Maximising income - Mystery Shopping? Surveys? (Part Three)

D4WNO

Mystery shopping is basically posing as a real customer either on the phone or ina store, 99 times out of 100 it's in a store. A company will give you a brief and ask you to stick to this when doing your pretend shop. You then report back on the customer service/store cleanliness etc

wantmorejobs

willowthecat wrote: »

Hi

Anybody else sick to the back teeth of ~RE at the moment? :mad:

I struggled to submit reports all of last week because they decided to implement a website structure without testing it properly first, and every report I submitted last week is being sent back to me because a "large number of questions haven't been answered". I definitely answered them otherwise I wouldn't have been able to submit the report to them in the first place, because there website wouldn't have allowed me!!

This is exactly what happened to me over the weekend with a few pharmacy jobs I did. I definately answered them on both jobs but they sent both both. And this was when they had put my account on probation so it was like a double-whammy. This has finally been taken off, but only after me on the point of harassing them.

It also seems to be the case on failed visits (through closure, or mistake on their part) you have to chase them and constantly ring to make sure they pay you. Don't get me wrong, they do rectify them, but it seems that their ambition to become "automated" with their website is distracting from how they work as a company, with nobody on the end of the phone taking responsibility.

wantmorejobs

Timmne wrote: »

One rule about RE is DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE POINTS!!

I've been told a number of times that they don't monitor them and they're not in use at the minute - they may never will either!

Your right, they dont monitor them, but as in my case with 14 points deducted from an (apparently) late assignment by a week, this came off automatically through their error and automatically put my account into Probationary status, despite me submitted on time. Hence a somewhat heated argument ensued over the phone and it was finally rectified 4 days later, after me missing out on a number of jobs in the process. For someone who does a lot of jobs for them, I find it abismal on their part to treat shoppers like that.

seasprite_2

ashlea170706 wrote: »

could some one just explain to me what mystery shopping is im new on here and am looking for a job to do at home as i have a little boy if you dont think this is ideal for me can anyone suggest anything else i can do i have searched home jobs on google but not sure what sites are telling the truth?thanks alot ashx

If you want to make a bit extra it could work ok for you depending on jobs in your area and how many other shoppers there are. Some companies won't allow you to take children on assignments and others do. I am restricted except at weekends and it is working out ok, but getting peace to fill the reports in is tricky at times!You will need computer access, good written and observation skill, discretion and a digital camera/ camera phone. I have only been doing it a month so I am still finding my feet. I have registered with most companies listed on page 1 of this board and am getting to know who works best for me. Good luck.
:beer:

henmuffin

I have just been on RE and there's lots of jobs going. However the one's I am seeing are so low in price they wouldn't cover my car parking. I thought it was a typo at first but they all seem the same Hardly worth doing it.

leila1

A quick tip for any one who has any report to submit for RE from now until Sunday (when they are planing to do some changes).
If your computer slows down to a crawl while on the questionnaire, save the info, log off and sign on again, and do the next page. You'll find it goes a bit faster in the beginning. I believe that they are working on the problem. As for spelling it is better to rectify it when you see a red line under the word.
It will not accept can't and don't as these should be cannot and do not.

seasprite_2

henmuffin wrote: »

I have just been on RE and there's lots of jobs going. However the one's I am seeing are so low in price they wouldn't cover my car parking. I thought it was a typo at first but they all seem the same Hardly worth doing it.

Just the conclusion I had come to! I have to travel a bit to all my jobs and some sound quite detailed for the low fee. It has just taken me ages to submit a job with them too as I seemed to have to fill loads of comments in.
Also the ones near me often only have 1 days notice. They must know prior to that surely?

leila1

apcorbett wrote: »

and the next silly question - As it is inevitable that will all the allowable expenses, there will be a reasonable loss on the Mystery Shopping, can this be offset against other employment tax liabilities on the tax return, so for example:

Main employment - £39,000
Secondary employment - £1000
Self employment - -£400 (loss)

Thereby keeping you under the 40% tax threshhold?

The question that will be going through the Tax man's little head here is: 'Why would anyone earning 40K spend their spare time in a hard job that is costing them money?" Why O Why?

There is a reminder of the Tax Man's Principals:
1-If you are late to pay, I will fine you. If I am late to refund, tough luck.
2-Unless you are a builder don't try to dodge me as I am the head of dodgers. My greatest achievement was to transform the working family's Tax Credit into the harder working family's Tax Debit.
3-Don't take/Claim what is not yours, because I hate competition.

These were taken from the Tax Man's Guide to (Tax has to be Taxing Manual).
I hope this helps.

jobbingmusician

Advice to RE shoppers.

Complete your questions in Word, cut and paste. If RE muck you about, saying you haven't answered all the questions, email them the whole word document as proof!

Hint: It is normally worth keeping a Word document for standard RE phrases in any case, which can be cut and pasted into their questionnaires. Things like 'not applicable', 'the staff member did not ask this question' and any other things you find you are writing regularly on their reports. I have found that you can speed up your report writing quite a lot with this system!

jtb2412

Well, after submitting my first report for RE, it seems like I've got two chances, Bob Hope and No Hope (as my dad used to say!) I never filled out every comment box (only the ones that went red) and after checking my report several times (because it said I had spelling mistakes - I couldn't find any for love nor money!) I submitted it. So, we'll see what happens ! My first, and probably my last, job for RE !

Wish me luck ! lol