My friend the Mystery Shop Maven is thinking of creating a book just about mystery shopping.
She has written an amazing 51 articles just about mystery shopping! And all of them have received a good response from mystery shoppers.
She’s written about all kinds of things from
- how to get started,
- how to get more assignments,
- how to work with schedulers and companies
- how to protect yourself from scams
- how to complete various kinds of assignments.
The book would include all of her articles…plus more.
Can you think of just one way this would help you?
What is one thing you would want included in the book?
Leave a comment….
Maybe shed some insight on what companies spend on mystery shopping or how the economy effects mystery shopping, ie will companies cut corners by cutting back on ensuring adequate customer service ensurances.
In addition to paperwork handling and tax issues, I’d like to see coverage of memory tricks to help shoppers remember physical descriptions and employee names as well as specific shop details.
IF you have a general question how do you get to someone as MSPA? If you will be on leave for 2 or 3 months how can you let your schedulers know that you will not be available until a specific date. When I have questions there is no place to get an answer.
Schedulers should try and try two or three shops together in the same area to make it worthwhile for the shopppers.
IF you have a general question how do you get to someone as MSPA? If you will be on leave for 2 or 3 months how can you let your schedulers know that you will not be available until a specific date. When I have questions there is no place to get an answer.
Schedulers should try and tie two or three shops together in the same area to make it worthwhile for the shopppers.
I would like to know how to find out what Mystery shopping company handles a certain company that I would like to shop. For example, I had previously shopped a certain chain of Health food stores in Seattle on a regular basis. I loved doing those stores as I shopped there anyway. That Mystery shopping company no longer does that store and they did not know which company did. *I also had a wonderful experience getting a pair of great shoes free, but it never came up again. This has happened several times. How can we track which stores use which Mystery shpping companies?
There are a great deal of interesting questions asked in the above comments. Mine are as follows:
What is the job of the scheduler?
What is the job of the editor?
What is the final report to the client?
Why do the editors prefer there own statements vs. those that we shoppers observe that could be of great value to the client?
What is the specific vocabulary that differientiates a fact from an opinion or observation?
It would be great to have an interactive website that you could select what type of shops you prefer and get a response of the companies that schedule those types of shops!
I would like to see a chapter on why comapnies advertise assignments and when I reply within 4 minutes they are already gone.
I had done some shops for intelli-shop and had good ratings. I have had some health problems with my shoulder and pain. I signed up for some shops with them,and then come the day and I could not do them. I had to cancel, and the scheduler was very nasty. She said I always used the same excuse. Well, why would I say something else, when it was true. This scheduler has given me a bad time. Is this what happens with mystery shopping companies? It is like the word empathy is not part of thier vocabulary. Does anyone know what goes on with some of these companies, and should I report her?
I would like more information on companies that want to pay you a measly five or six dollars to do a shop and they expect you to evaluate the location for an hour and then you still have to do a report that could take you up to an hour. This doesn’t count the gas to get there. I have one company that keeps sending me assignments to sign up for and I refuse. I took the test just in case I happened to be at that location for another reason or had a shop nearby, but I still don’t think it’s worth the time. Our minimum wage in the state I live in is over $8.00 an hour. The pay for doing these shops could run at about $3.00 – 4.00 and hour plus gas. Not going to et me to go to them!
I would like to see a chapter on writing skills. Sometimes it takes longer to write a report than to complete the shop. I hate when you stay up hours completing the assignment, only for the editor to contact you letting you know things have been left out. The reports should be much shorter.
I have had some feedbacks from some companies that make no sense to me. Since a 1.5 or 2.0 on spelling tells me nothing. I would like to know my mistakes or weak points so I can try harder. I don’t know if 1.5 or 2.0 is good or bad.
Thanks,
Carol Kelly
Comments on evaluations should identify specific items and areas where you failed so that the same mistakes will not occur in the future rathe than generic comments. Many reports have redundant questions that require large comments being repeated. This is a waste of time and productivity. All shop requests sent out by Shopping Companies should include exact location, fees and reimbursements up front. Concur with comments of Littlebirdie. There should be a Shoppers Advocate group that supports Shoppers and collects and diseminates information to shoppers.
Have a chapter that lists the most reliable Mystery Shopping assigments.
detail out the various types. How to write a report.
But empasize that if you spen money it is not a legitimat shop!!!!!!
