I have performed numerous apartment shops for EPMS but that was in years past and their report form / questionnaire at that time was almost all narrative and quite lengthy. I also recall their online reporting system was not the most user-friendly. When asked, they reported not having updated their questionnaire form in years.

What is their current questionnaire like at present for apartment shops? About how many narrative do they typically require? How do they handle narrative length, i.e. do they employ a built-in character counter in their online reporting system which will tell you if your answer is too long or too short as it is written? If so, will their system indicate acceptable / unacceptable length BEFORE you have finished writing and proofing your narrative (e.g. letters colored green when narrative too short, black when acceptable, and red when too long?) Of does the questionnaire require you to answer all questions then SUBMIT FOR REPORT CHECK before it tells you what you've written and proofed is too long or too short, i.e. a LESS user-friendly system that requires additional time for more editing at the end they could have avoided with properly installed character counters?

EPMS does pay higher fees on average for their apartment shops vis-à-vis standard mystery shops. But due to their report length, you certainly earn it and then some -- at least in years past. Have they updated their questionnaires to make them more user-friendly and hopefully, less lengthy and redundant (e.g. no narratives asking you to repeat same information but in different format, typicaly a beginning-to-end recap at end?)

I last did a shop for them in the fall and the form was still very heavy narrative. Lots of repetition. was that what you wanted to know? I detest the forms and while I don't mind the shops the forms make it almost not worth it.

I'm pretty angry with them right now. I did a shop for them two weeks ago. I just received an email stating they had to cancel my shop because I did the shop on a Monday, and their client does not accept shops done on a Monday. I just went back through all the guidelines and found one short sentence stating this, in the midst of a lot of information. I spent hours on that very lengthy, very repetitive report. When I finished, I told my husband that the shop wasn't worth it for $30 because of the ridiculous report. I also did all the follow ups that are required for several days later, which I received reminder emails to do! The due date on the shop was listed as that Monday. I didn't even accept the shop until the Friday before that and the office is closed on the weekend. They shouldn't list a shop due date on a date they won't even accept. I would have to had accepted and performed that shop the same day in order to be paid. I am done with them. Yes, the sentence was there. I missed it. It was listed under the telephone guidelines and under between bolded sentences and sentences in all caps. I'm assuming it was there when I accepted the shop, and not added afterwards. I'm usually very careful about reading and following guidelines. Lesson learned. And goodbye, Ellis.

Thank you TexGmn and MelNel525 for your responses. Yes, your answers gave me what I was looking to find out. From your responses, I see that EPMS still has it's old system, therefore, my perspective will remain the same, i.e. I will not seek out their assignments unless there is significant premium and I have LOTS of time to block out to finish their report(and also feel especially patient so their redundant questions asking the same thing in a different ways for repetitions' sake, don't make me want to kick furniture.) You saved me from having to test their system by accepting an assignment from EPMS I might AGAIN regret, just to see if they had improved / updated. And therein lies the value of this forum. Yes, shoppers can benefit from sharing information. Thank you again!

Their report is asenine to me. I haven't shopped for them for quite a while....I think it's designed to trip you up.....color of eyes? desscribe the persons entire outfit (down to style/type of boots)?? nope...

so guys which other companies do u use for mystery shopping? i did bank shops with pinaccle, but it was too much work. filling a follow up after 15 days and then emptying ur accont and asking them to close it. i felt like epms was better that that..

wishbaashu, there is a link to a list of over 200 mystery shop companies at the bottom of every page here.

But mystery shopping is a lot of work. If someone told you this was easy money -- they lied.

i have been working with Epms for 6 months now. i totally agree with u, its not an easy job, but i am a SAHM and while my kids are in school, this is great way to make some extra cash so i can support my husband and family What i didnt like about the bank shop was the after work, like using the money in the new account i opened and then emailing to close the account, refund the fees etc. Epms has less shops n lenghty reports thats why i am thinking to try other things, but the bank shops were a big headache and the following up with them to close the account was the hardest part

I do many apartment shops for EPMS. I tend to repeat myself alot on the narratives.

I hate Ellis company. I worked for them for over two years, and they "fired" me right on Christmas eve...for a report that had many extentuating circumstances and a location I literally almost killed myself to get to in heavy traffic. These people are heartless.. and I am know kicking myself for not trying to get payment for the several reports I was never paid for..Good money for mystery shopping, but not worth it in my opinion. Find a company that treats you right.

Ellis Partners in Mystery Shopping (EPMS)

It's been awhile since I have seen much come up from them and they do not reply to emails. I have been a happy shopper in days gone by, despite the lenghty narratives and repetetive questions on their reports.

Anyone else experiencing this ?