The 1st assignment that i was assigned to from Second to None was 18 miles away.
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Did you not look to see how far away the assignment was before you applied for it? If you want something closer, select assignments that are closer to you. As an independent contractor, the assignments you choose to apply for (or self assign to yourself, depending on the company) are entirely up to you. You can choose assignments 2 miles away, 18 miles away, or 50 miles away. The mystery shopping company won't care how far you choose to drive.
How many companies are you signed up with? Many posters here are signed up with 100 or more. The more companies you sign up with the better selection of assignments you will have.
How many companies are you signed up with? Many posters here are signed up with 100 or more. The more companies you sign up with the better selection of assignments you will have.
Are you a relatively new shopper overall? I don't think 18 miles is that far, really. I guess it depends on whether or not you have to drive on backroads and roads with lots of stoplights, etc. Or, if you have other companies you are signed up with where you can get other shops in the same area to do on the same day. Consider this as well: when you first sign up with a company you want to take some shops to prove that you can do the job correctly and establish yourself as a reliable shopper who follows the guidelines correctly. Sign up with some other companies so you can bundle your shops together. Today I have shops in the same area for three different companies: several convenience stores for one company, a mailing shop for another, and a bank shop for yet another company. I am going to make about $100 this afternoon for about 4 hours of work. Try signing up with Maritz research, Marketforce, Ipsos, and Trendsource. Those are four companies I know of that shop just about anywhere in the country. There is a list of companies at the bottom of this page. Sign up with as many as you can to get more shops.
Personally, I won't take shops that far away. They need to be walking distance, a phone/web shop I can do from home, or I need to be in the area anyway. If I'm taking the train or driving out of my way, I feel as though it's wasting too much $$ to be worth it.
I'm doing a restaurant shop in a few weeks that is a 20 minute walk from my new apartment. Hopefully it isn't too cold that day. If I had to drive...nope. Not worth the hassle of trying to find parking there and then again back by my apartment.
I shop minimally. If you're going to be shopping a lot more than I do, it could be worth it if, as stated above, you build a route. It could be fun to check out new neighborhoods.
Best of luck to you.
I'm doing a restaurant shop in a few weeks that is a 20 minute walk from my new apartment. Hopefully it isn't too cold that day. If I had to drive...nope. Not worth the hassle of trying to find parking there and then again back by my apartment.
I shop minimally. If you're going to be shopping a lot more than I do, it could be worth it if, as stated above, you build a route. It could be fun to check out new neighborhoods.
Best of luck to you.
I really think it depends on where you live and how close in proximity you are to highways and expressways, and if there is a lot of traffic congestion. I can be 18 miles away in 15-20 minutes most of the time, and I always make sure I have several shops to do if I am driving that far away. I might have one quick $12 shop on the list and several that were bonused to $20 or higher that are close to it. Like I said, I can easily make $100 or more in an afternoon by bundling shops.
I agree 18 miles each way is too far for a single $12 shop. In defense of the MSC, they don't know if maybe you happened to be driving there anyways, or if you have jobs from another company in the same area. Many other shoppers work that way. Plus, many shoppers, for whatever reason (they like driving? they are not responsible for/aware of vehicle costs?), may not mind driving that far for $12 even though it doesn't make sense to me or you.
If you requested the shop based on an inaccurate mileage estimate on their website, you might be able to cancel without penalty if you approach them with courtesy, and you just got the shop within the past day or so. Personally, I recommend completing the shop just to maintain a good relationship with the MSC, but I would be more selective in the shops I request in the future. I always use Google Maps to get the true mileage based on the address, and do not go by MSC estimates.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/2017 02:56PM by mystery2me.
If you requested the shop based on an inaccurate mileage estimate on their website, you might be able to cancel without penalty if you approach them with courtesy, and you just got the shop within the past day or so. Personally, I recommend completing the shop just to maintain a good relationship with the MSC, but I would be more selective in the shops I request in the future. I always use Google Maps to get the true mileage based on the address, and do not go by MSC estimates.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/2017 02:56PM by mystery2me.