There is a site that dud not pay my sister-in-law and me for doing movie theaters. After doing a couple of shops, they came up with lame excuses, then let us go. We were told to reapply again ( so they can do the same thing again )next year. Scam city. These type of shops should be written about. How about a chapter dedicated of letters from shoppers who got scammed.
MSPA guidelines appear to direct that a silver or gold certified shopper cannot make statements against a company or contact a client directly regarding a dispute. I wanted advice on how to handle those situations in which a MSPA member company does not pay for an assignment.
I agree with every single comment and these are the issues I feel strongest about:
1. Doing excellent work for a company for years and making one little mistake and they want to ex-communicate you from their whole Company
2. Companies who make you write term papers to say the same things over and over again and the forms are like 30 pages.
3. With the high price of gas the pay scale HAS to go up. I have virtually stopped shopping unless places are only 5 or 10 miles away. The pay does not match the time and gas it takes you to complete the shop.
4. How to stay organized with a master spreadsheet we could all use so you can keep track of everything and it won’t take up so much space. Maybe something on Excel.
5. More really good paying shops like video shops available to balance out the ones that don’t pay well.
6. Yes, the tests are awful and have lots of tricky questions and tricky answers. Just format it so the shopper knows basically what to do and leave it at that!
Have some ways that mystery shopper companies can combine some assignments from other companies to their company so you can do 3 or 4 shops in the same area in an afternoon=more work and more money.
I would like to know more about being a certified shopper. Do you really get more shops?
I would like to know more about how companies choose mystery shoppers. I have tons of experience but sometimes cannot get a shop or scheduler position that I apply for and see it posted for weeks after I have applied.
[1]I agree with some of the shoppers about not having enough details given right before the jobs are offered. Once we sign up we find out about little pay,lengthy forms to fill out and too far to drive to the shop. Companies must give all details up front.
[2]I would like to see the most important topic is ” How to write a very good report in a short time “. Some of the reports have millions of questions and many of them are very repititive and overlapping.
[3] we as shoppers should promise us and others NOT to accept any jobs less than $10. Think about the time we spend in commuting and writing reports, either faxing, mailing or scanning business cards and/or receipts, high gas prices, low pays and waiting 45 to 60 days for the payments.
Thank you for reading. Any comments?
First of all, Thank you for wanting to help all of us shoppers! We all could use more pay for the work it takes for some of the low paying jobs. We should at least get mileage, considering the high gas price. One certain fast food shop is always rejected! Even though you time it exactly, if it isn’t what they think it should be,(and you know you timed it right), they will reject it. Then your out the expense of 2 meals you didn’t want in the first place and the time and gas you spent…. I too have come across a few schedulers that seem to have a bad day issue and take it out on the shoppers. We get turned down for jobs( those you have done for them over and over again) and you don’t hear from them for months, until they can’t find someone to do them. We do need to have someone to call about problems with a scheduler…..Again, Thank You!
We travel a lot and I do shopping on the road. It takes a long time to find assignments because I have to check with every company to see what is available where we go. Don’t know if “Shopping on the Road,” would have a wide enough appeal.
For the companies that offer pay and then you get the details after that show that you may have to spend more money,not get reinbursed,do more things and stop and interview more people, and they advertise later times only that they can be done…Then we can back out immediately and it should not have a effect on your rating.You immediately explained why you could not do the shop, The companies should give all information up front to know just how detailed it is. We need accurate reports from them just like is expected from us. We have to right as good shoppers to pick and choose our shops like they pick and choose their clients. Be choosy,unless it is a important shop and they need a favor and they usually will remember it ,if it is company you can even talk to on the phone.
i think we should not have to spend money to do shopping for people, that is not fair to us
Some companies/schedulers treat us like a bunch of reform school students who need to be watched every second and whacked for thinking. I have a college degree and have been appointed to a commission by my governor. Everyone who knows me personally knows what I can do. Why should someone who never met me rate me and berate me for doing my job? They don’t want that much detail in my resume, anyway. If I do merchandising, the companies barely bat an eye if something didn’t happen to their specifications because all the stores and their situations are different. I always do my best. Why is best sometimes not enough for mystery shopping companies when they assigned me the work to begin with?
