Bonus Questions...

Hi Everyone!
Thank you so much for all of the wisdom I've received here. I feel like your input has taken about three years off my learning curve and saved me from making terrible mistakes.
I'm expanding my shopping area, and I find bonuses still a bit of a mystery.
So here's my newbie question:
How to you know where to start with bonuses. My tendency is to strike low...$5 extra dollars or so. But I see other posters pointing to $30 bonuses on $5 phone shops and $100 bonuses on gas station shops, etc. and I feel I might not understand the system that well.
Thanks to your previous advice, I have good relationships with all of my schedulers. My shop score is 10. I always respond to scheduler questions within a few hours.
I know there's not a set "Bonus Schedule," but if you have some free time, would you be willing to share your insight on the process, or how you learned to navigate the system?

Thanks so much, and again, I feel like I really owe so much of my success to you.
(Point me in the right direction, if I've missed this convo on another post. I searched, but couldn't find one!)

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It's going to vary on the MSC and your shopping location. Some MSC's are just not known for offering very high bonuses (or do not offer bonuses at all). Other MSC's will continually to increase the bonus if no one takes the shop. It's also going to depend on the amount of shoppers in your area. If there are a lot of shoppers in your area and the shops assigned really fast, then there's going to be a lack of bonuses. My best tip is to just pay attention to the emails you get from schedulers and see if you notice a pattern. I now know what sort of shops in my area are a assign right away because it never bonuses or I should wait because it is always bonused significantly when the deadline is approaching. Another option is to send an email to the scheduler to see if they're willing to increase the bonus amount. If you have a good relationship with a MSC/scheduler, it never hurts to ask. It also allows you to see if the MSC is willing to give bonuses or not. After asking different schedulers, I have a better sense of which schedulers/MSC are willing to bonus and which ones are not.

There is no "system." Other variables: When is the shop due to the client? Is it a quarterly, monthly, semi-annual, annual shop? Does the MSC need every location shopped, or just a certain percentage of them? Does the MSC have somebody else nearby who can do the shop, or are they really, really desperate?

We don't get to know most of this information. We can glean some of it by watching job boards and emails over time.

Here is what I do: If I see a shop that I think the MSC really needs to have shopped, I ask myself: "How much would I be willing do to this shop for?' and "How much would I happily do this shop for?" I then contact teh scheduler and offer a few dollars more than my "happy" amount. If they accept it, great! If the counter, I know the bounds of my negotiations. Ideally, you and the MSC will agree on an amount that makes both of you happy.

If a shop is typically offered at $20, the MSC might be able to pay an average of $30 per shop nationwide. Many of the shops will be picked up at $20, giving the MSC a budget for adding bonuses for those more difficult locations. They know that they will need to pay some fluffy bonuses and don't mind doing so - they have planned for it.

Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.

@MFJohnston wrote:

"How much would I be willing do to this shop for?' and "How much would I happily do this shop for?"

^^This^^

Your number is going to be different than mine. What makes it worthwhile? That's where to start. If they say "no," keep track. Maybe their or your circumstances will change.

"Let me offer you my definition of social justice: I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well then tell me how much of what I earn belongs to you - and why?” ~Walter Williams

Ditto the above. I also track my bonuses separate from basic shop pay on my master spreadsheet. It has come in handy in subsequent negotiations. Finally, I try not to use the word bonus in negotiations to help the schedulers think more broadly. Maybe time and distance pay come from a different pots of funds? I will also explain why I picked my number, especially for things like locations that only seem like they are close. Good question. Good luck!

One of my biggest pet peeves is that schedulers sometimes call you in a pinch, but they they look up what you did the same shop for last time, and only offer you that as the max bonus. So my advice is try to get the best bonus you can the first time, because in the future, it will be tough to get more after they know what you accept. Some MSC will not do that crap, and offer you a bonus based on the urgency, but just beware.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/2019 10:20PM by quovatis.

After doing this nearly 20 years, I have finally started instantly countering offers.
Especially when it's the end of the month (So it's the 24th, you obviously haven't got someone to bite online or take your call so you're calling me and you're only offering the standard rate? Let's talk XX.xx)
Or another favorite, You're ONLY XX miles away... (Yes, if I had my own boat or flight-capable vehicle to get to the metro area over the water but instead I have to drive around in traffic (UGH) or take a ferry round trip that the one way cost alone completely eats what you're offering. Are you covering that? Let's try XX.xx)
The third I can't mention too much on but let's just say there are two versions, one takes longer but they try to offer the same amount as the shorter one. (Um, NO. Let's talk XX.xx)
The #1 Pet Peeve is when I say, Sorry, I'm not available - out of town, booked solid, etc.and they counter with, Would you do it for $5 more? (If I'm not interested, by all means, please bribe me. If I say I'm not available, you're going to have to come up with an obscene number to get me to change my plans to take it.)
Best of Success!

End of month, quarter, and year are when you get the big, bigger, and biggest bonuses. There is also end of project which can fall anytime but is rare. You can use travel time distance and/or tolls to negotiate higher pay. The my schedule is full but I could fit it in for this. Time sensitive which usually coincides with end of month, quarter, or year. The time sensitive can also include my last shopper flaked and you have proven your reliable. There is the also I need more cause its too damn cold bonus, one of my favorites. Also there is the the shop used to pay this or the shop is only worth it if it pays this. You will find in this business bonuses vary based on a multitude of factors of which I have listed the main ones. I would not ask for less of a bonus cause your new or feel your not worth it yet. If you are reliable your worth it ask for more but be fair to yourself and not unreasonable. Also you will learn what other shops are out there nearby so you may take less of a bonus if you can't get what you need for one shop by making it up with easy close by other shops. Good luck to you and everyone.

Shopping Western NY, Northeast and Central PA, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Have car will travel anywhere if the monies right.

Wow, everyone...I can't thank you enough!
Your insight is invaluable, and I'm going to start working on this this week.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who's benefiting from your wisdom!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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