Wow! I had no idea there was so much information to wade through! Quite a learning curve! I have figured out (I think!) that it is best NOT to pay for any "shopping opportunities" like signing up for companies...that opportunities can be found for free. Correct?

I do have some questions. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

1. If you sign up for a company does that mean you are under any obligation to do the shops? Do they send information to your email? If not, how are you made aware of the shops for that company in your area?

2. Can you typically look over the requirements for a shop (paperwork, forms, other req's, etc.) BEFORE agreeing to do a shop so you can determine if it is worth the time to do it? I was able to look at a grocery shop list of req's and about fell over when I read through it...all that time/work req'd for $4 pay and $9 reimbursement for money spent.

3. Does company being member of Better Business Bureau mean anything? Does it guarantee it is not a scam?

4. Does company affiliation with MSPA (I found the list they provide) more or less guarantee it is not a scam?

Is Volition.com like MSPA? GapBusters? Shop'nchek? Help? I've fallen in a Mystery Shopping hole and I can't get out! The more I look the more I find!

5. OK...I think I have deduced that you are not supposed to post the names of actual businesses here along with the MS companies that handle them...would it be acceptable to ask if I could receive a "private" response from someone regarding which MS companies service specific stores? I live in Tucson, Arizona and am interested in: Goodwill thrift stores, Savers thrift stores, Ross For Less, TJ Maxx, Factory 2 U, Tuesday Morning, Big Lots and Dollar Tree. I apologize if I have asked an inappropriate question, but I have been on line for more hours than I can count the last 3 days, it seems, so I am attempting to get some specifics and maybe save some precious time, too.

Thanks so much!

Thanks so much!

Rosiepowered Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wow! I had no idea there was so much information
> to wade through! Quite a learning curve! I have
> figured out (I think!) that it is best NOT to pay
> for any "shopping opportunities" like signing up
> for companies...that opportunities can be found
> for free. Correct?

Definitely correct.
>
> >
> 1. If you sign up for a company does that mean you
> are under any obligation to do the shops? Do they
> send information to your email? If not, how are
> you made aware of the shops for that company in
> your area?

Signing up with an MSP allows you to search their job boards, apply and complete shops. Signing up does not obligate you at all.
>
> 2. Can you typically look over the requirements
> for a shop (paperwork, forms, other req's, etc.)
> BEFORE agreeing to do a shop so you can determine
> if it is worth the time to do it? I was able to
> look at a grocery shop list of req's and about
> fell over when I read through it...all that
> time/work req'd for $4 pay and $9 reimbursement
> for money spent.

Most of the time, yes. Occasionally, you can't see the requirements until after you've accepted, at which time you could cancel if you wanted. But, some MSPs will ding your rating a point or two for cancellations regardless of its validity.
>
> 3. Does company being member of Better Business
> Bureau mean anything? Does it guarantee it is not
> a scam?>
> 4. Does company affiliation with MSPA (I found
> the list they provide) more or less guarantee it
> is not a scam?

In my opinion, there's no guarantees. Being listed with the BBB may give some assurance. Likewise, an MSP being affiliated with with MSPA provides some legitimacy, but it's just a trade association.
>
> Is Volition.com like MSPA? GapBusters?
> Shop'nchek? Help? I've fallen in a Mystery
> Shopping hole and I can't get out! The more I
> look the more I find!

Volition is, among other things, a mystery shopping forum and not like MSPA. GapB, Shop'N Chek are mystery shopping providers.

>> 5. OK...I think I have deduced that you are not
> supposed to post the names of actual businesses
> here along with the MS companies that handle
> them...would it be acceptable to ask if I could
> receive a "private" response from someone
> regarding which MS companies service specific
> stores? I live in Tucson, Arizona and am
> interested in: Goodwill thrift stores, Savers
> thrift stores, Ross For Less, TJ Maxx, Factory 2
> U, Tuesday Morning, Big Lots and Dollar Tree. I
> apologize if I have asked an inappropriate
> question, but I have been on line for more hours
> than I can count the last 3 days, it seems, so I
> am attempting to get some specifics and maybe save
> some precious time, too.

Private messages are perfectly acceptable. Check yours
>
> Thanks so much!
>
> Thanks so much!

You're off to a good start Rosie. Good luck!

Rosiepowered Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wow! I had no idea there was so much information
> to wade through! Quite a learning curve! I have
> figured out (I think!) that it is best NOT to pay
> for any "shopping opportunities" like signing up
> for companies...that opportunities can be found
> for free. Correct?

While the occasional shopper has found some benefit in paying for certifications or assistance with "shopping opportunities" it is not at all a requirement to build your business. If these payments were uniformly and demonstrably beneficial it would be a whole different discussion. Keep your money in your pocket.
>


> 1. If you sign up for a company does that mean you
> are under any obligation to do the shops? Do they
> send information to your email? If not, how are
> you made aware of the shops for that company in
> your area?

You have no obligation to take or request any jobs. However if you take or request a job you are expected to be able to perform it within the time frame specified to the contract specifications.

Sometimes they send notice of shops available to your email but usually you will do best to select jobs directly from the companies' job boards as by the time the emails go out to their shopper database the jobs are often claimed already.

Fairly quickly you will find those companies that are regularly having shops in your area and that hand full of companies make sense to check on a daily basis until you get a sense of when they actually post jobs (if there is any systematic way).
>
> 2. Can you typically look over the requirements
> for a shop (paperwork, forms, other req's, etc.)
> BEFORE agreeing to do a shop so you can determine
> if it is worth the time to do it? I was able to
> look at a grocery shop list of req's and about
> fell over when I read through it...all that
> time/work req'd for $4 pay and $9 reimbursement
> for money spent.