After reading all your comments, you all need to know a few things. Most companies will tell you the “client” tells them how much to pay the shoppers., I have never believed this because universally the pay is about the same from everyone, and as you know, noone pays for gas and travel time, etc. I have started to boycott $5 jobs, and because of the abundance of jobs in the area where I live, I still turn down many jobs offered because of time restraints. I have a full time job and do mystery shopping as a full time 2nd job. The way to get more money is to ask for more pay. Call the company for an offered job, and ask. If they won’t give you more, you don’t have to accept the job. The reason some companies won’t give you more money is because there are so many shoppers,they know someone else WILL take the low paying job. Not enough shoppers protest as a unit. Another thing is how long it takes to be paid. 30 days has always been the standard. I’ve been doing this for 13 years and have always been paid within that time frame. The reason it takes that long is due to the thousands of shoppers companies have to pay within that time frame. Also, the way to track everything is to start a monthly list of assignment in Word or Excel, with the date, assign #, etc. You can track everything that way in one place. As far as knowing how to write reports and what words to use, you should know by experience, but you also have to have a knack for this type of work. If you are not a good writer, you will never “get it”. You have to be detailed, but have a good vocabulary and be concise at the same time. And I have never seen reports as long as some of you have indicated. I make a lot of money doing this part time; just be choosy and always ask for more money if you think it is deserved; you’d be surprised at how often you will get it.
Good luck !
There should be a chapter about how to get jobs in your local area. Every thing I received was too far to pay anything after you paid for the gas to get there. Roz
I would like to see the following issues addressed:
How is the pay scale determined
Identify the amount the schedulers are being paid so the shopperes can have leverage to negotiate a fee rather than work off a pre assigned fee.
I want to understand why as IC’s we spend our funds only to wait 30 days for POSSIBLE PAY
RICHANDHOLY
How technology/shopper websites could be improved for Mystery Shopping scheduling/acceptance, and the reporting of them.
There are a few companies that will pay in about 2-3 weeks. Some pay in the middle of the next month as well instead of the end of the month. This book sounds like it is going to be interesting.
The one thing I have found that ruins your mystery shopping day is to not have backups. I have driven 30 miles just to find I left my credit card, watch, extra batteries, or car cell phone charger at home. I now keep extras of every thing in the car.
I would like to see a chapter of the exact benefits of certification. What is the difference in job types and pay examples of certified shoppers jobs versus non certified shoppers jobs. Another good topic might be to list some of the larger reliable compianies according to region such as companies that offer mostly west coast jobs, or east coast etc. I have had to find out by applying and checking the web sites before finding out nonthing is offered in my region. Also maybe chapters defining and detailing video shopping, anti theft, etc what these types of jobs are like and what would be involved to perform them .
I would put each suggestion you receive into a catagory, such as pay rates, writing reports, why does it take so long to get paid/why reimburse rather than pre-pay expenses, etc. I’d label it something like “The Most Important Questions Mystery Shoppers Have” or “Top Questions From Mystery Shoppers.”
You’ve already written so many articles that you have, what, 29 chapters already. If you feel you may be missing something I’d do that and then give a short, detailed answer to those questions.
I would like to see a section on how to find out what ms company schedules shops for a particular biz. An example is a large bank chain used to have shops scheduled with one ms company and they lost the contract – how does one find out what company now shops them.
I want to address a change in mystery shopping from the days before the internet and the days of using the internet. If companies would address this issue, they wouldn’t have a turnover in shoppers so much. When I shopped some before the use of the internet, I knew I was going to have such and such assignment each month. This could planned into a schedule. Now you have to “battle” for each assignment, even if you have consistently shopped well. I shopped a lot two years ago and am probably going to have to take it up again as I lost my job and cannot find anything. When I have mentioned mystery shopping to friends and colleagues, they have also commented on the frustration factor of applying and waiting for every single assignment. Thanks so much.
This is a business. Business is about, yes, earnings.
Shops get the quality of work they are willing to pay for.
Devote a complete section that speaks to the marketing company’s design of a shop. I just copied an 11 page “shop requirements” whose context could have been taken care of in less than 3 pages.
Sometimes the contract companies are not certain as to how to find their true bottom line question: what can I do better to increase my profits?
Market research companies need to know how to turn a contract-ee’s “muddling through” in to good “shop questions” that will deliver the company to where it needs to be in order to survive our turbulent economy.
Market researchers need to develop a “stable” of professional shoppers, pay them well and give them as much business as they can handle.
Professional shoppers should always be given the opportunity to provide feed back as to how to make a shop better the next time around. The shopper is the best person to analyze the various industry problem and potential solutions for which we are all working together to remove.
why is that when u send check to do the job that is surpose to be done the check is not eligible to be cashed
I would appreciate a listing of which companies do which shops.
