Mystery Shopping Thread 22 *PLEASE READ THE OP FIRST**PLEASE NO CLIENT NAMES OR FEES*

whitelabel

muppettry wrote: »

Hello, I would like to start MSing but I don't have a printer. A friend works for RE occasionally without a printer, makes notes before the visit and then completes the questionnaire online, but I wondered if there were any other companies where you could do this, or whether someone could tell me which companies would definitely require a printer so that I can steer clear. Thankyou.

Just buy a cheap printer you can get them from £20. If you use it exclusively for msing just claim it as an expense on tax return. Get one with cheap compatible ink like epson etc. I take it you are new so unless you have a tablet or portable device to read them from or a photographic memory you may struggle to remember accurate details for each question if you do more than one job a day

nehpets81

OK, I realise this has been touched on a few days ago but I just want to launch into a bit of a moan (sorry in advance)
I have been out of the loop a bit -relying on jobs from Tern, Grass Roots and Frontline Focus as I found the mystery shopping was taking up too much of my time. I am still registered with a lot of companies though and often get emails. I recently got one from Retail Active about a clothes shop and decided to take a look.

I literally couldn't believe it and assumed there must be some sort of mistake but it doesn't seem to be the case. This is a job requiring a purchase and return (ON A DIFFERENT DAY!) for a fee that, without exageration, even if you had no expenses, would not cover minimum wage. Is this really where we are at in this industry? Does the client have any idea how little the shoppers are being paid??

But... this is not all... (see, told you I was going to have a moan!!) I then noticed some station visits, and not to mention the insulting fee, these jobs actually require a photo of the receipt, a photo of the outlet in the station and a photo of the station itself!!! This may be ok in the country but have they not heard of terrorism laws?? Try doing all this in a large city station and there could be serious repercussions.

It seems in the race to the bottom, RE have slipped up and let someone else take control.

teendude

Big_Graeme wrote: »

Yes and yes. It was the first company I worked for.
They started out as a one man band, a great company to work for. Mainly Scottish work, hotels, bars, eateries. I understand they have nicked a pub chain from MCE.

I applied like a year ago to them and never heard anything back... do you think it is worth giving them a call?
(I am in Glasgow so I assumed they'd have a decent amount of work in the area)

muppettry

thank you to whitelabel and clippygirl for taking the time to respond. I know a printer would be a good idea, but firstly I haven't got the cash at the moment and secondly I don't know which one would be compatible with my computer or how to set it up etc as a bit thick with all things technical.

whitelabel

muppettry wrote: »

thank you to whitelabel and clippygirl for taking the time to respond. I know a printer would be a good idea, but firstly I haven't got the cash at the moment and secondly I don't know which one would be compatible with my computer or how to set it up etc as a bit thick with all things technical.

if its a PC or Mac
they generally all will be
they come with set up instructions, it takes like 5 mins. you may need a printer usb cable if one isnt included, available for £1 from poundland
This snt a great printer and is a refurb but from argos with 1 year guarantee, printer scanner and copier for £19.99
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EPSON-STYLUS-SX130-PRINTER-SCANNER-AND-COPIER-REFURB-/360431155254, taking quidco or topcashback in to account as well its not a bad one if you can get the funds



This isnt a quick get rich scheme though, and with all businesses you have to invest to get a return. So taking in to account travel costs etc alone and any purchases you may have to make for jobs for the fees your likely to be earning starting out minus up to 20% tax from that fee, you may wish to look at some other options for raising cash and this may not be an option for you t the moment.

whitelabel

nehpets81 wrote: »

OK, I realise this has been touched on a few days ago but I just want to launch into a bit of a moan (sorry in advance)
I have been out of the loop a bit -relying on jobs from Tern, Grass Roots and Frontline Focus as I found the mystery shopping was taking up too much of my time. I am still registered with a lot of companies though and often get emails. I recently got one from Retail Active about a clothes shop and decided to take a look.

