Seeing less and less shops posted and the ones posted are not worth doing!
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Those $15 mall shops never get higher than $15 here. Haven't done one.
I need a hell of a lot more than $10 to do a retail store shop, especially the mattress stores.
A lot of the Five Guys shops here get into the high teens, and coupled with free food & drink I think it's an okay deal. I just don't feel like eating there.
I mainly stick to bank shops and audits. Bank shops typically pay better, and audits pay better and I don't have to be concerned with presenting a scenario or remembering a bunch of details.
I need a hell of a lot more than $10 to do a retail store shop, especially the mattress stores.
A lot of the Five Guys shops here get into the high teens, and coupled with free food & drink I think it's an okay deal. I just don't feel like eating there.
I mainly stick to bank shops and audits. Bank shops typically pay better, and audits pay better and I don't have to be concerned with presenting a scenario or remembering a bunch of details.
I don't think there are any Russians / And there ain't no Yanks
Just corporate criminals\ / Playin' with tanks
Just corporate criminals\ / Playin' with tanks
I was doing bank shops but for some reason I have been banned or whatever as I get notices and am asked to apply then never hear a word- applications deleted. They paid reasonably well. I am not going to run myself ragged for these low fees. I assume all the lay offs, cut backs and moves to AI are affecting mystery shopping.
I've worked more in the months of October & November than I ever have.
Agree with the Fat lady .Guess I must live in a crappy area with no shops…yeah I do which I think is why there are no good shops worth doing posted.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/2025 01:51AM by OldmanJames.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/2025 01:51AM by OldmanJames.
I'm noticing fewer shops that DON'T require putting out your own $$$. My pin money, petty cash reserves have dwindled. I'm no longer putting out $$$ for greasy burgers w/soggy fries and other situations that require 30+ day reimbursement. As for "shops" that don't require an output of cash (merch, etc...) but don't pay within 10 days, "FORGET ABOUT IT!"
Yes, it's definitely fewer opportunities. But we've seen that with the receipts asking for feedback about visits as well as automated checkouts affecting numbers. Once upon a time, I never drove from point A to point B without picking up a shop to cover my gas. I've never relied on MS, but I can understand that for those who do it's a tough market right now. I do find it's still feast or famine in the specialty areas, including apartment rentals, assisted living facilities, financial institutions.
Evaluating and mailing packages since 1994. I am an undercover connoisseur of customer service, a master of disguise in the aisles, and a sworn enemy of subpar experiences. I blend in, observe, and report—because excellence should never be a mystery.
inflation happens every year. its been way worse the last 5 years
car shops are back for me this year
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/2025 02:10PM by cooldude581.
car shops are back for me this year
shopping north west PA and south west ny
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/2025 02:10PM by cooldude581.
The mall shops I usually get 25 for. Thats about as high as I see them go. Same for mattress shops. Has to be 25 or more, those shops are ridiculous for $10. The greasy burger shop I can't eat anymore so I will only do it if one of my kids wants it, otherwise, pass.. unless it is 30 but I never see that anymore.
Viv, what types of shops are you doing, that you've been so busy?
Fatlady opines--....I think mystery shopping is on its way out!
Bob agrees--While some shoppers, myself included, have discovered a profitable system, most folks have a need greater than working all day for an unacceptable net. What has occurred for me, is the great reduction of work in category #1: money. There was a time they annually numbered in the hundreds; I have completed 5 this year.
I believe those shoppers who are primarily or only interested in my category #2, leisure, will not be as adversely affected. For them, a $200 meal is worth the time and any aggravation. For me, I am happy with an Early Bird steak at the Roadhouse on my dime. The location I visit offers 20% off on Mondays for veterans and 30% one day a year.
Bob agrees--While some shoppers, myself included, have discovered a profitable system, most folks have a need greater than working all day for an unacceptable net. What has occurred for me, is the great reduction of work in category #1: money. There was a time they annually numbered in the hundreds; I have completed 5 this year.
I believe those shoppers who are primarily or only interested in my category #2, leisure, will not be as adversely affected. For them, a $200 meal is worth the time and any aggravation. For me, I am happy with an Early Bird steak at the Roadhouse on my dime. The location I visit offers 20% off on Mondays for veterans and 30% one day a year.
