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Karen C
Contributor
USA
89 Posts |
 Posted - 04/21/2008 : 6:58:53 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Nancy T.
The login page is
https://shopper.mintel.com/user_login.php
And it has a spot on the bottom line to go to the application form.
Thanks, Nancy! I found another thread and found the link. I sent in my application and was accepted but they have no shops in Texas. Yet several posters on this thread from Texas mentioned Mintel as a favorite. Maybe next month.
I still like Shop'nChek and Confero, tho I often seem to have a problem submitting my receipts to Confero. Trendsource is great, too, and Beyond Hello, and Bestmark....so far, anyway!
Karen |
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Mary Elizabeth
Valued Contributor
USA
117 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2008 : 11:05:48 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by PamInCa
As for mileage, with the IRS reimbursing almost 50 cents a mile, anyone who is filing taxes will surely realize this is better than a $5.00 gas allowance or $5.00 bonus on a shop, which you would have to claim. A 10 mile trip is $5.00 off the taxes you owe.
The IRS allowance is a deduction, not a credit. Only a portion comes back to us as a tax advantage. I think in most cases, a mileage allowance from the MSP would yield a greater return.
My favorite MSP's are Custumer Perspectives, Informa, Customer Service Experts and CSS.
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LisaOV
Star Contributor
MN
USA
2609 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2008 : 04:51:15 AM
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quote:
I do not leave the house for less than $150 on average. 
Servanne, that's funny - about the $150.00! I try to make at least $96.00 per day. An odd amount I know, but I add my merchandising and the audits that I do for Sunflower Group in there as well. If it looks like I'm not going to make my $96.00 I'll look for a couple more shops or send out an email to the schdulers - or, if I have to, I'll take a coffee shop!
Lisa |
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Edwina
Member
Owings Mills, MD
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2008 : 4:11:56 PM
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Well right now my all time favorite is Advanis. But before I started shopping for them I liked the following companies for the following reasons:
Mintel - easy, straight forward shopping and they paid on time, everytime.
Bestmark - pretty easy shopping, lots of shops to choose from. Always paid on time, easy to get in touch with.
EPMS - lots of shops to choose from, decent pay, but I refuse to shop for them any longer.
Customer Service Experts- lots of shops, really nice schedulers, always paid on time.
Is there a thread for companies we hate!!!
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Edwina
Silver Certified
Happily Shopping in Maryland |
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Servanne
Star Contributor
Silver Lake, MN
USA
2430 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2008 : 8:39:27 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by LisaOV
I try to make at least $96.00 per day.
I always knew you were different... but why $96!?!?! 
The $150 is an average over the week. So for example, yesterday I went out for $110. Today I made over $300 ... Tomorrow, it will be a $50 day!! (well, it's my baby's birthday, so I gotta take it easy!)
Edwina, I agree for Advanis, I also do not shop for Ellis anymore and I LOVE BestMark. Mintel does not have shops around here to my knowledge.
Unless Lisa is taking them all...  |
Servanne
Merrily shopping my way through the Twin Cities, Western Minnesota and beyond...
MSPA Gold Certified since April 2007! |
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LisaOV
Star Contributor
MN
USA
2609 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2008 : 04:46:06 AM
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quote:
I always knew you were different... but why $96!?!?!
No, no I haven't worked for them in a LONG time.
I don't know why I picked $96.00 - That's been my *goal* amount for a long time. Less then $100.00, but close enough maybe.
I LOVE Apartment Shoppers, Service Savvy (spa shops!), Best Mark and of course Second to None. Of course the schedulers make all the difference and these companies tend to have really great people working for them. (inside joke to Servanne: go ahead and say it )
I can't think of a company I won't work for...... |
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Rachel B.
Valued Contributor
USA
198 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2008 : 07:49:15 AM
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I can't think of any companies I refuse to work for. That makes the favorites kind of hard, of course.
I love Second To None, Service Intelligence, Sinclair, and Market Force (SNC and Speedmark mainly). I have found the schedulers at PROS to be exceptional and understanding. I ADORE Mintel and ICC/DS, and I can't wait for Mintel to have more shops in my area.
There are also other companies that I've heard such good things about, I would really like to be able to get work from them where I am. |
Rachel
Silver Certified pw4vpo |
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Frederick_W
Contributor
Allentown, PA
USA
67 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2008 : 6:25:56 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by BethZ
MARITZ They have FANTASTIC people. They are very organized, personable, and they have great follow through. Y u will never work for a better company.
