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?
I will no longer make a special trip to mystery shop. I believe that shoppers should be able to set their own dates and times, to blend in with their personal schedule of appointments, etc.
I have declined a lot in the last month because it is not worth it with the price of gasoline, I actually did one that I comitted to and did not make anything because the shopper fee remains the same.
I will do shops in a circle to save on gas. I try to set them up in a row or all together in the same area.
I cut down on taking a lot of shops that I used to do that paid low. I now wait until they are bonused. I am still surprised that there are many companies out there who pay
$5.00 - $10.00 for shops. Gosh! Gas here in Mystic, CT is
now $4.48 a gallon.
I too do not usually make a special trip to do a job. I try and combine errends and any jobs I have scheduled ffor the same day. I also carpool with a friend who may have jobs in the same area, saves gas and we have fun. One other tip. I no longer take my own car for any jobs less then 10 miles away, I can take our local transit and it only costs me $2.00 round trip. when was the last time You got gas for $2.00?
I have stopped taking jobs as well. The shop fees are never enough to pay for the gas. I might consider it if I could schedule many shops in one day, but I haven’t had that opportunity.
I agree with Ruth that we should be able to set our own dates & times. I think another problem is that there are so many different companies. Most of us have profiles with dozens of different shopping companies, and the dates for shops rarely, if ever, overlap. I think if there were just a few companies offering mystery shopping services, it’d be easier to schedule more than one shop, and therefore make it more worthwhile to actually accept a shop.
I am lucky to live in a 5 mile radius of 3 malls. I get lots of jobs at the malls. Once a shop is more than 5 miles, I will not accept the job. If I do accept any jobs that are the most 10 miles away, I will make sure I can schedule another one on the way to makle it worth it, otherwise I do not even bother to spend my time or gas.
I have always tryed to concerve on gas but now many shops are just not worth what they pay enev with the food reimbursed.
I still do as many shops as I can do….the trick is to bulk them together on the same trip. You have to be creative and persistant about looking for jobs in the same general area. YOu have to buy groceries, right? Well, why not get a little something toward your purchase? I believe it is still worth it to mystery shop….you just have to work a little harder to find them. Lots of companies are willing to offer bonuses if you ask!
If I could get more interesting shops, I’d be more then happy to do as many as I could but the pickings are not near as often as I think they should be
I always ask if there is any reimbursement for mileage or gas or if the scheduler can offer a higher rate of payment. I will not travel far unless I get one of the above. I also set a $15 minimum for most jobs, unless the locale is a place I travel to frequently, like a local shopping center.
I have backed out of mystery shopping for a while now… All of my shops paid very little and were very stressful to finish… For the most part doing the shop itself was okay, but when it came time to submit- the info online is really hard to do! They would promise me it would be simple and it never was. On one there are so many words you are allowed to type and every time I’d make a mistake and erase it it would consider the erased words as typed words! Thats crazy! I’d put 4-5 hours or more into a shop with preparing my kids, packing up, driving, doing the shop and coming home and submitting the information- all to get $15!!!!! I have not made money with mystery shopping like people claim to! And all the email offers I get are very little also. I havn’t seen a big paying mystery shop yet!!!!
I had to quit, the ones I was being offered just didn’t pay enough for the gas. I loved doing the shops but I needed the money that is why I got into it in the first place.
I’m just like the others that has answered. I have cut way back on my MS and have turned to merchandising in my local area or I wait until the end of the month until the shops are bonused. I too wish the MS companies would not put date restrictions on their shops or at least give a two weeks time period. This would allow the shopper to bundle the shops and would make a 30 miles drive actually worthwhile.
I do not accept any more of the out of town shops unless I am traveling there because of the gas costs and do not want more miles on my 2 1/2 years old car. Hopefully some of the companies will pay more for our evaluations.
I only shop at near shops and restaurants. Usually within 2.5 miles away. I live in a widespread area with many stores and restaurants. Although gas prices still rising, I may just walk to my shops. I also use several companies to choose my shops from.
I try to do as many shops I can do, but they hardly have any in my town for me to do. One thing that helps me with the gas is I own a motorcycle so that makes it easier on driving. The gas situation is awful, I can’t go into other towns like I use to. Like other people I do them in bulks and I go agree wish they wouldn’t give u such a time frame. Good luck Mystery Shopping everyone
I have not stopped all together, but I do like several other are doing, bundling them.
I do merchandising, so if I am going to drive by a store that needs to be done, why not stop and do it. Sure the pay may not be the best, but that $10.00 for my gas tank is worth it, seeing as I am driving right by the place anyway.
