I have worked 7 assignments over the past month. Since I retired, I have had some wonderful parttime or temporary jobs such as doing home interviews in a medical research study, recruiting research participants in a medical clinic, scoring standardized tests in both English and Spanish, being an outreach worker after an area was hit by a natural disaster, selling luxury items in a wellknown national retailer, etc. I have stayed with these programs until they terminated.

Recently, I was on a mock jury panel and someone told me about mystery shopping. She found it fun! I haven't! I don't consider getting a fast food meal for free plus $5 to $8 satisfying in any way. I have been very serious about my preparation and tried to follow all the rules. I have used my nice car to go out in tremendous traffic to fast food locations. I have completed my reports - apparently without errors - within the time period required. But I don't think I could possibly make ANY profit in the end. First, I have to print the instructions using my computer - then I use my own car with no reimbursement - then there is, of course, my time! Then there is always the possibility of making some error that means not only will I not make a single dollar but I will have eaten terrible fast food and paid for it myself if I make any mistake.

I think these companies are walking a very narrow line in considering us "sub-contractors" rather than employees. Some day the IRS will take a hard look at the specific instructions they give us. And the lack of 1099's unless you reach a certain level which is difficult with any one company.

At any rate, I don't see how any of you do anything more than frantically running about complying with their instructions. I think you are giving your talents away. I think a fair remuneration for one of these fast food meals ought to be reimbursement for your food, mileage there and back, and perhaps a payment of $40-50 for your time. You are not even getting the minimum wage for your time.

I don't want to stir things up but why are so many people willing to do this?

I usually have 5 or 6 companies a year with 1099s.

I don't do too many FF shops, but I do a few a month. Yes, if that is all the shops you do you wan't make any money and your diet will not be that great. But there are lots of different shops around.

No one is ever going to pay $40-50 for a FF shop as normal pay, though if you live in some remote area you might see some.

Shopping covers my need for extra income and provides a lot of lifestyle enhancements for our family. I write off the expenses involved so on paper I make little profit, which is good for the tax situation.

Shopping is not and will never be for everyone.

Bottom line- try some variety and work your way up to better shops, or just don't shop. No shame in not liking it.

:-)

Dee is on the money that shopping is not and will never be for everyone. I have been doing this since I retired early and absolutely love it. You 'pay your dues' and work your way through some of the wretched self assign junk and then move on to stuff that holds more interest and pays better. You find companies that you work well with. Not all of the perks are fast food (and I too do NOT consider that a perk). This morning by 11:30 I had earned fees of $133 with a bunch of phone calls. This afternoon I earned $43 in fees and brought home $40 in groceries to be reimbursed. Yes, I've driven about 50 miles today and yes, the mileage deduction will make some of today's fees non-taxable because of the offset. Did not stop at any fast foods and in fact lunch today was my doggie bag of most of a rack of baby back ribs from a dinner shop day before yesterday and part of dinner tonight will be mostly the doggie bags from an Italian dinner shop last night with some added fresh veggies and dessert. So it really depends on whether you find it interesting enough to expand your horizons and build relationships with more companies.

I agree with everything dee said. I do not believe MS is for everyone. You do have to work your way up to the higher paying assignments. I thought it was very hectic and unrewarding at first. I was at times, overwhelmed. Then the better paying jobs started coming my way. It does start to add up as you look back; pay, reimbursements, etc. If you organize and schedule your shops right, you can make a better profit.
I got out of it for awhile because of illness, so essentially I am not high up on the preferred shopper list, but just like before I have to earn the better jobs. I also have to earn a schedulers trust. I learn something new all the time. You are right about the possibility of making a mistake and not being paid. So far though, when making a mistake I have always had the chance to rectify it and get my pay.
There are alot more jobs out there than fast food. If you sign up with enough companies you will find them. I am still signing up with companies, looking for the ones with some clients I would really like to work with, but also taking the smaller jobs to gain more experience and prove my quality of work to the MSC. I take the lesser paying jobs in hopes that one day I will be trusted to do the "big" ones or better paying, whatever one wants to call them. Some people just do not click with certain companies, and other people do. You will learn which companies are right for you.

Some days mystery shopping is not for me. It passes. I can understand why it's not everyone's cup of tea.

