For the most part I have left mystery shopping. Sometimes will do restaurants. I some how managed to get very lucky. I am on a permanent set team with crossmark for a grocery store. 28 hours a week. I can honestly say I have not loved many of my jobs through out my life, but this one is definitely on the top ten list!

snorklebutt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For the most part I have left mystery shopping.
> Sometimes will do restaurants. I some how managed
> to get very lucky. I am on a permanent set team
> with crossmark for a grocery store. 28 hours a
> week. I can honestly say I have not loved many of
> my jobs through out my life, but this one is
> definitely on the top ten list!


I'm lucky that I get to do BOTH extensively-(merch and shopping), along with my Demos!

Sounds awesome - you know what is said ... "Love what you do and the money will follow." You might want to share your insight with others of us who are still "looking" for that direction to head. I've been reminded by others that shoppers work hard to find good opportunities and aren't keen on letting their secrets out ... but I believe that there is work out there for all of us in some capacity. The cream rises to the top for the some shoppers ... but that doesn't mean that other shoppers who don't get 10's don't have a place in the MS world. I'd love to hear about what you do and why you are so successful!

I've only just started merchandising to try it out. Perhaps other companies would have their act together and my first company is just a fluke.

I love being a merchandiser too! So glad to get out of health care and housekeeping, besides my own.

I currently mystery shop ONLY but I am very interested in doing merchandising can someone tell me how to get started with no experience ?

I just started with Driveline last month. I just applied and was hired from a phone interview. I noticed some unfavorable comments on them in this forum but I guess it depends on your DM, I like it very much.

Are you in Maryland? I'm looking to get into Merchandising and demos!! Please share! I tried checking out some of the sites with no luck. Is there a specific phone number or email address for this? I live in Harford County Md. Thanks in advance.

Hey snorklebutt, can you share where to find these merchandising and demo jobs?? Thanks in advance

I also merchandise most of the time and have become very picky with the mystery shop assignments I take. Flexible deadlines, higher pay and easy reports make it a no stress job. Best of all I don't have to scour the sites for work. They call me or assign on a job board for scheduling at my convenience.

Babycakes ... I am in MD. I found my first merchandising job through a friend who recommended Narms (Now World Alliance). Although I haven't logged into them in a long while, every once in a while I will get a call from someone looking for merchandisers who found my profile there.

I'm in New Mexico. You can find them here [drivelineretail.com] .

I'm in Southern Maryland. I just started last month doing resets. It's ok, but it was only for a few weeks. I'm looking for a company to get 20 hours a week on a regular basis. I was accepted for a merchandising job with Crossmark, but it was 45 mins from home at $11.00 an hour. I couldn't get anyone to tell me how often I wld need to go I to the shop. It was for 11-15 hrs a week. If it was for 2 days fine, but not 2-3 hrs a day five days a week that far from home. I contacted the PM and explained that I applied for a closer position and it wasn't her zone. I tried calling district manager 3 times left messages and emailed with no return call. My original email has til Dec 1 to finish onboard paperwork but it's specifically for other job too far away from home. Any suggestions? How about any other company here in my area?

rudy0618 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm in Southern Maryland. I just started last
> month doing resets. It's ok, but it was only for a
> few weeks. I'm looking for a company to get 20
> hours a week on a regular basis. I was accepted
> for a merchandising job with Crossmark, but it was
> 45 mins from home at $11.00 an hour. I couldn't
> get anyone to tell me how often I wld need to go I
> to the shop. It was for 11-15 hrs a week. If it
> was for 2 days fine, but not 2-3 hrs a day five
> days a week that far from home. I contacted the PM
> and explained that I applied for a closer position
> and it wasn't her zone. I tried calling district
> manager 3 times left messages and emailed with no
> return call. My original email has til Dec 1 to
> finish onboard paperwork but it's specifically for
> other job too far away from home. Any suggestions?
> How about any other company here in my area?


Crossmark is horrible from what I have heard. I worked for a certain demo company and Crossmark took them over. They sent me paperwork but I never really transitioned to Crossmark...ugh..

I am in a real mess. I signed up to do some shops where I put labels on the magazine racks. I am suppose to do them next week and each shop is about two hours long. The only problem is I lost my sheet with the company name on it and I have been through all my companies and cannot find the job. Does anyone else have this assignment for next week. My only hope is that they are sending me the labels to put on the racks.

Is that the same one offered by In Store Group? The email said three hours, not two

That must be it. Thanks

Unfortunately - just as someone else in this forum had stated... It might depend who your DM is. I had worked for Crossmark for over a year, back in 2006 - then I went back to be hired on with them the summer of 2014. There projects are VERY tedious and LONG, especially in WM stores. Some of the projects make sense, and the minute to minute fee makes sense. However, in general there was a ton of work and very little time to complete the projects. You will quickly feel underpaid. With the last DM, I basically had to have full time availablility to work a part time position. Becasue I was dependable, I was working nearer to 35+ hours a week. I was told that my hours would then be cut down to 10-15 hours a week and the stores I had well established relationships with would be turned over to a fill in rep. The hour cut was because at the end of the year, the have to keep their part timers at 28 hours or less average. So to work all that time, and help out to fill in for other reps - stretching yourself thin... then just to have the other half of the year be cut back in hours. Merchandisers are not valued like they used to be with this company.

HJShopper I am sure that you are aware that Crossmark like many other companies have to keep everyone under 28 hours due to the new health care regulations. This has nothing to do with how Crossmark views it's employees and everything to do with the health care regulations.

I have been a merchandiser for about 10 years and have been working for Crossmark for the past 2 years. I am WM dedicated and I do not find any of the work very tedious, sorry that your experience was not positive.
I am part time with Crossmark in addition to 2 other companies that I regularly work for and a couple fill in companies.