Do I think that we should be able to choose our days? I am on the fence on that one. Most of the companies that I work MS for do give a bit of a leeway on day. Some will give me a week or 5 days to complete the job. This works for me, because maybe I don’t feel like getting out of the house on Monday. Or I know that on Thursday I am to do resets in the area. So I am just as busy as I want to be. Working, making some extra cash, and meeting people. Three things that I enjoy.
I have not cut back on my MS. I bulk all my shops together and make a day out of it. I recently went on vacation and traveled through 11 states. I picked up MANY shops and was able to write off the mileage. I have found that if you become frinds with your schedulers they will work with you on the due date (most of the schedulers).
I have always route shopped, meaning I get several shops all on the same day. I am signed up with over 50 companies, and have an email account just for mystery shopping. The reason I started route shopping was for child care reasons, I have an 18-month-old who I don’t like to take with me. My friend and I watch each other’s kids once a week so we can run errands, my errands just happen to have income attached. If you do it this way, you can definitely make money. Also, my husband and I haven’t paid full price for a date in a long time because of the shops that I do. Sure, we might have to drive a little farther, but what’s 15 miles, or 1 gallon of gas, when I’m getting $60 for our dinner? Personally, I’ll keep doing mystery shops no matter the price of gas. It’s fun, and I make good money doing it.
I live in a rural area and the shops have always been low for this area. I used to be able to bundle shops but now when I try to do that the dates end up being changed and I am in the hole. The reimbusement for meals remain the same but the meal cost has gone up so the meal is not fully covered. OOPS is the hole again. I have stopped calling anyone, they have to call me offer a bonus before I go now. I wish it was different. I do enjoy mystery shopping.
Well, it seems we’re all on the same page on this topic. Perhaps companies will have to start paying more to entice us to get out and do these shops. Who wants to work for nothing?
I do not do any more because and it is not worth my gas anymore
I agree with the majority on here. Gas is a major factor and the only time I perform shops is when I can get a bunch together, with bonus, then drive my husband’s company car. (His company pays for the gas, insurance, etc.) This is the only way to make any money and that’s the reason I do it, this is a job not a career.
Los Angeles: 20 mile round trip @ 20 mpg is $4.60 out of pocket. Travel time 30 minutes round trip. Rarely as little as 1/2 hour to do the shop, minimum 1/2 hour to report it. If the shop pays $12, that’s $7.40 for 1 1/2 hours. Less than $5/hr. If it paid $16 it would be about $7.00/hr.
There are few shops that can be coordinated in my location, they are usually more than 10 miles apart.
The Feds allow 58 cents/mile for vehicle use. Even at 40 cents/mile the 20 mile round trip would expense at $8.00
Definitely not. I’ve been doing Firkin Pubs and they reimburse 40$, which does not even come close to the price over priced one appetizer, two entrees, one beverage and a desert, plus one bar drink and tips. I’ve done it for fun but not any more. Oh I forgot two bus tickets as well. I’ve asked the scheduler to ask for increased pay but the company will not comply. We as mystery shoppers should make a stance and no longer do these shops as they stand.
I thoroughly enjoy mystery shopping. However, like everyone else, gas prices has stopped me from taking on many out-of-town shops. Since reading this email from Jacob, I looked over my calendar from January til now. On any given month, I’ve made from $200-$350 from my mystery shopping. As of this email, I’ve made $65 for this month (July)!! One company I work with will let me do 3-4 of the same stores in a day. Most others won’t, so I am, basically, working mostly with them right now. I feel that the mystery shops company’s should raise the commission. Afterall, they will give you a “bonus” for the end-of-month shops that they REALLY need completed.
I have filled out so many forms with different companies, I HAVE NOT GOTTEN A REPLY FROM ANY OF THEM. I am experienced shopper.What do i do now?
Jerri Pitre–jp12312002@yahoo.com
I think that these companies that we shop for should raise their
fees for doing the mystery shops. By the time you figure in the
cost of gas,electricity (computer) and printer ink to print instructions, we really do not make anything on those low paying shops. I have stopped accepting those shops also.
I have stopped shopping completely. The price of gas does not make it worth my time. I have had to find other avenues to make money. I was shopping exclusively for 2 years. Now I am Merchandising during the week and doing Demo’s on the weekend. They need to start paying more for the shops. If they can offer bonuses, they can pay more up front to post the shop.
