How did your mystery shopping go??

[rcpae]

I've been very interested in the threads regarding mystery shopping lately. I signed up and have my first visits tomorrow. I have been reading my briefing notes daily to make sure I have this all down.

How have your visits gone?

Thanks!

 

[NYDisneyMom]

I've been very interested in the threads regarding mystery shopping lately. I signed up and have my first visits tomorrow. I have been reading my briefing notes daily to make sure I have this all down.

How have your visits gone?

Thanks!

Good luck with your shops!!!

I got an email yesterday to do luxury car shops for $100. I thought it was $100 each location, but then the scheduler said it was $100 per group (four shops in each group). I passed. I used to do luxury car shops that paid $250 per shop, and I had a car to use for about 18 months while I did them. Those were the good old days.

 

[rcpae]

NYdisneymom: Are you certified? Will that help me get better jobs?

I feel like I need to say yes to most of the offers so that they will continue to offer me jobs...and a few better ones??

What do you think?

 

[Sally]

I was wondering about the certification as well. Will the Silver cert. help more than not having any certification?

 

[ResortsFrmrCM]

I recently visited Volition.com, as many have recommeded on this board, but it is a little overwhelming. There are so many companies listed. I signed up for a bunch but does anyone know of the better companies, in terms of good pay? I have done a couple of retail shops since I signed up and I am offered some fast food ones too but they do not pay well. I also got the silver cert. . If anyone can post a short list of some of the better companies I'm sure many of us would appreciate it!!

Thanks!

 

[pixiedustforever]

I'm currently listed with 35-40 companies. I had so many offers initially, probably because they could all rotate me into the shops. As 6 months have gone by, the offers are less in quantity, but are offering to pay more.

YES - get MSPA silver certified!! It only cost $15. You'll earn that back real fast! And watch for the MSPA gold certification nearest you! It's well worth the investment!

Again, plan on being listed with additional companies in about 6 months - it'll bring you more opportunities. Not all companies use shoppers in your area, so think a BIG company list!!!

Happy shopping!
Pixiedustforever

MSPA Gold Certified Shopper
#7kmmrf

 

[NYDisneyMom]

NYdisneymom: Are you certified? Will that help me get better jobs?

I feel like I need to say yes to most of the offers so that they will continue to offer me jobs...and a few better ones??

What do you think?

I no longer do shops, the field has gotten way too crowded in my area -- I started shopping probably about 8 years ago, back when there wasn't as much info on the Web about it; message boards, new companies, certifications, etc. The shops I was being offered were becoming more work for less money, so I quit. I scheduled for a while and then that got a little crazy too after a while. I still get emails from companies I used to work for and I have some good friends that are schedulers and they'll email me if they have something decent they think I'd be interested in. But, no..I'm not certified now.

From what I hear, some companies won't even consider you if you're not certified now. I don't really have an opinion on the whole MSPA thing, I guess it's good for them to at least have an idea that the people they're hiring are serious about taking the shops and have put some effort into it by getting certified. I think, for $15, it can't really hurt to get certified..so go for it!

Just make sure you figure out the costs vs. the pay when doing shops (especially with gas prices now). Is it worth it to drive 25 miles for an $8.00 shop?? Not really. Is it worth it to answer a couple of questions for a $30 dinner remimbursement? Probably. Although I did get sick of eating at the same places all the time! LOL!

 

[kdtwiss]

I just wanted to say I started doing this about 2 weeks ago,and although I have not gotten paid yet,I did 6 shops my first week - which was about $68, then I did two more this week, = $28. I have 5 scheduled on Friday for 3 different companies which will total $71 plus a reimbursed oil change. It is not much individually but I try to look at what everyone has on what days and schedule at least 3 in one day in the same area. Again it is not much and sometimes the work is a bit tedious,but it is $$ I would not otherwise have and so far including Friday I figure I have almost paid for our birthday cruise!!! YAY!
What companies do the luxury car shopping btw? Or hotels and restaurants other than fast food?

 

[DisneyPhD]

Hey, last night I did a focus group on womens health. 2 hours and 75$ cash. It was great.

One of the other women was talking about Mystery shopping. What is it? I looked it up on the web but I wasn't able to get a good idea of it. She said that I shouldn't pay to do it, and I think I would be leary too.

Thanks so much.

 

[JoiseyMom]

Most of the companies do no pay very well, and it is getting worse. To get the higher paying jobs, you need to keep shopping, and more doors will open. Also, what do you consider higher paying?? $10, 14, 20, 50?? The highest paying shop I have done was bonused and I earned $40.00. I have done high end dining reimbursment and had lovely $130.00 dinners paid for. But the narrative was over 4 pages long. The list of companies you want to find you will have to search www.volition.com. No shopper is going to say, yes company xyz pays $$ while abc pays only $. This is a very competitive field. No one is going to give you information that have searched for and worked hard to get. Part of being a mystery shopping is searching and applying and finding that "dream shop". Getting certified was a move in the right direction. Happy Hunting!!

I recently visited Volition.com, as many have recommeded on this board, but it is a little overwhelming. There are so many companies listed. I signed up for a bunch but does anyone know of the better companies, in terms of good pay? I have done a couple of retail shops since I signed up and I am offered some fast food ones too but they do not pay well. I also got the silver cert. . If anyone can post a short list of some of the better companies I'm sure many of us would appreciate it!!

Thanks!

 

[JoiseyMom]

You are doing it the correct way. Get more than 1 shop in the same area. It is the only way to do it to make it worth while. If you want to do fine dining and hotels, then search for that at www.mysteryshop.org. Just realize that the work for a fine dining meal, is much more than a ff shop. Shoppers complain about the timings needed for ff, there are even more times to keep track of at a real restaurant, whether casual or fancy. Happy Hunting!!

I just wanted to say I started doing this about 2 weeks ago,and although I have not gotten paid yet,I did 6 shops my first week - which was about $68, then I did two more this week, = $28. I have 5 scheduled on Friday for 3 different companies which will total $71 plus a reimbursed oil change. It is not much individually but I try to look at what everyone has on what days and schedule at least 3 in one day in the same area. Again it is not much and sometimes the work is a bit tedious,but it is $$ I would not otherwise have and so far including Friday I figure I have almost paid for our birthday cruise!!! YAY!
What companies do the luxury car shopping btw? Or hotels and restaurants other than fast food?