Only rarely do you see the guidelines, scenarios and instructions prior to taking the job. The companies that use the Prophet reporting system usually let you see the materials before you take the job, the SASSIE reporting shop just give you a description of the job that is only as good or as bad as the blurb written. All of us 'try' a job some time that we complete with a resounding 'never again!' At the same time realize that instruction writers often make the instructions so complex in order to be 'clear and specific' that the simple becomes complicated.
>
> 3. Does company being member of Better Business
> Bureau mean anything? Does it guarantee it is not
> a scam?

In my opinion it does not, but opinions vary. The BBB is more involved with customer complaints than contractor/employee complaints. The clients are the 'customers'of a company that does shops, not the shopper. Rely on fellow shoppers and lists of companies from here, from Voliton.com and other shopper boards for legitimate companies to sign up with. Shoppers come in loud and strong on forums when they are being messed with by companies. Take it with a grain of salt and watch for the "me too!" comments from other shoppers. Note that forums are subject to shills and blasters because of their very open nature, so watch if the person posting has good and bad things to say about other companies as well.
>
> 4. Does company affiliation with MSPA (I found
> the list they provide) more or less guarantee it
> is not a scam?

Supposedly it does, in my opinion membership only means they paid their dues. To the best of my knowledge the MSPA has never censured a member company for unfair practices to shoppers including non-payment issues.
>
> Is Volition.com like MSPA? GapBusters?
> Shop'nchek? Help? I've fallen in a Mystery
> Shopping hole and I can't get out! The more I
> look the more I find!

There are close ties between the cast of characters at the MSPA, Volition.com, Jobslinger.com, but that is pure politics. MSPA is the trade organization of the shopping companies and companies can choose to pony up membership fees or not. The MSPA funds itself in part by selling certifications to shoppers that seem to be meaningless twaddle and a few of the politically active companies in the MSPA make noises about giving preference to shoppers who have paid their money to 'show they are serious shoppers'. The certification would appear to be useless in terms of imparting information or useful training to be a shopper. That training is left to the companies for job specific needs and to shopper forums where for free we do their dirty work to try to get shoppers up to speed.

Volition.com is another shopper forum which is heavily edited so until you are a 'trusted member' it may be a day or so before your question or post gets displayed on their boards. Often you will be scolded for not using their search feature to find previous threads on the same topic. There are other shopper forums around as well that edit and scold less--including this one.

Gapbusters, Shop 'n Chek and other companies actually have the contracts to put together the shops that then we as shoppers go do. Just to make your life funner, there are then the 'scheduling companies' such as Kern, Palm Scheduling and such that subcontact from the companies who put together the shops to find shoppers to do the jobs. Scheduling companies are simply a conduit between the company and shoppers.
>
> 5. OK...I think I have deduced that you are not
> supposed to post the names of actual businesses
> here along with the MS companies that handle
> them...would it be acceptable to ask if I could
> receive a "private" response from someone
> regarding which MS companies service specific
> stores? I live in Tucson, Arizona and am
> interested in: Goodwill thrift stores, Savers
> thrift stores, Ross For Less, TJ Maxx, Factory 2
> U, Tuesday Morning, Big Lots and Dollar Tree. I
> apologize if I have asked an inappropriate
> question, but I have been on line for more hours
> than I can count the last 3 days, it seems, so I
> am attempting to get some specifics and maybe save
> some precious time, too.

You can ask but anyone who contacts you with the information is breaking their ICA if they are signed up with the company that does the job.
>
> Thanks so much!
>
> Thanks so much!

Thank you Flash and Mert! I very much appreciate the help and guidance! I also found and printed out several of your other VERY DETAILED responses on other threads in this forum, namely on the "how to's" and "what you need before you start". One of the things you mentioned in a post from 2008 was that is was not advisable to use AOL as my mystery shopping email contact, rather open another new email account with gmail. Is that still the case? Rosie

If anything it has become MORE important to use something other than Yahoo and AOL. Both of these providers have identified one or more shopping companies as spammers and taken it upon themselves to exclude emails from them. I strongly suggest opening a gmail account a gmail.com that has a professional sounding name to use for your shops. Try to make the account name something available without a lot of numbers and such, like RosieShops or ShopperRosie--CuteTXChick does not have the right 'ring' to it and RosieP743 is kinda a pain.

Gmail seems to process through emails quite adequately, getting them sorted to inbox and trash but do check your trash for shop stuff. Don't use the account for anything but shopping and you won't get much spam at all.

Once again, Flash, thank you for your most articulate and prompt response! I did as you suggested! Now all I have to do is sign up with a bunch of companies and check their boards frequently and see how I do! Best, Rose Mary

Good luck to you! Start off with only a few companies to see how you like it. I would suggest Market Force and Corporate Research primarily because they have cheap, basic shops pretty much everywhere. They are NOT representative of mystery shopping average pay, but they have decent instructions, decent job availability, fairly low out-of-pocket to be reimbursed (so if you screw up--and we all do--and don't get paid,it is not a huge issue). These companies will 'get your feet wet' and accustomed to timings and types of observations. Meanwhile use Jobslinger.com to see what companies are shopping your area and get signed up with those. Then give it a little time because many companies are looking for shoppers who have shopped 6 months or more.

Not to mention, if it isn't a bank that migrated to the MFI side with the SG acquisition, MFI has VERY easy forms. VERY.

Again...THANK YOU ALL! Rose Mary