Monthly Archive for July, 2008

Responses to the $5 Assignment Boycott from Mystery Shopping Companies…

Published
by
Jacob
on July 28, 2008
in MSPA, Personal and Uncategorized
. 63 Comments

First of all…if you have NOT yet pledged to boycott $5 mystery shopping assignments…click here.

Since I asked you to boycott $5 mystery shopping assignments last week, we recieved literally hundreds of pledges.  There are now over 485 responses to my original blog post.

I have also recieved some responses from owners of mystery shopping companies.

One of them was supportive.  His only caveat was that he didn’t think the boycott should stand if you recieve something of substantial value as a reimbursement…such as a free meal.

Another response was from John Swinburn, former Executive Director of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association.  Here are his comments:

The company representatives at the MSPA Pittsburgh Conference were not recommending a boycott of $5 shops, nor would I ever do such a thing. They were simply reiterating what they have said all along; if you don’t think the pay for a particular shop is acceptable, then don’t accept the shop. The shopper is in control and each individual shopper should be able to make his or her own decisions. I was in a session at which a very experienced, very professional shopper who is regularly given high-paying shops said he occasionally accepted $3 shops because he knew the scheduler needed help and the shop was convenient for him…so he took it. His reasoning was that the scheduler would remember him for having helped out in a pinch and would reward him with better shops later. While no one is particularly enamored of $5 shops, they are a part of the mystery shopping business. Shoppers can opt to ignore them…that’s fine…or they can take the ones that are convenient, like the shopper I mentioned. I’m opposed to boycotts, in general, because they tend to ignore an individual’s motives and replace them with a group’s collective attitudes. Individually, everyone is free to refuse to take $5 shops, or $10 shops, or $50 shops. But for people for whom the time and energy required is modest and for whom an extra $5 or $10 or $50 is welcomed, I say let them make their own decisions.

I would be very interested to hear what YOUR response is to what he has to say.

Is it EVER OK to accept a $3 shop?  I would say no.

Should $3 or $5 shops be part of the mystery shopping industry?

The reason I started the boycott was because I believe they should NOT be.

What do you think?

I have also contacted some of the companies who appear to be the worst offenders in terms of offering these very low paying assignments.  I have yet to hear a response from them.

Remember: for every $5 assignment they’re not able to fill, they will have to raise the price on it to get it filled.  That’s why it is so important for everybody to boycott very low paying assignments.  In doing so you benefit everyone.

Boycott the Notorious $5 Mystery Shopping Assignment!

Published
by
Jacob
on July 22, 2008
in Companies and Personal
. 684 Comments

For years now $5 mystery shopping assignments have been prevalent in the industry.  They don’t pay enough for it to be worth anyone’s time…and yet they keep sticking around…

And the only reason is because some mystery shoppers are taking those assignments.That is why I am asking you to BOYCOTT those assignments.

And here is something that is surprising: Continue reading ‘Boycott the Notorious $5 Mystery Shopping Assignment!’

Is mystery shopping worth it for you?

Published
by
Jacob
on July 16, 2008
in Personal
. 158 Comments

With the rise of gas prices, many mystery shoppers have begun to doubt whether or not it is worth it for them to continue.

The answer to that question is not always easy, and requires some personal reflection.

Why Mystery Shop At All?

Some people mystery shop just for the pleasure of it.  For example, my sister in Chicago.  She sometimes mystery shops at luxurious restaurants. She has also mystery shopped at a high-end grocery store, replete with valet parking.  She finds pleasure in fine food, and mystery shopping gives her more opportunities to fulfill that pleasure.

Then, there are practical reasons to mystery shop.  You can get a free eye exam, money for groceries, or even money for gas–if you’re lucky.

I once received an email from a mystery shopper who was putting away the money earned so that she could take her grandchildren to Disney World.  For her, mystery shopping was worth it.

But what about the time spent and the money made?

Sure, you can have dreams of putting aside money earned from mystery shopping towards a vacation–but is mystery shopping really the best option for you?

If you’re doing it purely for the money, I would say no.  But isn’t that true of any endeavor?

Some mystery shoppers simply have a passion for good customer service–they truly believe in the value of their work.

Others love getting out of the house and meeting new people.

But it still comes back to whether or not you make enough money for your time.  Earning below minimum wage is never worth it.

That’s why it is so important to keep a close eye on the time you spend mystery shopping.  Things can get out of hand between searching for assignments, applying to companies, driving to the store, filling out reports, tracking/accounting your earnings and deductible expenses.

I can’t tell you if mystery shopping is worth it for you.

If you are getting started, I can tell you that you will need to commit time and money before you start seeing an income.  That is the price to pay for one of the most flexible jobs in the world.

YES, flexible.  That is also one of the benefits of mystery shopping.  You can work as much or as little as you want–you are in control of your schedule.

I could go on…but I want to hear from you…

What kind of mystery shopping do you do?  What about what you DON’T do?

Mystery Shopping Companies for YOU

Published
by
Jacob
on July 1, 2008
in Companies
. 28 Comments

Want to find mystery shopping companies right now?  Especially ones that will give you the best paying assignments, at the stores you want to shop at?

Then keep reading.

Here are 5 ways to find those companies right now:

  1. Search JobSlinger.com, and don’t just search for assignments that are currently available.  Most mystery shopping companies have the same assignments month after month, so look for those old assignments that you would have wanted, sign up with the company, and then look for those assignments next month.  You can even email the company and specifically request those assignments.  Be sure to be nice about it though!
  2. Browse my list of companies on MysteryShopForum.com — I even have some descriptions of the types of assignments that various companies have available.  Whether you are looking for restaurant shops, aparment shops, or movie theater shops, there should be a company listed for you.
  3. Go all out and apply to as many companies as you can.  Yes, this isn’t the fastest way to do it, but it is the most effective.  Many full time shoppers have applied to hundreds of companies, and then pared that list down to 10-20 that they work with on a regular basis.  If you want to be a full time mystery shopper, then this will pay off for you.
  4. Read this article: The Best Mystery Shopping Companies at MysteryShopMaven.com.   Joan has practical information that you can put to use right away.  Plus, the comments on the article provide tons of new, valuable information as well.
  5. Network with other shoppers….and ask them for suggested companies to sign up with, ones to avoid, which ones have which kinds of assignments, and so on.  My favorite place for this kind of networking is at MysteryShopForum.com.  I encourage you to become a member right now.

So, there are 5 avenues to finding companies that I have found…

How do you find mystery shopping companies?