That’s how most of Mystery shopping should go. Hold out for the best fee. But so many jump the gun and take things right off of the board… I can’t believe how many people don’t bargain for a better fee with ALL mystery shopping opportunities. Makes it not even worth it to do most types of shops.

That being said, I just accepted my first one for $210 and will be completing it on Thursday. Fingers crossed that I’m not there for 2 hours.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/2023 03:48AM by misspocos75.

I just took one for next week for $115. This dealership seems to have much better stock.

Ok so I finally completed one of these for $210 and I’ll tell ya, it was not enough pay for the length of time this shop takes.

First off, the pre lead website ordeal was confusing and I eventually just sent a message through the basic contact us link. Then I drove an hour and 45 minutes to the location. The shop itself took an hour and 45 minutes with a 19 minute test drive and two different salespeople that I visited with. Then an hour and 45 minutes drive home and almost 3 hours on the 115 question report itself. And let’s not forget the 10 narrative questions.

This may be easy for those of you who aren’t opposed to writing, but I don’t write anything in my daily life. I don’t keep a journal & I don’t like to write long letters to friends. I am also not good at giving a rough overview of a conversation. I generally speak Word for Word and that’s how I write also. I recorded the entire process at the dealership and wrote nearly Word for Word everything in entire detail that happened while I was there.

Definitely not an in and out kind of shop that most people have pretty much mentioned previously in this thread. The dealership I visited was very thorough and hopefully someone else can complete another shop there in Grand Island Nebraska… as it won’t be me.

Car dealerships can take a few minutes, since some salespeople make no effort (or they don't have any cars to sell) or they can take hours if you get a thorough salesman.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/01/2023 10:08AM by mjt9598.

I have done several of these and will accept more at the right price. Everyone has a different experience base, but I found the pre-lead internet inquiry very easy (I have done many of the BMW 4-part shops for a different MSC). The time it takes you to drive somewhere is your decision, not a part of the mystery shop itself. You chose to drive 1.75 hours each way when you accepted the shop. I always calculate the mileage using the IRS rate and then add a dollar amount for my drive time. Then I see how much is left to cover the time and effort associated with the mystery shop itself. I have never spent more than an hour on the final report.

I just looked at one that is 48 miles and an hour's drive away. That works out to $62.88 for the IRS mileage rate. The $100 fee is not nearly enough for me since the remaining $37 is not enough for me to be willing to spend 2 hours driving, an hour at the dealership, and an hour doing the report. There is another that is only 26 miles and a 45-minute drive away. $64 is getting close to being enough for my time (3.5 hours) if I can find something else to do along the way. If it goes up to $120, I will take it.

I don't know how many miles you drove in your 3.5 hours of driving, so I will assume 50 mph. So, your roundtrip was 3.5 hours and the IRS mileage rate alone works out to be $175 (3.5 hours x 50 mph x $0.655 per mile) not even considering the value of your time. No wonder you feel that $225 was not enough! $50 for 3.5 hours driving, an hour at the dealership, and even just one hour doing the report is just $9 per hour. At 3 hours to do the report, you made under $7 per hour.

@misspocos75 wrote:

First off, the pre lead website ordeal was confusing and I eventually just sent a message through the basic contact us link. Then I drove an hour and 45 minutes to the location. The shop itself took an hour and 45 minutes with a 19 minute test drive and two different salespeople that I visited with. Then an hour and 45 minutes drive home and almost 3 hours on the 115 question report itself. And let’s not forget the 10 narrative questions.

I wish there was some way to identify those "minute men" then I might do one.

I did one yesterday and was in and out in about 30 minutes. The salesperson did not offer me a test drive. If I had been offered one, I most likely would have wanted to keep it at about 10 minutes. I don't see why the test drive needs to be longer than that.

Im doing my first one this week. The dealership is about 3 miles from my house. Wish me luck! $125 shop pay!

@myst4au wrote:

I don't know how many miles you drove in your 3.5 hours of driving, so I will assume 50 mph.

90 miles one way from exit to exit driving 80mph. Then an additional 5 miles into town to the dealership so 190 miles total.

I also did 3 other shops while I was in town, then drove another 64 miles to another city to pick up another shop, then another 76 miles to another city for 4 more, then headed back home with 189 miles to go.
My 2 day trip was valued at just under $900 plus I stayed with a friend.

I didn’t think any of this is relevant to how I feel about the value of my time at the dealership, which is why I didn’t include it in my post.

