Ok, I have signed up with about 10 new MSCs in the past couple of weeks and am happy with the new variety of shops available. However, I am having troubles getting my schedule filled in advance. It seems like the companies I have used so far (MF or Maritz) have shops scheduled out for the next month. I like to plan ahead and fill holes in my schedule when I know I have childcare, etc. But with a lot of my new companies (and this seems to be the case with mostly Sassie affiliated companies), the dates will only be for the next few days. For example, I had family in this past week, so I had several shops I wanted to do, but couldn't commit to them until this week. However, the schedule would only say it was available 6/16-6/17. That would pass and then it would say 6/18-6/19, and then 6/20-6/23. I would have taken it last week if I could have scheduled for 6/26, but that isn't an option on Sassie that I know of. I am just sitting and waiting for the dates to get extended to a date I can do, and it drives me nuts to have that hole in my schedule, especially if I am trying to coordinate something in a nearby town. The upside is that each time the dates get extended, the bonus goes up, but I have already lost out on two jobs that sat for two weeks and got taken just before I could commit. Is that just the way this works, or can I be proactive in contacting the scheduler to pick a later date? They might have to wait a few days longer, but might save a few bucks of bonus. "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" is an adage that might work for both of us.

Thanks for any advice! The forum has really helped me develop my inner shopper.

Lesson: sign up with 50 more MSCs, rather than just 10. Tips: Go beyond the MSCs that use Sassie. Make notes as to when each MSC begins to post jobs to the following month. Begin by grabbing those early and then use the "short notice" jobs to fill your routes, instead of trying to rely on them to start a route.

There is a steep learning curve, but your observations indicate that you can get there; you are thinking about the right issues.

If you are trying to plan routes, being proactive is the only way to go. If the scheduler won't work you it can be because of two things, they are up against a hard deadline or they just don't know you so well yet. As you do more work for the company and prove your reliability, the second will take care of itself.

Generally you need to get known by schedulers as having a record of being a reliable shopper before you can get much assistance from them to help fill in routes, but you certainly are starting in the right direction. Take what you can get to work for you, do it well and begin establishing your reputation.

You need to sign up with way more companies and when they have limited dates like that, email the scheduler and tell them what day you could do it. Their concern will probably only be that you might flake if they schedule it further out so I would make some comment on how reliable you are etc.

InPlainSight,

You are thinking the right way. For Sassie companies, the scheduler can configure the application form to allow you to request a date beyond the current window. Then I simply request a later date when I can do it. If not the scheduler does not allow that, I will email the scheduler. The response you get will be largely based on how reliable a shopper you have proven yourself to them.

The second thing you can do is sign up for more companies so that you have more to choose from.

Keep going. You are getting it.

Hey everyone, thanks for all the great advice! I am happy to report that I have already tried it with success in landing two highly bonused shops. I must be one of the only shoppers in the area, because I have only done one shop for this company, but they send out emails almost daily. So I just replied to a couple with "I can't do this by 6/23, but could on 6/25," and they signed me up almost immediately. I already knew there weren't many shoppers in the area with the big MSCs that I work with. I am wondering if I will have more success with these smaller companies that may not have any shoppers here at all.

I know everyone wants me to sign up with dozens of MSCs. I am working on it. I am just getting used to the 15 or so I have already (think spreadsheet), but I think I will add a few more soon. Since it is summer, I don't have a ton of time to shop because of the kids, but as soon as school starts, I hope to be set up with enough to keep me busy, well fed, and with a little more cash in the bank.

InPlainSight, it depends on what type of mystery shops you want to do, and how much time you have for them. I'm a traditional mystery shopper. I don't do video shops. I am a route shopper, though my routes are drastically different from road warriors and video shoppers. Typical for me is 3-4 shops and 25-30 miles/day. As far as signing with more MSCs, that's always good advice. There are a few shortcuts to signing up. Blanket signups are possible for Sassie, Prophet, ShopMetrics. Signing up that way will save much time. Be sure to opt in for email notifications. After I signed up this way years ago, my name was put in a database. When there's a new client in my area, I get an email from the MSC, even if I've never shopped with them before. MSCs with proprietary software will most likely be mentioned on the forum often enough, that you'll hear about them.

I'm just guessing here, but would say that the traditional shops are tougher to schedule in advance. Frequently, I get email for shops due tomorrow or the next day. Another common event is front-loading the month. Some MSCs want the shops completed before the 15th or 20th. Find your niche and establish yourself, building relationships with schedulers as you go. That will be mutually beneficial and provide a workaround to posted due dates.

While you're home with the kids this summer, watch the boards to get an idea when shops are posted. In a competitive area, or for desirable shops, assignments will go fast, and be assigned even before an email is sent. Sounds like you're in an area with little competition. Good news for you

I will add to that, that there are a couple of reasons they are not scheduled farther out, as a general rule.

We often have shoppers ask for long extensions, or for several small ones in a row, and then "flake" on us, leaving us with not enough time to get them completed for the client by another shopper. If it is someone that has done a large amount of shops for us and has always been very consistent with no "failed to complete" marks in their history, we are more likely to offer a more lengthy extension.

Also, some clients want shops spaced out between their locations a certain way. For example, maybe they want one per week per location. If an extension given to a shopper (even a great shopper) would cause us to not have a shop completed one week or to have more than one for a location one week, that could cause a problem with a client.

The most important thing to remember, by far, is to be communicative with your scheduler. If you can't do a shop, or if you need a little more time due to your circumstances, your scheduler should do all she/he can to work with you and help you be a successful shopper, with their power and authority (given by the client) to do so.

I hope that helps!

MaryACE
ACE Mystery Shopping

Thanks! It's good to have more information as to why things happen the way they do.

Once you get used to how shops work, you could also take some where the kids are able to come with you (Some even require kids.) Another idea is to do the pizza delivery and kid friendly restaurants. These may not pay a lot but they do help out in the grocery bill.