I can't agree with you more! This is a wonderful company! |
Frederick
MSPA Gold Certified
Allentown Pa and Surrounding Areas |
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CarolynV
Star Contributor
Oklahoma
USA
255 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2008 : 8:15:02 PM
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| Can we add favorite schedulers? I (heart) Sally at Kern scheduling.She bends over backwards to help shoppers,and I especially appreciate it right now as it has been slow in my area for several weeks :) |
Carolyn
Gold certified MSPA shopper in Oklahoma
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DeeDee619
Member
VA
USA
12 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2008 : 11:20:09 AM
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Carolyn I would have to agree with you about Sally at Kern. She really does bend over backwards to help you out.
My fav companies are SNC, Bestmark, Intellishop, and Confero. |
DeeDee
Shopping in VA |
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Marjie
Member
USA
29 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2008 : 7:04:30 PM
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| Who/what is Advanis? I don't see it listed on the Volition list of companies? |
Marjie K |
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Servanne
Star Contributor
Silver Lake, MN
USA
2430 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2008 : 04:46:10 AM
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A search with Advanis in the subject line will take you right to their thread.  |
Servanne
Merrily shopping my way through the Twin Cities, Western Minnesota and beyond...
MSPA Gold Certified since April 2007! |
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Cilla
Star Contributor
MD
USA
1415 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2008 : 05:19:36 AM
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My current favorites are Kinesis (because I love their high end bank shops, scheduled through Kern), Informa, ath Power, Ardent, CRG, Second-to-None, Melinda Brody Company and The Shadow Agency (Video shops only for the last two companies.) All of these provide helpful, really useful feedback and do not micromanage their shoppers.
Kern's schedulers are fantastic! 
My former favorite, Video Eyes, has lost some of their best staff and seems to have been digested by Bare. While I respect Bare, it's just not the same for video shoppers.  |
Cilla
MSPA Gold Certified 2005
IMSC Certified 2009 |
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CarolynV
Star Contributor
Oklahoma
USA
255 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2008 : 1:00:41 PM
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| Corprate Risk Solutions is another good one-when they have work in one's area. I like Kinesis, Mintel and SG Marketing a lot. |
Carolyn
Gold certified MSPA shopper in Oklahoma
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Vette
Trainee
Georgia
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - 06/11/2008 : 11:30:16 PM
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| Second To None,GfK and Jancyn have consistently been on the top of my list. The the schedulers are great, the shops are clearly described and the websites are stable.But best of all... on time payment! |
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ValricoConnie
Star Contributor
FL
USA
1055 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2008 : 11:46:59 AM
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| My favorites are (not in order): BestMark (great scheduler & editors), Market Force (good variety of shops and great instructions), Second to None (can't live without caffeine), Ann Michael (fantastic editors!), Shopper's Critique (good shops), A Closer Look (really fabulous editors) and Service Intelligence (good communication and easy forms). |
>^..^< ::¤Connie¤::¤Gold Certified¤:: >^..^< |
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Heather C.
Valued Contributor
Montreal
Canada
196 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2008 : 07:59:11 AM
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My new favorite company is International Service Check. I did shops for them two weeks ago and I received my payment yesterday through Paypal  |
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Kathy69
Contributor
AZ
USA
61 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2008 : 01:24:43 AM
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Corporate Research international gave me my start and will always be my favorite. Shop'n Chek , Service Intelleigence, and Jancyn.
Can somebody please give me a heads up on names of other self-assign companies ?
Any help would be awesome. |
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Servanne
Star Contributor
Silver Lake, MN
USA
2430 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2008 : 06:08:21 AM
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Check out volition's daily checklist. Lots of self-assign companies there.
http://www.volition.com/mystery/MSDaily.html |
Servanne
Merrily shopping my way through the Twin Cities, Western Minnesota and beyond...
MSPA Gold Certified since April 2007! |
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DDAlkoby411
Member
Philadelphia, PA
USA
12 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2008 : 09:31:18 AM
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Hi, here's my ! My favorites are About Face, Jancyn,
A-Closer-Look, CRG, Beyond Hello & Service Sleuth. I've never had any problems with payments and they schedulers are FANTASTIC! Nationwide (NSG) was great until they started sending endless e-mails daily for "alcohol compliance" shops. They didn't mention the type of shop in the subject. I found myself opening & reading 5-12 e-mails daily only to find I couldn't take the shop. Fortunately, they have now indicated "alcohol compliance" in the subject and I can just delete. I also loved working with Secret Shopper until recently. They lost the restaurant shop that I did regularly for them (one of the many chains that have closed). Sorry to get off the subject, but can anyone help me locate some msc's doing spa shops? I'm still searching and I haven't seen any posted since last year. Thanks again to Lisa, Cilla and PamBam for their replies to my post. |
Denise |
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Topic |
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Which Mystery Shopping Companies do you shop for and Why? (Favorite company)