I, too, have stopped doing alot of shops. If I can’t get 4 in a close area, I don’t do them. I live in a rural area where the nearest town is 9 miles away. The farthest I go now is 20 miles and that has to have 4 shops that pay reasonable. I am committed to a certain company for merchandising for my permanent jobs, but I usually have 2 or 3 close or at the same place. I wait for bonuses, but I have turned some down cause of the distance and gas. I would still be losing. I started this for extra cash, but with gas as it is I just don’t make much if any sometimes.
I am doing about the same amount of shops, however, I am choosing ones that I can do by riding public transportation, group with others, or that are on my way home from aother shop or job. I have turned down a few that require more than 5 miles of driving and that you may be obligated to go back if for some reason the shop can’t be completed, i.e. person you need to see doesn’t show up, place is closed unexpectedly, too busy, or whatever. I will decline on some that I use to do because I thought they were low paying then and they definitely don’t provide any income now witht he price of gas.
I ask the scheduler right away if they will give an extra gas bonus of at least $7.00 to perform the shop. Most of them will say we will keep you in mind if the other shopper does not perform the shop and then I will get the extra money in a bonus. It works pretty well.
i am selective on the mystery shops i do. if i need eyeglasses or soemone i know is buying them soon. i do those and make a tonne in returns in that regard. and I usually choose fast food if we are going to eat out anyway, or I like to do the gas bar shops, sometimes with a car wash. it reimburses and so i dont spend anything gas wise doing the shop if one thinks of it that way. it is all mad money,,
if i have too many, i do them in relation to my travels and make a circle towards home.
I have also slowed down in accepting mystery shopping and merchandising jobs, with the price of fuel it just doesn’t pay to go out the door to make $ 10.00. These mystery shopping companies need to charge the advertiser a surcharge for fuel.
Since the price of gas here in Florida has reached the $4.00 mark and over, I choose which shops to do, and if possible block two together in one area. With the reimbursement so small for some companies, I just ignore them.
I still do shops but I dont’ travel as far anymore. The companies are disappointing with their attitudes towards our situation with the price of gas. Shops are going for $8 and $10, not worth it..
It sounds like most everyone is on the same page. Our cost of living is too high to let over paid and less worked office dewellers decide what we are worth. My time is valuable. I am only doing demo jobs now, they are simple, guaranteed, and profitable. I will occasionally do an MS, if I am going to be there anyway, but for the most part my time is worth more than the “KID MONEY” they so graciously pay. LOL
I agree with so much that you all say. I really don’t know why I mystery shop - - I have a full-time job that pays $20 an hour. I work my 40 hrs. in 4 days so I do have Fridays to do other activities or shops. A few weeks ago I decided to quit mystery shopping cold turkey after a hectic day of traveling around doing gas shops (with photos), then losing two of them because I had trouble with the speed of my old home computer when entering shops (to a different time zone). I slacked off for a couple of weeks, but the e-mails kept coming and I eventually let myself be lured back into it! I am more selective because of high gas prices, trying to choose shops in the town where I work, live or have other business that is necessary. I’m experimenting with casino shops, but my trip one-way is at least 50 miles, so this won’t last long either! Good luck everyone!
I have only been doing MSing for about 3 months now and I truly enjoy it. However, I live in a very rural area and the good offers are very slim in my hometown. Therefore, because of the gas prices, like most of you, I have had to really analyze any of the jobs that I accept. The jobs that pay $5 and expect you to drive 30 -40 miles one way and then do 1-2 hours of paperwork when you get home are crazy. I would be paying them to let me work! The gas prices are killing us all. I cannot afford to drive that far and only be paid $5-$15 with gas prices being $4.15 gal. I just got a call today from a scheduler that needed a job done ASAP in an area that is about 40 minutes from me. When I told her that I would need to have more $$ for the gas, I did not get the job. I did not ask for that much more $$ at all. So that is my point, I know I am new at this, but I have to put gas in my car to do these jobs and I am not getting ANY extra $$ for it. So if it continues this way, I am not sure if I will be able to keep doing something that I thought I had found that I not only really love doing but, I also believe in the outcome of the work!
I try to do as many shops together to save money on gas. Here it is $147.9 a litre. I think that these companies should up their rates!!!
I do not mystery shop much anymore. I find the fee isn’t worth the time I spend doing the shop and then the endless paperwork. I do merchandising now and like it a lot more. I find I can make my own schedule that way.