I literally couldn't believe it and assumed there must be some sort of mistake but it doesn't seem to be the case. This is a job requiring a purchase and return (ON A DIFFERENT DAY!) for a fee that, without exageration, even if you had no expenses, would not cover minimum wage. Is this really where we are at in this industry? Does the client have any idea how little the shoppers are being paid??

But... this is not all... (see, told you I was going to have a moan!!) I then noticed some station visits, and not to mention the insulting fee, these jobs actually require a photo of the receipt, a photo of the outlet in the station and a photo of the station itself!!! This may be ok in the country but have they not heard of terrorism laws?? Try doing all this in a large city station and there could be serious repercussions.

It seems in the race to the bottom, RE have slipped up and let someone else take control.

yeah this was touched on a few pages ago, the clothes really are a joke... yet they had still been taken in my area

as for the train stations, i considered doing the one station where i live, there were 15 venues to do, that wouldnt have been too bad, then i discovered a 3 venue limit, so i left them all.
as for taking photos, youll be surprised.
There is no law against taking photos any where in public (except some areas of london where you need an official press pass) so is not unusual to see people, tourists for example taking photos, you can do it from a distance too so its not too bad and I work in the Birmingham region not the country.

As for internal and shopping centres, again you can take them and there is no law against it, but camera phones make this so much easier and covert not any how it shouldnt be a consideration unless you are drawing undue attention to your self.

jonno1001

nehpets81 wrote: »

OK, I realise this has been touched on a few days ago but I just want to launch into a bit of a moan (sorry in advance)
I have been out of the loop a bit -relying on jobs from Tern, Grass Roots and Frontline Focus as I found the mystery shopping was taking up too much of my time. I am still registered with a lot of companies though and often get emails. I recently got one from Retail Active about a clothes shop and decided to take a look.

I literally couldn't believe it and assumed there must be some sort of mistake but it doesn't seem to be the case. This is a job requiring a purchase and return (ON A DIFFERENT DAY!) for a fee that, without exageration, even if you had no expenses, would not cover minimum wage. Is this really where we are at in this industry? Does the client have any idea how little the shoppers are being paid??

But... this is not all... (see, told you I was going to have a moan!!) I then noticed some station visits, and not to mention the insulting fee, these jobs actually require a photo of the receipt, a photo of the outlet in the station and a photo of the station itself!!! This may be ok in the country but have they not heard of terrorism laws?? Try doing all this in a large city station and there could be serious repercussions.

It seems in the race to the bottom, RE have slipped up and let someone else take control.

It seems RA have attracted a load of desperados who are happy to do their new clothes shop client. We live in a country full of sados who seem happy to prostitute thenselves for a few pennies. Makes RE look generous with their pitful payments, which again get gobbled up as quick as you like.

jen_br

N.I.M wrote: »

Anyone got an email address for an owner / top level director at ESA. I'm absolutely furious with one of the project managers. I had to cancel a job and was a few hours late submitting another due to my wife's grandfather almost collapsing in a car park earlier in the week. I caught him before he fell thankfully. Turns out he has a tumour on his brain which I advised the, admittedly gormless sounding, person on the other end of the phone who assured me there would be no issue with any of this. Today I received a rather rude email saying I shouldn't have picked up work I wasn't going to do on time? !!!!!!? Maybe I should check next time and make sure no one I know is suddenly going to start having seizures?

his name malcom hes the owner... want an email?

serendipity2706

I have two cinema visits which I can do at the same time. One is for *****, the other !!!!!- so same place, same time, similar jobs, can I do them at the same time buying one drink, popcorn one ticket etc? Or is that too cheeky?

teendude

serendipity2706 wrote: »

I have two cinema visits which I can do at the same time. One is for React, the other Lodge- so same place, same time, similar jobs, can I do them at the same time buying one drink, popcorn one ticket etc? Or is that too cheeky?

I thought React was the newer name for Lodge :P

If they want the exact same thing checked I would probably do them separately to be honest... If one was checking cinema service and one was a trailer check I might risk doing them together



And all the clothes shops have gone in my area now.... I think the second wave of them will be the real test. As even if newer shoppers are up for doing lots of them this time they'll work out it is a lot of effort and would be less likely to pick them up the second time?