First things first. WELCOME!
Nearly 100% of this industry is on an IC basis. The great thing is that there are over 200 MSCs to elect to work for, or not. You now own your own small business and gaining a reputation within many MSCs for reliable, high quality reports will gain you access to more and better paid assignments. Also, moving up to video shopping, after learning a type of shop by doing similar traditional shops in certain industries will earn you a lot more. Those shops come from video MSCs and are mainly in apartments, new homes, auto sales and service and independent and assisted living residential settings. In a few areas of the country they may also include retail, banking and investment shops. And the list of industries using recorded shops is growing!
To help you jump-start your new business, head on over to the New Mystery Shoppers section, pull up a comfy chair and read, read, read. That will save you hours of searching or waiting for answers to many questions that you may have. Next, remember that what seem to be the "best" MSCs for new shoppers also include a number of MSCs that really have no upward mobility; their shops will always be in the $5-$15 range.
As you get started, it's a good idea to go to the list of MSCs at the foot of the page and, on any day that you do not have "enough" work, sign up with 5-10 more companies. Asking about shoppers' favorite MSCs is not much help because one shopper's meat is poison to another. Read shopper comment on each company, discard the rants and any complaint that does not make it clear just what happened to upset the shopper, and then think about doing a couple of test shops for each MSC.
Above all ENJOY.
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.