Marilyn
Oh yes, I also agree that the companies need to wake up and pay more when the shops are first posted. Come on now . . . why would anyone expect you to visit a gas station/c-store, take 4-6 pics (that you must name an download) and spend at least $1 in the store and $1 (yeah) on gas - - all for the grand shop fee of $4!!! If they can up the ante to $50 on the last day of the month, then they can do better on the first day. : )
Wow…I only just started. I did my first shop yesterday. It was in my home town, and not far from where I live. I too, have been considering how far I will go to do a shop. Especially if they only pay $10.00. By the time to travel, shop, and report, you really don’t make much money. Then, throw in the fuel and actually, you’d better enjoy what you’re doing because you’re doing it for FREE!!! Hmmm, maybe we all should re-think this.
I really try to plan my day so that I can do several shops that I close together. I have declined a number of shops because of the distance and cost of gas. Fees need to be increased so that mystery shopping becomes viable again.
No argument here from what has already been said. I simply will not take a low paying shop unless I can schedule two or three others on the same day. What really makes me laugh are the companies (and oh how I would like to list them) who have reduced their fees but expect the same or even more work than they did prior to the fee reductions. I have withdrawn my name from a couple of these companies. Makes me sad because I like many of you enjoy mystery shopping, but hate the disrespect and worthless fees.
I’ve all but given up mystery shopping in favor of merchandising.
The returns are not sufficient to justify not only the trip and the time there but the time to complete the report and then wait up to 2 months for a check.
On the way where I am now, I quit doing purchase return shops (double trip) and reimbursement for food only. One of these companies on the surface looks good by reimbursing a fairly high amount but the report is so long and ridiculous that I won’t even consider them anymore.
Mystery shopping was once rather enjoyable and while not lucrative, it did help when I was unemployed. Now, I think the net return is more negative than positive.
I leave in a small rural area. I certainly will not do very many anymore. Most of the ones that are here you have to drive for them and their fees have not went up. The companies will have to increase their fees or stop the mystery shopping.
I have pretty much quit mystery shopping due to the rise in fuel costs. Unfortunately, it has become no longer profitable for me to continue to work in this business. Most shops I am ever offered are at least 20+ miles away. None of the MS companies I get offers from have raised their commissions to compensate for the rising cost of fuel. With the economy in a slump, and seemingly getting worse, I highly doubt they will start.
The disrespect we get at times is probably another topic and I bet we could fill up a lot of pages. One thing I had to consider, beside the gas, was the amount of form printing I had to do for just one shop. I would have 4 shops with 28 page guides and questions for each shop. Since I was always at the copy shop or at the “we gotta buy ink counter” I decided to try short cuts and not do the 28 page thing. It backfied and I missed stuff. So I dropped them. I have not found the serious merchandising yet which I would like to do anyway. All I have found so far is the 60 mile round trip for $8 on their time frame which always got in the way of other scheduled events.
In general I have found that mystery shopping doesn’t provide one with actual cash. If you add the rising price of gas, I believe that mystery shopping is a complete waste of time and effort and an actual expense!!
I think that the schedulers should offer a combined list of available jobs by zip code area. This would allow shoppers to set up a route. Everytime I try to do that I end up with just one job and feel committed to doing something that actually costs me money.
Secondly, I feel they should not use our money!!! We should be paid within 2 weeks as long as we accept Paypal. Thirdly, the scheduler can see the mileage from our zip to the location and can offer a gas bonus of $4.00 per mile. The fourth thing they can do is substantially reduce the redundant questions on the survey.
I have had to become very selective. Several of the companies are considerate of the fuel-travel situation and only call me when the commission is elevated due to their client’s need to the performed and
the company has a possible “travel allowance”. I live in rural Arkansas and other than the few shopping locations in town, the nearest larger location is at least 28 miles (one way) away. Unless I have another reason to go in that direction, time and expense involved for a shop usually does not pay me anything. When a Sonic purchase costs over the %5.00 re-imbursement and the commission is $6.00; you figure it out. And we do not calculate in: time to download the forms, travel, shop, report. Also the office supplies of paper, ink, printer/computer cost.
I have pretty much stopped signing up for shops because the pay does not cover the costs. It is sad. Even my merchandising work is beginning to cost me more than what it should; all because of the price of gas.
What will we do?
I still do a few shops each month, but I don’t go out of my way to do them. When the price of gas went up, I reassessed my views on MS. I don’t do purchase and return shops, reimbursements (last one took 3 months to pay), shops where I have to take a million pictures and make $3, or shops that require you to write an essay and/or count words.
