If you are what stores do you do this for, and what do you get for it?
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Is anyone here a mystery shopper?
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 redkramer77 |
Is anyone here a mystery shopper? |
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Posts: 2178 (06/27/08 9:48 PM) Registered User |
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NatalieCunialLulz |
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Posts: 2026 (06/27/08 9:55 PM) |
no, but i AM a mannequin who gets to come to life for one month out of the year in order to experience human existence
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superguppie |
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Posts: 23332 (06/27/08 9:55 PM) Registered user |
No, I am a mystery shoplifter.
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Crepuscular |
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Posts: 391 (06/27/08 9:58 PM) Registered user |
My first year of college, a survey company was recruiting young college students to shop the electronics departments of major chain stores Wal-Mart, Best Buy,
and Staples. You had to have some knowledge of DVDs, computer software, and CDs to be eligible. I signed up and was accepted for a single purchase, extendable
(is that a word?) if you gave satisfactory results and wrote a good opinion. My options were eventually expanded to six purchases, the limit per person at that
time. I got to do all kinds of fun things such as buy a DVD and ask what the difference in fullscreen and widescreen were. True to popular belief, I got to
keep everything I bought, although there were two stipulations: 1. Things I bought were usually old, unwanted stuff that wouldn't sell well anyway, or that
seemed to be in surplus in the store. (I believe the stores themselves must have had some role in choosing for this reason. For example, one time I had to buy
a VCR. This was only a couple of years ago. Another good example is I had to buy Secondhand Lions on DVD. Yeah, Secondhand Lions). 2. I had to claim all my
free shit on my taxes. Which I didn't do and didn't get in trouble for.
Pay was $40.00 an hour. I worked a total of sixteen hours, I think, over six excursions. Not bad, plus it was a novel experience. |
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Crepuscular |
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Posts: 392 (06/27/08 10:00 PM) Registered user |
And the reason I didn't claim it on my taxes is because I didn't want any of that old shit, anyway. I'm not going to pay hard-earned money for Dora
the Explorer's Spanish Adventure for Windows XP. I sold the VCR on Ebay for less than $15.00.
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aaronin08 |
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Posts: 465 (06/27/08 10:47 PM) |
I've done Mystery Shopping for Cineplex/Famous Players. The stupid idiots didn't even realize I used to work for them.
It was $50 to join, but I got well more than that in return, Movie Passes, Movie Money.. ect.. They ask you to do certain things and report back, for my old theater I always gave them 100%, the rival theater I usually gave them a few deficiencies 
even though they did a better job than my old work.
And for those who don't think it matters. It does. My boss missed out on a huge bonus because the shops were soooo bad. |
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Tres Gay |
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Posts: 3523 (06/27/08 11:19 PM) Registered user |
I do this from time to time, although I think I pissed ff the largest company I worked for so I need to find another one.
It isn't too hard, except for the ones where you have to record the prices of items - those aren't exactly mystery shops because you announce yourself. You usually get those assignments from mystery shopping companies though. I've made between $7.50 and $36.00 per shop. I used to do a lot of fast food places because the jobs are easy and plentiful ... and the remote areas pay pretty high. At fast food places you normally order a specific meal in the walk in area, spend 15 minutes there, check out the restroom, and leave. When you leave you get in your car and go through the drive through and order a specific meal. You have to record how long it takes them to take your order and stuff. I just carry a digital voice recorder and go back to capture the times. You get reimbursed for both meals and then get paid for the shop. Usually between $5 and $10. I've also done a bit of retail where you go and buy something and record times and names. Usually you get reimbursed for the purchase (up to a dollar limit) and get paid for the shop. Some shops at high end retail and nice restaurants just pay reimbursement of your meal/item. No shop pay, but still a free meal. Check out Shopnchek.com. They pay fast. They are also the company that I pissed off. Oh well. Do a google search for Stay at Home Mom boards, those ladies know the ins and outs of flexible commission jobs like this. |
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Screerider |
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Posts: 21999 (06/27/08 11:28 PM) Registered user |
This mystery is history.
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shiza h minelli |
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Posts: 1172 (06/27/08 11:37 PM) |
I was a server for a restaurant chain a few years ago. I signed my husband up as a mystery shopper and would mystery shop myself while cashing in the gift
cards. It was great!
