @John ... You still get reimbursement for the car wash.....At first glance, the job listing mentions the job fee only. However, clicking on the job comments it states the job fee "+ reimbursements up to $21.99 for a single car wash purchase." It actually mentions the $21.99 reimbursement twice in the comments. Why they don't include the reimbursement and job fee together in the listing anymore is a mystery to me. Anyway, come one come all. Have at it. No competition from me!

Anyone first looking at the job would refuse it. No mention of the car wash being paid for. That should be shown with the fee.

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

Not sure why you are "boggled." This is basically a low to no-skill job that is open to anyone that wants to sign up. So someone who just wants something to do or to reduce their cost of doing something, will take the shop.

I would like to think I have "skills" at this, but I am no better than someone else who clicks self-assign at a price that I might not take.

We like to think we do a good job and deserve more pay, but this is not high-skilled labor here. It just takes someone willing to front the cost of food/gas/service/etc and fill out a report. I understand that some of us are more observant or more detailed than others, but it doesn't matter to the MSC. They are happy to fill shops for as cheaply as they can and there are those willing to meet their wishes.

@LindaM wrote:

as you have probably experienced and witnessed, someone on this board will justify taking the shop… boggles my mind, this is the only field i know where pay rates go down year after year…

I strongly disagree that mystery shopping requires little or no skill. If mystery shoppers were required to pay fees for renewable licenses, and the MSC was allowed to only assign shops to licensed shoppers, probably only shoppers wanting to shop to make wages would apply for shops, and then the job pay would undoubtedly be higher. A shopper who accepts a job for paltry payment is saying that that is all he/she is worth and thereby perpetuates offers of low payment.

@whosear wrote:

The skill that I see lacking in people is the inability to be objective and to follow the guidelines. Most people I've known what to write in the vernacular, treat the report as a personal review and have trouble keeping track of what needs to be done. So there is a skill set needed.

I totally agree. I cannot imagine a new shopper taking on an overnight casino/resort shop with over 30 interactions while fronting hundreds of dollars for expenses that could be forfeited if the shop got rejected. Skills and justified confidence are the differences between an unskilled new shopper and one who has gained skills and other qualities through experience.

LOL, I couldn't do any of the things those 3rd graders did.

@luckygirl0100 wrote:

I have a 3rd grade daughter... she had a sleepover with friends about three weeks ago or so. They spent the entire night 'making a movie'.
They wrote the script, did makeup/ hair/ wardrobe and then used an old iPhone (doesn't have service just connects to our wifi) to record their movie. They also look lots of photos & edited them, then put them together in a photo slide kinda movie presentation.
Yeah, 3rd graders could do this job. Wouldn't be amazing work to read the narrative and mistakes would be made but it could be done. And as someone who has spent time as an editor, I can assure you MANY reports I saw appeared to be from those with less than a 3rd grade education.

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

@heywave

The OP posted about doing an audio recorded car wash. So yes, a 3rd grader couldn't do that shop legally since they are too young to drive, but the actual "skills' to record the interaction and complete an online report is doable.

I think people "over-value" the skillset needed for this type of work. It does not require training. You learn "on the job" and improve things as you go. The market will dictate what price needs to be paid for these shops. We have already seen other posts and know that people are taking shops at base pay or even no pay because it can offset their costs or fill gaps on a route.

So the skills needed to complete the 1 shop are not really needed. But to be an effective, efficient and profitable shopper, that is where the "skills" come in. Someone who knows how to manage their time effectively, document notes and keep track of shops that have paid vs not paid and make sure you do not have rejected shops from sloppiness or errors.

Have a third grader attempt a Coyle shop

I think the biggest issue here is that there is such a wide range of shops. Entry into the MS world requires internet connection and a social security number (or ein). There are many shoppers who have honed their skills in this field, and therefore shops that ABSOLUTELY require those skills will **most likely** pay better than those that do not.
If a neuro surgeon were to take a job as a CNA s/he wouldn't be paid the higher surgeon rate. Some of us are 'over' qualified for SOME shops.
Yes, there are shops that require skill in writing and following direction. There are also shops that do not! The Pilot/ Flying J shops come to mind. They require you to answer five questions and write one sentence. The questions are beyond simple. Yes, a third grade student could complete this shop successfully.
A Coyle hotel shop requires a strong grasp of the English language and the ability to follow numerous directions and multi task. No, a third grade student would not be successful.