Most of the relationships we have over the course of our lives will not last the length of our lifetimes. As with some friendships, business relationships also sometimes come to an end. Sometimes the end of the relationship is a slow, gradual event, and sometimes it is tumultuous and forced. There will be times in your career as a mystery shopper when your business relationships with your providers will or need to come to an end.
While there will be times when the end of a relationship by the provider is dictated by decreased jobs in your area or with the unfortunate event that the provider removes you as an eligible mystery shopper for them, there are other times when you will need to end the relationship with your provider.
Where’s The Money? If you’ve been mystery shopping for even a few months, you likely have figured out that this job is not a place to make “big bucks”. Yet if you are diligent and efficient, and if you work the right assignments, you can make decent money and enjoy a flexible work schedule. If you do the math and calculate that the amount of money you are earning for a provider equates to far below your acceptable level of income, it may be time to turn that provider loose. While many providers offer pay that is in the same ballpark as other providers, you will find that some providers are consistently asking you to work for peanuts. This is not a provider you need to have a business relationship with!
The Never-Ending Report. After you’ve completed the site visit for an assignment, your job is only halfway completed. The second half of your job is completing and submitting the report. A report can take up way too much of your time in a couple of different ways. The report can be too long, or the provider can have you on an endless loop of corrections and revisions to the report after you submit the report. While you can expect to have a long report every now and then with any provider, and you can expect to have a scheduler ask you to revise your report from time to time, if either one of these events are happening regularly, you are likely spending far too much time on the assignments to make the relationship cost-effective for you.
No Respect. Everyone has a bad day, and forgiveness is divine. However, if the schedulers you work for a provider are consistently rude or cold to you, find another provider to work with. Working on a regular basis with unhappy or even mean people can only lead to dissatisfaction with your job. There’s no need for one provider to ruin mystery shopping for you. Work with providers that you enjoy working for and who respect your time and efforts, and you will find happiness in your job.
With most relationships, business and personal alike, you will run into bumps in the road. Don’t turn and run the other way to search for a new provider with every small road bump you hit. But if you find the relationship to be wasting your time or giving you a sour taste in your mouth on a regular basis, there’s no point in continuing the relationship. With hundreds of mystery shopping providers out there to work with, you can find plenty of providers that will treat you right!
Excellent points made in this article. When I first started MSing almost 4 yrs ago, I did an assignment at a large electronic retailer. I had to visit 3 departments, have lengthy interactions and then complete a report that was about 100 questions. It took so long to get through the report and the pay was only $10!! I’ve never accepted another assignment from that company. I’ve gotten emails that say the rport has changed, but I’m apprehensive about accepting any.
I got the email stating the report has changed. Took another of these $10 electronics assignments and almost cried when it took over two hours to fill out the report.
You can make about $25 from apartment shops, but you have to, sometimes, call several times to reach the target agent. You go to the apartment and spend 30-45 minutes there; come home and spend 2 hours filling out the report. It would take less, but when you finish a section if you didn’t do the right amount of characters you get a notice that you didn’t. So that means embellishing. If you are lucky it isn’t bounced back from something that you really can’t answer. In the end it takes 4+ hours, including driving time; that makes your pay $6.00 or even less. Is it really worth it??
I have been doing this for about 2 years now , and have not run into any issues… until now …. What really upsets me is that reading the guidelines and following them, and then when you go and do the shop , the “associate” isnt great and does not work with you, but yet you are following the guidelines, because if you dont you know that you will not be paid. So when it comes time to sit down and do the report , you do it honestly and respectfully , only to get a review on it telling you that since the “associate” did not show you something or mention something you will not be getting paid for that shop and you get a low rating … this becomes very very tiresome ….
