Hi, Everyone,

I've been mystery shopping for 6 months, and completed about 100 shops since. I live in Canada, in a big city, and do'nt use a car to do the shops.

Experienced shoppers, I would like to ask for your advice:

Let's suppose one had the best companies to work with, all the certifications, technical gadgets, mobile apps, time management and reporting skills.

Is it possible to make a living from mystery shopping alone? - Making a living while working a reasonable number of hours, and having energy left to enjoy life?

Thanks a bunch,
Tigerin

I make a living from it. Physically shop about 20 hours a week but put more time into it looking for shops and entering reports.

Hello Tigerin - Some of us make a living doing this, but most of us don't. That doesn't mean you can't, but it does mean that most of us who do this aren't trying to make it work as a sole source of income. What you could easily do is increase the amount of shopping you're doing while you still have a regular job. There are two good reasons for you to do this.

(1) This will allow you to build a solid savings account, which will provide the freedom to make less stressful decisions in the future. Independence is money in the bank. A good plan would be to save up a few months living expenses before jumping into auditing/mystery shopping full time.

(2) You will become familiar with an increased work load, which will be your unrelenting companion if you decide to do this full time.

You've done 100 jobs in six months, which is 16 jobs per month. Start thinking about eight or more jobs a day - finding them, booking them, learning the guidelines, shopping/auditing, and reporting. You can do this many on the days you're not at your regular job, and you need to do this many to get used to what is required.

When and if you go full time it will be harder than holding down a full time job and there will be no benefits at all. The pay check will not be a given and it will not arrive on a certain day. Sometimes you will work for nothing, either because of your own error or because of circumstances you can't control. On the other hand, you will have personal freedom and will control your own time.

I understand video pays much better than non-video shops, so if you get into video it would make a difference in your income. However, I also understand that the rotation on the video shops may be much longer and more traveling over greater distances may be required. There are several threads on the forum that discuss video shopping, and you can do a search on them. The video shoppers have been really good to share information on the forum.

If you average $15.00 per shop in fees and useful reimbursements, you will need to do 2,000 shops per year to reach $30,000.
If you work five days a week, that's 260 work days per year. That will average out to about eight shops a day, which is a load when you consider search time, prep time, work time, and reporting time. There are a lot of people who work harder for less, but you have to decide how hard you're willing to work at this and whether you can generate the money you need to meet your obligations now and in the near future.

I'm optimistic for your prospects if you're in an area where you can get enough work. I do recommend that you don't give up your job until you have a substantial savings account to support yourself for a while. If you don't have the discipline required to shop part time and save the money so you can try this full time, then you probably don't have the discipline to make this work.

What a wonderful, realistic explanation!

Thanks for taking the time to break it down and explain it so clearly.

You're most welcome. I have learned a tremendous amount from generous mentors on this forum, and I like to give back whenever I can.

Also,
When you get a chance, do a few video shops, using equipment supplied to you by the video companies. You can then decide whether or not you want to invest about $400-500 in your own equipment. The lower paid video apartment shops will pay for your equipment investment in only 10 shops. New car videos will pay for it in 4 or fewer shops.

For more info, do an "all dates" search on "video".

Also, check out the video shoppers network (VSN) at [www.videoshoppingnetwork.org]

Hi there...

I agree with the previous postings... I can't make a living at it because of the mileage required living a distance from a large city. You don't have that problem, so that expense won't affect your income. To make a living, you have to stick with those that pay without a lot of reimbursements. That means... car shops, bank shops, insurance shops, and other finanacial programs. You would have to stay away from reimbursements... meaning no grocery stores, no gas stations, no restaurants, no oil changes/automotive, and no retail.

The problem is... just doing the financials, they had a rotation that must be followed. When you have done all the banks/insurance companies, and car shops, you will have to just sit out until the rotation comes to you again six months or a year down the road.

The biggest part of shopping isn't always money. There are benefits from the reimbursements, which are not considered a taxable income.... yet anyway

Myself, I save on my grocery bill by doing grocery shops... I save on vehicle expense by shopping for oil changes. I shopped nine building material companies last week because I wanted the reimbursements in a project at the house.

No, you can't make a living doing it without traveling to do the video shops, where there is a lot of money. But, it's a great supplement to any income.

I must differ about staying away from reimbursement-only shops when trying to make a living at MS. Some of the best "paid" shops are reimbursement only: oil chage is worth $40 here and the report is about 6 minutes to fill out; not worry about the time getting to and from the oil change, since I would have to spend that time if I was paying the $40 myself. Groceries? I shop the chain where I regularly buy my groceries and the report takes about 10 minutes. Again, travel time and time in the store would have been used to grocery shop either way. Same with hair care shops. I also so a few reimbursement-only hotel shops because I use those to travel to do multi-day routes, where I would need a hotel anyway. Savings, $55 to $120. which I would otherwise have had to spend to make fees on distant shops. AND, by shopping hotels where I have a rewards program membership, I earn about 10 free hotel nights per year to use for a very nice vacation and/or to support long shopping routes to get me to lucrative bonussed or high fee shops like orphan video shops.

Every full time shopper who makes a living at this work almost certainly uses all of these reimbursement-only shops, plus some at convenience stores and/or gas stations to make it all work. Best yet, all of the reimbursements are TAX FREE.

I was surprised to see gas stations on the no go list. I have made hundreds a day with basic ones in rural areas. And if living in a major metro is the key, why are my most lucrative shops always in rural areas?