I make money, earn reimbursements for groceries, oil changes, tire rotations, clothing, office supplies (penny saved is a penny earned), eat at very nice restaurants, fill spare time, get out and about. I interact with well-trained employees (hopefully), keep my skills sharp, learn about appliances, electronics, housing, cars, banking, investments, cellular. And, I provide objective feedback to assist companies.

The flip side - whoever said mystery shopping paid minimum wage? Speaking strictly of fees, sometimes I make out like a bandit. Other times, I don't. Overall, again speaking only of fees, it's best that I don't do the math.

I want to try it out. Do you have to pay to be a mystery shopper????

Not only NO, but heck NO.

Mert Wrote:
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> Not only NO, but heck NO.


What are some mystery shopping jobs that I can start as a new mystery shopper? I'm a homemaker/student looking for part-time work and I need some extra cash to support my 15 year old daughter.

Not to be rude, but the info is here and abundant to those who take the time to explore the resources. We are all independent contractors; "on the job training" is something people do as a labor of love, but realize also that it takes time away from the time we have to spend on our businesses (growing them, research and finding work, working assignments, bookeeping, etc.), too.

Please check the New Mystery Shopper section of this forum, and then continue through the other sections. You will always be researching and looking for jobs in this profession, should you decide to tackle it. The sooner you get your feet wet with that, the easier it will be.

Start reading, and start signing up with companies. You will find that you either like the work and want to do more, or dislike it and want out. But either way you will know from first hand experience.

Everything you need to know to get started, and then some, is already here. Jump in.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/2010 03:22PM by dee shops.

fbdavis88: Let me suggest you begin reading the New Mystery Shopper section of this forum for the how-to's. The Mystery Shopping Company Discussion section has a list of mystery shopping companies. You could begin with some of the easier shops to get experience. To get your feet wet, try shops such as fast foods and video rentals, maybe grocery stores. Sign up with MarketForce and Corporate Research International, mystery shopping providers who probably have shops in your area. Sign up with JobSlinger, the free site, to find out what types of shops are in your area, then sign up with the MSPs,if you're interested in them.

Many of the same skills needed to be a good student are also needed to be a good shopper Good luck!

Mert Wrote:
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> fbdavis88: Let me suggest you begin reading the
> New Mystery Shopper section of this forum for the
> how-to's. The Mystery Shopping Company Discussion
> section has a list of mystery shopping companies.
> You could begin with some of the easier shops to
> get experience. To get your feet wet, try shops
> such as fast foods and video rentals, maybe
> grocery stores. Sign up with MarketForce and
> Corporate Research International, mystery shopping
> providers who probably have shops in your area.
> Sign up with JobSlinger, the free site, to find
> out what types of shops are in your area, then
> sign up with the MSPs,if you're interested in
> them.
>
> Many of the same skills needed to be a good
> student are also needed to be a good shopper
> Good luck!


Can anybody join Marketforce and corporate research international? What is msps?

Yes.

Mystery shopping providers (companies).

Time to start reading the new shopper section.

dee shops Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes.
>
> Mystery shopping providers (companies).
>
> Time to start reading the new shopper section.


Thanks for the information.

I shopped an apartment, a pharmacy, a retail clothing store and four gas stations today. I drove my own car and used my gas but I also brought in over $100 less the gasoline and wear and tear. An outfit for my daughter's birthday wound up only $18 instead of $33 and that was at a sale price that saved a bunch more I wouldn't have known about if I hadn't done the shop. Yesterday I got $5 plus $10 of the best ice cream in town for about 20 minutes of work. Some days I work my hiney off and others I kick back. When I'm sick, I stay home and when I want to work I can usually find something to do. So this definitely works for me. I schedule my activities in the same general area to save on the gas and wear and tear. My remaining brain cells are spent these days figuring out how to make the money really stick. But dear OP, don't judge the game by a ff shop. I've eaten Mexican, Upscale Casual dining where I got the best lasagna in town plus appetizers, Family buffets, Sports bar/wings, and lots more besides the ff/burgers and fries places this month so far. I almost never cook. If I save $150- $200 per month eating out on someone else's nickle, what does it matter if I use my car to save the money?