Are there any particular companies that a new or inexperienced shopper should avoid at first? I'm thinking I should sign up with as many companies as possible in order to learn about what opportunities are available, but do not want to sign up for companies that will only consider an application once, and then never again, no matter how experienced the shopper may become later on.

Also, I'm aware that there are probably too many companies out there to name them all in regard to how well suited, or not well suited they are for new shoppers, but are there any generalizations that can be made? For example, can the generalization that most companies are new shopper friendly or are not new shopper friendly be made?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2013 12:04AM by Snoopy4678.

Good question.
I think a lot of shoppers start out with Market Force, although I wouldn't call them friendly.

My advice though is when you are starting out assume you won't get paid. You probably will. But...

In other words, don't do a shop laying out a bunch of your own money.

I wondered about the comment "assume you won't get paid." If you mean it is a good idea for new shoppers to start out with assignments that involve little to no cash outlay, I agree. Better to make your early mistakes be those that just cost you time and a buck or two.

I agree you shouldn't start out with shops that require a large outlay of your own money. I've been shopping for a few years and I'm still very reluctant to take a shop that requires much of my money. If you execute the guidelines and turn in an acceptable report, you can expect to be paid. If you have a problem with the shop and the report is not accepted, you won't be paid. I've found most companies are shopper friendly and they treat you as well as you treat them.

Snoopy you will probably get paid. Like the others said though. Don't outlay your own cash for starters unless it's something you would buy anyway. Even now I really only use my own cash for something I would buy anyway. I make a few exceptions but they're always low dollar amounts.

It may be more a matter of types of shops or specific clients' shops reports that are more challenging for newbies than may be comfortable. Coyle hotel shops come to mind as not for beginners. Short and simple bank teller shops may be good for beginners; some Informa bank shops really require a fair amount of experience, IMHO. So, the best answer may be to read, read, read, the forums and then ask, ask, ask.

Yes, I meant what LisaSTL said. I did not say it well.

walesmaven Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It may be more a matter of types of shops or
> specific clients' shops reports that are more
> challenging for newbies than may be comfortable.
> Coyle hotel shops come to mind as not for
> beginners. Short and simple bank teller shops may
> be good for beginners; some Informa bank shops
> really require a fair amount of experience, IMHO.
> So, the best answer may be to read, read, read,
> the forums and then ask, ask, ask.

Thanks Walesmaven. That was more along the lines of what I was trying to find out in posting the original question. I had read that the high end hotel resort shops require many interactions and pages upon page upon pages of narrative are not really for inexperienced shoppers. And although I have not done any shops for Informa, I am glad you mentioned them because they were one of the first companies that I had signed up for. So now I know I may want to wait to get some more experience first before attempting one of their shops.

The advice from everyone else on not getting in over your head in reimbursements is good though. As much as I love a nice steak dinner, I'd hate to be left holding the bill on an $85 reimbursement dollar shop - especially if tight on money.

But more along the lines of what I was trying to get at is are there any particular companies that are most unforgiving of shopper errors, or where the margin for error on reports is great, or have shop interactions that are numerous and complex? I'm also referring to any companies that may be highly selective about who they accept at signup. These are the kinds of companies that I would think the inexperienced shopper may want to stay away from as they learn the ropes. I'm just not sure which ones fit that criteria as to avoid them for now.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2013 05:37PM by Snoopy4678.

Snoopy,
My advice would be to forge ahead signing up with tons of MSCs. Then select one shop of a particular kind to try, at any given MSC. I favor bank teller shops, followed by what are called "platfom" shops (Where you speak to a banker at a desk, maybe about a new checking account.); some favor fast food shops starters. I hate the split second timing on FF shops; others love those and hate bank shops. Then, maybe try some fast casual lunch shops, where the risk is low, but the observations somewhat more complex. Steer clear of IKEA shops, forever.

The most important thing is to stop wondering and start shopping, lol.

walesmaven Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Snoopy,
> My advice would be to forge ahead signing up with
> tons of MSCs. Then select one shop of a
> particular kind to try, at any given MSC. I favor
> bank teller shops, followed by what are called
> "platfom" shops (Where you speak to a banker at a
> desk, maybe about a new checking account.); some
> favor fast food shops starters. I hate the split
> second timing on FF shops; others love those and
> hate bank shops. Then, maybe try some fast casual
> lunch shops, where the risk is low, but the
> observations somewhat more complex. Steer clear
> of IKEA shops, forever.
>
> The most important thing is to stop wondering and
> start shopping, lol.

Some of the bank shops don't sound too bad. I dislike the split second timing involved on McDonalds shops though. They make it sound like if you are off by so much as a second, the shop is invalidated. Maybe one of the easiest types of shops of all to start off with might be the product audits I think. Unlike other types of shops the interaction with a product display can be much easier than that with a human being that can move around, dress a certain way, behave a certain way, and say all sorts of things that you've got to remember. Retail displays on the other hand are just so much simpler. If you stare at them or take a picture, they just stare right back at you and not say a word. Couldn't be simpler, haha. Too bad I can't find more of them though...