I'm doing my fourth one tomorrow, at $115. They have simplified the pre-visit inquiry a little bit (although they're touting it as though it's much easier), but today's inquiry went like lightening, as the DRT had you submit the request for pricing at the second or third step, instead of the multiple ones some take.

Does anyone suspect that word gets around the dealerships that they're in a round of shops (I imagine yes) and that they let other dealers know who the shoppers are? The follow-ups by the dealership were kind of weird today. I had three people follow up with me, and am supposed to ask for a fourth when I get there tomorrow. I was handed off from the internet sales manager to a salesperson to the general dealership manager (which doesn't usually happen until the on-site visit) and now to a different salesperson. It seems pretty odd to me, and I was thinking that maybe they know I'm a shopper. I've never been to any of this company's dealerships or inquired of them about any other car in the past, but maybe someone at another Kia dealer has tipped them off. I'll play dumb (easy for me to do) if it seems like they know I'm shopping them.

This seems to be SOP for all internet auto inquiries. A random person responds, then maybe another person sends an email, then you call and maybe get someone else. And when you get there, a random person is assigned to you.

@BirdyC wrote:

Does anyone suspect that word gets around the dealerships that they're in a round of shops (I imagine yes) and that they let other dealers know who the shoppers are? The follow-ups by the dealership were kind of weird today. I had three people follow up with me, and am supposed to ask for a fourth when I get there tomorrow. I was handed off from the internet sales manager to a salesperson to the general dealership manager (which doesn't usually happen until the on-site visit) and now to a different salesperson. It seems pretty odd to me, and I was thinking that maybe they know I'm a shopper. I've never been to any of this company's dealerships or inquired of them about any other car in the past, but maybe someone at another Kia dealer has tipped them off. I'll play dumb (easy for me to do) if it seems like they know I'm shopping them.

Is it just in my area that the leftover shops just got cheaper? I was about to take one for $110, but then it went down to $80.

@MisterBill wrote:

I did one earlier this month for $125. The car dealer didn't even have the car anymore when I got there (made the appt on Friday, visited on Monday), nor did they have any of that model left, so no test drive and no car demonstration.

I thought if you get there and the car you were supposed to see is no longer available, you can pivot to another one, or is that only in the same model? Like if they have no more Seltoses left, you could ask to see a Sportage? Or it has to be a Seltos?

Yes, you can switch to a different car. However, when I did my shop, they did not have ANY of the cars on the list.

@BirdyC wrote:

@MisterBill wrote:

I did one earlier this month for $125. The car dealer didn't even have the car anymore when I got there (made the appt on Friday, visited on Monday), nor did they have any of that model left, so no test drive and no car demonstration.

I thought if you get there and the car you were supposed to see is no longer available, you can pivot to another one, or is that only in the same model? Like if they have no more Seltoses left, you could ask to see a Sportage? Or it has to be a Seltos?

Yes, they definitely mark in their computer systems who the shoppers are after they get the reports. I even had one car salesman leave me a message years ago about being the shopper.

@BirdyC wrote:

I'm doing my fourth one tomorrow, at $115. They have simplified the pre-visit inquiry a little bit (although they're touting it as though it's much easier), but today's inquiry went like lightening, as the DRT had you submit the request for pricing at the second or third step, instead of the multiple ones some take.

Does anyone suspect that word gets around the dealerships that they're in a round of shops (I imagine yes) and that they let other dealers know who the shoppers are? The follow-ups by the dealership were kind of weird today. I had three people follow up with me, and am supposed to ask for a fourth when I get there tomorrow. I was handed off from the internet sales manager to a salesperson to the general dealership manager (which doesn't usually happen until the on-site visit) and now to a different salesperson. It seems pretty odd to me, and I was thinking that maybe they know I'm a shopper. I've never been to any of this company's dealerships or inquired of them about any other car in the past, but maybe someone at another Kia dealer has tipped them off. I'll play dumb (easy for me to do) if it seems like they know I'm shopping them.

