I got a PM from someone who says he is with Reality Based Group (aka Game Film consultants) stating that they are seeking tons of video shoppers with their own equipment who are willing to travel. Has anyone in the video community ever heard of them doing video shops??

Yes.

Would it be appropriate to share the name of the person who messaged you? I just recently got involved in video shopping and would love to increase my business. I'm in Chicago so I don't think I would be your competition.

Check out his latest message on the "Introductions" thread.

Reality Based Group is the old GameFilm and they have just revamped their business model to use non-employees shoppers. They have been around since the beginning of video shopping. I have been told that the pay is substandard for our indusstry, but the bulk may make up for it. I would definintely recommend looking into it.

I was so excited when I saw this! I logged onto their site to update my profile or somehow notify them that I have experience and my own equipment, but don't see a place on the site to do this. How do you get this info into their system?

We are currently working on have a tab at the www.gamefilmconsultants.com webpage have a place for interested video shoppers to sign up. I still travel and shop for the company. So if you have questions or want to know what is what just call me. Excuse me the link is up and ready to go. SO if you are interested in doing some video shops for us go to the above address and follow the link. I also dont think our pay is "substandard ".

Porhammer Wrote:
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> Reality Based Group is the old GameFilm and they
> have just revamped their business model to use
> non-employees shoppers. They have been around
> since the beginning of video shopping. I have been
> told that the pay is substandard for our
> indusstry, but the bulk may make up for it. I
> would definintely recommend looking into it.


Their rates of pay for everything I have seen from them is terribly low.

Also, they will "forget" to pay you. I am still waiting on pay from July 2012. No response from the scheduler. I finally de-activate my own account. Substandard pay is correct and NO pay under certain circumstances.

I will call their corporate offices soon because email has gotten me nowhere.

If your not getting paid then you should call, why have you waited so long. They pay! 512 533 9494 Who is your
scheduler??

I did shops for two different companies for them both regular type not video. What I would say the pay is acceptable the other one, but I would say is a little low for what the expectations are and I won't do it again. However, in all instances I've been paid in a timely manner
.

I'm unable to comment on video assignment pay, but the written shops I have completed for this MSC have always been paid in a timely manner. In addition, I received a prompt reply to my application for video work, including a succinct explanation as to the reason it was being rejected. This MSC has my recommendation as a company that stresses a business approach to the industry.

You were rejected? That surprises me since you have a lot of experience.

Lisa,

The company requires shoppers to have a cell phone. As I have no personal need, the cost and inconvenience of carrying the device is an unacceptable expense. If, though, there were a sufficient supply of jobs needing the service, I would quickly subscribe. As you mentioned in a letter last year, even with your willingness to travel, video has not been the "cash cow" you expected.

Video is not a cash cow," but it is the best paid work in the industry. It also depends on LOTS of communication between scheduler and shopper.

There are many low cost cell phone plans that might well be an excellent investment for you to make. My housemate has one through a susidiary of Sprint (name is not coming to me; can someone supply it?) that lowers the monthly fee for every month you pay on time, for the first few months and provides her with excellent benefits for about what a land line would cost per month. Also, one new home video shop per month will pay for my more expensive unlimited data and 450 unrestricted minutes of "talk" per month, even on Verizon. All night and weekend calls and all calls, at any time, to fellow Verizon subscribers, are free (i.e., do not use up any of those 450 minutes). As for "inconvenience, I, like many, just clip the phone to my belt and "wear" it everywhere. You may be missing a good thing by not looking into inexpensive cell options. Video companies expect us to have cell phones because they need to be able to contact us to update or cancel shops while we are enroute. I have been saved long drives and inconveniences many a time by being "reachable" by phone. This is one of the many ways that video shopping scheduler/shopper relations differ so radically from those in traditional MS. In video, yo will feel that you are more part of a team, instead of being treated like an expendable "go-fer."

Wales,

Thank you for the suggestion, but my lack of desire in driving long distances, sleeping in a motel and dining in restaurants has, to date, greatly limited my video work for MSCs. Since I don't travel for video assignments, having a cell would not be of benefit to me in that when I have been given work, it has never been changed. It, once again, comes back to the old adage, "To each his/her own."

As a post script to the above, would I travel? Of course, but after almost 10 yrs. in this business I have only discovered one MSC willing to meet my price, and they are on the traditional side of the industry.

I miss their retail shops Perfect place to get gifts for all my friends.

I can't imagine not carrying a cell phone. I am such a phone geek that in February I started counting the days until my next available upgrade...which wasn't until October 17.