Gas stations can be a dependable income source. Jobs are abundant, and many out of the way locations will be bonused. Repetition builds speed in both auditing and reporting.

I believe reimbursement shops (even if they don't have a fee attached) are an essential component to making a living mystery shopping. Every reimbursement shop (that is useful) is one less thing I have to pay cash for. As walesmaven said an oil change is worth $40.00 and after you have done that shop a time or two the forms are nothing to zip through, groceries, haircuts, office supplies, gas; the list is endless on what you can get as a reimbursement shop (some with a fee; more often not).

My Christmas shopping goes all year round on reimbursement shops. My nieces and nephews are amazed at their gifts when in reality I have spent very little for them.

Liz

I don't do too many reimbursement shops, but it is a lack of useful opportunities rather than a lack of appreciation . Instead I've found myself getting awfully creative at gas stations and office supply stores.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't do too many reimbursement shops, but it is
> a lack of useful opportunities rather than a lack
> of appreciation . Instead I've found myself
> getting awfully creative at gas stations and
> office supply stores.


Haha yes especially when you have a zillion gas stations! I know just what you mean.

Liz

Every time I find something different or a different use for something, it really adds some value

Here's one for you. One of the office supply stores has very inexpensive plastic trays. In my pantry they corral small packets of gelatin, bags of nuts, bottles of extracts and airline size bottles of booze.

Sounds like LisaSTL has all the supplies to make Jello Shots! Party at Lisa's!

Just don't get so drunk you knock over my Christmas tree

Knock over the tree and you will NOT be invited back.

I wondered what shoppers get at those seven dollar fee Staples shops with only one dollar reimbursment. I always passed it over because I just can't buy another sharpie.

In the front of the store (Staples) they usually have a bunch of different dollar offers including note pads, tape, post it notes etc plus I have found excellent items in the clearance in the back of the store before including Rolodexes (sp) marked down to 50 cents one time, packing supplies, address labels (especially after the holidays), etc.

Liz

For gas stations, I've been buying $1.19 lighters. You can never have too many and they always seem to walk away!

Now that I can enroll into Obamacare, I'll have to revisit working entirely freelance again. Not looking to do mystery shops full time, but doing a combination of gigs--extra's work, shops, merchandising, etc. I'm fairly certain I can make as much, if not more, than what I make now.

Plus I need to adjust my student loans.

I'm new to mystery shopping. So new in fact that I haven't had a single assignment yet. I want to thank all of you that contributed to this forum. I am to the type of person who likes to research things first. This forum has been very educational. Thank you all.

cbrownndc....I totally agree. I jumped right into it a while back after a friend told me about , however I have learned so much since I joined here.

I'd like to add my thanks as well. I started my venture into MS about 2 months ago, have done 8 shops so far and received my first "paycheck" 3 days ago. It seemed like an awful lot of work and investment of time for a massive $23.00, but I'm finding the challenge rather fun and intriguing. I've been telling myself that the reporting will get easier and quicker to complete so I should be able to increase my volume of shops as I progress. Also finding shops that will reimburse me for what I would be purchasing anyways increases the potential profit margin. Reading through these posts helps to validate my line of thinking.

hwn,
Welcome and congrats on getting your feet wet.

It sounds like it may be time fore you to sign up with more companies so that you will see a wider varitety of shop types. In order to see better fees, also, you will need to establish yourself with each MS company by doing 8-10 of their assignments, with good reports. So, my advice is to start with baby steps, trying one or two of a certain shop type at a time, but also spending time building up the list of companies where you can check the job boards. That way, you will begin to find what you enjoy the most and what feels like the best use of your time.

I'd love to quit my job and MS full-time as well. I have to recommend doing surveys and focus groups. Go to SurveyPolice.com, and you will see a world of opportunity. I wish everyone luck. Seriously, I have gotten paid $300 for a single online focus group! That's the exception, but you have to be active and look for these opportunities.
Don't forget to check out Jobslinger and Volition. lots of goodies to be found there. Check out Marketforce, I make more from than than any other company, and I refer family to them.

Take my word for it, you do not want to quit your job and MS full time.

Jillmarie, doing this part time seems like a lark. Doing it full time is a grind. I'm a part timer but now and then I have a run of work equal to modest full time income. I've run $783 in the last ten days and I'm whipped. That's all nickel and dime stuff, no fine dining or anything like that to jack up the total. Truth is fine dining is a wonderful perk but you can't put it in the bank and pay the light bill with it. To each his own, but I wouldn't give up that full time job. Now, if that job fell out from under you I think you could make it doing this. If I weren't elderly and somewhat fragile I could average over $100 a day every day but I'd have to stay after it. If you're not willing to give this 24/7, better keep the day job.

I said I'd like to, I didn't say I was GOING to, lol. I'd love to be a stay at home mom.

tigerin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi, Everyone,
>
> I've been mystery shopping for 6 months, and
> completed about 100 shops since. I live in Canada,
> in a big city, and do'nt use a car to do the
> shops.
>
> Experienced shoppers, I would like to ask for your
> advice:
>
> Let's suppose one had the best companies to work
> with, all the certifications, technical gadgets,
> mobile apps, time management and reporting
> skills.
>
> Is it possible to make a living from mystery
> shopping alone? - Making a living while working a
> reasonable number of hours, and having energy left
> to enjoy life?
>
> Thanks a bunch,
> Tigerin