STN is a stickler for completed assign shops. The grading is dependent of completing the shop. Find other shops along the way coming and going.
Like someone already said---->MF, MCX, SteriCycle probably have shops waiting for you. If you haven't registered for them yet do so. There paid may not be high but it is a beginning.
Like someone already said---->MF, MCX, SteriCycle probably have shops waiting for you. If you haven't registered for them yet do so. There paid may not be high but it is a beginning.
@mhogan5 wrote:
I would like something closer then 18 miles away. That's a bit far for $12.00
We request shops, STN approved your request. They did not randomly assign a shop to you. It was your choice. If current shops are too far away, wait for closer ones. Also, as already recommended, sign up with more MSCs that offer shops closer to you.
My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.
When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson
When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson
18 miles is nothing. I am training for a 40-mile breast cancer awareness walk. But I won't be stopping to do shops along the way!
@mlzg wrote:
Personally, I won't take shops that far away. They need to be walking distance, a phone/web shop I can do from home, or I need to be in the area anyway. If I'm taking the train or driving out of my way, I feel as though it's wasting too much $$ to be worth it.
I'm doing a restaurant shop in a few weeks that is a 20 minute walk from my new apartment. Hopefully it isn't too cold that day. If I had to drive...nope. Not worth the hassle of trying to find parking there and then again back by my apartment.
I shop minimally. If you're going to be shopping a lot more than I do, it could be worth it if, as stated above, you build a route. It could be fun to check out new neighborhoods.
Best of luck to you.
This is a perfect example of why there are so many varieties of jobs and shoppers (and pay!) -- in Houston, if I were looking for jobs in "walking distance," I'd be limited to about 6 stores. In the suburbs, as a rule, no one walks, except for exercise. And it is not a big deal for me to drive 20+ miles for a shop at lunch time. Yes, I try to combine shops as much as possible, but I commute 21 miles each way to work, so everything is relative, no?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2017 03:07PM by Mousegal.
Make a route when you have to travel, add a bonus shop in, do three shops in the same location. 18 miles is not that far if you combine it with several shops or even a few. Go out to lunch, visit a place in the area. I prefer several shops on my way to a favorite restaurant.
Eighteen miles for me would be all highway and easy to do. Shops are plentiful in my area, so I usually can pick up other shops even at the last minute. But that is only true when traveling North, East, or South. I never apply for or accept even a bonused job more than 10 miles West of me because it's mostly farmland. Those jobs are one-offs and the MSCs have never met my price for doing them.
If you cannot find shops that are within the area of the shop, can you take care of some personal errands? Or get a head start for shopping for some birthdays or christmas/holiday related gifts? Sometimes I find some interesting restaurants to try out for future visits. If you feel that you cannot find some shops that are nearby or the nearest shop is within 18 miles, either wait for other shops to come along, sign up with additional MSC, or accept the shop to gain experience. You had the choice to apply/accept for the shop, STN does not assign shops to you.
I always Google the addresses of most of my shops, especially the ones I am not familiar with. Without Google, I would be lost.
Are you all in a big city , I live in a small towm myself and I would only do a couple of shops a month if I only went 18 miles to do them
This is what I often do too, if I want to try a new shop, etc. like the location, or if it takes some place I haven't been for awhile, that one of a kind bakery nearby, and also...visiting the dearly departed among my family in cemetaries. It also gives me a chance to do genealogical research and deduct mileage.
@Alieda wrote:
Are you all in a big city , I live in a small towm myself and I would only do a couple of shops a month if I only went 18 miles to do them
I live in a small city near several other small cities (250,000 people within 20 miles). About 45 miles north is a large metro area, Cleveland. There is no shortage of shops, but there are also many shoppers around here.
That is about $18 in mileage deduction.
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