Hi everyone,
I'm fairly new to Market Force, only done a few shops, all in August. I also live in a town of about 125k, so not super small but not huge.

The only shops I've ever seen available thru Market Force are mattress shops (which I can't do because my husband used to work for them), the occasional phone provider audits, and two different fast food shops. Although, I'd say about 80-90% of the fast food shops are with the same company. Oh, and there was one storage unit shop that popped up recently.

Are the pickings usually this slim? Is it because I'm a new shopper and not everything is available to me yet? Or is it because my town just doesn't have the businesses that work with MF?

They lost two huge clients recently. Their biggest gas brand and one of their huge fast food clients are now showing up on the board for a different mystery shopping company.

If it is the same FF restaurant that I am thinking about, it is still showing in my area

@Isaiah4031a wrote:

If it is the same FF restaurant that I am thinking about, it is still showing in my area

They arent finished yet, but the new MSC is already doing test shops. So basically MF is screwed and so are we.

MF has steadily lost a # of clients over the past few years. Some moved to other MSC's, some stopped during Covid or discontinued for whatever reason, while others have gone on a less frequent schedule.

As other posters have mentioned, they recently lost a large gas and Chinese FF client. Also, a national Amer-Mex FF, a few other burger places, a bank, a well known book store, a retail store with the initials BL (not sure if they were nationwide or specific to my area) a hardware store, and some casual dining places. Some moved to other MSC's while some just vanished.

And, they use to have a much broader cellular/phone/entertainment client base. More companies, but also the one client they have managed to hang onto (for the audits) contracted their mystery shops at the same locations or in Costco stores to another MSC.

During tax season they have traditionally had audits at 2 large tax preparer brands. These are fairly simple, you just have to pray there are not a lot of customers in front of you as you go in w/o an appt.

There is a ramen place that comes and goes in my area. Not sure if the nuls are when contracts are being negotiated or if the rest only wants data for shorter periods.

The one I miss the most is a natural beauty store that is know for its bath bombs and no animal testing (found in shopping malls). It is a great place to pick up a gift or to treat yourself. Haven't seen these posted since last Nov or Dec of last year.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/02/2022 11:06PM by Zek.

I did that shop back in March. Last month I saw a posting for the other location in the area. It was snapped up quickly.

@Zek wrote:

The one I miss the most is a natural beauty store that is know for its bath bombs and no animal testing (found in shopping malls). It is a great place to pick up a gift or to treat yourself. Haven't seen these posted since last Nov or Dec of last year.

I remember 8-10 years ago when Market Force suddenly began deactivating waves of shoppers for no discernible reason other than they had too many of “that demographic.”

So, now when I read about MF losing yet another multimillion dollar client, my reaction is: HAHAHAHAHA.

Alright y'all, so who do I switch to?? I've been doing shops for MF for next to no pay, I just don't know who is better.

Ahh so maybe same scenario in my area then. I use to login to MF routinely but not since their client list slimmed down. But now I know that one is still around to keep an eye out for. Thanks !

@KathyG wrote:

I did that shop back in March. Last month I saw a posting for the other location in the area. It was snapped up quickly.

@Zek wrote:

The one I miss the most is a natural beauty store that is know for its bath bombs and no animal testing (found in shopping malls). It is a great place to pick up a gift or to treat yourself. Haven't seen these posted since last Nov or Dec of last year.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/03/2022 03:11AM by Zek.

@ccthrasher wrote:

Alright y'all, so who do I switch to?? I've been doing shops for MF for next to no pay, I just don't know who is better.

I would suggest going to the link (Official list of Mystery Shopping Companies) at the bottom of this page and signing up with every company that is still in business. I did this gig full time back in the early 2000's and I was signed up with [easily] over 100 companies. You will learn as time goes on which companies have shops in your area. Please don't do shops for next to no pay - some of those shops with MF that start off at $4.50 will pay $50 or $60 if you play your cards right (I have heard of other shoppers being paid more; $64 has been my highest fast food shop with them). Wait for bonuses, use the "Make an offer" feature (start high and come down), and email schedulers to ask for bonuses. You can make decent money mystery shopping, but you will lose money if you accept shops at base fee (my experience - some will disagree). Best of luck to you

The only time I ever do market force is as an add on for a route where I have other shops already. I'm probably in the market for lunch and here in South Texas, the chain they have a contract with has a location in just about every small town.

