Mystery shopping thread 26 *please read the op first**please no client names or fees

missymouse

Who would do it for no fee, not I. Will you?

I looked longingly at one yesterday.

Chomeur

missymouse wrote: »

Who would do it for no fee, not I. Will you?

No, maybe not. I signed up for HGEM on the basis of their statement:

"Mystery Guests are volunteers offering their time to complete a detailed report of a restaurant, hotel or pub experience"

but there are no restaurants or hotels listed, and very few pubs.

CAPTAINBLONDECHICK

Are SM/Quest payments due in the bank today? Not done anything for them for a while and had thought it was due in on 15th of the month, but maybe I'm wrong. Due quite a bit reimbursed so could be doing with it for Christmas shopping this weekend! Thanks :beer:

Tolteca87

I don't work at a loss - especially if I have to travel, because travelling costs money. I don't eat unless I am paid to and if the fee gets ridiconculously pathetic I don't even eat then. The only things I will contemplate reimburement only if the reimb is full, a good size and is for something I want or can use as a gift to save me money.
If I lay out cash I want to earn cash+.
Doing anything else costs cash.
And it all adds up.

Doc_N

Chomeur wrote: »

No, maybe not. I signed up for HGEM on the basis of their statement:

"Mystery Guests are volunteers offering their time to complete a detailed report of a restaurant, hotel or pub experience"

but there are no restaurants or hotels listed, and very few pubs.

HGEM (specific thread here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5681986) has changed dramatically from its former Mystery Dining days.

The policy now is to recruit vast numbers of diners (that's something of a misnomer in itself) and pay as little as they can get away with. Very few restaurants, and nearly all fast food. The reports take a long time to complete for a very small reimbursement. In reality it works out at considerably less than minimum wage, but people still do it - and the odd thing is that there's a strange 'gratitude' towards HGEM for allowing them their free sandwiches in return for more than an hour's work.

Diners are treated in a condescending way by some of the people who check the reports. They have an oddly superior attitude, given that some of them seem to struggle to grasp the nuances of the English language. And they certainly don't like adverse comments - any hint of disagreement and you'll be very firmly stamped on.

vegasvisitor

removed - out of date.

Macadamia

Doc_N wrote: »

'Mystery Diner' became something of a misnomer when it became more to do with snacking that dining, but I suppose HGEM sounds rather better than 'Mystery Snacker'!

Just had a little catch up - I rarely visit these days - and 'Mystery Snacker' made me laugh.

'The company that doesn't like to be mentioned' has a new moniker for 2018.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, zen 2018.

Macadamia

Big_Graeme wrote: »

Apologies for the lateness, and the seeming randomness of this. I had totally forgotten I was meant to post on here back in April to inform people, I only remembered when I was clearing through emails and spotted a PM email.

Sadly my lovely husband, Graeme, died from cancer in April, hence his disappearance from your thread.

He was terminally ill, but his death was very sudden & unexpected when it hit.

Sorry to those who've asked him questions since then that have gone unanswered. It completely slipped my mind.

Julie

BG was generous in sharing his experience, knowledge, advice and opinions. I valued his sometimes pithy but helpful contributions.

Julie - if you come back this way - he continues to be missed here too. My sincere condolences.

missymouse

I looked through my old MF paperwork. There used to be more companies to visit but now it is very limited.

[Deleted User]

Oh so true, especially in my area.