The Mystery Shopping thread - part 5

ellie9ellie

Taggie wrote: »

ellie9ellie
It is probably so that they can actually keep the client. One of the reasons I don't post much on this forum is that people are constantly mentioning client names, this is against the terms that they sign up for when they join mystery shopping companies.

Other MS Companies, will scour places like these, see who has what, see what fee they are offering (as this is also mentioned) then undercut it, without having to do much work.

Also, there is a lot of new people doing mystery shopping, so there will always be people that will do these jobs as they could be going into these particular shops anyway and spending that amount of money, so the job is worth more.

I am a moderator of a mystery shopping forum and we clearly state that client names and fees should not be mentioned and if they are, these are instantly deleted by a member of the moderating team.

Anway, this is why the fees keep dropping

Hence why I never mentioned the MS company or the client - not wanting to get my fingers burnt. I'm very wary about mentioning any names just in case as I know some people have had it in the neck. Not sure how much the client pays the MS company but would like to know their profit margin if their only paying us what amounts to a pittance. It's a pretty poor performance as MS'ers will be loathe to spend too much time doing the report due to the pretty awful fee - but then again if it's that bad I couldn't have done the job in the first place.

Timmne

I don't think it's really down to mentioning client names although it certainly is not professional. MSing companies simply know that there are more and more people MSing and therefore can afford to reduce what they pay, knowing they'll have enough shoppers to do the work.

ellie9ellie

Timmne wrote: »

I don't think it's really down to mentioning client names although it certainly is not professional. MSing companies simply know that there are more and more people MSing and therefore can afford to reduce what they pay, knowing they'll have enough shoppers to do the work.

I think your right there Timmne - no matter what the fee there is always someone who will do it. I just think by putting the fee that low doesn't give anyone a proper incentive to do it properly. I'll get off my high horse now lol

Scaredy_Cat_3

If I'm one of the culprits here I'd like to apologise. I had never considered it from that angle.

I'm very careful not to ever mention the client names, but I do mention the MS company and although I don't usually mention fees, certainly in the food assignments where there is no fee, I have mentioned that.

I'm actually quite selective about the jobs I take (for a newbie) - I do weigh up the time and mileage and if I figure it's not worth driving 5 miles for a £6 fee then I won't do it. And I have to agree with Ellie (I think it was Ellie), what kind of report are they going to get for £2.50???

Timmne

The way I view it, people will start off MSing and either give up because the money's not very good (a lot on here come here and then disappear after a couple of weeks/months) OR, they'll carry on and refuse to do any rubbishly paid jobs. So only the newbies will generally do the rubbishly paid jobs.

SO - our job (lol) is to try and spell out to newbies that the poorly paid jobs aren't worth doing. This thread is introducing loads of shoppers to the market BUT we have the medium to stem the flow of newbies to these pants jobs, meaning (in an ideal world) that the MSing companies will have to pay properly for their jobs.

Ellie I think my horse is higher than yours, and mine's standing on a soap box

Scaredy_Cat_3

Taggie wrote: »

ellie9ellie
It is probably so that they can actually keep the client. One of the reasons I don't post much on this forum is that people are constantly mentioning client names, this is against the terms that they sign up for when they join mystery shopping companies.

Other MS Companies, will scour places like these, see who has what, see what fee they are offering (as this is also mentioned) then undercut it, without having to do much work.

Also, there is a lot of new people doing mystery shopping, so there will always be people that will do these jobs as they could be going into these particular shops anyway and spending that amount of money, so the job is worth more.

I am a moderator of a mystery shopping forum and we clearly state that client names and fees should not be mentioned and if they are, these are instantly deleted by a member of the moderating team.

Anway, this is why the fees keep dropping

Is there somewhere private that we can talk about jobs? I am new to this (doing it because I really need the money and have been unable to get a 'proper' job). The help I have had on this forum has been invaluable, and I'm really grateful to you all. I would like to continue to get help, and give help where I can, but don't want to compromise our earnings in the way that Taggie mentioned. So, can we set up a private group? I know we can set up a private group on ebay (for example), not sure about here?

Taggie

Not sure Scaredy Cat.

A lot of people use code names for clients, but even some of them are a giveaway lol, although some are very inventive :rotfl:

All you can do is say you are doing a pub meal (for example) for RE and not quite sure of the details without giving client name/fee away, can someone pm me.

A lot of things you can discuss on forums and that is where the advice and help is invaluable. It's just the names and fees that are the problem.

Also double check with companies, most are approachable and happy to help and would rather you contacted them, got the correct info and done the job correctly, than blunder into it :beer:

ThinkingOfLinking

Well, newbies don't necessarily threaten the position of us old-timers anyway. Although as yet, the points we accumulate on RE don't mean anything, they're developing a system whereby they will, eg some clients may approach them and say, "We want a shopper of at least this level..." Also, not everyone can see all jobs on RE because what we can see is dictated not only be demographics but also by our level of competence. That's basically what RE told me when I asked them.

ThinkingOfLinking

As for me and the jobs I do, I only choose jobs I actually am interested in. The low fee can sometimes be negated by the value of the spend limit; eg if I am getting a free meal, I don't mind a £5 fee, as that still covers my travel. If I am doing the MS company a favour, because I have been doing this work for a long time now, I do ask for a bonus on top of the fee, just to cover my travel and make it a bit more worthwhile...they tend to be desparate to get it done so will agree.

johnny_c-l

Timmne wrote: »

Morning guys - Business Blueprints have asked me to put them on the list on the first page - before I do, does anyone have any feedback on them as I haven't worked for them before!

Hi Timmne,

I did one job for them a few months ago; they often post work available on the office. I have had an email or two from them offering jobs, and communication mainly seems to be by email. Jobs seem to be evening bar visits.

Their reports are in excel and are similar to AA reports; no silly questions or asking the same thing 3 times. The fee for the job I did was quite good, and full reimbursement was offered as well for food/drink bought.

Payment is by BACS in the middle of the month for work completed the previous month. www.mrs.co.uk

They get the thumbs up from me

P.S. Here's a list of their clients: http://www.mrs.co.uk/clients.htm