The Mystery Shopping thread - part 6

Scaredy_Cat_3

Is there anyone around who has lots of experience (or inside knowledge) of how GR works please? I'm just curious about this - twice now I've gone to the website and seen 2 jobs listed. By the time I've managed to accept one, the other has gone. I always assumed it meant someone else beat me to it (which usually happens anyway!) but then I read something about always accepting the job closest to you as others may become unavailable when you accept one.

So, does this mean, the second I accept one, the other is removed because I'm not allowed to do the same company but at different locations - or does it really mean someone else just happened to be on the site at the same time as me?

5MINSALONE

Scardey... I do GR too, and I am positive I seen something written down about this somewhere, something to the affect off you cant do the same compan in the same within the same area but at different locations, within a certain timescale.

I'm about to go out now, but I'll try and find where I read it later for you, if you cant wait, why not email them and ask

Scaredy_Cat_3

Thanks! I might email them if the curiosity gets the better of me! I don't really want to pester them when it's just idle curiosity. I thought someone might have noticed this before.

MikeLB

Scaredy_Cat wrote: »

Is there anyone around who has lots of experience (or inside knowledge) of how GR works please? I'm just curious about this - twice now I've gone to the website and seen 2 jobs listed. By the time I've managed to accept one, the other has gone. I always assumed it meant someone else beat me to it (which usually happens anyway!) but then I read something about always accepting the job closest to you as others may become unavailable when you accept one.

So, does this mean, the second I accept one, the other is removed because I'm not allowed to do the same company but at different locations - or does it really mean someone else just happened to be on the site at the same time as me?

The way it works is that all MS Companies will only allow you to do a certain number of jobs per client per month (well unless they are relaxing the 'rules' to get jobs done which happenes often). So with GR, it may show you 4 different Bank locations for the same company but you are only allowed to do say 2 for that Bank client in any month. Their system is pretty clever in that once you hit the job limit, it will automatically remove the other jobs for that client as you cant do them any more. So their advice is correct, always always pick the ones which you are wanting to do closest to you first.

The other general rule is that you cannot generally shop the same location two months running, some companies say 3 months, some say once a year only, but there is nothing usually to stop you shopping the same company in locations close to each other. GR follow that rule too.

And yes, if someone beats you to it as well with GR - as it is first come first sevred - but ther current system is a lot better than before as we used to have to dial a freephone number to accept work which was offered, btu again of a first come first served basis - I had their number on a speed dial to grab the jobs as soon as they popped up in my email box back then!

GR system is clever as systems like Gap will continue to show client jobs available even if you have reached the client limit for the month.

SJW

sophisticated. wrote: »

Nope I'm based in Cardiff/Swansea!

Oh competition! Bit of a difference between Cardiff/Swansea though so which city are you nearer?

SJW

Does any1 know who mystery shops Next???

5MINSALONE

Scared I cant find it now, I have looked. But what Mike says sounds very much like what I read, wherever it may be lol.

Anyway on another note, and forgive me if this site has already been mentioned, but has anyone heard of www.mystery-shoppers.co.uk and if so are they any good, what companies do they get us to work for etc????

asking04

If you earn less than £4,825, you don't have to apply for the Small Earnings Certificate and you can pay the £2.30 a week contributions.

If you are not paying NI in any other jobs, it can be worthwhile to pay these NI contributions. It will count towards any benefits you may need in the future and contributes to your state pension record.

For example, the self employed get one of two rates for Maternity Allowance, regardless of their actual earnings. If you have a Small Earnings Certificate, you get £27 a week. If you have paid enough NI contributions, you will get £117.18. It's a big difference!

I had a business and it folded a few yeas ago, but I have paid NI class 2 for a few years even though I earned nothing and I still pay it. Is it an okay option to pay Class 2? I wanted to as I did not want to have a gap in any benefits like pension etc and assumed I would earn again? I got self asses tax forms sent to me a couple of times and I said I was not earning which I was not at all so they've stopped coming now. Now I am earning a bit with mystery shops since June - what do i need to do re tax? Do I ask for a form? Am unsure - am I already classed as self employed since I pay the NI Class 2? I registered as self employed way back on the phone to some tax bod as was intending to earn money but that did not work out - is that ok?

Can anyone help me with this as am a tad muddled? I would be very grateful for your help

kman

5MINSALONE wrote: »

Scared I cant find it now, I have looked. But what Mike says sounds very much like what I read, wherever it may be lol.

Anyway on another note, and forgive me if this site has already been mentioned, but has anyone heard of www.mystery-shoppers.co.uk and if so are they any good, what companies do they get us to work for etc????

I signed up with them over a year ago, and have had 1 job from them and that was the local Tourist Information Office...

The job was easy enough, and they paid up immediately, by cheque.

sophisticated.

SJW wrote: »

Oh competition! Bit of a difference between Cardiff/Swansea though so which city are you nearer?

I live in Swansea at the moment but from Cardiff originally and go back every few weeks. So looking for jobs in both! I'm sure there's enough to share