Unemployed and federal workers take many shops these days. At lower rates because a few are desperate. I met a mid manager looking for a bank job for 6 months, 2 teenagers, one child with disabilities. It is tough out there.
I'm with viv.
I have to work to take days off. And I only do well bonused shops. If I could push myself beyond my limits, I could work all day, every day, But my health won't allow me to do that, and I need time to stare at the walls and get my head back on straight regularly.
Currently scheduled I have about $300 - $500 in gas station shops, one station brand will net me about $100 and about 6 - 8 gallons of gasoline, the others are just audits, no outlay of cash to begin with. I'll get these done with week, and the pay will likely go up next week, and I'll do the rest of the local stations (within 60 - 80 miles) probably before the end of this month, or the first week of December.
I don't work from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to the Monday after because of black friday shoppers and traffic. I don't go out when folks are behaving badly in large groups and I can't get decent parking spaces.
I have to work to take days off. And I only do well bonused shops. If I could push myself beyond my limits, I could work all day, every day, But my health won't allow me to do that, and I need time to stare at the walls and get my head back on straight regularly.
Currently scheduled I have about $300 - $500 in gas station shops, one station brand will net me about $100 and about 6 - 8 gallons of gasoline, the others are just audits, no outlay of cash to begin with. I'll get these done with week, and the pay will likely go up next week, and I'll do the rest of the local stations (within 60 - 80 miles) probably before the end of this month, or the first week of December.
I don't work from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to the Monday after because of black friday shoppers and traffic. I don't go out when folks are behaving badly in large groups and I can't get decent parking spaces.
I think it is location dependent, and also has a lot to do with how many hours you are willing to drive, and how many miles you want to put on your car. In my area there aren’t many opportunities.
Every few weeks someone posts something similar, and there are always responses disagreeing, but usually no one specifies what the glut of jobs is. Gas stations I guess? Definitely regional because the only gas station shops near me pay $5, lol
Every few weeks someone posts something similar, and there are always responses disagreeing, but usually no one specifies what the glut of jobs is. Gas stations I guess? Definitely regional because the only gas station shops near me pay $5, lol
Yes to bradkrew and as I have often mentioned in my big city there is almost always a long wait for my turn even with an appt at a bank etc . I did one mattress shop long ago, also remember a plumbing shop long ago. Both paid similar to $10 at the time and I had to wait for my turn 20 minutes or so making the job take up too much time before I even started. And on similar first tries often another customer waiting their turn in back of me overhears and chimes into my conversation with the salesperson and throws my entire shop off. No more retail of that type for me.
Gas stations... more than i can count
@LindaS wrote:
Viv, what types of shops are you doing, that you've been so busy?
I think I made it clear that most of what I do is gas stations. I also do casual dining restaurants, fast food when it meets the criteria (and isn't jersey mikes), and grocery shops (any I can get my hands on). I don't do jewelry shops, or fine dining, or most clothing shops because I apparently don't understand the language that those folks speak, even in English.
Interesting! I am the opposite of Morledzep. I avoid gas stations unless they are highly bonused. I gravitate towards beauty, clothing, jewelry, and fine dining. I do enjoy the reimbursed groceries.
I do my fair share of fine dining when my schedule allows. I've done two lunches in the past two weeks. My schedule didn't really like that chunk of time taken up, but I considered them my 'birthday' treats (my birthday was in the middle of the two lunches)
I'll do jersey mikes anytime I'm on a route, a bit less greasy than panda! Report takes me about the same amount of time and I don't care about photos, it really doesn't bother me.
I'll do jersey mikes anytime I'm on a route, a bit less greasy than panda! Report takes me about the same amount of time and I don't care about photos, it really doesn't bother me.
@Morledzep wrote:
I think I made it clear that most of what I do is gas stations. I also do casual dining restaurants, fast food when it meets the criteria (and isn't jersey mikes), and grocery shops (any I can get my hands on). I don't do jewelry shops, or fine dining, or most clothing shops because I apparently don't understand the language that those folks speak, even in English.
I set a low bar goal of $800 per month in fees and usually go way above that. However, lately it's been getting more difficult to reach that point. Back in the day I could count on a few hundred per month from MF. Today I got a $20 payment. For November I have $0 with MF. I've been doing more for other MSCs and have added some new to me places like See's Candy, car washes and a new to my area fine dining restaurant. I love doing this work and sure hope to continue as long as my weary legs will let me....just not for some of the fees currently offered.
