Bharri, all companies have shoppers who don't like them. Today I did six shops for five companies. These were not local to the nearest town but were easily reachable on a day route. Let me tell you about these companies one by one and you will see the misinformation you encounter by believing everything you read on this forum.
Company #1 is widely reviled as giving people the axe for absolutely no reason, for being picky about details, and for cheap shops. From their job board, with no negotiation, I picked up a breakfast shop that paid $14 plus reimbursement for a dine in breakfast and a drive thru breakfast. I dislike the lunch and dinner meals at this client but I love the breakfast and think it's first rate. The coffee is really good.
Company #2 is widely disparaged for being ignorant of current technology and for paying "peanuts" on its shops. I did one that paid $17 in fee and useful reimbursed items. This was base pay on this shop.
Company #2 again, I did a shop on which I negotiated a $15 bonus for a total of $32.75 in fees and useful reimbursements. That's $49.75 today on two shops from this company which pays "peanuts". I'll take it.
Company #3 always has one or more posters on the board complaining about this and that, they don't pay anything, they're hard to deal with, the platforms are screwy, just not worth it, will never work for them again. $15.00 for twenty minutes feeding my face plus write up a report. Okay then. Count me in.
Company #4 seems to generate little criticism although I do see some. I did a negotiated job for them today for $30.
Company #5 probably gets the best treatment on the board. I did a negotiated job for them today for $57.00 in fees and usual reimbursements.
Useful reimbursements = gas or something I can eat or use.
I've been with all these companies a long time. I can negotiate a reasonable bonus if they need something done because they know I'll do it. If and when something goes wrong I don't rat them out on this forum and we settle it privately and professionally as we should. I treasure the relationships I have with all of them.
Tonight I negotiated a bonus on two shops of $125 for both plus the regular base fees with one of these companies. Yeah!
I want to assure you that although $166 seems like a good day to you and I'm entirely happy with the pay for what I did, many shoppers who are on this forum wouldn't walk out of the house for $166. You can build your business if you work at it. All of us have different opportunities because we are in different areas with different amounts of competition. It's not the same everywhere. Only you can figure out what's available and what works in your area.
Answering your question, that's how I did it today.
Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.