MYSTERY SHOPPING THREAD 18 - please don't mention client names or fees on here!!

nehpets81

katiekittykat1977 wrote: »

it's that I want to get to the stage where companies are ringing me for work and I can negotiate a better fee.

Might be barking up the wrong tree somewhat with ESA tho....

borders

Becles wrote: »

It won't affect your SMP as you can do self employed work while getting SMP.

Can you? My daughters due anytime now (3 days past her due date) and she didnt think she could work while on SMP. Or is it different because it's self employed?

dazza.mk

borders wrote: »

Can you? My daughters due anytime now (3 days past her due date) and she didnt think she could work while on SMP. Or is it different because it's self employed?

You can work upto 10 days (basically for employers to keep you informed/trained about your role), after that you shouldn't get SMP

nehpets81

djboss wrote: »

Eventually, The lower quality of reports and the drop in reliability of the "Cheaper" MS'ers will lose the quality business for the MS Companies involved, or they'll start to reinstate the higher fees for better work. Standard market economics. Unfortunately, at times like this when the economic problems are on everyones mind, coinciding with the publicity the MSing has been having, things are a bit out of balance.

I don't want to be some sort of doom-monger ( yes, that's a valid phrase!) but it could be even worse than this... Considering the current economic climate and the inherant focus on short term results over longer term objectives I think the real worry is that companies will wonder whether a MS program is something they want to continue with if the reports are dummed down too much.

Lil_Me_2

polythenegirl wrote: »

Oh yeah completely, but at least your in that position now. As I said itis a horrible no win situation for New Starters.

I am sorry if I'm annoying people in here as a new starter on this though

I had a big argument with someone about this before (when I had not long started) and I was called desperate for being willing to do an RE pub job. I still maintain that if you want to get the report writing experience and don't mind the job then do it!

However - RE will never know your name, and ESA have already proven that they speak to so many people the don't remember who they spoke to 5 mins ago! There are other companies who will actually remember you and appreciate your work. These are the companies that you need to focus on.

Just because you're new doesn't mean that you have to do the crap jobs!

DevilsAdvocate1

polythenegirl wrote: »

Its hard for new shoppers at the minute because you have to accept as many visits as you can to gain a reputation with the companies but by doing that you have to accept the reduced fees therefore making life harder for the more experienced shoppers. Its a horrible no win situation.

As someone who has been doing this for 6 years, I have to say with most companies a reputation does not matter. If all / most of their work is allocated to the fastest finger then it doesn't matter how reliable you are.

With some of the smaller companies, yes reputations do matter. But with the likes of ESA, Gap, Retaileyes etc. I really don't see that you get anything extra by being reliable.

D.

clare*H_2

Becles wrote: »

Yes you should have registered as self employed when you first started doing the additional work. Have you kept records of what you've spent and earned while doing the mystery shopping?

I'd give the self employed helpline a ring (number on first page) and explain what has happened and see what they say.

It won't affect your SMP as you can do self employed work while getting SMP.

Thank you for your speedy reply. I have just just rang the helpline and have registered. Just have to wait for my self assessment - that should be fun. Thanks again, its been really appreciated. I think I'm going to have to be a regular on here I can see!!:)

borders

Lil_Me wrote: »

I had a big argument with someone about this before (when I had not long started) and I was called desperate for being willing to do an RE pub job. I still maintain that if you want to get the report writing experience and don't mind the job then do it!

However - RE will never know your name, and ESA have already proven that they speak to so many people the don't remember who they spoke to 5 mins ago! There are other companies who will actually remember you and appreciate your work. These are the companies that you need to focus on.

Just because you're new doesn't mean that you have to do the crap jobs!

Yep, doing low paid jobs for some of the companies makes no difference to what jobs you get or what fees you get. They're not interested beacuse they've got 10,000 other shoppers.

I wouldn't knock anyone for taking the low fee jobs. I've been in the situation in the past where I was glad to being earning anything extra at all. It's a personal choice. If you think it's worth it, then do it. Just watch out for the jobs where the company doesnt pay you for some reason, valid or not. Your costs on an unpaid job might wipe out your profits from 2 or 3 low fee jobs.

Had a look at the egg jobs again and worked out with costs, travelling time etc, that I would be working for £2-£3 an hour. I could earn more begging on the street! Tax free.

nickik1970

Can anyone self allocate the clothes jobs on ESA, the newer ones, beginning with the letter N?

Rosy_Violet

Lil_Me wrote: »

Just because you're new doesn't mean that you have to do the crap jobs!

But sadly they do accept them.....that's what's partly driving the fees down.

The mystery shopper service is so much more widely known and talked about now. It's great from the client's point of view as that there are a lot more shopper opinions. It's the diminishing value shown to the shoppers by the agencies which is gauling. I'm all for progress and love the advances that the internet have brought to the job, but the pittances they are offering are laughable.