I am also offered shops that are 40 to 50 miles away–with no additional gas money. Do they really think I want a pizza that bad? Who are they kidding?
I also agree that if companies can pay large sums at the end of the month, they can pay decent amounts at the beginning of the month–maybe then the shops would be taken. What a game. The price of gas has made me picky. I love the shops I do and am not stressed. I’ll find another way to make money.
Good Morning America did a feature on Mystery Shopping last week as part of their way to earn extra income segment. Trying to work and watch at the same I only got bits and pieces. They had an expert that said it was a 5 billion dollar industry with 2 million of us running around. She said you would not get rich but it was a good way to earn extra money. Did anyone else see it? If there that much money in it we realy are getting the shaft.
I also have had to cut back on what I chose to do and I will not work for the small amounts anymore either. I bundle what I have to do and work around my schedule and ask schedulers for help when I can.
I also do some mystery shops but my biggest thing now is merchandising, I have had office max’s now and dollar store on aa weekly/biweekly and then I do some demo’s.But yes gas prices are terrificly outragous and most of these companys need to increase there rates. I still love what I do.
Sounds like working in sweat shops - bad working conditions - I have been debating on joining the mystery shoppers but after reading all of these comments I think I will not be doing this.
I strongly feel that the mystery shopping companies should either pay a little bit more money for the shops or reimburse a limit for gas to make some of shops that do not pay well worth while.
In only manage to do some assignments in the same area for now. Of course something I will get out of the way but will ask for gas compensation to the compagnies. Most of the time they agree to it. The worst on that it I was doing mystery shop with a company that did have Gas Station mystery shopping and they just lost that contract. Between you and I if you do more than two assignmant in the same area try to get paid for gas from both compagnies
I have basically quit taking any jobs…I live in a rural area and the closest mid-size town is well over a half-hour away! It’s unfortunate, but most of the companies continue to pay paltry fees. I have had several companies’ schedulers call me with work, but most aren’t offering any gas allowances or bonuses, and it’s just not worth my time or effort to shop anymore.
I love MS also, but the pay is way to small for the amount of time I spend doing the shops. Now that fuel has risen I lose money leaving my home. So I will look for something else.
I spoke to one scheduler and their company will not offer bonuses until the end of the month. The way that it was explained to me, if the jobs are not taken at the beginning of the month when the fees are low, there will be less money available to bonus shops at the end of the month. I don’t believe that MS companies can give mush leeway on the shop dates because they have to fulfill their commitment to their client to have the jobs submitted, edited and delivered to the client as promised. I have only been mystery shopping for a little over 2 years and I have seen companies move from one MS company to another MS company. Yes, the pay on some jobs can be awful and insulting. I have taken some of those jobs to get my foot in the door with a company. I figured that I would not have a track record, if I did not start someplace. I received a call from a scheduler today to take a job that is quite a distance away. The scheduler told me that a lot of shoppers drop jobs. I did not accept the job, but I think that it will still be there. Now I will poke around to see if I can find other shops in the area to make it worth my while. So far this month I have shopped to the tune of $900+. My goal for this month is maybe $1,500. Tomorrow I have 3 shops scheduled that will put $120 in my pocket. They are a distance away, but I think that it is worth it. I have used MS money to pay bills. In my opinion it pays to shop smarter and not harder. I now have an almost full tank of gas from performing gas shops. So far this year I have made over $7,000 very part time. I bundle jobs together and I have a goal of making $60 daily. I agree that some forms are horrendous and challenging. If the forms really pluck my nerves, I will not do that shop again for a while. One has to check their motives when accepting and completing shops.
I’m still shopping, shopping, shopping. I bunch shops together to save on gas. There are many companies to shop with, but they don’t all email you when shops are available. Once you get in to some companies with good shops you do remember who they are especially if they don’t email you with available shops, you do remember to go in on their website to see what’s available. Most the companies I shop for usually have windows of when you can complete the shop, not just one day, but several days for you to choose from. And dinner shops, heck, I’m wasting gas to go out to eat anyway, I might as well do a mystery shop and get 2 dinners and drinks free, if not free at least I will get to eat out for a fraction of the regular price. A better discount than using a coupon and the forms online are not hard to complete and do not take much time. Plus, mystery shopping breaks up my week. I work from home 30 hours a week, so mystery shopping does get me out of the house, doing something different to break up the monotany. When I first started mystery shopping, it was a year in June, all my shops were low paying shops, but I’ve since found a few companies that pay decent wages for their mystery shops. And, like others said, sometimes you have to tell the schedulers you can only do the shops if they add in a bonus. I still do more than one shop a day even if there are bonuses. Now of course, every month is not a good month, so mystery shopping is not an income you can depend on, but it sure is something majority of us can do for some extra money, discounted meals, free snacks, etc… and a tax right off at the end of the year. Remember, your an independent contractor for each mystery company, you are entitled to claim it as a business rightoff and it could very well be used as a loss in most cases, you just have to know what your doing and how your doing it, but your tax advisor can help you out with that.
