Have you ever had lunch with someone from this forum? I have, in fact, today had
the pleasure of meeting Irene_L.A. at a local restaurant and did a little chit chat, compared secret notes and ate too much. Was such fun meeting someone that I had conversed with in this forum and was lucky enough to get to meet her.

Thanks Irene....it was sooo fun.

Did you guys have lunch while performing a shop or was this just a normal lunch.

A few years ago I had the pleasure of meeting some forum friends (different forum) when I was visiting my son in Texas. And yes, it was a shop :-) There were 7 of us and the report took a long time going through what everybody had for lunch item by item and their kudos/complaints about the stuff. But we had a good time.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/2011 12:49AM by Flash.

Yes, Irene and I had agreed to try to find a lunch job in a close by city and whoever got one would let the other know. Well, since she is such a pro she immediately got a shop at a fabulous sandwich shop.

It was so fun....hopefully more of us can do it.

Im glad you had fun. I hope I get to meet other shoppers in my area one day.

Well, since I did the driving, just got home...kidding. Had a good time, and yes it definitely is great to put a face to a name. We ate too much, my buddy took some timings and was generous enough to offer to pay for my gas, as this was in her town. I really enjoyed doing this, and want to do more, next time in my town (right)? I think buddies are great, and would like to do a larger "meetup" with shoppers in L.A. Whoever is reading this, pm me, I'll get the lunch. Thanks again Ibarlbar for the great directions, it was nice to meet and have a new experience.....I'm still eating onion rings and fries.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/2011 01:06AM by Irene_L.A..

I've met shoppers a couple of times, as well as meeting up with some internet friends three different times. It's the best fun.

I have had lunch locally with two shoppers that I met on another forum. At the conferences I have lunched, sipped and noshed with dozens of shoppers and schedulers. Network, network, network.

Yes, it is a great way to network, since we never meet and really can't talk about our job to strangers...I gave Ilbarlbar a job tip and the favor was returned, got only plus's out of it. I know we would never step on one another's toes.

I am totally envious. I don't really know anyone who mystery shops. I did have meet a few individuals at an in person training last year, but that was it.

I imagine it would be enjoyable to compare notes in person.

kittybrant,
That's one of the reasons that the shopper conferences are sooooo productive. I network with both shoppers and schedulers for 2.5 days.

I'm getting together Wed. with Steve (a brillant addition to our forum), looking forward to it, we have met before. I don't know any shoppers except from the forum. Speaking of networking, is anyone going to the "Conference" in Vegas in Oct.?

Probably not, but I am running a workshop for newbies at the Orlando conference in May. I have been to two in Vegas, but it's not my kind of town. The spring 2012 conference will be in Chicago. BTW, speakers and workshop leaders are NOT making money or having expenses reimbursed. This is my way of "paying it forward" for the mentoring and support that veterans gave me when I started.

That great, good for you. Chicago would be one I'd love to go to, as I could visit with my daughter...will look into that one. Do the same Volition folks run all of them? Seems odd to have two in one year (Fla&Vegas). I think the speakers should get something, maybe a free night, they do make money on this. walesmaven Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Probably not, but I am running a workshop for
> newbies at the Orlando conference in May. I have
> been to two in Vegas, but it's not my kind of
> town. The spring 2012 conference will be in
> Chicago. BTW, speakers and workshop leaders are
> NOT making money or having expenses reimbursed.
> This is my way of "paying it forward" for the
> mentoring and support that veterans gave me when I
> started.

There was very high demand from shoppers for both an east and a west conference. The conference fees barely cover the costs for the meeting rooms, etc. A long list of MSC company and vendor (like cell phone providers, video and audio recording providers, etc) sponsors also kick in to supplement the fees paid by the shoppers. And, the sponsors also kick in some very, very nice door prizes! I won free admission to my choice of either 2011 conferences at the last one. so, I don't know if other speakers get free admission, but suppose they might. But, no free rooms, lol. I suppose that the hotel supplies one or two free rooms for the conference planning team. That just SOP for conference hotels, I think. There is a system set up to facilitate room sharing, ride-sharing, and babysitting services. I am not in on the details of the finances, but it does not look like a money making operation to me, as the planners spend hundreds of hours working on each conference. Since they are all highly accomplished, fulltime shoppers, that's a lot of opportunity cost for them.

BTW, these conferences are the only place where NON-MSPA and MSPA companies actually are in the same room. This makes the networking leaps and bounds better than it could have been when the MSPA "allowed" shoppers to attend their private conference. The whole "by shoppers, for shoppers" thing was born nearly the instant that the MSPA announced that is was henceforth "disinviting" shoppers to their conferences. Six months to the day after that announcement, we held our first conference. Not bad for "amatuers," HUH? I'm not part of the planning group, and not privy to insider stuff, but if I was to bet, I'd bet that we make the MSPA quite nervous. (Although, in public they continue to smile.)