(Long post -not quite shop related ). It is SOP - if the dealer is doing what he's been told. When the internet first came out, all sorts of parasites "DIGITAL!" companies got into the car advertising biz. AutoTrader, TrueCar, CostCo, you name it - they all have an "auto buying service" - meaning they tell the customer it's a good deal - but then they turn around and charge the dealer $300 for the customer lead. All that happened was Dealer Profits went down, the digital advertisers got rich. Then - there got to be so many leads from so many sources - the "BDC" - Business Development Center. They sold Dealers on the fact - and it's true - that their salesmen just care about a sale today. They'll write the customer's name on back of a biz card - maybe call the customer back once or twice - but then forget it. SO.....Digital Companies created "CRM" - customer relation management. The goal is to enter ALL customers info into it - as to organize the leads . BDC is then staffed, usually by younger people - usually "the girls" as referred to within the dealership - they get paid by the hour - and they sell appointments - not cars. All day they read from various scripts - send out scripted emails, make scripted calls, take incoming calls. They get paid hourly - then they'll get a few bucks for "setting an appointment" -- and a higher bonus if "appointment shows up" - their job is to get people in. At that point a salesman gets the live customer - and they work it like a usual conventional car deal but they are supposed to make it like "your internet deal is special" - because online shoppers think they are smart. A few Large Dealer chains did it- then Car Companies made it mandatory so now ALL dealers do it. Some dealers do the bare minimum as to not lose quarterly bonuses from the manufacturer. Many dealers - do it as religion. And after the customer leaves - the CRM prompts "the girls" to send out more form emails and make more scripted calls. Some will be "signed" by the General Manager, etc. The CRM tracks - incoming calls and emails, verses appointments showing up. They have ratios they shoot for. IN the end,....most dealerships spend $10-$20 k per month on this. Customers get called and emailed over and over and guess what? Wonder why the doc fees, processing fees, etc go up? Inflation? Nope. Greed? A little. Mostly - it's to pay for this BDC stuff. Dealerships were small businesses - and all of a sudden had to spend $20k a month on a BDC manager, BDC reps, BDC software...geez wait till the A.I vendors get into it - one can only imagine. It's a huge reason why - there are and will be - fewer car dealers. To some that sounds great but fewer people controlling more dealerships means less competition - and th "haggling" people claim to hate....is being replaced by "be quiet sir - pay what's on the sticker' - careful what you ask for

I did my third Kia shop yesterday and have yet to be able to use the DRT because it always asks for SSN and I am not providing that. So I just submit a regular inquiry about a car and it all works out. Yesterday was a great shop, the salesperson was great, he did the test drive with me and I must have showed too much interest in this car because I felt like I was being held hostage until I left a deposit. YIKES. They did offer a great deal and were not charging anything over MSRP unlike the other dealers I visited. I finally escaped but I had to agree to come back the next day with my husband. I played the I have to run it by my husband card because I had to get out of there. They kept lowering the payments, no money down etc. I will say this, my lease is up next year and when I am ready to buy, at least I know they make deals on the spot. If I got back there, I will go back prepared.

Now I have to cancel this appointment I made for today. I am not answering my phone if they call. I feel bad about it.

@myst4au wrote:

This seems to be SOP for all internet auto inquiries. A random person responds, then maybe another person sends an email, then you call and maybe get someone else. And when you get there, a random person is assigned to you.

In my first three shops, I was contacted first by the internet manager, then by the salesperson with whom I had an appointment. Usually the internet manager scheduled the appointment, then the salesperson emailed and confirmed. So this one went very differently. In fact, I was contacted by a salesperson almost immediately after the IM replied, but she didn't ask to set an appointment. I replied to the IM (who, of course, wanted me to come in immediately) with a time. She didn't respond, but the GM did, and set me up with a different salesperson. So, to me, this is an atypical situation. Hope the first salesperson doesn't take a burn, but it's not my fault!

@Datagirl wrote:

I did my third Kia shop yesterday and have yet to be able to use the DRT because it always asks for SSN and I am not providing that. So I just submit a regular inquiry about a car and it all works out. Yesterday was a great shop, the salesperson was great, he did the test drive with me and I must have showed too much interest in this car because I felt like I was being held hostage until I left a deposit. YIKES. They did offer a great deal and were not charging anything over MSRP unlike the other dealers I visited. I finally escaped but I had to agree to come back the next day with my husband. I played the I have to run it by my husband card because I had to get out of there. They kept lowering the payments, no money down etc. I will say this, my lease is up next year and when I am ready to buy, at least I know they make deals on the spot. If I got back there, I will go back prepared.

Now I have to cancel this appointment I made for today. I am not answering my phone if they call. I feel bad about it.

The first two I did, they let me off easy when I told them I wanted more for my trade-in and that I still had another car make to look at. But at the third one, the manager came out and kept offering more and more for my trade. If I'd been in the market for a car, I'd have been sorely tempted to take the deal because I wouldn't have been able to get much more for my car selling it privately. I could have done so at what the other dealers were offering!

That was the first shop I've ever felt guilty about going in with no intention to buy. Everybody was super friendly, chatted with me (even salespeople with no stake in the game), offered me coffee (not all do), and so on. And the manager and salesperson really, really wanted to sell me that car. I mean, of course, they all do--but these folks gave me everything I asked for, and I still said "no."