And you are probably right. I should stop wondering, and start doing, but sometimes thinking things through is not such a bad idea. It can save ya from making some mistakes sometimes.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/06/2013 11:18PM by Snoopy4678.

Hi Snoopy4678,

Welcome to the forum and to the world of mystery shopping. I have two comments or responses that I hope will help you on your journey.

First, I think it can be said that generally speaking shops that have long on-site times, such as hotels, fine-dining restaurants, amusement parks, apartments, seminars (often for medicare), require long narratives, require you to pay for a service, or that are with MSPs that are more demanding are ones that beginners should avoid until they are more comfortable with shorter, less demanding shops and MSPs. I completely agree with Wales that Coyle is one of those MSPs for more experienced shoppers because they offer hotel and fine-dining restaurants with long and involved instructions. However, they pay well and are good to work with. Which ones are those to avoid? With hundreds of MSPs out there, its difficult to point out many that your radar. I prefer to recommend two for you, Market Force and Stericyle (formerly Corporate Research International). These are great for beginners in that they accept all applicants, have many shops in just about the whole country, and allow shoppers to self-assign shops. These MSPs are good for making inevitable mistakes because they often let you re-shop, especially if you inform them of the error. As for other MSPs, I suggest you look for threads about individual MSPs or start your own to ask.

Second, "The most important thing is to stop wondering and start shopping, lol." Again, Wales is right on with this observation. There is so much information on this site, sometimes new shoppers keep reading and reading beyond the point where they would learn the most by doing. Although you are also correct that research can help you avoid mistakes, I think you have reached the point where doing helps you best. So go do a shop or three and get back to us.

Have fun!

Thanks for the insight vlade.

I had started by following the advice with the "game plan" thread that was made into a sticky, of which also recommends the same companies that you do for beginners. The problem that I ran into with these companies is that I felt like my opportunities were too limited with them. Market Force and SI I felt like didn't have that much to offer, and while CORI does, I'm reluctant to shop exclusively because I think they should be shopped sparingly - like when the fees are high. Otherwise, not only are you working for dirt cheap, but you are encouraging them to continue to pay shoppers dirt cheap in the future - neither of which I care to do. Although I must admit I do love smoothies and ice cream at one of their shops... unfortunately, there's just not enough of them in my opinion.

So I tried signing up with some other companies, and tried a home improvement gig. While the report was easy to fill out, the interaction was difficult for me because I was to portray an home improvement expert yet in real life, I am the complete opposite. Ask me a basic home improvement question, and I will likely draw a blank. And I did not know this until after accepting the shop. So that didn't go quite as well as I hoped. It is also the reason why I find CORI's appeal to be rather limited as the most common type of shops they have are the ones I feel least comfortable doing.

And today, I tried signing up with some companies that offer work through smartphone apps. That was a bit of a disappointment as well. I was thinking I'd try to do as many micro shops in a day as possible and see if I could come out ahead that way. Well, with iPoll, it wasn't until I showed up at the location that I could even figure out what I was suppose to do. I get to the location, and the app asks me am I there. I answer yes. It asks me if I'm going to go inside and make a purchase. I say no (because I'm not aware it is a requirement). It replies back "We salute you for your attempt, but you do not qualify for this mission." and closes it self out, thereby preventing me from changing my answer to yes. So I'm like really. I didn't know I had to go in and make a purchase, and even if I did, it wouldn't be worth it for just $1. I did make a teeny tiny bit of money doing work for Field Agent, and Easy Shift, but not enough to justify the expense of the gas. All of that had me a little bummed out.

So I've definitely had some "learning experiences", though I'd still say in regard to learning by doing, that I'd still prefer to learn from and observe the mistakes of others rather than make them myself. If only I had anticipated these things beforehand...

Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 12/07/2013 02:31AM by Snoopy4678.

Regardless of how much you read, you will never know which jobs and companies are right for you without getting out there and doing it. There are challenges because these days mystery shopping encompasses so many types of independent contractor work and everyone, MSCs and shoppers alike, are trying to get the biggest bang for their buck. This business is not right for everyone and you need to get out there to find out if it is right for you. You can certainly learn a lot from the mistakes of others, but it will never guarantee you won't make mistakes. We are constantly switching gears and changing personas and there is not one of us who does not make mistakes or have something go wrong no matter how long we have been in the business or how many assignments we have completed.

Yeah, I guess you're right. Thanks for the encouragement.

Snoopy,

You are welcome. I hope I can help you clarify some things about mystery shopping. But first, let me say that the apps you discussed are beyond my knowledge. I'm sure they have their place, but from the little I have heard (just today while browsing the forum) I will have to figure them out myself.

