Hello everyone! I'm new to attempting work at home jobs and new to mystery shopping.I have my first assignment with Trendsource next Saturday.I live in a city that currently has about 10 assignments in the next 4 to 6 weeks.

I have a friend who does focus groups and you aren't allowed to do one for 1 to 3 months after you do one.Is it like that with Trendsource or mystery shopping in general?

All of the stores are within a 5 minute drive from my house and I would like to take on two or three assignments a week if possible.

Thank you for your help.

Amanda, welcome to the forum and MSing! Focus groups are nothing like mystery shopping. Focus groups want new panelists and do not want professional panelists. Most MSCs have rotations to prevent shoppers from going to the same location too often and close in time. Some MSCs provide rotation requirements, some don't. Good luck with The Source. I suggest that you try the first one, then if you're still inclined, apply for more. If you're not eligible due to rotations, your application won't be considered.

Hi Amanda! Mert is right about the differences between Focus Groups and mystery shopping. Rotation requirements in mystery shopping may be a few days to a few months with a few being 'once and done'. These are in part to minimize identification of the shopper by the location being shopped and also to provide the client with feedback from different shoppers on the same location. After you have done your first few shops you may want to register with more companies to give yourself additional shop opportunities beyond what Trendsource can offer.

Thank you so much for the nice replies.I have another question.I was approved to do theater installs by Marketforce.I've noticed that I get a one day notice on most of them.My mom would be my babysitter during the week.She has health problems.

I have to know how long things are going to take me.That is why I'm doing my first mystery shop on a Saturday when my husband is home.I have noticed most of the theater installs are during the week.

Has anyone done them? How long does it normally take? Is it worth the $8 pay? The movie theater is also very close to my house.

Most shoppers aren't merchandisers though a few are. I shop for MF but don't do their theater jobs. Let us know how it goes.

Did you say $8 for movie install? I think that is very low for the work involved. They have different categories. If that is the same as the movie standee, I was paid $40 which was also low but I was new. One of the shops I refused to do again even if bonused. Maybe because it was a difficult install, for me at least. Personally, I think $8 is very low.

First show open check would give you US$10 and you can do a few of them. And it is a breeze. I like first shows because you don't have to worry about the other screening times if there is only one reel and a telephone report will complete the assignment in 20-30 minutes.

Depending on the set up, movie install is time-consuming. For what movie is the install? You may need your husband to help you. Good luck!

Can't help you there, Amanda. MF has two sides. One is merchandising, primarily theaters, and is referred to as their purple portal. The other is mystery shopping, and is the blue portal. If you haven't checked out the merchandising section of this forum, it may be helpful. [www.mysteryshopforum.com]

Amanda -
Everybody has their own sense of "value" when it comes to pay for a shop. If you are looking to make money, most likely the $8 installs are not going to please you. I find that I only do shops that play that little if I happen to be stuck doing absolutely nothing right next to the location, but having to wait there. (I have a breather between shops or I'm waiting for my kid's activity to end, etc.) Nearly every business uses mystery shopping and it's a matter of you finding your niche.

I find that I like car shops, but rarely can get paid enough to make them worth the time for me -unless I just want to drive the particular car being targeted. I find that most of my money is made with apartment shops. I am a very good typist, so the narratives don't bother me much. Some folks like fine dining and don't really make a lot of money, but do enjoy a lot of really nice food. .. If I were younger, I'd do a lot of alcohol and tobacco compliance shops - they look like they are quick and easy. If you are with the right MSP, there are some profitable bank shops, too. (Get paid $100 to $300 to open an account.) Etc.

Thank you for all of the replies.I've passed all the certifications to do my job with The Source on Saturday.I normally go to this store every Saturday to shop.So it's not out of my way to do this one.

I have only seen one for dining out so far on one of the sites that I've signed up for.It was on Gigwalk.It said I needed to complete the request on my computer.It still says that when I log on with my computer.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/2016 12:35AM by amanda77.

Oh I have a question I forgot to ask.I noticed with the Source.You can't have previously worked for some of the stores.How close do they check this?

I was hired and completed the orientation at one that I may be interested in.I never actually worked there though as far as dealing with customers.

If you never worked there, it would appear that the disqualification does not apply to you.

You like restaurant shops? Branch out, Amanda! Sometimes, I think my business model is "I shop to eat". There are numerous restaurants and grocery stores that are shopped.

What are some of the sites that offer ones for restaurants? I've signed up for The Source,Gigwalk,Sinclair,ISecretshop and Bestmark.I have signed up for Marketforce but only for the theaters.I did it thinking it would be to watch a movie.

There is nothing but theater installs within 60 miles of where I live.I live in a major city and I'm willing to do jobs for $10 at this point.

I haven't seen anything paying over $10 to $15 yet.

Lots of companies offer restaurants. A Closer Look, Reality Based Group, Coyle, Service with Style, Market Force. The list goes on and on. The ones I mentioned are places I'm always sure to find restaurants for two or that will allow two.

Thank you.I checked Coyle out after reading threads about it on here.What are the chances of me getting approved to do an assignment at (mod removed name of client) as a new member? That's the only thing I found where I live besides hotels.

Mod reminder: Do not reveal the clients of mystery shopping companies.

Amanda,
How many MSCs are you signed up with now? What city?. The more we know, the more helpful our answers can be.