I completed mine today. The car that I inquired about was still there. I was only allowed to test drive around the parking lot (test drive took 4 minutes). I was in and out in 42 minutes. It was worth the $125 shop pay.

At the one I did last week, the car I inquired about wasn't on the lot when I got there and hadn't been when I made the appointment. It was supposed to arrive during my appointment, but didn't. It never showed up until after I left. It was being used as a loaner, and the customer was late getting it back to the dealership. This made this shop much more complex. The salesperson had to demo the same model, but only in the parking lot because it was sold and was the only model there with the same trim package. There were no others like it available to see and drive. So I had to test drive the base model. Between having to look at two models instead of one, the salesperson taking time to explain some of the differences, the test drive (unaccompanied), and the fact that they were really busy and under-staffed, and my salesperson had to wait on someone else in the middle of my shop, I was there almost two hours! Not worth the $115.

There are just two more dealerships in my area within reasonable driving distance, but I'm not taking any more unless they get back up to $125 to make up for last week's disaster and to have some padding in case something goes off the rails again!

That happened in my area as well. I did one for $100 last week, and there were others for $100 also. I expected them to go up to $110 or more this week, but they went down to $80.

@Td5678 wrote:

Is it just in my area that the leftover shops just got cheaper? I was about to take one for $110, but then it went down to $80.

@Td5678 wrote:

Is it just in my area that the leftover shops just got cheaper? I was about to take one for $110, but then it went down to $80.

It happened where I am, too. They were going for $115 to $130 (I snagged one for the latter), and the leftovers are now at $100.

@BirdyC wrote:

At the one I did last week, the car I inquired about wasn't on the lot when I got there and hadn't been when I made the appointment. It was supposed to arrive during my appointment, but didn't. It never showed up until after I left. It was being used as a loaner, and the customer was late getting it back to the dealership. This made this shop much more complex. The salesperson had to demo the same model, but only in the parking lot because it was sold and was the only model there with the same trim package. There were no others like it available to see and drive. So I had to test drive the base model. Between having to look at two models instead of one, the salesperson taking time to explain some of the differences, the test drive (unaccompanied), and the fact that they were really busy and under-staffed, and my salesperson had to wait on someone else in the middle of my shop, I was there almost two hours! Not worth the $115.

There are just two more dealerships in my area within reasonable driving distance, but I'm not taking any more unless they get back up to $125 to make up for last week's disaster and to have some padding in case something goes off the rails again!

I feel like mine went smoothly, but I am in agreement, I would not do one again for less than $125. There are so many unknowns and my time is too valuable.

@gigishopper wrote:

I feel like mine went smoothly, but I am in agreement, I would not do one again for less than $125. There are so many unknowns and my time is too valuable.

Yup! And to boot, this one was a nearly 50-minute one-way drive. Had it gone as well as the others, I'd have been in and out of there within 45 minutes (although one I did took an hour, but that was at $125, so it was worth it). Thank goodness the online inquiry took five minutes, including researching the model I wanted and choosing a trim level.

I feel like the one I did at $100 was more profitable than this last one at $115!

@shopnyc wrote:

It happened where I am, too. They were going for $115 to $130 (I snagged one for the latter), and the leftovers are now at $100.

They're starting to go back up in my area. It seems as if they don't have enough shoppers for the number of Kia shops they're doing. Either people hate car shops, nobody will do this one for less than $100, or the supply of shoppers in the dealership areas is low. I don't think there are a lot of shoppers in my immediate area, but I'd have guessed that there were a lot more up around our state's capital, which is about 35 minutes from here. But shops go begging for shoppers there, too.

The scheduler told me there's a six month rotation on these.

@wrosie wrote:

The scheduler told me there's a six month rotation on these.

That would explain the dearth of shoppers. When they're doing so many per month at each dealership, they're likely going to run out of area shoppers who are in rotation for each dealer.

OOPS. I clicked to accept the wrong shop. Same Dealership Name but they have multi locations I clicked the wrong one. I've sent in 2 emails - within an hour of my clicking the shop. So far I'm 6 out of 6 with a "10" with this MSC I hope this doesn't mess me up. I wrote that in good faith I'll take the correct shop - even though the fee is $15 lower.

@wrosie wrote:

The scheduler told me there's a six month rotation on these.

That is good information to have, as well as the higher end information on the rates that they’re willing to pay. We can hold out for much more money with good knowledge of fees.