Issues with mystery shopping

What are the top issues you all face? I personally run into these A) company pay with a delay..sometimes 60 days late. B ) logging into multiple platforms to find the best jobs C) Afraid of forgetting one details and getting my shop rejected...all those hours gone! D) Tracking reimbursements.

What's your top pain point? Any issues that I'm missing?

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How different the editors are in the same company, contradicting instructions, and how just one small thing will make them reject your report! I bet if it was their money we were using and we made a small mistake, it wouldn't get rejected. They would push it through and bend a little. And one more thing, some companies takes way too long to pay.

Shopping Arkansas, Louisiana, & Mississippi.
Ipsos. With all of their lies, inconsistencies, distain for shoppers, arrogance, unaccountability and frivolity, they pretty much cover every one of my pain points.
Inconsistent editors and lengthy pay cycles
Pay decreases when the cost of everything is substantially higher.
Guidelines that leave out things that are in the surveys or request things that are not in the surveys.
A required narrative summary of all the questions previously answered.
Since I live in a very high cost of living area with a very slow mph driving speed around this town it annoys me that the pay seems to be the same everywhere in the country and miles from my home rather than time to get there from my home is often the only thing they are considering when applying extra pay.
purpleicee any AI platform can read a webpage

shopping north west PA and south west ny
@purpleicee. A required narrative summary of all the questions previously answered

I used to find, for me, that it flowed better and faster to write the narrative first. Then do the individual questions.

When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.
Alexander Den Heijer
QUICK AND EASY VISIT!
And then the guidelines are dozens of pages long, or there are 18 steps to follow.
I just saw one i never caught before or saw before. I got 2 citations from a scheduler tho these do not affect the rating score, because I asked for an extension for 2 jobs that I will do today.

I cut down on mystery shopping to only a handful of projects over the last couple years and have been working on more merchandising roles, those that have letters of authorization and or a badge.
@spetey13 wrote:

I just saw one i never caught before or saw before. I got 2 citations from a scheduler tho these do not affect the rating score, because I asked for an extension for 2 jobs that I will do today.

I cut down on mystery shopping to only a handful of projects over the last couple years and have been working on more merchandising roles, those that have letters of authorization and or a badge.

Who do you like best for merch jobs. I am by Detroit so if you are around here and don't want to say, I get it.

I do mostly CI and others when they pop up. Seems like stuff I see doesn't pay real well.
To the OP, I agree with A and C.
Along with decrease in pay and tons of questions for a simple visit, I would also add in using the same shops for most occasions, having meals that only cover reimbursements, and not having the instructions until you're assigned with the job.
@Katwoman777 wrote:

To the OP, I agree with A and C.
Along with decrease in pay and tons of questions for a simple visit, I would also add in using the same shops for most occasions, having meals that only cover reimbursements, and not having the instructions until you're assigned with the job.

I routinely request guidelines if looking at something new (been burned in the past by "super easy"). Had one company that would not send them, can't remember who, as I didn't pursue the job.
I have done of the usual mystery shops but also the ones on job sites like indeed. The one major merch w2 company that specializes in Walmart Ive been with 5 years. I am currently in the job search market but I am hoping for more stability and might keep it on to pay bills.
I am thinking of building a simple free tech thingy to help shoppers out. What are recommendations? I can try scraping jobs from multiple sites into one? Maybe running escrow service so once a shop is approved shoppers get paid right away? Maybe give you a highlight when your favorite editor has posted a new job? Open to anything, just trying to figure out how to help shoppers.
The only things that annoy me are things that cost me. Those are, inconsistent editors/reviewers and narratives that duplicate what they can plainly see in either photo or video shops.

Unless there are bonuses, I don't do really complex shops, and I avoid almost anything Ipsos unless it's the gas station audits they list. I made the mistake of doing two of the recent Mercedes van quote shops and they were both rejected. Although I had written evidence that I requested the "right" model of van, the sales professionals quoted me on a slightly different sub-model of that van. Wasn't in the guidelines that their error would cost me, but whatever.

I would also appreciate if schedulers and editors would communicate like actual human beings, instead of rabid badgers. I get that a lot of people flake, but I have enough good relationships to know that some of them are unnecessarily rude & unprofessional.
I noticed that too. The pay to go to a grocery store and purchase meat from the deli just went down from $7 to $5. No thanks!
Here's a new one for me: the same gas station shops are available on 3 different platforms, with 3 different time windows for scheduling/completion and 2 different fees offered. WTAF?!?!?

Have synthesizers, will travel...
johnshah posts--company pay with a delay..sometimes 60 days late.

Bob comments--I have been fortunate in that, while a few payments have been tardy, none even approached 60 days. What I have experienced was a few MSCs openly stating their respective times of payment after the report has been accepted. Those specific times are all within the prerogative of shoppers to, if unacceptable, decline by not establishing an association.
Maybe sounds like we need a list of companies and their payment terms...almost like a review system.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/07/2026 06:11PM by johnshah.
johnshah suggests--..........we need a list of companies and their payment terms...almost like a review system.

Bob agrees--An excellent idea. If MSC X publishes their payments will be within 90 days of report acceptance and complies with those terms, they are neither late nor slow. This is business and if one dislikes the peaches, there are other orchards/trees. I personally would not be interested in net 90, BUT, as the old adage goes, "What's meat for one shopper, could easily be poison for another."

In 2007. Merc's payments were net 45. It took me several letters and calls before I finally received my money after 101 days. Needless to state but I will, I immediately terminated our agreement. Two yrs. later, I was contacted concerning a reestablishment, but I declined.
I can't complain if they pay slow, but pay when they say they pay (though it is always tempting). I am waiting for one that advertises 30-40 days after acceptance. We are on day 35.
@johnshah wrote:

Maybe sounds like we need a list of companies and their payment terms...almost like a review system.

This could be a useful feature on the Mystery Shopping Company sub-forum.

Jacob? Mods? Anyone who likes to organize, such as those talented ones who upated the MSC list?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/2026 07:07AM by Shop-et-al.
ok based on the topics I've decided to put a couple things together 1) rating system so we can all rate MSPs 2) An earnings tracker so we can track what money is owed and for how long. Will make it much easier to track we're actually paid!!! Anyone want to help with creating the ratings? I'd assume this would be a free resource to all shoppers.
Hey John,

No offense, but what is your skin in the game here? I am just a naturally skeptical person.
Good question @87Supra. 1) The rating system would help me get better jobs. Avoid bad companies 2) The earnings tracker is something that lets me play around with tech and build something (it's a way for me to learn). Outside that no skin. Buttttt if you have a way to help people and also get some skin let me know...I'm not opposed to money as long as it benefits the group in an ethical way..I just don't know how.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/2026 05:48PM by johnshah.
Best of luck, interested to see what you come up with
Nevermind. Guilty of not reading all the comments before posting!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2026 12:16PM by sestrahelena.
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