Ok I've learned that you can't mention certain places by name when I just did a search here on a restaurant in my area.I have some questions about some things.There's a fine dining option in my area and I passed the certification.

I haven't accepted yet.You are supposed to evaluate so many food items.They have stopped serving one of the items that I'm supposed to evaluate at the location here.

My husband also doesn't care for their desserts.You and your guest are supposed to each order one.Does he have to eat it?

They want the shop to be done on a Saturday.I'm not trying to judge anyone but this place probably has a dress code.They just don't enforce it.

We have seen people there in sweat pants.Is it fair to assume that they could be there on a mystery shop? Can a company send out several mystery shops for a Saturday at the same place?

I'm not trying to judge and we can't afford to go to this place except for a couple of times of year.I just found it interesting that it has to be done on a Saturday.It is mainly on that day that we've seen people that look like they just got out of bed.

First, it is highly unlikely that there are multiple shoppers in a location at the same time. It doesn't provide much value to the client. Usually shops have a minimum time between them, so I have had schedulers call and ask if I can move my shop a few days forward or back because they have another shopper they are trying to accommodate or a reshop that needs to be done.

Most companies do not get involved in some dress code because they are assuming that shoppers will act like professionals and wear something that makes them unremarkable. You can dye your hair blue if you are going to a place where many 'ordinary customers' have dyed their hair some bizarre color, but if you are going to a place where that would make you remarkable, don't do it. If you found sweatpants on someone else 'not ordinary' and perhaps not appropriate when you were there, don't wear sweatpants. But you probably don't want to look like you are headed out to the prom either.

If you have not done restaurant shops previously, I would strongly encourage you to start with more casual restaurants where the bill won't break your budget if your shop gets rejected. Restaurant shops require a lot of timings of services, evaluation of server behaviors and more general observations in addition to what you are required to order, how to order it, how it is served and evaluation of the quantity and quality in addition to the appropriateness of price. It gets easier the more you do, but until you get to know how working with the company is for you and what all is needed, don't put just a whole lot at risk.

As for the foods to be ordered. Some companies are very specific, some very loose. Our most frequent require we each order a beverage and we have the option of non-alcoholic, which makes it easier for me to get all my observations rather than have them tend to blur. We usually have a choice of getting an appetizer or dessert to share and we must order different entrees. Without alcohol we can stay within budget and eat well, which is an advantage. Some shops allow no 'take outs', which is not the same as 'no leftovers' and some apparently say you can't even take home leftovers (though I have never seen that). Usually if you need to order something you don't want you can pick at it and decide to take it home where the dog can have it or somebody can have it for lunch the next day. YOU DO NEED TO TASTE AND EVALUATE THE PRODUCT FRESH AS SERVED. Don't like key lime pie but have to order it? Taste and report, for example, "The key lime pie was a pale green color with a dollop of whipped cream on top. The filling texture was creamy and sweet with noticeable tartness. The crust was a graham cracker crust that was soggy with moisture from the filling." Nothing there says I liked or disliked it. I was objective and I dealt with it. If I waited until I got home the crust would have been noticeably soggy, whether it was when originally served or not. Having tasted it I am free to take it or leave it. If you leave it you can have issues of your server saying, "You didn't like it? Here, let me take it off of your bill." Oops, if it comes off your bill you have no proof that you ordered it. So I tend to take it home and dispose of it in my own garbage can.

Thank you.You were very helpful.This place doesn't allow leftovers or take outs whether you're there for regular or mystery shop purchases.

This is my husband's favorite place to eat but I think there's too much that we have to order that he doesn't eat.I may just skip it.My husband is very picky in the sense that he doesn't eat salads or certain desserts or drink certain coffees.

Are these requirements common with restaurant mystery shops in general?

It really depends. I personally have never run into any restaurants where there were requirements for things we would not eat, but we are omnivores and while there are things we might prefer, we are pretty relaxed about going with the flow. The restaurant we did tonight required 2 beverages (no more than 1 alcoholic drink per person) so that was iced tea and Diet Coke. An appetizer or dessert to share. Ok, 8 appetizer choices and 5 dessert choices so no problem in deciding what to share. 2 different entrees and one must be XYZ. XYZ comes in 3 different forms and is not our favorite, but one of the forms is a little bit of XYZ in a combination plate with other more interesting choices. We take turns being the one who orders the XYZ requirement and tonight as usual most of XYZ came home after tasting. Our dinner with mandatory tip came out about $2 under reimbursement so will be completely covered.

Tomorrow we have a meal with similar requirements but no specifically required dish. So beverages, an appetizer or dessert (we will go appetizer), different entrees and we are done. What we really like at this particular restaurant strains the budget a bit so we will have one beverage be water order the dishes we love and go about $3 over reimbursement. Nevertheless worth it.

Since many restaurant shops pay little or no fee, if the place you are going to is highly restrictive of what you can order and your spouse won't eat the stuff required, there is little point in doing the shop.

Thank you for being so helpful.I have applied to probably at least 10 different companies.I'd say maybe closer to 15.There's also this app I have that lists local shops for several companies.I have only seen two mystery shops for restaurants.

The other one was a casual dining but I was unavailable to go on the required day.

A lot of shoppers are registered with 100 to 150 of the companies on the list here.