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 jgabler |
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Posts: 3170 (06/28/08 12:07 AM) Registered User |
2. I had to claim all my free shit on my taxes. Which I didn't do and didn't get in trouble for. That's what you think! You've been reported to the IRS, just now, by me. |
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hatebrigade |
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Posts: 2475 (06/28/08 12:10 AM) Registered user |
I don't like this whole mystery shopper thing. Last time we got dinged for sending a customer over to our other location (around the corner in the same
mall) when what she wanted was out of stock. Said we should have "suggested something else."
Would you rather walk 30 feet and get exactly what you want or have some pushy salesperson try and sell you something that you may not need? |
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Blondzilla5150 |
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Posts: 1023 (06/28/08 12:19 AM)
A Danger to Myself & Others
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If I told you, I wouldn't be a "mystery shopper" anymore, duh!
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Lamont and Ray |
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Posts: 3441 (06/28/08 1:24 AM) AI Forum Moderator |
I'm signed up with a company that does this, but I'm at a level above mystery shopper because I completed all kinds of certifications and such. I did
not pay to join, but was actually invited by a company I had previously done business with. Well, they gave my name to the company...who then invited me.
It's actually a fairly okay service, and most of the assignments are actually fairly upscale. My last assignment was to have lunch at a restaurant in
Beverly Hills atop a rather famous department store... and I just hated it. I was so out of place there, but it was a fun experience. The company gives you
very specific scenarios to follow because their clients are looking for compliance on certain things. Sometimes they ask you to be overly inquisitive about
things, other times they want you to ask to be left alone and test how they treat you. It's fun at times, but some of the companies require a lot of
details that might be hard to remember without givng yourself away.
My favorite so far, though, was getting to test drive a sports car. I had to be creative though because nobody would believe that I would want to by the cars they had. I had to tell them I was looking for a possible gift for my husband. They bought it. I don't do too many of these assignments, only when they're in an area where I will already be and I know I can take the time. I'm all for earning an extra few bucks here and there. |
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HairFreeSince2003 |
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Posts: 83 (06/28/08 1:33 AM) |
Crepuscular wrote: I worked in retail for a few years, and dealt with 3 or 4 mystery shoppers. Maybe it was the company I worked for, but they ALWAYS returned the item they bought. How the employee handled the return was part of the report they completed and sent to corporate. |
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Merely |
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Posts: 4106 (06/28/08 1:47 AM) Registered User |
HOW do you apply for this wonderful job?!?!
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Apprentice Talker |
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Posts: 5403 (06/28/08 2:07 AM) WRP Official Spokesperson |
Merely, why don't ya change your avatar? Brooke White was the best until top 6 in AI7.
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shadowdiana |
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Posts: 3666 (06/28/08 2:49 AM) MESS member |
I have done a lot of "Mystery Shopping" in the last couple of years.
It's interesting in that it gives you insight into what the company you are shopping for expects. Who knew that McD's REQUIRES a napkin be included for every one item ordered. Of course, I threw the food away |
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pseudopoganandra |
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Posts: 12771 (06/28/08 3:09 AM) Registered user |
Mystery shoppers should all die horrible deaths.
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shadowdiana |
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Posts: 3668 (06/28/08 3:17 AM) MESS member |
OoooooooooO!
You must have worked at McDonald's and been burned by a shopper! Get your act together and maybe you will be safe next time! |
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pseudopoganandra |
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Posts: 12772 (06/28/08 3:27 AM) Registered user |
DIE!
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jane1958 |
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Posts: 2105 (06/28/08 3:47 AM) Registered user |
I did it for a bit, they paid by the job depending on the company, and the jobs are as needed. Not a great way to have dependable income, and some surveys
require you shop the store at ceratin times on certain days, and fill out tons of paperwork
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- Survivor Sucks
- Lions, Tigers, Survivors - Oh My!
- Survivor Spoilers
- MESS Hall Tribal Council
- FOB
- Survivor Speculation
- Survivor 18+
- MESS Hall Archive: S2-S6
- MESS Hall Archive: S7-S9
- Spoiler Attic
- The Amazing Race
- Big Brother
- Big Brother - PAST SEASONS
- The Apprentice
- American Idol
- American Idol PAST SEASONS
- The Mole
- Lost
- Other Shows That Suck
- Off Topic
- Clubs That Suck. No, Really.
- The Dump
- Monster Island
- Purgatory
- FAQ
- In Memory, 9/11/01
