TrendSource

Has anyone done any of their on-site inspections? I have never done an on-site inspection so I don't know what they entail. There have been some, though, that I think I could do without difficulty. They want pictures on some. I have a digital camera that I have used on other mystery shops. My cell phone, although not an I-phone, takes pretty good pictures. Please let me know what you all think about this company and anything on their on-site inspections. Thank you.

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I do them regularly and enjoy them. The pay isn't wonderful but I just like doing them. Just make sure you capture all the photos or they'll send you back.

Trendsource pays promptly twice a month. You can check out the actual dates with the sticky on Mystery Shop Companies.

I love the inspection projects. And, yes, make sure you do the pictures the way that their guidelines show. They are very particular about being able to see the locks on the doors and file cabinets. I have some trouble with the door locks at times because if they are shiny they sometimes blur so I have to make some adjustments to my camera and retake the pics until I get it right.

The inspection projects are, in my opinion, far easier and less time consuming than doing the cellphone shops which pay on the average of about $15.

I love inspection assignments. In fact, I get so many now that I almost exclusively stay with those. The reports are very easy too.

I love them. Its alot of pictures to take but its ok because you meet some nice people.

They are probably my favorite shops. I feel like they should pay $25. for them, instead of $17., but I really like them. It is usually small offices or start up companies and the people are interesting. ALSO, ask if any of their printed material has any different addresses on them. It will save you a phone call, later. I wish I could do more, but there are not many in my area and another shopper usually grabs them, first, because I sleep late. lol

Take all of your pics twice, and some overviews of each room/area you are in, where you are taking pics. They should pay more, but they can be actually quite fun. Signed, Night Owl at 2:38 am

I'm going to have to start applying again. I applied about 6 times when I first started and they gave the assignments to the preferred local shoppers. They are not first come first assign and if your in a crowded market, you may not be given a chance.

@Crickettt wrote:

They are probably my favorite shops. I feel like they should pay $25. for them, instead of $17., but I really like them. It is usually small offices or start up companies and the people are interesting. ALSO, ask if any of their printed material has any different addresses on them. It will save you a phone call, later. I wish I could do more, but there are not many in my area and another shopper usually grabs them, first, because I sleep late. lol

There is another MSC that does offer $25 for the same assignment. It's the same questionnaire, same photo requirements - but the MSC I complete these for now will also reimburse for parking. I haven't worked with Trendsource in quite a while, but last time I did a BV for them, they would not reimburse for parking. In downtown Chicago, the cost of parking can be almost as much or more than the shop fee.

So should I get a tablet or an I-phone for these assignments? I doubt if my camera or the phone I have now would be sufficient for great quality pictures.

Either is going to give sufficient resolution for your photos. Determine which will best accomplish other tasks that you'd use them for, and consider any changes to your data plan that either might require.

The picture quality required is higher than the standard 680 x 420. If your cell phone or camera shoots at least 8 megapixels then thats plenty. Anything much higher makes for a large file size upwards to around 4 and 5 MB / photo. I use my note 3 set at 9.6 MP and I have to reduce the size for other MSC's by 75% in photoshop.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/2015 08:29PM by Irequim.

Very easy, just take more pics that you think you will need. I knock these out in about 30 mins. if the contact cooperates. The pay could be better.

A Dad shopping the Ark-LA-Tex and beyond.

These rarely take me more than 30 minutes, generally about 20 - 25 minutes. Sometimes getting hold of the client to schedule the visit is a nuisance, but overall, I really like these. I have not found the other MSC which pays more yeet, and I am signed up with a large number. I use a conventional camera since some of the shots require a flash and the 12X optical zoom on my Canon comes in handy. It has a 12.1 Megapixel camera. My Samsung S4 has 13 megapixel resolution, but only 4X digital zoom. I consider it my backup camera if something happens or if I forget to take my Canon along. I may try taking some of the more challenging shots with both of them and then decide if I could use just my S4.

You do have to pay a small fee to get a background investigation done once a year. I think it is about $3.10 (or some other low, but odd amount). More of a nuisance fee than anything else. I suspect that paying for it provides yet another form of identity verification for the online background check.

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

There is no restriction on picture size upload so create the best picture type. Even though it is not always required, take a picture of the shredder (working or not). They seem obsessed on shredders. The report length varies greatly depending on the client from about 40 to 80 questions some of which are silly. I've only several people reject the inspection or throw me out though. A general knowledge of business helps as some of the companies setups (DBAs, etc.) get a little complicated.

I do quite a few on-site inspections, and I like them. One caution: Many of the inspections are for home-based businesses -- be sure to do a street view Google search of the address before you accept the assignment so that you can determine whether it's a home office and if so, whether you'd be comfortable going into the home for the inspection (probably of greater concern to women, but good for everyone to consider). And I always carry pepper spray on the ring with my car keys. :-)

I have been working for TrendSource for a few months now and have considered applying for the on-site inspections. My only concern is I work full time. Can anyone tell me if they perform these inspections on weekends or in the evening after 5pm? Thanks for any feedback.

You have to do the inspections at a time which is convenient to the client and to you. Most businesses are open 8 to 5 or so, and you really need to allow an hour for the inspection, although it usually takes me 20 to 30 minutes. Before I retired, I had to only accept ones which were close enough to get to and back on an early or late lunch. As some have noted, some of the inspections turn out to be home businesses, and they were thrilled that I could come before work, after work, or on weekends. You can try to guess in advance from the address (if it is a housing development, it is a home business, if in a commercial office park, a conventional business), but there is always a chance of being wrong. So, having some flexibility in your work schedule is a good thing.

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

@Clamchatter wrote:

So should I get a tablet or an I-phone for these assignments? I doubt if my camera or the phone I have now would be sufficient for great quality pictures.

I use a 5th generation iPod Touch for most of the photos I take.

The only thing I'm not sure of about doing audits for them is that 4 hour rule....you must contact the subject/business within 4 hours of accepting the shop? Is there any deadline for scheduling the actual audit?

They want the audit scheduled within the next 2 business days, unless the client requests it be delayed to a later date. If that is the case, you can schedule it for the first convenient date for both of you. If you schedule the audit later than 2 business days, the questionnaire will specifically ask you if the client requested the delay. I never apply for the audits unless my calendar is pretty open for the next 3 business days. :-)

Also, before you can contact the client, you'll have to take and pass the quiz -- so be sure to get to work on it as soon as it is assigned to you, so you have time to read the guidelines, take the quiz, and contact the client within the 4 hours. (You'll get an e-mail reminder after 3 hours if you haven't yet scheduled the audit date and time.)

Good luck! They're really not difficult once you get the rhythm of it.

I have done one on-site inspection for a local company. I made an appointment, went in, asked the questions, took the pictures. It wasn't hard, just time consuming. The biggest thing for me is that they wanted it done right away, yet it took them 3 days to get back to me to tell me I had the assignment. Then it took almost a week to find a date that would work for the person I was interviewing.

Occasionally I will use my phone to do the audit and take the pictures. This works well for some of the audits that ask for the pictures as the audit progresses. Just take the sign in sheet with you.

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