What advice would you give someone who is just starting Mystery Shopping?

[skint]

Do you have any advice as to what companies to sign up to. I quite often visit cities and the idea of making a bit of money at the same time definitely appeals.

 

[Andrew]

Do you have any advice as to what companies to sign up to. I quite often visit cities and the idea of making a bit of money at the same time definitely appeals.

There’s a thread on the green site forums (the green site) that has a list of most of the companies you can sign up to. There’s also a uk mystery shoppers Facebook group.

 

[skint]

Thanks Andrew

 

[Sirhct]

I'd recommend the Facebook group, has a comprehensive and up to date database and a lot of helpful users. Also a lot of Mystery Shopping recruiters post on there which can be handy.

 

[Sirhct]

Oh another tip, once you do a couple of good visits for a company, watch out for visits nearing the end of their date cycle and don't be afraid to haggle over fee!

There are a lot visits that I *never* do at standard fee as they're not worth it but occasionally can blag a lot more out of a desperate recruiter. There's a clothes shop I'm doing this weekend where I'm getting triple the normal fee and it suddenly becomes worthwhile.

 

[skint]

Oh another tip, once you do a couple of good visits for a company, watch out for visits nearing the end of their date cycle and don't be afraid to haggle over fee!

There are a lot visits that I *never* do at standard fee as they're not worth it but occasionally can blag a lot more out of a desperate recruiter. There's a clothes shop I'm doing this weekend where I'm getting triple the normal fee and it suddenly becomes worthwhile.

I didn't haggle but I've just done a job that was left over from last week for double the fee they offered last week.

 

[mum2one]

Always read the report through at least twice, you tend to skim read 1st time, then take 2nd time for detail

Check times / dates to make sure you have them right

Take photos, make sure you do it discreetly

Take id with you as well as paperwork relating to the mystery shop...

When my daughter was little I use to mystery shop... had some good ones as well as dodgy ones..

I was mystery shopping a electronic retailer, over a year I had been about 4 times, asking expensive products not buying....

One day this guy comes across (I use to work with him)... he came to have a quiet word as a friend... my photo was on the staff room wall as a suspected shop lifter....

Assessing pharmacy.... the brief was 1 of 3 - could choose, needed to see a pharmacist... the pharmacist came out, I did my work... asking for malaria tablets for Gambia... I was told about £70 each.... I had to object... said that’s expensive... which the reply was
If you can afford to go to Gambia then you can afford your malaria tablets...

Pub meal... had my dad as plus one, sat down surveying the pub, this massive row broke out, with a woman our side of the bar with a barman... went on for about 10 mins....awaiting the landlady to come and sort it out.....
next min the woman goes behind the bar still shouting.... it was only the landlady..

We were asked to go back a week later... for another m-shop

 

[Torialou]

I never seem to get anything with the couple I signed too a few years back, I am in York and everything comes for Leeds. Is there a list anywhere to look through?

 

[Jon]

I never seem to get anything with the couple I signed too a few years back, I am in York and everything comes for Leeds. Is there a list anywhere to look through?

Not even on Market Force?

Would have thought they have loads of jobs in York!

 

[Torialou]

Not even on Market Force?

Would have thought they have loads of jobs in York!

I am not sure which ones I joined now, and a couple others via email and there's never anything York on the emails. I will see if I am registered on that one thanks. I would do Leeds but by the time paid taxi and train I would have spent more lol.

 

[Jon]

I am not sure which ones I joined now, and a couple others via email and there's never anything York on the emails. I will see if I am registered on that one thanks. I would do Leeds but by the time paid taxi and train I would have spent more lol.

aye, take a look at Market Force!

 

[mum2one]

Is gap buster still up and running ?

 

[Andrew]

Is gap buster still up and running ?

They are, although they take ages to pay. They're known as GBW now.

 

[mum2one]

They are, although they take ages to pay. They're known as GBW now.

Cheers....in our area they were the cheapie jobs like McDonald’s x

 

[Andrew]

Cheers....in our area they were the cheapie jobs like McDonald’s x

They've lost the McDonald's contract. A shame because I used to like watching the fees go up and then grab them when they were desperate to get them done.

 

[MrsWebster147]

I hadn't done mystery shopping for years but was determined to give it another go this year. Completed a successful one today and can't wait to do more. It really helped to study the brief and jot down the important parts on my phone's notepad. I inspected the loos on the way out which gave me a chance to double check on my phone that I had all the info I needed before leaving.