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The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..
Mark Twain
The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..
Mark Twain
I was one and done with Sees Candy a year or two ago. $7 pay and $8 reimbursement cost me $1 out of pocket for a very tiny box of candy.
gigi, I would do See's candy all day, every day. It's the only chocolate that I really like. The See's Candy store in Huntsville, AL is only open part of the year, and when the shops are available I seem to always miss them.
My grandparents used to give all of the adults, friends and family a 1 lb. box of mixed nuts and chews every year for Christmas all of my life. And as an adult, I worked at a Smog Test shop about a mile from the See's Candy plant in Los Angeles, we used the same uniform service, and our uniform guy used to bring us boxes of the mistakes. In 65 yeares I've never grown tired of See's Candy.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/20/2025 01:37AM by Morledzep.
My grandparents used to give all of the adults, friends and family a 1 lb. box of mixed nuts and chews every year for Christmas all of my life. And as an adult, I worked at a Smog Test shop about a mile from the See's Candy plant in Los Angeles, we used the same uniform service, and our uniform guy used to bring us boxes of the mistakes. In 65 yeares I've never grown tired of See's Candy.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/20/2025 01:37AM by Morledzep.
I went into that Sees factory store one day years ago thinking perhaps they would be selling seconds at a discount but all they had were the full priced items they had in the retail stores. I never went back. But I need a smog check next month. Too bad you no longer work there.
@Morledzep wrote:
gigi, I would do See's candy all day, every day. It's the only chocolate that I really like. The See's Candy store in Huntsville, AL is only open part of the year, and when the shops are available I seem to always miss them.
My grandparents used to give all of the adults, friends and family a 1 lb. box of mixed nuts and chews every year for Christmas all of my life. And as an adult, I worked at a Smog Test shop about a mile from the See's Candy plant in Los Angeles, we used the same uniform service, and our uniform guy used to bring us boxes of the mistakes. In 65 yeares I've never grown tired of See's Candy.
I sure wish I knew the trick to get those gas station audits to go through, I completed one and have unsuccessfully completed the same two twice it's looking like..
What is the reason they give you for rejection? Read the guidelines, they are pretty straightforward.
[
quote=tashahill2022yahoo.com]
I sure wish I knew the trick to get those gas station audits to go through, I completed one and have unsuccessfully completed the same two twice it's looking like..[/quote]
[
quote=tashahill2022yahoo.com]
I sure wish I knew the trick to get those gas station audits to go through, I completed one and have unsuccessfully completed the same two twice it's looking like..[/quote]
Duplicate photos and there are not any that are used more than once. I have tried everything I can.
I don't think it is that. I think it is more along the lines that the market is now saturated with people. They pick up all the jobs, and they're no longer bonused. I live in a big city, and there is hardly anything to do here.
@Dino29 wrote:
I don't think it is that. I think it is more along the lines that the market is now saturated with people. They pick up all the jobs, and they're no longer bonused. I live in a big city, and there is hardly anything to do here.
This. I don't live in a huge city, but, we have a few Five Guys around here. Just a couple years ago, they didn't even get to MAO until the base had gone up to $20; now MAO seems to start around $13, and I don't ever get the down town location anymore because they're snatched up at opening price or $10.
@mysterioso412 wrote:
@Dino29 wrote:
I don't think it is that. I think it is more along the lines that the market is now saturated with people. They pick up all the jobs, and they're no longer bonused. I live in a big city, and there is hardly anything to do here.
This. I don't live in a huge city, but, we have a few Five Guys around here. Just a couple years ago, they didn't even get to MAO until the base had gone up to $20; now MAO seems to start around $13, and I don't ever get the down town location anymore because they're snatched up at opening price or $10.
What you all said.
Recent local example is Jancyn posting gig ads on Craigslist for the sizing audits. Like other gig companies, they keep expanding their worker base so they can find people willing to do the gigs for a bare minimum. They're not necessarily looking for the best workers. They're looking for decent workers who are desperate.
I don't think there are any Russians / And there ain't no Yanks
Just corporate criminals\ / Playin' with tanks
Just corporate criminals\ / Playin' with tanks
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