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

blindman

Geeves1980 wrote: »

So when you select the job off the board is it not definitely yours? Does it let lots of people request and then choose out of the pile of names who will actually get it? There are a few long haul flights showing as available, I assumed (maybe naively) that once a person selected it, it was removed from job board and that person definitely had it?

Also what happens if once you've selected the job you are unable to book a flight for the specified day? (This is a case for some of the jobs for April. I noticed whilst being nosey about how much the flight would initially be). Will the MS company permit you to book the first available day, closest to the set date, if you contact them first?

Sorry for all the questions but I like to know what I'm letting myself in for before I commit and possibly come unstuck!

No and No.

This is how it works:
1).You select a job or jobs (pick 'em all of you want :eek:)

2). The project manager then trawls through the (100's) of applicants and then chooses (no idea of what criteria) one applicant. This can takes days....so don't be surprised if you don't hear for a while.
(Also you do not get told if you are unsuccessful)

3) She then emails you the details of the flight and any limitations of dates or times. There is usually some flexibility as the only criteria is that 2 mystery shoppers cannot be on the same flight. (If you look at the list there are some duplicates flights)

4) YOU then book the ticket and email her the confirmation details.

5) She then allocates the job to you (within hours) and it is yours!

6) Theory is that this job is then removed from the board, but in practice this varies and often the full list is still there at the end of the project.

blindman

Geeves1980

You have a PM:cool:

leila1

ahai1 wrote: »

One of the other things I like is that you can have discussion on a wide range of issues and you don't have to become nasty.

I must be missing some pages in this forum (or the last few episodes of coronation street!) I would ask if someone can let me know what this is about but that would be dwelling on it!

Geeves1980

blindman wrote: »

No and No.

This is how it works:
1).You select a job or jobs (pick 'em all of you want :eek:)

2). The project manager then trawls through the (100's) of applicants and then chooses (no idea of what criteria) one applicant. This can takes days....so don't be surprised if you don't hear for a while.
(Also you do not get told if you are unsuccessful)

3) She then emails you the details of the flight and any limitations of dates or times. There is usually some flexibility as the only criteria is that 2 mystery shoppers cannot be on the same flight. (If you look at the list there are some duplicates flights)

4) YOU then book the ticket and email her the confirmation details.

5) She then allocates the job to you (within hours) and it is yours!

6) Theory is that this job is then removed from the board, but in practice this varies and often the full list is still there at the end of the project.

Ahh I see!

I've only done two jobs for this MS before and both of them were allocated to me so quickly I never really noticed. I've just checked my schedule and can see what you mean as have one I requested earlier is showing as pending!

That's useful to know for the future if I do decide to request one of them, thanks.

blindman

Geeves1980 wrote: »

Ahh I see!

I've only done two jobs for this MS before and both of them were allocated to me so quickly I never really noticed. I've just checked my schedule and can see what you mean as have one I requested earlier is showing as pending!

That's useful to know for the future if I do decide to request one of them, thanks.

To summarise:
Pro
Free business class flight to a long haul destination

Con
No Fee
May actually cost you money (£10-£20) due to exchange rate.
Expenses just about cover journey to\from airport
Takes a while to get allocated. Do not hear if you are unsuccessful.
Low chance of getting any of the jobs especially the good ones!

Geeves1980

Well, ever the optimist that I am, the pro's definitely outweigh the cons for me here!!

If I'm ever lucky enough to get one, my friend is always up for a cheeky jaunt away somewhere nice!

Anyway off for lunch now with above mentioned pal.

Cheers for info.

Yorkielass

I've been MS for about 18 months only doing TNS and a bit of GFK - all PAYE stuff as I was a bit afraid of all the tax stuff. Anyway TNS going Self employed have spurred me on to think I'll give it a go - as I'd miss doing it and the extra money too. The first post in the thread helped a lot too. If I'm going to go self employed it's probably worth trying to do some work for another company too - does anyone have any suggestions for a company I could apply to next or are they all much of a muchness?

nighty29

Yorkielass wrote: »

If I'm going to go self employed it's probably worth trying to do some work for another company too - does anyone have any suggestions for a company I could apply to next or are they all much of a muchness?

Here we go again :rotfl:

leila1

Yorkielass wrote: »

- does anyone have any suggestions for a company I could apply to next or are they all much of a muchness?

It depends, if you just want to supplement your income then the companies mentioned in the first page should be enough. If you want to do this full time then I would suggest having quite a few on your list. Start with the ones on page one and work your way. I found that to make this work worth your while you have to have a minimum of three visit near each other. To do this you have to be with several companies.
There is a longer list here if you want to apply for more:
http://www.floodle.net/extra/ebayinfo/mystery.html

josie

leila1 wrote: »

It depends, if you just want to supplement your income then the companies mentioned in the first page should be enough. If you want to do this full time then I would suggest having quite a few on your list. Start with the ones on page one and work your way. I found that to make this work worth your while you have to have a minimum of three visit near each other. To do this you have to be with several companies.
There is a longer list here if you want to apply for more:
http://www.floodle.net/extra/ebayinfo/mystery.html

Wow! That's some list on there - I never knew there were so many, but then if you think of all the chains of companies out there and most of them presumably mystery shop their sites, there'd have to be a lot more companies doing this.

Any on there that people would recommend over and above the people who are on post 1? Just personally, I'm thinking of restaurants (fed up of pizzas!)