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I got a call at 8:00 AM on a Saturday. I was offered the fee that I completed the shop for over a year ago, when I was new to mystery shopping. They would not increase the fee above what I got that time. I have gotten more now at other locations, since I have asked for more. The person told me the amount was location specific.

Have you ever gotten called really early or late by MF?

Have you been able to negotiate above your last fee for the location?

Be careful what you bid for a shop. You might end up stuck there!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/2019 04:24PM by Niner.

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Yes, this is something I tell new shoppers.

When I got calls, yes, they were early -- sometimes 5 AM.

Yes, you can get a higher fee if it sits on the boards long enough. Explain that the lower fee was convenient when you were in the area. It is X miles round trip which will cost me $$ in gas, it will take X hours including the report, and give them your price.

I gave them a price three dollars more than she offered. I was not asking for a lot. She would not do it, just hung up the phone.

I have also been turned down after asking for $1-2 more. I laugh when I watch it sit on the job board and eventually take it when they offer more than I asked for several days ago.

A little nonsense now and then, is relished by the wisest men.

I also received an early call. There is a 12 hour difference between the East coast and The Phillipines. They are usually fairly cognizant of this. The dialogue was pretty much the same as yours. I wouldn't bite. I simply said I have no availability this weekend.

This wasn't from the Phillipines. It sounded like someone from the States.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2019 12:22AM by Niner.

They have schedulers in GA. My favorite scheduler lives in Atlanta and has been with MF for a very long time. I had another gal I liked a lot but she isn't with them anymore.

She sounded Southern, so that makes sense.

This was funny

@Niner wrote:

I gave them a price three dollars more than she offered. I was not asking for a lot. She would not do it, just hung up the phone.

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

@Niner wrote:

I gave them a price three dollars more than she offered. I was not asking for a lot. She would not do it, just hung up the phone.

Definitely sounds like a US based call. The overseas agents are very polite and follow their scripts to the end. Hint, the overseas agents rarely accept your offer, at minimum they tend to reduce it by $1 for some reason.

If I make a counter offer, I first double check what the current fee is as well as am armed with additional compelling reasons. At least this gives them something to consider, even if they do not actually ask a higher up for permission.

Keep in mind time of the year, including weather and holiday factors. Potential difference in gas prices from before. Even current road and traffic differences that might be more difficult than in the past.

All this for a few extra dollars though may not make as much sense as just performing the shop if it is actually convenient.

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

I haven't gotten any calls in months but when I did they would almost always insist on only paying the same amount or less than what I did the location for before. Last time they called I explained the price of food had increased beyond the reimbursement substantially at one chain and would only do it for $1.00 more, which didn't cover the entire price increase. They said no and I haven't gotten a call or done a burger job since.

Post removed

Moderator Note:

Post removed as it violates a posting guideline. The MSC has been named in this thread. Feel free to repost, omitting the name of the client.

Niner, for the remainder locations that you have not shopped yet, give them your max price and don't back down or negotiate. For the location that you did a few years ago, do a late dinner shop for the fee that you want. When they call you to shop that location again, this will be your minimum.

The earliest that they have called me was 11am.

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

They call me often for locations local to me. They haven't called me in over a year for two more distant locations that the last fee they paid me was $25. Thus avoiding matching it.

They sometimes call me for cell phone or other shops with low pay, that offer no benefit of a reimbursed purchase, I have never performed those shops.

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

Me too. I love the one from Georgia!

A scheduler told me to never accept an offer for less than the highest fee you have done it in the past. She said that once you go down, that's it. It's true. I used to do a hedge hog shop for $70. They once called and begged me to do it for $60. I did it, like a fool. I've never been able to get it back up to $70 since then. It goes both ways though. They were desperate on a couple of other hedge hog shops this week and I did them for $3 more than I usually do them. I will never do them for lower again. It's my new "normal fee".

I am scheduled now to do the shop they called me about last week at the fee I wanted, using the "make an offer" feature. Go figure.

@foodluvr wrote:

Post removed

My mistake! Must not have had coffee yet!

You can negotiate up with them and I usually do. sometimes I get a few dollars at a time and then work my way up. I have a $30 minimum for one of their burger shops I won't take less and they usually call me trying to negotiate but I usually end up getting that amount.

Is it far for $30? I have gotten $27 for one about a half-hour away.

I do one for $30 because they were desperate for it to get done a couple of years ago. I wont do it for less. Granted, I only get that one 1 or 2 times per month. It’s not a distance thing. I drive right by it going to work. I have another I do for $60. Same reason and its only about 15 minutes from my house. You have to grab the opportunity when they are desperate and then never go lower after that.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/03/2019 09:37PM by MrsChaney.

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