There are several in my state, just not in my area and not my type of shop.

@bgriffin wrote:

I didn't know DSG actually had shops. Never worked for them. Can click on any state in the country, click on every city listed, and all I get is "You are not available for any of the visits in the cities you chose"

Asked them about it, all I got was "maybe you're not eligible for any shops in your area"

Uh. I tried the whole country. Several times.

I've done several Goodwill shops and have gotten some great finds for my $5. However, if you can't find anything of interest, schedule several of these shops and take the item you bought at the first one to the second one and donate it. Repeat until the shops are completed.

@sassymmmm wrote:

Sorry GG no one can answer that question without violating the rules.

The really high end vehicle shops (alpha romeo and lamborghini). Biggest problem is I'd have to figure out where to get the right kind of car to drive there.

I would actually love to do those shops. We have a McLaren so I'd be the perfect shopper. However I've never seen these shops. Im going to have to track down the company.

They pay 4/6$ for a shop 20+ miles away...really.

@msimon-2000 wrote:

I have also wanted to do a Brazilian steakhouse shop, but have not taken the plunge yet because of distance and again -- heavy on the narrative.

I've wanted to take the shops, but the ones local to me had some obnoxious requirements. It asked me to do things that would make me uncomfortable and seemingly rude to the bartenders there. So I pass, I dont like being forced to act like a jerk.

OMG! That is so weird! I have been thinking the exact same thing for a week or two, taking a look at the opportunities I usually pass up and aiming to expand my horizons. I think what brought that on was doing my taxes. I used the opportunity to also make graphs and charts to see my earnings per month per company, etc. I marked off the companies I should take more shops from, but I also saw some trends of some opportunities that no longer exist, etc. So, when I made my goals for this year according to my charts, one of my goals ended up being to expand the variety of types of shops I take to compensate the loss of income from the shops that are no longer available.

One of the main ones I want to try is storage shops. They seem to have decent pay, but I'm not sure if the time involved averages out with the bank shops I am used to, and some of them require audio recordings. I can handle audio recordings, but I guess I just have an irrational fear. For example, I could think I turned it on, and I didn't, and then I wasted my time, etc.

I also want to break into the high end shops, as someone living in NYC. There are plenty of those around. My issue is not about the comfort level of going into a high end store. My issue is the differences involved in that type of shop that I might not anticipate. I am currently looking for a high end shop that is barely a high end shop. My thinking is that I can kind of ease myself into it that way.

I also want to do more technology shops, such as cell phones, tablets, etc. I was raised around computer geeks who think MS DOS and Linux are cool, but that actually makes it worse, not better. It means I've stuck around those technological concepts, so I'm unfamiliar with the destined to fade newer ones. For example, some of the simplest cell phone shops ask to get three recommendations. I would never in a million years remember those because (I admit it) I'm a typical iPhone snob from NYC who never recognized the other brands as legitimate, so I don't know their names. You could tell me ten cell phone brands, and make 4 of them fake brands you made up, and I'd never even figure out which are which, so it's just not going to register when they tell me the recommendations.

@vegbeauti wrote:

For example, some of the simplest cell phone shops ask to get three recommendations. I would never in a million years remember those because (I admit it) I'm a typical iPhone snob from NYC who never recognized the other brands as legitimate, so I don't know their names. You could tell me ten cell phone brands, and make 4 of them fake brands you made up, and I'd never even figure out which are which, so it's just not going to register when they tell me the recommendations.

I say, "Do you mind if I take a picture so I remember this for later?" and take a photo of the phone wall, so that I can get the phone names for the shop report. Or, while the employee is helping someone else, I take a quick photo or two.

@christinereed Oh, that's a great idea! Thank you! Has anyone ever objected and said you can't because it's against store policy or anything like that?

@vegbeauti wrote:

@christinereed Oh, that's a great idea! Thank you! Has anyone ever objected and said you can't because it's against store policy or anything like that?

I’ve done the same. When I say I need to discuss it with my husband or think about it, I ask if I can take a photo to remember the phones we talked about. No one has ever been less than gracious when I asked.

The thing is, is that my Samsung Note 8 is larger, has a home screen button, has Edge capabilities AND has a pen. It outruns an iPhone except for the emojis and since I'm not 10 years old I don't need them. Also, 99% of the mystery shopping and merchandising apps can not be used on an iPhone.

@breestjon wrote:

There is a Huddle House near me that has a bonus. I have never been there before. I guess you can get breakfast or lunch. It looks like it is mostly pictures but I am sure it is more. It might be someplace to take my son and grandson.

We have 4 Huddle House locations and they are all out west at least a 100 miles from me. Have been to the one that is way out west but only because I was working out there for a week-long assignment before I had to retire from hard physical work.

@SunkissedAdventures wrote:

@sassymmmm wrote:

Sorry GG no one can answer that question without violating the rules.

The really high end vehicle shops (alpha romeo and lamborghini). Biggest problem is I'd have to figure out where to get the right kind of car to drive there.

I would actually love to do those shops. We have a McLaren so I'd be the perfect shopper. However I've never seen these shops. Im going to have to track down the company.

You have a McLaren and you mystery shop?

Do not worry about your age! At least in my area, the tests have to do with professional certifications. You portray someone who is looking to change careers, get a promotion, whatever. If you accidentally pass, you still look upset for the final interaction because you needed a certain score to get the promotion. The narratives are reasonable. There are things you need to remember to do at certain times during the intake, testing, and exit process. Yes, at north of 55 y/o, I am usually the oldest person in the room, but I haven't been able to detect that I'm treated any differently than the others.

I did Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche last week... They were not more work than a typical car shop other than taking a little more time onsite - such as to build the car on their car configurators.... The pay was great.

The MSC doing them currently is a pretty big one, commonly mentioned on this forum.... I rented an SUV for $55 last week and did all three (plus two bonused apartments) in a day pand was hoem before 4:00 PM.

@SunkissedAdventures wrote:

@sassymmmm wrote:

Sorry GG no one can answer that question without violating the rules.

The really high end vehicle shops (alpha romeo and lamborghini). Biggest problem is I'd have to figure out where to get the right kind of car to drive there.

I would actually love to do those shops. We have a McLaren so I'd be the perfect shopper. However I've never seen these shops. Im going to have to track down the company.

@bgriffin wrote:

You have a McLaren and you mystery shop?

Yes, I own a McLaren and I mystery shop. I know, it seems strange to some people.

What apps are exclusive to Samsung/Android?

@spicy1 wrote:

The thing is, is that my Samsung Note 8 is larger, has a home screen button, has Edge capabilities AND has a pen. It outruns an iPhone except for the emojis and since I'm not 10 years old I don't need them. Also, 99% of the mystery shopping and merchandising apps can not be used on an iPhone.