I have not stopped mystery shopping, because it gives me some time away from my kids and sometimes pays for a “date” with my husband, which we get very few of because he is in the military. I enjoy mystery shopping and hey I can deduct my mileage on my taxes! Also think about it this way as well, would a normal paying job give you money for gas? Nope! Yes some people can get paid up to $20 an hour depending on their job, but what job would pay you $50-$60 to go out to eat? Only mystery shopping jobs, and you know now days with the economy going down down, lots of companies are NOT hiring new people. Especially people like me; a military spouse, even if I do have the qualifications because they are “afraid” that I will leave if my husband gets deployed or worse hurt or killed from a deployment. SOOOOOO you all can complain about the gas prices, but its not going to change things they’ve been rising for years, heck I remember when gas was under a dollar! There are better things to do other than worry that you are getting the bad end of a deal.
I just started MS a few months ago. The shops they send for me are so far away. I agree that they should do these by zip code.
I will do a mystery shop if it pays well and is close to home or OI get my meal and can sometiomes take family and have tehm eat free as well.
I will not do those that pay low and will try to stay within 10-15 miles from home.
It’s just worth the while to do a shop for less than $10.00.
I plan my trips more in clusters in the same places to compensate as well. I need to do three or four in the same general vicinity to be profitable. So my day is better planned, more efficient, and more work than it used to be. It’s not as much fun anymore, out of neceessity.
Yes it would be great to be a mystery shopper i would enjoy it alot
I began mystery shopping one year ago, and have learned A LOT since then! I will no longer accept measly paying shops or ones with ridiculously long reports, and I now know which scheduling companies have miserable customer service skills of their own. Sure, the gas crisis is a constant concern, which is why I now work less days/week and only work along a route which often includes up to 10 shops each day. The amount of time needed to set up a string of shops or to complete some reports is often tiresome, but for supplemental income where I am my own boss and choose when to work, there is still the opportunity to make money with careful planning. Good luck to you all!
I am now limiting my shops. I especially like to do those at the grocery next to the dept. store I work at,for time. I often do 2 after work , then go home with free food., cook a meal then record the shops. I believe most of the shops are too low in pay.
I have been shopping for about five years. There were days when it was profitable, now I am starting to do a study to see what I actually make. Yes, it is free food, but is it food I really want? Sometimes… The grocery shops are my favorites. I also have stopped doing shops for companies that have reduced fees or have taken business from another company by cutting the fees. I wait for bonus money too. Several companies have recently merged and the fees are getting even worse. One of the merger is the merchandising company. The merchandising company has recently started putting two jobs together at a single location. I loved the explanation “We are concerned for your gas costs. If you get two jobs at the same time you will save gas.” Here is the scoop. Each shop is limited to one hour (rarely takes that long) and pays 6.00 flat. That starts at below minimum wage if the entire hour is used. Now they combine two six dollar shops and raise the fee to 8.00 to save us gas money. Is it me or did I just lose 4.00? I rarely use a full gallon of gas to do one merchandise job. They already pay terrible and now it is worse. I am feeling less than valued at this point.
BTW, meals are not a write off against income. They are considered reimbursed expenses. You can only actually write off the excess you spend over what you are paid back. Be careful with this one - an audit is really costly.
I used to do some of those stupid little $4 plus $2 reimbursement gas shops when I needed gas for the lawn mower or the weedeater. Not anymore… With a one gallon gas can taking right at $4 to fill, I basically would be doing the report and the pictures in exchange for a gallon of gas. I’d rather buy a goat to graze the backyard down - then I could make goat cheese… I was making pretty good money when I lived near a large city, but now that I’m living in a town with only about 20,000 people it’s hard to find any jobs that are close. I had been doing mostly the gas shops and a few fast food shops, but I’m probably going to be looking for other things to do for my “pocket money”. Maybe I’ll start selling homemade doggie bisquits at the local farmer’s market…
I agree with Linda about them $4 and 5 dollar gas shops with pics. I am sure that most of us know the company. I do many of gas shops for 3 different companys with triple the money and less pics and shorter summarys. If the company only lets you do 5 at a time and thier 8-10 in a certain area I will tell the schuler that I need to do all of them in that area to make it worth my time. 90% of them will work with you and assign all of them to you.
