Hi everyone! I'm on maternity leave and trying to step up my mystery shopping game to help with that unpaid time off. I know this was posted a few years ago, but thought we could start an updated thread. Who are your favorite companies to work for? Right now, my favorites are MarketForce, SeeLevel, Corporate Research International, and a few others I do a few shops for each month - Reality Based Group, Bare International, etc.

amy,
This is like asking what flavor of ice cream do you like. Everyone is different. Use the list of legitimate MSCs on every page and look up what posters here have to say about a few MSCs a day

OR.... You might do better to ask what MSCs do the kinds of shops that you like. KINDS, no clients, can be named. So, if you love bank shops you might ask about favorite MSCs that shop banks.

Alternatively, you might tell us what KINDS of shops you are now doing and ask for suggestions for kinds of shops to expand into. Some people love, love love ff shops; others hate them. Some love banking shops; others hate them! Do you want to know how to up your average shop fee? Or how to find shops that reimburse things that you need to buy such as oil changes or groceries.

We are here to help, but we need a bit more info so that our answers will really BE helpful.

My favorites are Harland Clark, EPMS, SeeLevel, Mintel and Ardent. Their reports are straightforward, their editors aren't clinically insane, and they pay like clockwork.

My least favorites are Remington Evaluations, Cirrus (I had to chase payment) and Sentry (personal preference).

Mod note: Inappropriate insult removed

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

Point taken! I've researched many and signed up based on the list here, but pretty time consuming and when I sign up I find the companies don't have shops in my area or not the kind I'm looking for.

Ok, so here are the shops I love doing. Retail, FF (when bonused), hotel (but only was able to do once so far), grocery, restaurants (only do reimbursement only if it's a really nice place I want to try), events/activities, and I love the bonused gas shops. I have had a hard time finding grocery shops lately!

I avoid car dealerships and banking shops and any other shop where I have to fake a scenario, and I prefer shops that aren't reimbursement only or have crazy long surveys. I do some grocery, car wash, and oil change shops just because they are things I always need though. Also never do reveal shops - too embarrassed for some reason!

Remember the research and registration is the sweat equity we all put into developing our businesses. How many other businesses can be started with the primary investment being time rather than money? More important than the type of shop or if they have anything in your area right now are their expectations/pay are reasonable and they pay on time.

I hear you, but I see it a little differently. I work full-time and am a mom to 3, so this is something I do on the side to make extra money, for fun, and because I enjoy and appreciate the need for this kind of work. So, type of shop and area availability really are top considerations, along with pay and payment time. I definitely have put sweat equity into it, and take everything I do seriously and do the work with integrity, but this is not my own business. I just thought this could be a fun and informative thread for myself and others.

First congratulations to your new baby! I totally get it, I also do this for fun but I don't work full time so over a course of a few months I have over 107 MSCs registered. However, in 2015 I only worked for 33 of them and in 2016 only 17 of them. Some MSC I have never worked for but I see shop emails that do interest me ( the stores, not the pay) but since most of the posts on here are not positive so I don't even bother!

My few favorites are: ICU, Jancyn, Reality Check, Reality Based, NSS, Mintel, HS Brands, Coyle.

I hear you about the revealed shops. I'm an introvert, so I feel way too uncomfortable putting that spotlight on myself when doing the reveal. I love blending in and isn't being a wallflower what MSCer is suppose to be?

I'm a huge foodie, so the restaurant shops with the fee are my favorites (Coyle, MF) Trendsource used to be a great one, with interesting shops, but it's been sparse in my area for half a year now. MF has a super easy flower delivery one that I jump on whenever I can.

I don't like the grocery shops, as that takes too long with way too many things to note.

Nsite is an annoying one because they email about 5 times about the same shops, and then proceed to also text about these shops that require way too much work, too many ordering restrictions, can only paid with cash, and will only pay us reimbursement. The one upside is their locations are interesting. I would only do them if I absolutely have no other shops to do.

Gapbuster has a restaurant shop that I enjoy, however, they will only reimburse for the meal, and taxes and tip would be out of my own pocket. I like the restaurant, so will do it once in a blue moon, but do cross my finger that they offer bonuses to cover the extras.

Sentry is my worst. I will never shop for them again. The staff and owner are rude and unreasonable. Don't waste your time with this one.

@HonnyBrown wrote:

My favorites are Harland Clark, EPMS, SeeLevel, Mintel and Ardent. Their reports are straightforward, their editors aren't clinically insane, and they pay like clockwork.

My least favorites are Remington Evaluations, Cirrus (I had to chase payment) and Sentry (personal preference).

Mod note: Inappropriate insult removed

I like bank shops inquiry only. Hehehe.. and I also like thebpost office shops, retail shops and groceries.

I am looking for mscs that would reimburse me groceries, so far just The Source and they got snagged up in the ten minutes I was on road.
If anybody can suggest MSCs besides MF and Source, I would be groceriliciously thankful to you.

I think you could do the bank inquiry shops, easily. You walk in, wait for them to say hello, tell them you are interested in opening an account and let them do the talking. Record it and do the report at your leisure at home. There's no $ output. Do one for Intellishop and if you mess it up in any way it's pretty much forgiven. My favorites are the reveal shops and audits. I try to get a food shop almost everyday.

@newbieshop In my area KSS also schedules a upscale grocery store, I'm not sure what MSC it is for, since I've never bothered since it's so many interactions (9) for the $10 pay and $25 of groceries. Customer Impact also does another upscale grocery store I did it once and decided it was not worth my time, also interactions and names in each department! It normally pays $10 with $12 of groceries I did it with a $10 bonus still not worth my time...
NSS has another upscale chain but again I've never done the shops.
I did one recently for Service Check only 2 interactions but you have to check every item on the flyer and check for meat, bakery item and dairy due dates...
IMHO I don't find grocery shops worth the time for the money at least not the ones I have in my area. If there are ones that have far fewer interactions please let me know!
I would love to shop a Trader Joe's since I'm there all the time already but I only see age compliance shops for them!

I gotta say my favorite is epms---- a lot of people on here will say stay away and they hate them but--- They almost always have something for me to do. The reports yes, are long but if you like writing then it isn't that bad. I don't get picky feedback. And its $30-$75. I am making over $600 just from them this month. In total I will make $900 and I do this extremely part time because I have my own business.

@aayaey wrote:

@newbieshop In my area KSS also schedules a upscale grocery store, I'm not sure what MSC it is for, since I've never bothered since it's so many interactions (9) for the $10 pay and $25 of groceries. Customer Impact also does another upscale grocery store I did it once and decided it was not worth my time, also interactions and names in each department! It normally pays $10 with $12 of groceries I did it with a $10 bonus still not worth my time...
NSS has another upscale chain but again I've never done the shops.
I did one recently for Service Check only 2 interactions but you have to check every item on the flyer and check for meat, bakery item and dairy due dates...
IMHO I don't find grocery shops worth the time for the money at least not the ones I have in my area. If there are ones that have far fewer interactions please let me know!
I would love to shop a Trader Joe's since I'm there all the time already but I only see age compliance shops for them!

I am signed up with all these that you mentioned. They prolly dont have groceriws in my area or maybe they are hidden. :/
I like the source ones as they seem easy to me hehehe.. 5 interactions and cashier bagger too..

I just stumbled on Customer Service Experts when I was traveling in the airport. Nothing but good things! They wrote nice comments, gave me 10s, and the requirements were easy to understand.