I just did two shops for Bestmark. They were both Best Buy shops. Each shop had two different shops in one. In other words, I was to shop TV's & computers or Tv"s & cameras all in the same shop. The pay was only $10 & I had to buy something while I was at Best Buy (no reimbursement). After the second job, which took me over an hour, I told the scheduler I thought we,as shoppers,were being taken advantage of & were being under paid. I refused to complete the third shop unless they increased the commission. They rescinded the shop & reposted it.

I am trying to supplement my full-time income by Mystery Shopping. I'm sure the MS companies are getting a decent sum of money from the retailers we are shopping. We need to demand higher commissions.

Hi Meredith, welcome to the forum! Please use the edit button in the lower right hand corner of your post to take either the client name or the company. To post both in the same thread is a violation of confidentiality under your ICA.

I understand your frustration. I used to do those shops only when the company had a client I really wanted and I could horse trade taking one electric dog shop for being assigned the other which, by industry standards, paid very well for what was involved. Unfortunately they lost the client for the good shops and they can keep their dogs in their own kennel.

Shop fees are what they are and they are generally going down rather than up because there are more and more folks driven to shopping by the economy. When $3 gas shops fly off the boards like they were a bonanza, you really have to wonder.

There are, however, some companies that seem to do a good job of at least keeping pay for their work on an even keel and creeping higher. These are also companies that treat shoppers as though they were something other than a used paper napkin. So keep signing up and test the waters with other companies to see which ones you find are a fair and reasonable fit for you.

I saw those shops posted and refused to sign up for them because I could immediately tell it was not worth the money. We as mystery shoppers can only be taken advantage of if we let them. Next time if you don't think the fee is acceptable, don't take the job, simple as that.

The problem is that some people (probably newbies) accept the $3 and $4 jobs. As Ron said, let the jobs "mature" a little bit until the fee increases.

I used to do those for Bestmark about a year ago when I first started shopping, and agree that they take an hour just in the store because you have to get so involved in two separate areas of merchandise. I too have complained, but to no avail. Now I just no longer take them very often.

I have been letting a shop I want to do "mature" before I accept it. Guess what? It just matured by $0.38. Can you believe it?

Woohoo! A whole $0.38! Did you grab it before it got scooped up? LOL!

Maturity is a long-term process, apparently...

Hey, it is getting close to the end of the month and they are getting desperate. Usually the increments are $.02

Meredith,

Were you an employee, your comments would be valid, but as an independent contractor MSCs don't have any obligation to treat you in a manner considered fair. This is a bidding process where you decide what's acceptable and pass on fees of shops too low for you. Simply put, this IS business.

Last week, I gave a scheduler a quote of $300 on a job and she literally responded with "You're joking." It was 447 miles round and 7 1/2 hrs. drive time, but she must have had a "few dollars for gas" in mind. I could never be awarded the MSPA shopper of the year due to my unwillingness to "help out when needed."

Now for my disclaimer: I was deactivated my BestMark for refusing to accept their low fee/high work shops. Their business model is to pay quickly, realizing that's the hot button of some shoppers who are willing to work under those conditions. I don't in any manner criticize BestMark; that's business, but business of which I've not the slightest interest as a shopper.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/30/2011 02:04AM by shopperbob.

I do the occasional BestMark shop at that big electronics store, because I enjoy looking at the products and seeing the latest technology. I'm just a geek that way. The report is easy, and it's a store I visit to window shop, anyway.

But the gas shops? That's another story!

Hello Meredith - The companies we work with won't pay more unless they can't get a shopper for a particular job and they're about to hit their deadline. They are trying to minimize their expenses so that can submit the lowest bid to get a contract and still make a profit. This does not mean they're cheap. We're talking about survival.

I agree the shop you are discussing is time consuming and the report requires detailed narrative. It may be a good idea to book only one of a particular type of shop until you see how it plays out. You'll be able to know what to expect on any future shops offered.

This is a really competitive business. Everybody wants more money, but at some point we have to decide, OK, I book it at this point or I may not get it. This particular shop pays $10. If they offered $8, somebody would still take the shop. Holding out for more is pie in the sky, which pays $0. If you look at a job and it is "no way" for you, don't book it and don't look back.

I believe that realistically we can only expect fees to go down, not up. This is because the mystery shopping companies are going to have to bid lower and lower to get these contracts. Unemployment is extremely high and there are too many shoppers for the jobs available, so jobs are going to be booked whether they pay more or not. When the kids are hungry, we work for less. This will not get better any time soon, and it may never get better.

If we want to do this type of work, we have to adjust to the state of the business and make the best of it. To quote Lily Tomlin, "It's going to get worse before it gets worse."

Most of mystery shops pay very poorly in my experience. At first, the pay seems reasonable, but then you add it up: Time looking for/accepting job + time spent doing actual assignment + time and gas money going to and from the job site + time spent writing up the report = You end up making about $2 an hour.

And the money you make disappears in a flash if you actually start buying something for yourself while at the mall trying to do a mystery shop.

Mystery shopping requires real job skills in order to do it well. You have to type, spell and edit your work. You have to have attention to detail and remember things when at the shopping site. Basically, you have to be smart and careful. We should be receiving appropriate pay for our skills, don't you think?

Maybe we should unionize.

This business is what it is. Deep, huh? It is economy driven, from the client to the MSP to the shopper to the consumer to the producer/manufacturer/transporter. Our country is in the red and will be for who knows how long. Expectations for most of our shops to be high-paying and lucrative should be low.

Unions and boycotts don't stand a chance in this industry. BUT, my glass remains half full, as I build routes and contribute to the kitty account.

