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Mystery Shopper > Mystery Shopping
Stories > Hop Around Town
Hop Your Way around Town Mystery Shopping
For those of you who do some mystery shopping, you
know that it is becoming increasingly difficult to be profitable with
the rise in gas prices. Many of the mystery shopping companies have not
raised their commission rates to compensate for the prices at the pumps
so what can you do to make sure that your work covers the additional
costs? You can hop your way around from shop to shop, here is how I do
it.
Before I go out for a day of secret shopping I print up a map from
Google maps and mark all of the places that I need to go. I then map my
way around town to make sure that my day goes smoothly. This all sounds
easy enough, but there are some additional things that you would need
to keep in mind.
Mystery shopping is not only about rating stores for what they do, it
is also about shopping in general. You may have to make sure how the
people that work at these stores act and react when you are shopping
there but you will also be purchasing items, many of which may be
perishable. Depending on the part of the world that you live, you may
not be able to keep some of these items in the car for a long period of
time. For example, I live in the southern united states and it gets
very hot here in the summer. I could not take a job at a local grocery
store and then expect the food that I bought to stay fresh while I went
into a movie shop. For this reason it may be necessary to plan several
loops during your day to make sure that you can drop off any
perishables at your home.
Another thing to keep in mind is the gas prices in general. I always
plan some gas station jobs, when they are available, in order to pay
for the gas that I use when I am out mystery shopping. This can pose a
problem as many of the gas station shops only allow you to pump $7 to
$10 worth of gas. A couple of years ago this would have lasted you all
day but not it would only get you a few gallons at best. You many need
to plan 2 gas station jobs during your daily route to make sure that
your gas expenses are covered. These jobs tend to give you a few
dollars and pay for a snack, so they are a welcome stop during the day.
If you take your time and make sure that you have your route well
planed, you can certainly make the most of your mystery shopping day.
You will also be able to cover any of your expenses and keep
unnecessary stops and trips home to a minimum. I have been successfully
doing this for years and I know it works. You may not get rich, but the
money and items that you acquire can free your up in many ways.
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