Great article. I have been doing shopping for almost a year I have had constant problems with the most well known shopping company. Everything was okay until I signed up with their certified division, Then the problems began. My very first merchandising assisngment they told me to go on a certain date to introduce myself to the manager and come back the next week to set up a display. The next week I came but they hadn’t shipped the product or the display. This went on for four weeks. This company has a call center, if you have any questions you are to call them. I think we all know how call centers work, no one knows anything. I even had a very rude call center rep send me the wrong labels to return merchandise. If the poor support wasn’t bad enough it would take 6 weeks min to receive a $6 or $8 check. I am a part-time merchandiser for a designer, I brand, it is nothing like this certified division company. I know where I’m going an that the department stores will have my product for me to put out when I arrive at the stores. For a little extra money I think I will just stick to mystery shopping
When a scheduling company (or individual) is rude, disrespectful or unsupportive to a shopper, they are in effect biting the hand that feeds them. Though beyond reason, it does happen. The shopper really is in control. As mentioned above, a shopper can cut that provider loose. There are many more to draw on. What is the shopper’s best interest is really in the scheduler’s best interest.
It was pointed out to me recently that I should look into becoming a scheduler. No way! They are the ones who bear the stress! A shopper on the other hand, can accept an assignment or reject an assignment. They can pick and choose and are in control. 🙂
Bravo! Maven as usual you came through with flying colors that entry was right on time because I have dealt with some bitter females and a couple of guy schedulers who thought that I would be under there iron ruled hand for a minute but POOF! BE GONE! at the waggle of my mouse deleted them out of my life! Life is certainly too short to have self imposed slavery lumped upon an already full plate. Inasmuch as the recession trying to make ends meet then you have a shmuck who wants to do to you what someone has already done to them No Way Jose” that was my first rule my second one is that we are adults if I am incorrect tell me in a mannerly way not like I am your child. I had a a company and I will only give the initials because the incident was so hilarious to me, they took my select button off of my page then told me if I promised to get all reports from now on on time they would take me back okay I considered but for the money that they give you I declined later stating that the pay wasn’t compensating me as far as gas, wear and tear on the car just use your senses to determine what’s right and wrong it’s truly a no-brainer by the way the name is MF..
This article came at the right time for me as well. I was just called by a scheduler a couple of days ago to do one of those electronic shops. He has always been nice and I try to help him out. He promised that the report was now just yes and no questions, with just a few narratives. It was also 2 shops in one and given a small bonus. Well it turned out to be 5 depts, plus call to the store. Then the report was questions plus narrative after each question. The $5 bonus doesn’t cut it and I let them know that what they told me was not true to get me to accept the shop.
I choose my shops online for the most part. Whenever a scheduler calls me, I tell them I have quite a distance to drive, and the amount offered will not even cover my gas. At that point, I’m usually offered 2-4 times the original amount. If I have a bad experience, I take the high road… one strike… they’re out!
Great article! It’s imperative that new shoppers really believe these comments. It will suppress you with all the jobs some of them throw at you. I have found out it’s because the veterans mystery shoppers will not accept them anymore. Burn me once, shame one me. It will not be a second time.
I call it quits with a company, when it takes 5 months for $20. They kept saying I didn’t submit the report via their web site, yet I printed out the pages and scanned and emailed them. Yet, they pussy-footed around. In my last email, I said keep the money, my time is worth much more then the paltry $20 and the problems you have caused me. Finally, after spending more time then I should have received the money. It should be noted that first I went through Kern Scheduling a bad mistake on my part; they are useless. Lori, the owner is I won’t say what I am thinking, but have a female dog and you know what they are called. She never, ever responded to my emails. Thus, finally to the company itself. Kern Scheduling I no longer do jobs for them.
I have discovered long reports are not worth it. Also, low pay shops such as $5 and $8 are not worth it. With the cost of gas traveling long distances are not worth it unless mileage will be compensated. I also have observed some companies will pay more for the same type of job, so I naturally would pick that company. Some shops require you to visit every department. I avoid those shops, especially when the stores might have about 10 or 15 departments. Not worth my time.
Just a week or so ago I did a clothing store shop. There was no pay, just reimbursement for the item purchased, up to $15. I took it anyway, thinking I could a least get a free article of clothing out of it. Well, the dang store didn’t have anything that cost less than $20, except for some clearance items that nobody wanted. So doing that shop cost me money, because I’d never shop at that store otherwise!
Sometime you get a bad deal. I think you did the thing for seeing it througth.