Should I tell a friend what companies I get jobs from?

A friend asked what companis I get jobs from. Should I tell her, because she is very close in distance from me, and might take the jobs I want?

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

NOOOOOOOO.

Direct competition!! If she is serious, she will take your jobs. I have other shoppers in my area and the competition is fierce. I mean I am sure she can google a bit and figure it out but don't make it easy for her.

For me, I wouldn't mind telling someone about the shops that have a rotation period in place, along with the MSC. In the past, I've been more solitary about mystery shopping. Starting last year, I started shifted more of my attention and efforts to sit-down/fine-dining and hotel shops with my girlfriend, close friends/co-workers, family members.

Maybe around five years ago, I started mystery shopping, but only did fast-food shops to start. A friend I was dating casually at the time was actually mystery shopping places like bars and restaurants. I didn't know this until after a couple of nights out. I was glad to assist during the shops. I had no direct competition with her when it came to fast-food, as she avoided and had no interest in that. She was very much like me. Frugal and waited to the last minute. In that sense, it kind of worked out. We lost in touch. But I ran into her within the past year, and she still does it every once in a while. It was a nice ice-breaker. It was a little nostalgic to talk about it again and relive those shops.

For me, I think it could be nice to have someone to talk to about the shops, MSC, and other things. But if you need the shops, maybe just divulge the obvious MSCs/jobs to begin with.

Thanx for answering...I really agree with you that she would be direct competition...but how do I not tell her in a nice manner?

Pick an MSC you use the least and tell her to try some of the jobs from them. Maybe that will keep her busy enough. People have asked me and I said no way, and I tell them point blank they will be my competition. I do have a friend that I helped but he lives in another county and I don't go out there much unless I see some bonused stuff. He actually tells me if there is a good shop because he doesn't do it as much as I do.

Is it possible to have a discussion about boundaries?

That's kind of why I like to lean towards the dine-in shops. My guests are now very well versed on it and useful in conducting the shops successfully, and they don't like narrative. It's something I don't mind. It ends up being a win-win proposition.

That is a hard question.I have stopped even telling people the details of what I do, for this reason. I usually say things like they are not hiring, or it requires me to travel overnight sometimes and pay for my own room. If they really persist, I just say something like I don't remember off the top of my head, just look in up on the internet. And if that doesn't work, you will have to decide just how valuable she is as a friend to you.

Just be honest. Say that competition is fierce, and you feel like being "personal" competitors could interfere with your friendship. If you could google and find MSCs, your friend will be able to as well.

If your path dictates you walk through hell, do it as though you own the place. -unknown

This is one of those "it just depends" situations. How deep is your pocket and how close is the friend. In my situation, I freely share, BUT, I can afford to be candid.

I would tell her that its really something she should research and find out if she wants to do it herself. Frankly, if people can't be bothered to find out how to sign up for companies on their own, they're probably not going to cut it as a shopper.

That would be a "no" for me. NONE of my friends know that I mystery shop. The only people who know are my immediate family. I work in education in my full time job and have a Master's degree in counseling. My husband and children understand and respect the confidentialty we must maintain in our home. My son now works in higher education and my daughter is in nursing school. We all just know to practice confidentiality at all times. There is a bonused motorcycle shop that I would love to do now and my neighbors have motorcycles (I could refer or take one of them) but I am not. I would rather lose the opportunity to earn $300 than to have to explain.

I have discovered that when I tell people about the work involved in reporting, they quickly decide not to be mystery shoppers. I believe some people see it as simple or enjoyable entertainment and are unaware of the level of detail required or the time it takes to complete reports.

@Datagirl wrote:

NOOOOOOOO.

Direct competition!!
You are so right...I don't think I should have mentioned it in the first place.

@jewel1233 wrote:

I have discovered that when I tell people about the work involved in reporting, they quickly decide not to be mystery shoppers. I believe some people see it as simple or enjoyable entertainment and are unaware of the level of detail required or the time it takes to complete reports.

THIS!!! I have a close friend that knows about it and I told her right out that she doesn't have the organization skills to track her jobs, the payments and deal with all of the detail required in the report. Sounds harsh but it is true. She agreed with me. Then my daughter who I try to encourage, wants nothing to do with it because she sees how much I put into it. This and a full time job, plus being a mom, she doesn't know how I do it.

No. I have told friends….they did a couple of shops…they failed miserably and then thought I was crazy for shopping. If someone wants to shop let them investigate companies not your responsibility! No one gave me any tips why should you?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/2024 06:57PM by OldmanJames.

I've never shopped for Coyle but that's the direction I would point someone in because, from what I've read, they want A LOT of narrative and would possibly intimidate a new shopper. If they can get through it, they've earned their place in my neighborhood as far as I'm concerned. Plus, I don't do upscale anyway.

@jewel1233 wrote:

I have discovered that when I tell people about the work involved in reporting, they quickly decide not to be mystery shoppers. I believe some people see it as simple or enjoyable entertainment and are unaware of the level of detail required or the time it takes to complete reports.

Yep, this is spot on. They think it is like they can go on a glamorous fully paid shopping spree or something.