I would like a opinion board on what companies people have problems with the schedulers and why. They rate us why cant we rate them
Apay raise. We do alot for nothing.
Apay raise. We do alot for nothing. What we can handle at one price for one shopper is different than another.
I got a report from a company that said I used the wrong senario and it was a shop that I did not show up for because of extenuating circumstances. I was put on the board and banned from signing up for shops because they put in a report on a shop I did the month before at a different location and senario, I feel like they are doing this on purpose and I emailed the company and am waiting responce.I have to say that I did have alot that set me back this month but to lie and say i am not getting paid for a job that I ,yes did not show up, and than have the nerve to put it on the board so that everything thinks that I did the wrong senario and am not getting paid and show the shop from the other location.I have proof that says from the shop that I did not show and they will give me one more opportunity and if I have one more reschedule or no show i am banned.But……..why be dishonest and write I did go and do the wrong job making me look worse.I am awaiting responce and I am so upset for I work hard at the shops I do, and I did have so many things go wrong.
Question is:What do I do if they do not respond and clear this up….I have proof and dont want them to lie and show me as a bad shopper,I had a major issue that I could not call and show up and do not deserve to have a rating that is INCORRECT. What can I do if they do not respond. What are my rights?Do we have rights? Jacob if you see this let me know. I know what I did I missed a job not messed up a senario and now banned without notice.The notice I have is that I need to make sure I dont miss one more shop. Any feedback.??? This should be in the book , how to fight a rating that is not correct and no one replies. Let me know how all you shoppers think.
A section dealing with tax issues and possible percentages on what should be kept aside for tax’s would be beneficial.
I read the stories above and they all have a similar vein.
List the complaints:
If there is a problem, there is not one person at any mysteryshop firm that will return a call and you cannot contact them. Editors when they complain about your POOR report will not sign their name. There is a psychological term called Anal Retentive. That is not vulgar that is fact.
Some MSC want photos, a long narrative and want to pay $5.00. I joined the boycott. If it does not pay $10, I am a pass. If Ihave to take a test to prove that my IQ is over 100 before I can work there, I do not work there. Keep that stuff for other perceived idiots.
I too, have been delisted from a company because an editor thought that I went to the wrong shop. I did not and could prove it but cannot do so when there is no one to talk to.
I get constant 10’s and one editor gives me a 4 because the receipt was to faint. (the receipt from the store was too faint) She wanted me to go back 30 miles and get a new receipt. Do not hold your breath lady for that one.
The best one is Customer Service Experts. They de listed me and refused to pay me for some shops. The amount owed was substantial and I overtly threatened them with legal action and mentioned that perhaps the lawyer might supoena the client. Of course, I could not do that but the lawyer can do anything he want to. Guess what, guys, they paid in full by Fed Ex the next day. So much for taking a bunch of nonsense from these guys.
The real good guys are:
Jason KSSjason@kernscheduling.com
Pat ICCDS
Jackie KSSjackie@kernscheduling.com
These are pros and have all been shoppers so know what we go through. They are ethical, work with you and happen to be nice which is a novelty in this business.
I would like to see a chapter on how not to be identified as a mystery shopper. And can a mystery shopper be identified or is the shopper falsely reported to the client. And can a shoppers Independent Contractor Agreement be terminated by a company because the shopper was falsely reported to the client. And what can the shopper do to be reinstated in the company data base and a clients program. I believe I was falsely reported to two clients that resulted in my being blocked from doing shops with the client. And I believe I was falsely reported to another client and the mystery shopper company terminated my Independent Contractor Agreement with them. When I asked the company why my contract with them was terminated they said that they could not disclose this information and that there decision was based on my shopper history.
I filled out an IC application and the company refused to consider me as an IC. This company said they were picky and I didn’t meet their IC qualifications. My mystery shops ratings were averaging 9s and 10s and I am silver certified. As of yet I have not been payment shafted by any company. Imagine a company saying you are unqualified to be an independent contractor. I wonder about the qualifications of some of these people who review the applications.
Hi Jacob, i looked at all of the comments and I cannot think of anything right now it looks like people already answered a couple of my thoughts.
Take care
Sandy Agrusa
I would like to see companies praise their contractors for work well done. I would also like to know if contractors are ever compensated for above and beyond the call of duty in their shops.
The companies are quick to spot the negative but there is slim to none acknowledgment of good. We work hard and we need recognition too.
Maybe if it is published the companies will take notice. Hey it’s worth a try!
How to get in good with a schedular ..