There are so many companies that want one to drive 30 miles and not want to pay for tolls, or extra gas. I would like to know what companies pay over $15 for their shops when in NYC I used to get paid $35-$75 to do high end jewelry and senior residence shops. They had very long surveys and many all written out not multiple choice. I find many companies do not want one to know how long the surveys are before applying. I feel the companies should give some info on what type of info is needed as some reports take 3 hours or more to fill out and paying less than minimum wage for doing the work of driving, performing the shop and filing out the report takes. Is there any way of finding out the better companies to work with that don't require to pay over $50-$200 and wait 2-3months before getting a return? It seems some of these companies could make an exception for those that put out such amounts and pay us back in 2 weeks.

Idreamofdria Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My husband told me that mystery shops should pay
> for car expenses. The ones that I have worked for
> do not. Which ones do? I have done assignments for
> DSG, Informars, Sassie, Maritz none have even
> considered use of my vehicle. I'm just paid a
> straight fee and thats it. Please please tell me
> the ones who do pay for car expenses. I think this
> would be fair. Just because I'm disabled doesnt
> mean I should be treated as less than a whole
> person, do you? Thank YOU
Not offering you auto pay has nothing to do with being disabled. I am also disabled but it has nothing to do with the job. Some companies do 99% do not. If you are traveling to another city they will usually give you something. If the job is in your area then no-- just the way the job works.

hi!!!i would like to know which companies in europe makes mystery shopping for bp petrol stations !i am from Greece!!!

thanksssssssss

Unfortunately we couldn't tell you even if we knew because of Independent Contractor Agreements with the companies with whom we work. But generally we only see shops in the US and Canada anyway. I understand that the following companies do mystery shops in Greece. I'm sure there are more, but you may want to research these on the internet to sign up with them for work.

The Shadow Agency, Inc.-Newmark
5520 Davis Blvd
North Richland Hills, TX US 76180
817-281-1100

ADS Consulting Group
GÖKSU EVLERÝ MANOLYA SOKAK B131A ANADOLUHÝSARI / BEYKOZ
Istanbul, TR
+90 216 4658810

Anaplassis
6B, Th. Kolokotroni, Rea Drosias - 14572
Athens, GR 14572
+30 210 6229620

DATA RC
40, Agiou Konstantinou str, ETHRIO mall, Plateia, 25 - 26 office, Marousi
Athens, GR 15124
+30 210 6911330

Easy Concept
Dimitrou Psarrou 8
Athens, GR
+30 697 2910 225

Efficience 3
26, Rue Buirette - B.P. 202
Reims, FR
+33 (0)3 26790799

Georgian Quality Foundation
71 Kostava str.
Tbilisi, GE 0171
+995 323 65 443

HS Brands International
Oberbalmstrasse 301
Oberbalm, CH
+41 31 849 1781

Pulse Market Research
11 Karpenisiou str. Off. 101
Nicosia, CY
+357 22447000

sForce
350 Herakliou ave. / 14231
N.lonia - Athens, GR 14231
+30 210 272 4062

TNS - Has anyone heard of or worked for TNS? They are one of the companies listed on the mega-list of MSC and they use the SASSIE system. I already applied and got "accepted" but there are no shops listed at all on their job board.

When I did a company name search on this board, I found nothing. When I searched the Internet I found a company in NY...

[www.tns-us.com]
TNS US
11 Madison Avenue, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10010
(877) 541-9930
info-us@tns-global.com

I called the phone number and I got a recording that sounds like it is from a home office. A working phone number is a positive sign that they are still in business at least, right?

Furthermore, when you go to their web site, there is a section that you click on to apply to become a MS. This link brought me to... [www.mysteryclicks.com] which seems to be an add for surveys and working from home but no mystery shopping.

If anyone has an opinion, I would appreciate it. I tried to include all the info that I have found thus far. Take Care.

TNS is a good company to work with. They don't have much, but it is usually fair pay and I have found them pleasant and professional. They use two websites, one of which is a ShopMetrics. You can sign up from a link at the ShopMetrics site at [tns.clientsmart.com] That is the site I work from. I don't know why the 'Search' feature is not picking them up because they have been discussed here. There are mixed feelings among shoppers about their timeshare shops. I do their gas shops and just wish there were more of them.