If people would stop doing FOUR AND FIVE DOLLAR GAS SHOPS then they will raise their prices.
Like a pizza shop that gives you a free pizza and you have a whole bunch of pic. to take and you got to flip it, stand it up on end turn it up side down and take all the pics, by the time I was finish mauling it even my DOG would not eat it.
Response to the military wife….Sure, you can claim mileage, gas and other expenses on ur taxes. HOWEVER, if you didn’t know, you MUST make $500-$600 for at least ONE single company during the year to receive a 1099. I, too, have not stopped MS; I thoroughly enjoy it. I have, however, stopped going my 50 mile radius as often. We, as consumers, can (and do) bicker amoungst each other about the raising gas/food prices. We, as a whole, need to write our congress and senators. With the election upcoming, start thinking about WHO will help elevate this high prices. In the meantime, as consumers, we all have to go somewhere and buy something. No matter how much it cost.
Hi,
I am Janet in Tulsa. I work parttime as a courier besides Mystery Shopping. I have been shopping for about 21/2 years. I don’t do as many shops as I used to. It is just extra money for me, but I would like to make as much as possible. I can get plenty of jobs, but most are $10-15. I would like to know what kinds of jobs the one girl is doing where she can make $900 a month. If I worked full time doing MS, I would not make that much. I used to shop 2-3 per day before and after my regular job, but I have come down on that, partly because of gas and partly because of other things going on. I do try to get jobs on the way to work or on the way home. I don’t do anything that is over 10 or 15 miles away. I just agree with everyone else that we have to complain to the MS companies and if enough of us do, they might have to pay mileage. I have only worked for one company who paid mileage.
I do feel that the restaurants are usually worth shopping, as well as banks. For those who do merchandising, how much do you usually make? I see offers all of the time, but haven’t tried any.
I have not done any mystery shopping since Feb. this year. To make it where I live I have to drive an hour for a days worth of shops and the shops paid very little. I also was tired of the hassle of online reporting as many of the companies would ask the same questions over and over and then the editors will email me and for more of the same I wrote in the report online. Just not worth the head ache for 5 to 10 dollars a shop. Since the gas has gone up there would be no way to make any income from it.
I do not veer far off of my route to work while doing a mystery shop. Especially modest paying jobs. I’ve noticed one company actually reduced the fee for shops I routinely did with them. No beef here because I chose the shops that work for me.
I have had to become more pickey as to the jobs I accept. I am at the point of being able to get the reports done more quickly now, however, most companies don’t want to pay much. I am sorry, but I live in a more rural area, and it is a distance of at least 10 miles to the nearest city to do my shops. If I can get three or four shops that pay fairly well, I will get them done in one shot if they are close together. I don’t know how much the companies make on the shops we do, but if they can raise the fee to almost double towards the end of the month, then they should be able to offer a bit more to begain with. I also combine shops with errands. My shops have really droped in the past three months. My husband is complaining quite loudly about the gas I am using for shopping. Gloria E. Morgan
I am now choosing more of my shops according to getting something that I really need or was planning to buy anyway and the location of the shop is where I would go. Also, I agree with everyone who talks about waiting 2-3 months for a payment. We should get interest! Some of the restaurant shops where you have to put up about $100.00 for the meal and you don’t get a return for 2-3 months is very costly. Most of us that are mystery shopping don’t have the extra money or we wouldn’t be doing it. Also, some of the reports make you end up spending 4 or 5 hours on the shops for a measly 10 - 20 dollars. I have spent at least 3 hours on paperwork and 1 - 2 hours doing the actual spartment shop for a whopping $20.00. Not anymore. I need more than that per hour.
I have been msing for 2 yrs. I always made it a point to not do shops more than 15 miles from my home. When I shop on my lunch break, I do shops closse to my full time job. I average $200-300 per month. Gas prices have just made me more selective about distance traveled and minimum fee. I don’t accept shops less than $10 either. Tomorrow during my lunch break I’ll travel 5 miles, spend $3(reimbursed) on a drink and get paid $22. The report consists of 23 simple questions. All I can say is ask for bonuses, gas allowances and be selective. I agree with others that say WE SHOULD NOT TAKE THOSE $4-$5 SHOPS.