Back to what I do know, which is a bit about mystery shopping, you are on the right path. That being signing up for some of the bigger companies like Stericycle and Market Force that all of us come to know about and then branching out from there. Performing shops and learning about how the MSPs operate will help you find your niche in mystery shopping. Some of us love home improvement shops, and some could do without. Some love certain MSPs, while others wouldn't miss them if they went belly up. You get the idea, I hope. Personal preference plays a big part of it. But that is only after you go through the learning curve. For example, you are learning that Stericyle's practice of offering peanuts for fees at first and then raising them to get the shops completed is just the way they operate. Personally, I haven't taken a shop for them in about two years. However, it's just that I haven't found one I like to do at an acceptable fee to fit into my schedule of 15-30 shops a month that I do around a full-time job. But, I still read the emails, update the training when necessary, look at the job board and am ready to pounce when a nicely bonused shop at a convenient location comes my way. When I was a beginner mystery shopper, I found their video training to be very helpful to mystery shopping in general. I took many to fill out routes and gain experience. If other MSPs aren't working for you, I suggest you might look to their shops to gain experience when the fee is right, of course. At the same time, you can add other MSPs to your repertoire, continue to read the forum and move on to shops that are more more suitable for you in time. For whomever you choose to work, I think you have reached the point were doing shops is a vital part of your learning curve.

Have fun.

Snoopy,

Since you already said above that you are smartphone savvy, I would start out there if I were you. Cell phone shops let you bring a paper and pen to take some notes (since a serious real customer would do so to write down prices, etc.). Also, this gives you something that has no cash outlay of your own. They usually pay between $10-$20 or sometimes a little more if you get a remote bonused location. The ones on Troy Dolan and Measure CP and GFK are easy (not detailed at all with a very short report).

lbw1000 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Since you already said above that you are
> smartphone savvy, I would start out there if I
> were you.

That has occurred to me. Unlike home improvement projects I am much more comfortable dealing with electronics and the like. And I have also seen where there are some cell phone routes, which sounds like might be of interest to me. I'm just unsure whether or not I want to learn to do a greater variety of fast food and restaurant shops first, or work on technology related shops, like those involving smartphones.

Although I do love electronics, a guy's gotta eat too, and what better way to have it paid for than through a mystery shop?

Thanks for the suggestion though.

Snoopy, I would take the cell phone route with some restaurants thrown in at the right meal times so you aren't paying for lunch. It keeps things more interesting and pays for the food you would get anyway. At the beginning, it helps if you take a smaller amount of shops and do the reports as you go so it seems more like one at a time (Use free wifi if you can find it or use hotspot on your phone or a mifi). This way it is easier to remember what happened and you won't run into deadline issues. Also, it seems less overwhelming.

I have been doing Mystery Shopping for a year. I have found most companies to be easy to work with as long as you are flexible and timely. Two companies I would definitely steer away from are Integrity & Sentry. Integrity has had issues over the past six months with paying Shoppers and Integrity has a habit of just denying your reports for the "simplest" little thing. After working with so many MSP's, I have come to realize an Editor will work with you if at all possible. Sentry won't. They are a "Mom/Pop" shop mostly run by the owner and one other lady. The owner can be very difficult to say the least. I dropped both of these companies as there are "many" for us to work with who will pay timely and will gladly work "with" us and not against us. We are professionals and needed to be treated as such.

Which company is "Integrity?"

Also, about the home improvement ones with Cori, read the scenario on each one. Some of them actually want someone that is NOT an expert (so you seem to have a reason to want to find someone to help you.)

I do these and my boyfriend laughs and says I am getting paid to act like I'm really dumb. There are questions like how to put a switch plate on your wall (involves 2 obvious screws) and such that you have to ask someone. If you acted like you were an expert at home improvement, it definitely would not be believable.

Snoopy4678 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Some of the bank shops don't sound too bad. I
> dislike the split second timing involved on
> McDonalds shops though. They make it sound like if
> you are off by so much as a second, the shop is
> invalidated.

They do want accurate times, but they also recognize shoppers are human. On occasions I have forgotten to start timing at the exact moment and just added, say, 15 seconds if I was about 15 seconds late. (I don't eat McFood but a lot of similar shops require similar timings.)

> Maybe one of the easiest types of
> shops of all to start off with might be the
> product audits I think.

At first I thought audits were easier. I now know why some people hate having to reveal, as revealed auditors are not always welcomed.

> And you are probably right. I should stop
> wondering, and start doing, but sometimes thinking
> things through is not such a bad idea. It can save
> ya from making some mistakes sometimes.

I started with gas station audits but today I do mainly fast food and restaurant shops. Pizza photo shops are good once you get the hang of them, though I'd wait to do them once you have some experience elsewhere.