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Would you do this?

March 16, 2026 03:20PM
Posted thus morning:

Hotel overnight with 5 separate “integrity” shops onsite (with time stamps, narratives, and multiple photos each). $6-700 in required cash/credit expenses (and crappy tip allowances) reimbursed several weeks later. Located in a major US city notorious for its high crime rate…for a total fee of…$40.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2026 06:36PM by SBP.
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March 16, 2026 03:33PM
Is this a trick question?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2026 03:33PM by Deedeezthoughts.
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March 16, 2026 04:42PM
Deedeeez...Funny! But seriously, back in the day, when I owned a consulting group for hotels, we did mystery shopping in addition to our consulting, and the reports had more sections, although the overall cost to the shopper was about the same ($700 for a one night stay, $1200 for a two night stay. This was 90's...our compensation to the shopper: all expenses on site and $200 per night. Times have changed, although I cannot see how the work required is any different!
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March 16, 2026 06:32PM
@salisburync wrote:

Deedeeez...Funny! But seriously, back in the day, when I owned a consulting group for hotels, we did mystery shopping in addition to our consulting, and the reports had more sections, although the overall cost to the shopper was about the same ($700 for a one night stay, $1200 for a two night stay. This was 90's...our compensation to the shopper: all expenses on site and $200 per night. Times have changed, although I cannot see how the work required is any different!

Yes, times have changed. This job was listed this morning. $40 divided by 24 hours stay (if all reports can be competed on site) = $1.60 per hour, without counting travel, fuel, and other overhead, plus waiting weeks for reimbursement = next to nothing earned whatsoever.

And, it’s deep in Oakland, CA.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2026 06:34PM by SBP.
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March 16, 2026 07:53PM
absolutely not.
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March 16, 2026 08:35PM
@Deedeezthoughts wrote:

Is this a trick question?

I wish
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March 17, 2026 03:13AM
Hey my daughter lives in Oakland---safely. I might consider this to cover 1-2 nights of hotel stay while visiting her.
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March 18, 2026 12:19AM
Saw it on GigSpot
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March 18, 2026 01:07AM
I probably stayed at this hotel (or one right next to it) a year ago and had a great time. It was right by Chinatown and an easy trip from the SF airport on BART. I imagine that the various integrity shops would leave me well-fed, and also that some of them might be things like a cash payment for a coffee shop purchase, breakfast buffet, or room service order which don't take very long to report. I got a very good deal but if it was a busier time of year the rate might well be high enough to make me want to do a shop to cover the expenses.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/2026 03:24AM by NinS.
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March 18, 2026 06:01PM
Deciding if a shop like this is a deal depends on your reason for shopping. If you are shopping only to make bucks to support yourself you are not looking at these lifestyle shops except as a treat to those you take along who dont need to do the many reports.
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March 20, 2026 04:45AM
Only if there was some other reason I had to be there.
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