I would think the MSPA would be jumping for joy.

These conferences have transfered a majority of the burden of shopper training to the shoppers themselves, and relieved them of dealing with the money-pit that gold certification conferences ended up being.

Now they are free to peddle the silver & gold certifications at a profit while the hard/expensive work is done by others.....

I agree the MSPA won't be losing sleep....it's a good way to network, but sitting in classes all day, not for me....and as far as that other forum, not interested in networking, we're just not on the same page, but that's personal. The book selling is the advantage, and I do think $$ is being made, let's be real.

edited...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/2011 02:32PM by Irene_L.A..

Had a "Passover" lunch at Chipotle today with Steve...great fun, paid for our own lunch and exchanged stories, he has some good ones, I have to catch up....

Gosh, that sounds so fun!!!! But how in the world would you be able to find others in your town? Don't want to take shops from them as this is a small city,and it seems we all rotate alot. I estimate there might be 8 to 10 shoppers in my city, with all of the shops as next to semi large city would have as this it a vacation area. Beach, Outlets, Spring breakers and Snowbird's.

Charlene, I met one fellow shopper on V, and the other is a regular poster on this forum. We pm'd a couple times about jobs and decided we wanted to meet, its a good thing....bet you can find someone on the forum and meet. I really love the personal connection.

I met one person who lives in Lexington. Hopefully we will meet one of these days. I met mawmaw online the other day and we have a lot in common. She lives in Western Kentucky which is a longggggggggg way from me.

Maybe one of these days. I know there are shoppers in Louisville because they take jobs I'm waiting on for the fees to go up. lol

Thanks everyone! I dont know if I can mention where I live, so I can meet a fellow MS. If I can ,please let me know. So hard these days to know someone in this business and then can not tell other people you know what you are doing. Sometimes people will ask me what I'm doing and I will say I am a Mystery shopper ,then they will ask for who, then I have to say I CANT TELL, IT'S A MYSTERY! And if I say I can get fired telling you where I have shopped then they understand.

You can mention the general area you live in, and when asked say your a Field Rep., Evaluater, I think as long as you don't give away names, your o.k., it's not like your friens are going to report you.

Irene_L.A. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You can mention the general area you live in, and
> when asked say your a Field Rep., Evaluater, I
> think as long as you don't give away names, your
> o.k., it's not like your friens are going to
> report you.


Your friends certainly won't report you, but when you are on an open forum, everyone should keep in mind that anyone, whether friends or not, can log in at will, so there should be no expectation of privacy.

Oh me. I guess for saftey sake I'll just keep my idenity to my self. Oh, I know my friends would not report me for shopping but there are some strick rules even to family members. I received an email from a company that was doing a shop, and it was my husbands business that he owns and had NEVER became a client for. I about fell out off of my chair when I saw this. But come to find out it was a world wide client who was checking out business's to see if they would like to become apart of our business and others. All I can say it was a cell phone client and of course I could not do the shop and would not have anyways as the pay was poor and 5 pictures! But as I researched it more I could understand why they wanted the Pics. And as far as friends, the current ones I have would not report me for anything, but you never know when someone will turn on you! Seen that, been that.

I believe my response to Charlene was how to meet shoppers, what on earth can be the problem in that? Privacy on the computer, no one expects that, but the forum should be a relatively safe place, if I had to watch every word, I wouldn't bother to post.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2011 03:02PM by Irene_L.A..

OK Irene, I have alot of respect for you and Flash. You have been in this for alot of years. Going on my first year soon,and I am still, lets say, playing the game and learning alot from You, Flash and others. SO for example if I were to say "Hey shoppers, anyone from Gosnell, Arkansas." Could I get way with that? And no, I do not live there, I'm sure you know where I live by now, if not others do. Is your responce just go for it? I know that the newbees always say where they are from sometimes/ alot. But anyways, I just don't want to break the rules on this site. Thanks for everything!
Charlene

Forgot to hit Email notifications

Charlene, when you find someone in your area, and respect or identify with their posts, PM them and talk online for awhile, then try and get a lunch and meet. I had read Ilbar's posts and felt she was a good person, we PM'd and said it would be fun to meet. I found a lunch and met. Steve and I had another connection on another forum, and we met, but only after writing personally for awhile. I think it enlighting and positive to do this, go for it!!

If you make it to sunny south Florida around Palm Beach let me know. My wife and I would love to meet up with some other shoppers. If you live in the area send me a PM and we will get together.