As with many things in life, mystery shoppers often get into a comfortable groove with their shop assignments. They find a few providers they like to work with, that typically have generally the same type of shop assignments for usually the same group of retailers, restaurants, and so forth. When you walk through the same type of shop time after time, you may start to skim over some of the details and become a less effective and thorough shopper.
And as with many things in life, there is a time to branch out and grow from new experiences. Mystery shopping is no exception. There are several reasons why you should break out of the cocoon you have put yourself into:
Money Talks! The main reason most mystery shoppers spend their free time working on shop assignments is to earn more money. Perhaps it is to pay the bills, or perhaps it is to fund that shopaholic impulse you have, but it all boils down to the fact that you want more money in your pocket.
If you do roughly the same shops for the same providers, you likely have roughly the same paycheck from month to month. As a mystery shopper, you have the ability to control your own paycheck. Take on a new type of shop assignment for your providers, or sign up with a new provider or two to get some fresh shop assignments to choose from. Rediscover the reason you became a mystery shopper in the first place – to earn more money!
Experience Matters! As you get more experience and improve your shopper rating with your providers, more and better shop assignments will open up to you. You will get higher priority over other shoppers for the best assignments. Your schedulers may even call you and request you do a shop before they make the shop available to other shoppers.
Your experience as a mystery shopper is one of the most important credentials you have. So take some time and try a couple of new types of shops to show your schedulers that you are a well-rounded and seasoned shopper.
Lose the Doldrums! When you perform the same type of shop assignments for the same companies, the shop requirements start to look the same. After you read the requirements a few times and do the same shop a couple of times, you may think you know the drill and don’t need to pay as close attention to the details. The fact is, when you do the same thing over and over again, you may start to lose your edge.
When you change up your routine a bit and try a couple of new types of shops, you will be back on your toes and will be a better, more diligent mystery shopper.
So spice up your mystery shopping life and try something new and exciting! You will be a better, more profitable shopper for it.
very boring article
A reply to: “jane”
You say more about yourself than you do about what you’ve replied to. But that was your opinion, which is ok to give. How about telling us why you felt the article was boring to you? Perhaps constructive criticism would be beneficial to the writer and lend to more informative articles for you.
jane posted:
August 7, 2008 at 8:22 am
very boring article
I get a lot of the same type of shops but I don’t get bored. It’s a paycheck to some degree. I have been shying away from cell phone shops simply because I just don’t know much about them even though I have one. I just completed my 2nd one and it wasn’t too bad. I just keep my tape recorder hidden as a back up for my memory.
Since I am still relatively new, I am basically doing what you suggest, and trying new assignments. With gas prices where they are, and compensation not increasing, I have pulled back a bit. There was a time when it was exciting to drive an hour or so, to experience a different kind of an assignment. I still have the fever, but only if I can align several shops along the way, to offset the added cost of increased distances.
I would love to get back into merchandising! Anyone who hasn’t tried it, is encouraged to give it a shot. It is more steady, with less reporting time, plus it provides opportunities to mystery shop, to and from assignments! Certified Field Associates is a prime merchandising scheduler, for anyone who’s curious. Thanks.
I Love doing bank jobs,they are not hard,you can form a route of them and keep them in the same area and the pay is good. I enjoy the companies I work for and I do alot of other jobs that are local for the pay on some are low I keep the cost of gas down and do a small report on them and I dont mind doing different things to keep it interesting….
The merchandising I just tried and it was fast and easy on the lst job but not paying alot you just need to get a route that is close together if you want to do them.
I guess everyone has certain things they like more,may it be shopping,restaurants,but I try not to spend out of pocket. I need all the money I can to pay for all the gas.
I got excited at the title of the article, unfortunately it didn’t live up to my expectations. You did;t give any real suggestions on how to get “different jobs.” Or for that matter, what “different” jobs are even out there.
I wouldn’t mind a regular schedule of shops, knowing I was going to the same 4 or 5 stores, say twice a month. I am an avid shopper on my own, and I go to the same stores multiple times a month. I don’t think going to the same stores repetitively is a trigger for stores that you are a shopper at all. I think it makes you a “regular shopper.” Companies limit the number of times you can do a shop, and I don’t think that is fair or necessary.
How often do you go to your favorite restaurant, your favorite grocery store, your favorite pizza place, etc.?
I don’t agree that the article is boring. For some, going about the same activities day to day and booking the same old assignments around them may cause one’s actions and thoughts to become repetitious. To me, the article is simply a reminder that there are a lot of different types of shops out there and if you haven’t already, suggests that you should give them a try for a change of pace.
What shops are recommended to do as a change,what does everyone out there do that they like and what do they do to make a change in shops….
Hi, I have asked this site before ,HOW to find new Jobs in my area. But never got an answer. I am in a town the has had a surge of new restaurants in the last year and a half. HOW do I find the companies that offer Outback Stake house, Applebees, Olive Garden, Macaroni Grill, Chili’s TGIFridays? I shop On the Boarder, Hooters, Buffalo Wild Wings all the time I would LOVE to get restautants. I am listed with 79 sites. Oh and does anyone know how to get In-Home jobs like Carpet cleanimg(Coit or Standly steamer]? I would be so greatful for any help at all. Thanks Eddie
Does the Mystery Shop Maven work for one of the MS companies????
I WOULD LIKE TO DO DIFFERENT SHOPS BUT FIND THAT THERE IS NOT MUCH IN MY AREA EXCEPT FOR THE ONES I HAVE BEEN DOING. SOME BANKING JOBS JUST OPENED UP AND I HAVE DONE THESE BUT HOW MANY TIMES CAN YOU ASK THE SAME QUESTIONS AND NOT GET FOUND OUT.
I AGREE THAT YOU MIGHT GET COMPLACENT WITH THE SAME OLD JOBS BUT I DO EACH SHOP WITH A NEW OUT LOOK AND THAT HELPS.
I ALSO SIGNED UP WITH NEW COMPANIES BUT HAVE NOT HAD A SHOP IN MY AREA YET.
I am experiencing the lack of new shops in my area as well. At one point I was doing 50 shops a month…each one different with different providers. Now, I am lucky to get 20. I, too, have turned to merchandising to supplement my income. I am an auditor by nature and previous work experience so its easy. Restaurant shops(especially fine dining) is my favorite. I would love to find more in the Tampa area. I moved from the Dallas TX area and did 75% of my MS’ing as restaurant shops and truly miss it. A night out with the hubby without the kids was an extra bonus.
I’m very busy!! I have signed up for a lot of different shops lately. I did a
Google search of mystery shopping in my area and came up with some really unique shopping experiences. I have found doing the same type shops over and over is definately boring. I tried merchandising and the pay was much to low to even bother. I’m not standing on my feet for $4-$5 per hour.
I do however pick audits from the companies who offer merchandising.
I’m doing medical shops, banks and most of my shops are staight pay without the need for a reimbursment. I have very little out of pocket expense to perform a shop since I have changed my methods of finding the shops I prefer.
I do like the “causal” and “fine” dining with reimbursment. If you submit your surveys on your dining experience as “client ready” you will most likely get a nice bonus for your efforts.
And there are WAVE shops. Shops scheduled many times each month.
I’m getting a lot of my work from Maritz Research. Check in your area for shops!!
I will take every bank job I can get. I only do Platform shops with banks.
I also do apartment complex shops. The pay is high and interesting shopping experience.
There are many unique shops out there you just have to look and see what you can find. Most of my new shops are not listed anywhere on a company listing board.
Take the time and search. You will get the “pay me for job info” but go beyond those into several pages past the first page of your search.
Thanks for a great topic. When I first started mystery shopping, I did so many bank shops that I never wanted to do another bank shop. With the rotation schedule, I could not go back to those banks anyway. I started to branch out and followed the suggestion to register, register, register with more companies. Now I pick and choose the types of shops that I want to do. I don’t want to keep going to the same locations month after month. My gas tank is almost always full because I will do those shops for the company that some people love to hate. So far this month, I have done 32 shops and I have shops scheduled between now and 8/24. I just signed up for 2 “never done before” shops prior to posting this. I find performing different shops to be exhilarating and it’s good for my brain cells. I have 5 shops scheduled for Monday and each of them is different. Having the variety of performing different types of shops keeps me challenged and motivation to push beyond my comfort zone. There is a lot to be said about being well-rounded and becoming more valuable to the marketplace. I will definitely respond to e-mail shop posts and sign up for some of the same shops. When I do have some down time, rarely, I poke around and look for something new and different. Whether it be a new type of shop or a new company to shop for, I go for it to keep on my toes.
Theresa I envy you, and your ability to locate diverse shops. I’m curious what city you are in? I’m in Northern Florida, near Jacksonville and like “Eddie” am in a new area with a new chain opening almost every day. There are three major shopping malls packed with every level of retail store and restaurants from fast food to fine cuisine, and I just can’t find who shops them. I must be signed up with at least 60 companies. Any suggestions from anyone would be greatly appreciated!! laura
To: Theresa
August 8, 2008 at 8:44 pm
It was a pleasure to read such a well composed and written reply. Thank you. I also plan to apply to more and more companies.
Eddie…
Market Force (formerly Shop’n Chek) has some carpet cleaning shops available.
How do I get these gravesite shops?
I just did a gravesite shop for Insite. It was two at the same cemetery and paid $26 each. I thought that it was a Sunday and a nice day so I would take the 220 mile round trip to do this work. I took 7 photos, uploaded them and then the editor says that I did not cut the grass short enough so I will not get paid for this trip. I told them that this is the last shop I will touch for them. I strongly suggest that no one else does them either as it is to the whims of some anal editor if you get paid. I complained and was told that I would not get paid and there is no recourse as editors hide behind no name reports. Caveat emptor.
I am a very experience shopper. Here are the great companies: Intellishop-ICCDS-Freeman-Confero-Aboutface-Service X