Shopper Bob, my cell phone costs me approx $10 a year, more if I actually use it. Check out prepaid phones (not prepaid plans) with T Mobile if they have service where you live. For the first year you can do a $25 card every three months and when you get to $100 spent your minutes last for a year. As long as you put in another cards worth before the quarter or year is over, and the least expensive is $10, then you can indefinitely extend your minutes. I bought a cheap Nokia at Target for under $20 and now renew once a year for $10. I have around 30 minutes (and actually used about 5 of them on my recent hotel shop since the room phone was 50 cents flat rate + an extra per minute rate). It took me years to use up the 130 minutes I racked up the first year in my quarterly payments. Anyway if you want to keep costs down do not tell anyone you know you have a cell and never give out your number...of course you will need to give it to this company. The cost per minute is around 25 cents. So this month when I finally turned my phone on I spent $1.25 from the hotel. Now it will be turned off until I take my next vacation.
I do not work for T Mobile but I think they are the best way to go to have an almost free cell phone if you just need it for emergencies and shopping companies that won't hire you otherwise.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lisa,
>
> The company requires shoppers to have a cell
> phone. As I have no personal need, the cost and
> inconvenience of carrying the device is an
> unacceptable expense. If, though, there were a
> sufficient supply of jobs needing the service, I
> would quickly subscribe. As you mentioned in a
> letter last year, even with your willingness to
> travel, video has not been the "cash cow" you
> expected.

Cell phones as low as $6 a month to just maintain the number, and they will bill you seperately for the usages.

[ting.com]

My bad. I saw the link above and thought it was some of the incessant spam we had this morning.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/25/2012 01:14AM by LisaSTL.

I think he's an actual poster.

You are right and I have changed my post. Thanks.

I got an email inviting me to attend training for video shopping with Reality Based Group. I don't own my own equipment, nor have I ever done any video shopping. Is it worth it to go to the "training" or is it going to be a sales pitch to go buy my own rig? I am only moderately interested in video and have no interest in car dealerships or properties which, as I understand it, usually account for the bulk of video shops. I may have it all wrong, so am asking here!

This must only be in a few states? I just pulled up my info and did not see anything about video. I have done 10 non-video shops for them. The pay was average, not substandard for a msc and I was paid timely.
@geauxcj, I also miss their retail shop. I was buying accessories for my daughter.

We are currently Looking for video shoppers all across the USA. We are not selling equipment but we can offer places where you can buy the button cam and recording device. What we will do is help folks with the guidelines on how to become a efficient shoppers. I have personally done over 2600 video shops. I want to be able to share my experience with anyone who wants to learn the ins and outs of the business. We have a large amount of retails shops we need done every quarter that requires video. Feel free to call or email any time of day or early evening.

For those interested, it looks like RBG wants experienced video shoppers who can do long routes of retail shops. Based on my experience, running out to buy a video rig before you have done 5-10 video shops with companies like Clear Evaluations and Instant Replays, where the schedulers all will train you, if really silly. Has nothing to do with this company; just common sense. In addition, video routes will almost always have to be done in daylight hours and rarely will permit Saturday or Sunday shops. So, please consider your "day job" before deciding to spend $420 on a rig.

I am signed up with RBG and will be doing some of their routes, two long ones in February. So far my interactions wih everyone there have been very positive and I' looking forward to this. I know quite a few of the veteran video shoppers that have been recruited for this project and can tell you that they are some of the very best, most experienced video shoppers in the business.

That said, I am concerned that rookies in the video world may jump in over their heads, financially because they think that video is easy and a cash cow. In the last 2 weeks I have heard from THREE totally inexperinece shoppers who accepted video shops (not from this company)and got NO traning before being sent into the field. Not saying this would happen with RBG, but if you want to get your first video experience, get in touch with one of the companies that sponsor VSN [www.videoshoppingnetwork.org] or with EPMS on line and use their equipment to get started before spending $420 on your own rig. AND, be aware that if you plan to do video routes, you will need at least 2 rigs.

Finally, technical training on the use of the video rig is the EASY part. Extended role playing and developing scenarios that will not tip off the target is much more complex that in traditional MS work.

Good news for non-cell phone video shoppers. I was contacted this week concerning my interest in video work for this MSC, during which the previous cell requirement was waived. Unfortunately for me, the bulk of their assignments involve overnight travel, of which I've no interest, unless it's an offer I can't refuse. The conversation was terminated with the understanding they might call upon me if they had local or day route jobs.

wales - thank you so much for the detailed info and insight. It really helped push me to finally make the (best for me, right now) decision to wait on jumping into the video field.

Ditto Wales...I think I need to wait also.