I think I was part of the massive "lay off" about ten years ago...although I thought it was just me.

I did place a bid for an audit with MF. The request I made was $75. It got approved. But when I looked at the shop details...I couldn't make heads or tails of the audit purpose or flow so I backed out on them.

I don't know how long ago your husband worked for the mattress company, but over the years I've seen various screening questions that only limit previous employment in the last 12 months. If you haven't already, you might try accepting one and find out how the independence question is worded.

They pulled my assignment for my favorite fast food burger a couple weeks ago. They let me know in plenty of time, so no biggie, except I was a little bummed to lose my favorite burger. I kept watching, but I haven't seen my area store pop up again. I'll keep watch on the other, but I guess that explains that.

I received the ax of death from them a few years ago. I think it was because I was making too much money. This sucks for mystery shopping overall, but it opens new opportunities for me.

@Morledzep wrote:

@Isaiah4031a wrote:

If it is the same FF restaurant that I am thinking about, it is still showing in my area

They arent finished yet, but the new MSC is already doing test shops. So basically MF is screwed and so are we.

Are you talking about the burger place or the drive-up?

@MisterBill wrote:

@Morledzep wrote:

@Isaiah4031a wrote:

If it is the same FF restaurant that I am thinking about, it is still showing in my area

They arent finished yet, but the new MSC is already doing test shops. So basically MF is screwed and so are we.

Are you talking about the burger place or the drive-up?

Drive up. The only person who has ever said anything to me about the Burger place going there too was my son, and I still don't believe him. But, he also talks to people at MF regularly on the phone, I do not.

@MisterBill wrote:

@Morledzep wrote:

@Isaiah4031a wrote:

If it is the same FF restaurant that I am thinking about, it is still showing in my area

They arent finished yet, but the new MSC is already doing test shops. So basically MF is screwed and so are we.

Are you talking about the burger place or the drive-up?

Actually I am talking about the chicken place.. I am register with all MSC and they are not listed with the other MSC in my area

@Isaiah4031a wrote:

Actually I am talking about the chicken place.. I am register with all MSC and they are not listed with the other MSC in my area

Not even sure what place this is, but they're obviously not in my area.

I remember MF doing the Wacky Spanish Chicken place, and the Bear Chinese place, and the Golden M place, so they lost the hedgehog? I never did that. Did they lose the slightly undercooked Dog Chicken place?

Tanis ya got me, i figured out all of them except the undercooked dog chicken... lol

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/2022 07:36AM by Morledzep.

MF used to be my bread and butter for many shops such as the major supermarkets including the one that had yellow plastic bags and their major competitors. Really disappointed to see so few shops now posted.

I, too, was put on the "do not call" list with MF years ago.

But recently schedulers have been calling me. I just completed a profitable route of gas stations at prices that were the same I got before being placed on that list. A VERY profitable route.

I suppose they were desperate.

I will miss the "park in a stall" shops. Great fillers on routes, as there was one in almost every tiny town I went through.

I can understand the sentiment but I can't laugh at MF now for two reasons. First, they are losing to Cardinal Richelieu and that isn't good for shoppers. Second, there are some good people working at MF. I don't want them to lose their jobs.

@ColoKate63 wrote:

I remember 8-10 years ago when Market Force suddenly began deactivating waves of shoppers for no discernible reason other than they had too many of “that demographic.”

So, now when I read about MF losing yet another multimillion dollar client, my reaction is: HAHAHAHAHA.

@BusyBeeBuzzBuzzBuzz wrote:

. . . they are losing to Cardinal Richelieu and that isn't good for shoppers.

Cardinal Richelieu???

Would you prefer the Thénardiers?

The folks on the River Seine?

Sorry, I don't get it.

Ipsos is a French company that uses U.S. editors and schedulers. MarketForce is U.S. based but offshores most of its scheduling and editing.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/2022 05:50PM by mystery2me.

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@Morledzep wrote:

Tanis ya got me, i figured out all of them except the undercooked dog chicken... lol

Chicken. But the mascot is a dog. There are only a few in Alabama.