Over the years, several friends and acquaintances have asked direction and assistance with shopping. After spending a great deal of my time trying to help some of them, the only one who was successful was my daughter-in-law. She is a go-getter. After introducing/passing her name to a few companies, she no longer needed me and took off with it. She enjoyed shops that I didn't and vice/versa. We had some fun times shopping restaurants around town and hotels and touristy stuff in NYC when she lived nearby. The rest either gave up or never even started. Now, I ask if they are good with the computer. I tell them there's a lot of writing involved with grammar and good composition skills being important...they lose interest quickly. I used to send folks to Volition...now you could just send them here and tell them everything they need to know they can find here...done

*****************************************************************************
The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain

@nc Are you running a business? If these jobs put food on the table for you and your family, it should be a HARD NO. No exceptions. Think about yourself, and your family and y'all needs, not your friend's feelings. She may not understand, but that is HER issue, not yours.

I would simply word it like that, "I'm glad you are interested in the work I do, but when you join these companies, we sign contracts, and are not supposed to discuss our work. You can check out the Mystery Shopper Forum and there are posts on there that list the various companies, and you can simply sign up with the ones you want to try." Leave it at that. If she asks further questions, you do not owe an explanation.

There is the truth.
Then there is the right thing to say.

@MsJudi wrote:

Over the years, several friends and acquaintances have asked direction and assistance with shopping. After spending a great deal of my time trying to help some of them, the only one who was successful was my daughter-in-law.

I have nieces and nephews of varying ages. But lately, I have been taking my youngest niece on some of the shops where it's allowed. She tags along just to tag along, but she's very natural and easy-going about it. Her memory and recall is excellent! Maybe it's something she'll have an interest in down the road.

I've told many family and friends that I mystery shop. Some have shown some interest. I've referred them to this forum. Not one has checked it out.

Keep in mind the person who helped a friend who lived far enough away to not be competition. Except that friend told another person who did become competition.

The only people that know I mystery shop are my wife and my two kids

In fact, my wife has helped me on several shops where I have to bring an adult.

I am absolutely not a territorial IC. I have mentioned names of merchandising companies to people who, it seemed to me, would complete the work as requested and please the MSC's and clients. Someone told me about a big company, and I appreciated that. But to each their own.

Bach is not noise, Madam. (Robert, in Two's Company)

When my son wanted to tell someone local about mystery shopping I told him not to give them any information at all. Or if he thinks he has a chance with the girl, just give her enough information to get her started with a company that we don't work with. Like Trendsource, Cirrus or Coyle.. I've told him multiple times not to create any more competition for jobs than we already have.

I helped a friend in another market get started and it was just a headache. She didn't really have the mindset to be an independent contractor and couldn't truly commit to the jobs time-wise. She got frustrated at me when it came to searching for jobs. Overall, it was a small nightmare.

She would continually say how "lucky" I was when it came to landing good jobs but didn't really understand that it was a lot of work searching for jobs, scheduling them, tracking them and the associated mileage and payment. Of course there's a small element of luck but work created most of my "luck."

I have other friends and family who have expressed interest, also in different areas, and I have written up tons of info and none of them have acted on it.

I think most people have the view of mystery shopping like the romantic way it's portrayed - eat for free, shop for free, etc. and don't understand the work involved in it.

All of that to say - I agree with throwing the friend a bone with a company that you don't work much with and see if they go anywhere with it. And as others have said, you likely didn't have anyone helping you, I know I didn't. It's the kind of thing you need to be a bit of a self starter on. If one doesn't have that characteristic, they probably won't make it anyway.

I guess it's kind of like referring people for open job positions. If it's not someone you know well, but just know through someone, it might depend on the type of work the person is seeking.

But if it's someone you know well and think would be a good fit, you could try to match them with a MSC that suits them and what they're looking for.

I have only had a few occasions where a friend has asked specifically about mystery shopping. Most of my close friends know I mystery shop. To be truthful I do not think the majority of them would be successful in this due to a variety of personality traits such as little patience, not good at attention to detail, not a good time budgeter etc. so I have stressed the parts of the jobs that require these things with targeted examples. For a few I have told them if they are serious they should talk to me before starting out so I can explain the pitfalls and warn them not to accept any jobs they see on places like Craigslist. I mention scam companies etc. but still two people have actually answered some of those ads. Fortunately they told me the specifics before accepting the offers. But that has scared them away.
For those who still seem interested I tell them to sign up for one specific company that does lower pay but easy jobs so they can try it out. No one has yet. Since bonuses here are few and far between I have little to lose and a friend to compare notes with if they become a mystery shopper.

A friend of a friend was telling me about how they just got a mystery shopping offer that came with a big check for them to use to buy gift cards. I told them that it was definitely a scam. They asked how I was so sure. I told them I was a full-time mystery shopper, and that was not how it worked. They looked at me like I said I was from Mars, and said I was obviously wrong because the check came by Federal Express, and they intended to go through with it. I just let it go, being pretty sure they didn't have a bank account and no one was going to cash the check for them.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/2024 10:05PM by mystery2me.

My sister knows someone who takes my TXRH and 5G shops "just for fun" at I'm guessing base.. I cant tell her to tell her friend to stop. Right?

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

Should I tell a friend what companies I get jobs from?

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine