So many of the complaints that mystery shoppers have about their job stem from the providers who they are working for. Mystery shoppers commonly complain about not being paid fast enough as well as simply not being paid enough on each assignment for the time and effort involved. Some complain that their mystery shopping providers are rude to them, or sometimes they ask them to make unethical changes to their mystery shopping reports. These are just a few of the many complaints mystery shoppers have about their jobs, and most of the complaints do pertain in some way to the providers themselves.
Mystery Shopper Are In Control
The good news is that mystery shoppers are in complete control over which mystery shopping providers they work with. As a mystery shopper, you can select which providers you work with, how long you work with them, and when you are ready to stop working for them. There are literally dozens of providers that offer assignments all across the country and even internationally, too. This gives mystery shoppers plenty of options to choose from. There is never a need to feel limited by the options available or as though you are forced into working with a provider simply to earn a paycheck.
Shop Around
As a mystery shopper, you can shop around for new providers today if you aren’t thrilled with the experience you are getting with your current providers. There are a few different steps you can take to find better providers. You can certainly take the “trial and error” route, which involves randomly signing up to work for a few new companies and seeing first-hand how much you like working for them. Otherwise, you can hop online and visit the mystery shopping forum to get some feedback from other mystery shoppers. You can either browse through existing posts that talk about mystery shopping providers, or you can post specific questions and wait for a response.
Don’t Burn Bridges
If you are working with a provider who you absolutely don’t want to work with again, you have made your mind up that your relationship with that company is over. However, there is no need to turn in a two weeks’ notice when you are a mystery shopper. You can “quit” by simply avoiding signing up for new assignments with them. For providers who you are on the fence about, you can simply take a break for a few weeks while you try out a few other providers. You may find that the grass really is greener when you work with another company, or you may find that you didn’t have such a bad deal with your old provider after all!
The fact is that the providers who you choose to work for as a mystery shopping provider really can set the tone for your workday experiences. Providers can be pleasant to deal with, pay you a fair wage in a reasonable period of time, and work with you fairly when special circumstances or issues arise. On the other hand, they may provide you with the complete opposite experience. If you are not happy with your current providers, go ahead and try out a few others to see if they can provide you with a better experience.
I’m finding that the companies are asking for more and more and the pay is still the same. I am seriously thinking of starting my own company and get the money up front and pay someone else to work for me.
i’m finding some companies that want you to purchace and item and then return it in 30 mins i dont see the point in this
Tell me why it takes 2 months for pay? One company wanted me to take picture of 22 gas pumps from top the bottom for a shop and then answer questions about each pump? I am sorry EXXON does not require that they would spend all their time looking at pictures. Anyone have the “rules” or guideleines change AFter you did the shop?
Kardell I agree and you go to to a fast food or other place to dine and the food is nasty… Well there goes part of my pay…
just getting started….any suggestions welcome
I am finding that some companies want a ‘professor’ to write up the narratives. I think they are in the wrong business. After all, for $5 you do the job, submit it and they pick the info. to peices…not for me. They need to realize they can be dumped just like they dump. I will dump a company in a second. My advise is do one shop, test the company down to the time of payment. If they do not meet your expectations, forget them and move on to the next one.
Hi shoppers,
Before accepting an assignment always look at how long the questionnaire is, as I’ve made some blunders accepting a $25.00 shop with a 2 hour narrative……If they want an answer for every question, they need to pay more. I had to quit Market Force because they only offered $8.00 for 3 hours of work. I don’t even touch the fast food shops, retail/return gas suckers. I did a cell phone/ return shop and never got paid because I said the phone was for my daughter instead of myself. I returned the phone the next day and they said I had to pay a $30.00 phone charge. I called DSG and they refused to pay. I was out of gas money and paid for a restock charge.
I just had to quit MarketForce (UK) formerly Retail Eyes, as they offered me some Exit Interviews but kept hassling me as to when I should do them. Marketforce had sent them as a PDF file which would not print out and they expected me to produce all the interview sheets (180 pages for 2 jobs)! When there was a delay (because the local library recommended that I go to a local printers, as it was cheaper, she got annoyed and started ‘having a go at me’ saying that I ‘should have planned for this!’ There was no compromise from Karen (staff member – Shopper Support – ex-taxi controller!). She originally told me I had a 2 day window, even though there was 2 weeks in which to do this. She also hinted that she was going to ‘check in’ on me after work (even though their company is based in Wicken and the job was in Central Milton Keynes!) It was soooo much hassle that I cancelled both jobs in the end – it felt like ‘Big Brother.’ She also previously arranged a meeting and said I had ‘wacky ideas’ when I first joined and was keen on the company (as a Proofreader) then pinched and adapted one of them to make their survey questionnaires clearer (traffic light system – surveys are now in red and green!) No thanks or renumeration were received and I told them so. They ‘let me go’ as a Proofreader, the same time as I cancelled the Exit Interviews – mmmmmm.
I always consider how long the company has been around, how easy their systems are to use, and if their staff has help when I need it. Clients change so often from MSC to MSC, so it’s difficult to pick the best companies based on what projects they have available.
I have been a shopper for over a year now, at first I thought it was great now I think it sucks. Couldn’t get assignments because I do not have a 4 year old. Can’t get assignments because I am not 27-34 years old, can’t get assignments because I don’t have $100 bucks to throw out waiting 50-60 or longer to be paid. I have done fast food shops but the pay is nothing absolutely $0.00 they will pay you up to $8 for your purchase. Yeah I know ya gotta eat right!!! I do but I don’t have to sit on this stupid computer to do their 19 pages of the same questions over & over.