This kind of work is not for everyone I'm just glad it is a good fit for me and that I have people approach me with job offers now. My managers do what they can to keep me because I am dependable and reliable.

@DNinCA wrote:

Sounds awesome - you know what is said ... "Love what you do and the money will follow." You might want to share your insight with others of us who are still "looking" for that direction to head. I've been reminded by others that shoppers work hard to find good opportunities and aren't keen on letting their secrets out ... but I believe that there is work out there for all of us in some capacity. The cream rises to the top for the some shoppers ... but that doesn't mean that other shoppers who don't get 10's don't have a place in the MS world. I'd love to hear about what you do and why you are so successful!

Not all people are like this. A good shopper who does good work isn't going to lose any money to helping out a new shopper. I hate protectionist policies If you can't stand competition I feel like you're doing it wrong or are lazy, both of which should not be rewarded

I do video for cash, written for life enhancement, and I like to spread the gift of knowledge to all. Every person I get convince and help direct into successful working for them and not the man is a good day for me. I'm all about the hustle. When I went through my first class and learned about doing routes that paid 10k im like whaaat. My record is now a route that paid 15k. That's thousand, with a T and I'm the guy telling the story to new people.

I think one of my proudest moments is hearing from two people I met from the East coast. One girl I got involved with shopping and my airbnb hustle and the other I got into my shopping and amazon stuff. Hearing them talk about how their life changed since they met me and all I did was give them resources and cheer them on with encouragement. Hearing things like that makes it all worthwhile when you get lik e80 other people who ask you about it and then dont even end up doing a single job even though you took 30-60 minutes talking to them and trying to give them companies and such.

What I love most is that as a general rule all extra work I put in translates into money to ME. Not my boss or someone else, me. I dont have to worry about politics at the workplace overall, and I can work when and how i want to. Freedom is such a beautiful thing . I only wish I had lost my full time job sooner than when it happened

WHy you loving the mechandising thing so much? I thought about it and never got into it.

@jrossetti: That is a wonderful philosophy and can be, as you have found, a lot more rewarding and satisfying than the "mine, mine, mine" mindset.

Personally, I like merchandising because the work is steady, the pay is predictable and yet the hours are flexible. I get tired of chasing jobs or waiting for them to land in my lap. And you can easily combine merchandising with mystery shopping, if you wish.

I believe it all depends on your personal circumstances, your wants and needs and where you are in life. In my case, I've already worked extremely hard for many decades and I'm winding down. Merchandising, with a few audits sprinkled in, works perfectly for me.

(heart)

What kind of hourly rates does Crossmark pay? And do they reimburse mileage or materials needed to do the job?

Stillearning Exactly how I feel! No real stress!

@jrossetti wrote:

Not all people are like this. A good shopper who does good work isn't going to lose any money to helping out a new shopper.
*-*-*- (jRossetti, I am a new shopper and I would love some help. Would you give me some, please?) *-*-*-



I do video for cash, written for life enhancement, and I like to spread the gift of knowledge to all. Every person I get convince and help direct into successful working for them and not the man is a good day for me. I'm all about the hustle. When I went through my first class and learned about doing routes that paid 10k im like whaaat. My record is now a route that paid 15k. That's thousand, with a T and I'm the guy telling the story to new people.
*-*-*- (I am a new people...and I love to hear stories such as yours.) *-*-*-


I think one of my proudest moments is hearing from two people I met from the East coast. One girl I got involved with shopping and my airbnb hustle and the other I got into my shopping and amazon stuff. Hearing them talk about how their life changed since they met me and all I did was give them resources and cheer them on with encouragement. Hearing things like that makes it all worthwhile when you get like 80 other people who ask you about it and then don't even end up doing a single job even though you took 30-60 minutes talking to them and trying to give them companies and such.


*-*-*-(I would never! I will never take your time and then do nothing ~ I work hard, when I have it ~ I will take your transferred knowledge, and I will run with it. Please PM me.) *-*-*-

******* ***** ***** *****
To the World You Just Might Be One Person,
But to One Person, You JUST Might Be THE WORLD!
******* ***** ***** *****

I would sign up for Castforce. you can find them on the internet. you can start with them with no experience and the sign up is easy. if you do get work with them, I would call your area manager and discuss the job with him before your first assignment. that will make it smoother. once you have done some Castforce work, you can sign up with other companies. spar is another good company that doesn't require a lot of experience.

@AuburnHarleyMama wrote:

@jrossetti wrote:

Not all people are like this. A good shopper who does good work isn't going to lose any money to helping out a new shopper.


Hey Auburn, just got around to seeing this. What are you looking for exactly?

CEO The Mystery Shoppers Depot
US Wide route shopper with 12k+ shops completed over 48 states and 6 countries.
Airbnb host based in Chicago and 10% discount if you mention this forum

Sorry, what were you looking for help wise Auburn?

The rate that you make for Crossmark would depend on the area that you work and the type of work (or team). There are some changes happening right now (some teams combining) so honestly I would wait a little while til things settle down before applying.
Just .02

I know you wrote this over a year ago and I hope you get my reply. one place Brian found a lot of work as a mystery shopper and merchandiser is shadowshopper. shadowshopper has all the jobs for the above type of work and it breaks it down by zip code. all the different companies list on shadowshopper and I find ones on there that are not on NARMS or other job sites. there is a small cost for shadowshopper but I always make my money back immediately on this and it is a great way to get started in this business.

I completed a few of the labeling projects about 2 months ago. InStore Group is the company. Website is naturalinsight.com

Oops, wrong thread. Can't seem to delete.