Get paid to shop - £10 a go!

teenage_Drama

whats mystery shopping?

mollyann_2

amd wrote:

Signed up last week and did my first visit at the weekend! Had to go to a store a bit further away - but it should pay for the petrol and we got a nice day out to the seaside to boot! (Of course I had to buy something too....just got the cheapest thing - a wee £1 necklace in the sale - will do for daughter's birthday!

Await my tenner with anticipation.

This sounds great? I'll change my job for a minimum wage one and make sure that I have to travel at least 35 miles to work! Not

This ain't money saving! It's companies that make sad and stupid people do jobs that no-one else will. C'mon smell the coffee!!

beadysam

I have been doing this for a few years now - I wouldn't recommend it!
These days the fees have dropped dramatically compared to how much they used to pay. Even then the pay did not reflect the work that it requires. I still do some jobs but ONLY if they fit in with my life and what I am doing. I may have an appointment in town and book a job so that I can do it during the trip to town rather than making a special journey. If it is something like a cinema visit, I will only book it if there is something I want to see - they only pay expenses, no fee...
If you are prepared for a lot of preparatory reading and memorising of scenarios and questionnaires, awkward situations when you have to ask stupid questions in stores, travelling time and expenses to and from the visit, limited dates/time periods to visit, ages spent taking notes (and keeping a copy), filling out paperwork (and keeping a copy), ages inputting on slow, often unstable websites that crash when you submit after and hour+ of typing (no save features!), then keeping records of all your visits, miles, expenses etc etc, then filling in your self assesment forms at the end of all of this hassle - then go ahead and enjoy! It can be fun but, the downside outweighs the upside. Remember also that companies have favourite shoppers who often get the best jobs first before others get a look in...
SAM x

mollyann_2

Nice to see Beadysam has woke up and smelt it! Coffee that is!

Good on yer, youv'e put some reality on this.

Becles

teenage_Drama wrote:

whats mystery shopping?

It's going into a shop/restaurant/leisure attraction and acting through a scenario set by the stores Head Office, to check the staff are doing what they should be doing, and the store is tidy, items priced correctly etc.

Head Office wants to make sure the customer is getting a good experience in the outlet to encourage repeat business. If anything isn't happening, they can then address the issues through training etc.

It's a competative industry, both with companies and shoppers. Companies move contracts with agencies to get the best deal for them, which is forcing fees down.

Competition between shoppers can be fierce too. I've huffed my neighbour as she wanted me to write down all the agencies I work for so her son could apply. It's taken me years to build up contacts and reputation with companies that I've found through my own research, so I don't see why I should hand the details to her son on a plate, as he might take work off me! I gave him a couple of tips on how to find the companies to apply to, but it's up to him to actually find the work.

£$&*"($£&(

I'm amazed so many people were so keen on the original £10 offer. It might cover your expenses, as long as you take the item back, the store is easily accesible and you don't need to make a special trip twice. It's a great way for the research company to get reports on the very cheap.

Quasar

I think I'll butt in on this one. I have been in market research for years, and mystery shopping is of course part of market research.

I book out interviewers (you know, those who stand on corners and try to buttonhole you) but I also know all about mystery shopping as I've done a fair bit of this in the past, and I have to say you'd have to be very committed, write up reports which can be long, and even be prepared to risk being out of pocket. Some companies take time to pay you, and if you have spent money, say £30 or 40 in a restaurant or whatever, you don't really want them to hang on to your money for 3 or 4 months.

That said, you have to experiment, but don't expect it to be a doddle. Most of my interviewers prefer to stand on corners in the cold, at least they get reasonable money for no layout. And they get their travel expenses, which fewer and fewer mystery shopping companies are now prepared to pay.

Too many people doing it mean that the companies call the shots, which means it's their bottom line they look after...

teenage_Drama

cheers becles

£penny

I was really excited to be accepted as a mystery shopper for Retail Eyes - a company recommended by this web site.
I have completed 3 assignments for them this month - but they are refusing to pay me for 2 of them. One because I didn't get the correct receipt and the other because the photograph of the receipt was unclear - however, my partner could read every word and number written on the receipt from the photograph and I can't re-take the photograph because after photographing and downloading the photo, I was instructed to post it to them - so they actually have the original. I am furious as their feedback forms take ages to fill in - best part of an hour if you do it properly. I have read that other companies forms take a matter of minutes to fill in, but not Retail Eyes. They also never reply to messages and you can't get through to them on the phone. It seems that they are notorious for finding reasons to avoid paying their shoppers - check other websites to see stories of non-payment for a spelling error. Avoid them like the plague!!!

yazzyl

I dont understand it!! Theres one for subway but says fee £4 and rebursement £3 ... what does this mean? They want me to pay £4 and they will pay me £3? as this doesnt make sense and isnt worth while!!