Most shops are way underpaid. I recently had my first rejected shop because I went about $1.50 under the required minimum purchase amount. I explained it was impossible to get that amount with being discovered. But this particular pool company and the scheduler (likely the same one with the crummy gas shops) was not understanding. That experience has pretty much turned me off altogether on mystery shopping. I have been doing it for a year and it’s not much fun anymore. More power to you if you are actually making money and having a good time with it!
I am no longer an active mystery shopper due to the rising cost of gas. There are rarely any shops offered on my side of town (other than fast food) and I have to drive 30 minutes one way to do any decent shops. It would be awesome if I was able to schedule a lot of shops on the same day then at least I would be making a little bit of money instead spending all my commission plus some on gas.
I still do the shops. I can make enough usually to make it worth it but I do have to make a day out of it. Some high paying jobs make up the gas money used and sometimes if it is over 30 miles if I ask for a little extra from each shop 3-5$ it more than pays for the gas. My mother and daughter ride with and it gets mom out of the house and my daughter loves to “work” with me.
I sometimes wait for the pay to increase for the further shops but I have built up a rep now for taking the further shops and am asked by several of the companies to take a bunch of the out of town shops and make a day out of it. I have been given as high as $100 for 2 days worth of cellular shops…on top of the pay of $10 per shop for 10 min in each store and a beautiful drive on a nice summer day….well worth asking for gas reimbursement. Worse they can say is no…
I pick up shops while traveling in my normal everyday rountine. I have to go out for lunch while I’m at work so I pick up lunch shops. I like doing revealed audits because they seem to pay a little more but I usually wait until the lower paying shops are bonused.
I still Mystery shop because I enjoy doing it. I am selective of where and when I go.. I plan my trips and scedule several shope close together. I don’t go to towns I would not otherwise be going to.
Is mystery shopping worth it? No it don’t pay near as good as my other job, but I do get a lot of satisfaction.
Thanks for your responses. I agree with many of you. I too am in a more rural location. I will only do shops nearby, bonused, bunched, or within the framework of other plans. I absolutely will not do a shop that requires extensive commentary that pays a pittance. It truly shows that others are not willing either, when I see the shop not filled for over a month, and the scheduler is begging someone to take it, with special recognition first, and then a small bonus, a little more, and a little more. Finally, it gets to where someone might take it at the top bonus level, but even then, it wouldn’t leave me more than maybe ten dollars for three hours work. Who can work for, and find satisfaction in that? If many of these shops started out at a reasonable pay level, they would be filled sooner, and there would be fewer headaches for all involved. Also, details are valuable, so pay for them!!! Why in the world would I want to write a report that takes two hours, and get paid a pauper’s wage? I am grateful I have a great paying full time job in an industry that still needs many fresh recruits. The rest of us are getting old. My line of work puts me in close contact with my customers, and I am interested in using what I learn about the customer/client relationship with our business, in order to serve them better. A great deal of money is spent on understanding that relationship in my industry. Companies may have to work harder to gain and keep customers coming back as money gets tighter for everyone. Will they spend it on their shopper’s input? I don’t know. Maybe this industry is going to land on hard times, or there will need to be some unique leadership to keep it going. I hope tha latter, rather than the former. I would like to continue to offer valuable insight. Thanks for hearing me out!
I have turned down serveral shop because the price of gas. I feel ve that shoppers should be able to set their own dates and times, to blend in with their personal schedule. I plan all my errands so I get them all done in one day and I make a complete circle.
Hi Janet,
I have done 76 shops so far this month. Investment, gas stations, drug stores, movie theaters, airports, real estate, candy audit, ice cream, health club. If I do the math, it averages out to about $12/shop.
I have found that mystery shopping is barely worth the time spent on gas or reporting time.I used to do numerous steakhouses and lunches,among other assignments but I found that by the time you come home and spend 2-4 hours reporting and answering the same questions worded 3 different ways, your meal isn’t worth the time or hassle.
Merchandising is definately my way of income now. You still have choice of assignments with 90% less reporting but you have to be good with public relations.
Folks lets get real. Gas will not get cheaper so we need to work smarter. I do three routes a week each about 350 miles long. My cost averages $5.00 per shop and I get paid $12.00. I do about 300 shops a month and I am really not complaining getting paid $2100.00 each month, doing what I like to do and than write off the mileage at 58 cents per mile. By the way it takes about twohundred hours so 10 bucks per hour is not fantastic but pays the rent. Oh and one more thing, I have not paid for groceries in over two years, not one red cent.
Hence, the more of youu that quit, the better for me because I just find mor work.