The payoff is working at home, doing your own scheduling, making some $$...beats a kick in the eye and no money in your pocket.

It's true the individual shops don't pay much, but I think a really organized person willing to put in the hours could make a modest living at this. Many posters have indicated they are doing quite well, so we know it's possible. I've had some pretty good days, and some pretty good weeks, so I've seen some glimpses of it. I don't work hard, so I don't expect huge cash rewards. To get much money doing this, I believe you will have to work really hard, and you will have to do it almost every day. I think it would take a lot of planning, dedication, and self motivation to generate a livable income from this. Shopping makes a noticeable difference financially at my house. I'm glad this is available. Being able to crank it up or back it off is really important to me.

i no longer do the electronics stores... i did them twice... and both times it was a pain... it isnt worth it at all... the employees talk to much... and often are not present or goofing off... it does not speak well for the store managment...

for bestmark i only do the resteraunts or car maintenance shops... the others they offer are the electronics stores, car sales, and age compliance (which due to a new supreme court ruling will probably go away anyway) none of these pay enough...

i vote with my feet...

Irene_L.A. Wrote:
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> The payoff is working at home, doing your own
> scheduling, making some $$...beats a kick in the
> eye and no money in your pocket.

Can I steal this! lol "beats a kick in the eye and no money in your pocket" love it!

Hey I just noticed that starting in Aug, BestBuy shops will have a $1.50 reimbursement, so that no longer needs to come out of your measly $10.00, a small improvement.

Carol

One of the MSPs shopping Best Buy has always paid a reimbursement. If the one who didn't pay reim is now doing so, I agree that it's a small improvement!

Maritz and Corporate Research International or the worst as far as low pay and Market Force has really lowered their shop fees too. I wouldn't leave the house for less than $15 (combined fee/reimbursement)... but $7? What a joke. If shoppers quit doing the shops, they'll have to pay better. You can easily figure out how much the client pays the mystery shopping company when they offer their last minute bonuses to get shops done... sometimes 2-3 times what the shop originally paid. I think the person driving across town, completing the evaluation and submitting it online should get the bulk of the payment, especially if photo uploads are involved! Scheduling/editing aren't exactly rocket science and dont involve travel/gas money!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/25/2011 12:46AM by shopper64.

Mert Wrote:
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> One of the MSPs shopping Best Buy has always paid
> a reimbursement. If the one who didn't pay reim
> is now doing so, I agree that it's a small
> improvement!


Between the reimbursement and the recently revised/reduced reporting - this shop has officially come off my ten-foot-pole list. I think it's a massive improvement overall.

A lot of what I do is for Maritz and Corporate Research. I also work for Market Force, and round out my work sources with many other good companies. Building a route of several jobs, I am reasonably satisfied with what I earn. I wouldn't consider leaving home for $15.00, but I find $100.00 - $150.00 per day counting tax advantages more than acceptable. I will happily and thankfully take a low fee shop if my route runs through it. I do not expect one or two shops to provide a day's pay.

What was the subject? I will reread.

Hello Rich - I responded to Shopper64's post about Maritz, Corporate Research, and Market Force paying poorly. I pointed out these companies pay well enough I can work their jobs into my route and have a good day shopping.

Ok. Well I really think that the pay is poor for most people. I would rather stand at the door of Walley World than go eat at a Mickey D's for 7 bucks. But here is the real deal. Some shops are either on your way, something that you care to do or you are just game for them. There is a person on here called "Flash" who I listened to many months ago. If her posts are still up, you will NEVER have to do anything other than follow her advice. I mean that.

Rich - I agree seven bucks doesn't cut it. That said, those particular shops in the boonies are sometimes offered off the board for attractive money. It's not a dining experience; it's a job. Staying active and building a reputation with a company has bankable results.

One MSC pays $8 for a cell phone/notebook shop. Another one pays $15. The guidelines and reports are quite similar overall. I actually prefer the reporting system on the $15 shop and find it a bit easier and quicker to fill out. I would much rather do the $15 shop and wait longer for my money, than do the $8 shop and get paid quickly. The money always comes in, sooner or later. Of the 1,000+ shops I've done, with probably about 40 or more different companies, I have never not been paid. I do tend to not do the low paying jobs, but occasionally I pick up a few of them if I'm going to put in a long day of shops anyway and they are on the way. I recently did a group of convenience store shops that only pay $7, but when I added 6 of them, that added $42 to my day. Still not sure if its worth it to me personally when I'm up until 2:00 AM completing shops.

meredithpcc1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just did two shops for Bestmark. They were both
> Best Buy shops. Each shop had two different shops
> in one. In other words, I was to shop TV's &
> computers or Tv"s & cameras all in the same shop.
> The pay was only $10 & I had to buy something
> while I was at Best Buy (no reimbursement). After
> the second job, which took me over an hour, I told
> the scheduler I thought we,as shoppers,were being
> taken advantage of & were being under paid. I
> refused to complete the third shop unless they
> increased the commission. They rescinded the shop
> & reposted it.
>
> I am trying to supplement my full-time income by
> Mystery Shopping. I'm sure the MS companies are
> getting a decent sum of money from the retailers
> we are shopping. We need to demand higher
> commissions.


I have done a few shops for Bestmark in the past but only if I was going to be in the area and they were their cheap auto shops. I rarely do work for them because of the low pay. I can not say I never will again due to the economy. Depending on what happens next week $2.00 may buy a weeks groceries.

Yes some companies do pay poorly, but we have the right to pick and choose which ones we will apply for. We also, have the right to ask for more, even though we might not get it. For some companies it is not worth the headache.