I'm registered, but they don't have anything here. Searching their board, there are only five States listed that have shops.

Thanks Flash...I am discovering very quickly that you seem to be a wealth of MS information. How long have you been at this?

Thanks Mert...I thought I searched the whole USA and Canada but saw nothing. Maybe I made a mistake while searching.

About 7 years, I guess.

agw505 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This probably isn't the place for this comment,
> but I read where people 'decline' jobs they are
> offered. This is a 'no no' for shoppers. Just do
> not accept, if you decline, it goes against you.

You are self employed and should not even acknowledge receipt of any shop that you do not want to complete properly.

Yes, do not decline it, just do not respond to it.

Don

Mert & shop2live - I discovered this a while ago with TNS as well as other MSCs. When you search by "country" and only a few states show up, it only means that the shops aren't available in other states right now. I really like TNS - the gas station shops are easy, pay is fair & timely (about 2 - 3 weeks at most). I've never encountered a problem taking the pics - most of the reps know the routine. They offer many in FL (but don't take mine shop2live !!!!

Thanks, sun&fun. I'll keep my eyes peeled!

Sun&Fun - Thanks for the info. What part of FL are you in? I'm in South Florida. The only gas station shops that I have seen (for another company) are age compliance shops to buy cigarettes. Take Care. :-)

I'm in Tampa Bay. TNS usually comes out with their shops around the first of the month. They offer many well known gas station / convenience store "reveal" shops. You have to take a picture of the sales rep,, the storefront and 1 or 2 gas pumps depending on whether or not the location has diesel. The pay is $15 and they're MUCH easier than CORI where you have to take a picture of EACH pump. You'll print a letter from the assignment to give to the rep stating they've been Mystery shopped. Like I said, the reps. expect shoppers, so they will comply in a friendly manner (and pose!).

TNS was one of my favorites, although I haven't seen jobs from them in my area for awhile...no problem with them, excellent Co.

Don, I thought declining was being helpful to the MSCs, and I thought they wouldn't call you if you'd already declined a posted listing ... but it sounds like I should change my (relative newbie) ways. Thanks for the tip.

Strevel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> agw505 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > This probably isn't the place for this comment,
> > but I read where people 'decline' jobs they are
> > offered. This is a 'no no' for shoppers. Just
> do
> > not accept, if you decline, it goes against
> you.
>
> You are self employed and should not even
> acknowledge receipt of any shop that you do not
> want to complete properly.
>
> Yes, do not decline it, just do not respond to
> it.
>
> Don

Sun&Fun - Those gas station jobs sound right up my alley since I am a professional photographer as my "real" job. We are on opposite coasts so we are not "competing" for the same shops. :-)

Yeah, I know. TNS has plenty of shops here in sunny FL.

IMHO, to decline is to "refuse". I do not have to respond to every email they send me. i only respond to the ones I want.

To ignore and not react to is to, let it go on by. If everyone were to respond to every email they received the scheduler would never get anything done responding to people responding to their emails. And it would only get more complicated as things went on.

In all politeness, It is not my responsibility to bow and scrape to them. I am polite and work with them because we have a function to complete together. In as much as we can facilitate that, we can work together. If we have unmitigated differences, then they can move on down the road. I know that may sound a bit harsh and harshness is not my intent, but that is what it will boil down to anyhow.

I have done this for years, and can be as wrong and inaccurate as anyone. This just happens to be my personal way of doing things...it works for me

Some of my pet peeves are MSC's that have crappy web sites that are to difficult to navigate or they operate to slow. Or, their sites is bad and they don't answer emails. Holier than thou schedulers (and 99.9% are just great folks!, sincerely) Schedulers can be overworked and work on the computer at home at times. Many of us feel that they sit in an office somewhere working for a huge MSC. When, in actuality they are at home and simply log in and work from their kitchen table, and that is fine. It can be the ultimate freedom or cage depending on your perspective.

Companies that do not read the entire email and process information between their ears before responding to the wrong issue bug me as well. Most of these people / schedulers are great, truly very nice. But they are overworked and paid "piece work" meaning they make a cut of every shop you make, and some are set salary. So, towards the end of the month they are running around on three cups of Folgers trying to get everything out and sent in and shopped and..... This is why it is not good to respond to every email they send you. In create informational overload.

Welcome to Mystery Shopping! Newbies, as you put it, are a wonderful thing to have and be. I learn fresh perspectives daily and ya know where the fresh ideas come from??? ...they come from the Newbies. , so welcome all newbies.

Thats my experience and views. Some will agree, others will disagree and I respect their views. That and 50 cents'll getcha two quarters

Don in Vegas


PizzaPizza Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Don, I thought declining was being helpful to the
> MSCs, and I thought they wouldn't call you if
> you'd already declined a posted listing ... but it
> sounds like I should change my (relative newbie)
> ways. Thanks for the tip.
>
> Strevel Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > agw505 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > This probably isn't the place for this
> comment,
> > > but I read where people 'decline' jobs they
> are
> > > offered. This is a 'no no' for shoppers. Just
> > do
> > > not accept, if you decline, it goes against
> > you.
> >
> > You are self employed and should not even
> > acknowledge receipt of any shop that you do not
> > want to complete properly.
> >
> > Yes, do not decline it, just do not respond to
> > it.
> >
> > Don

Encourage the ones that make you feel this way to fly a kite. Walk away

Don in vegas


consciousgem Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There are so many companies that want one to drive
> 30 miles and not want to pay for tolls, or extra
> gas. I would like to know what companies pay over
> $15 for their shops when in NYC I used to get paid
> $35-$75 to do high end jewelry and senior
> residence shops. They had very long surveys and
> many all written out not multiple choice. I find
> many companies do not want one to know how long
> the surveys are before applying. I feel the
> companies should give some info on what type of
> info is needed as some reports take 3 hours or
> more to fill out and paying less than minimum wage
> for doing the work of driving, performing the shop
> and filing out the report takes. Is there any way
> of finding out the better companies to work with
> that don't require to pay over $50-$200 and wait
> 2-3months before getting a return? It seems some
> of these companies could make an exception for
> those that put out such amounts and pay us back in
> 2 weeks.

sun&fun Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah, I know. TNS has plenty of shops here in
> sunny FL.


I'd love to sign up but it looks like they're only accepting shoppers overseas. Am I checking in the right place?

PS fellow Floridian here, about 70 miles east of you :-)

Use the address under "MCs" here to sign up.

sun&fun Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Use the address under "MCs" here to sign up.

Yup, did that. Followed the two links (and two more open tabs) to get to the sign-up point:

[online.tns-global.com]

put in my DOB then it asks me where I live with these five choices:

UK
Channel Islands
Isle of Man
Republic of Ireland
Other

I select Other and get this:

WE ARE CURRENTLY ONLY SEEKING APPLICANTS WHO RESIDE IN THE UK, CHANNEL ISLANDS AND ISLE OF MAN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
TNS MYSTERY SHOPPING TEAM.

I'm sure the Isle of Man is nice, and I'm a man so I'd fit right in I suppose, but I'm not ready to move. :-)

hi!!!again in usa wichone comapany makes mystery shopping for bp petrol station????? please..............help

and wich company make olso mystery shop for starbucks.....
thanks

The forum posting guidelines and the independent contractor agreements we sign with each company prevent us from posting this information. If you sign up with enough companies and the clients are shopped you will eventually come across them.

macstami Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> and wich company make olso mystery shop for
> starbucks.....
> thanks

I don't think Mystery Shopping is for you.

Great list! Shopping, auditing and merchandising is how I make my money. I really appreciate the list because I have been able to add some companies to my list.
THANK YOU!!!!!

I'll add a slightly different spin on declining. I rarely "decline" a post/email, etc. However, there are some emails or phone calls I get that are sent individually to me. I know which these are, and have a good working relationship with the scheduler. Some of these I will decline, or offer with a different set of guidelines. I think these schedulers appreciate it. These are often instances of hard to fill shops where the scheduler knows I have done them in the past and enjoy doing the shops, or often do the shops. S/he says "I have this shop, I know you've done them before, any chance you could help me out here?" I say yes or no to these.

Otherwise, just don't respond.

An excellent place to get good info on mystery shopping is the mysteryshoppmaven.com It has accurate and reliable information about all aspects of mystery shopping. In fact, it turned me on to this particular forum, so that should tell you something.