This is post two in a multipart series reviewing proven sources of alternative and part time flexible income. Miss the first post? View our goals for this guide and our first reviewed income source ICCDS
The second secret shopping company we will be reviewing is Corporate Research International (CRI) found at www.mysteryshops.com.
Spilling Bucket’s Review of Corporate Research International (CRI):
We have been performing shops with CRI for about three months and can say they are a valid quality company, definitely worth looking into if you are interested in mystery shopping for extra cash and free stuff. The amount and variety of jobs in our area is very impressive and most jobs are relatively quick and simple to complete. Commissions may be a little on the low side depending if you have other shoppers in your area willing to accept jobs way ahead of the due dates (read about this below). Payments are very fast, typically taking a week and can be sent via Paypal (minus a small fee) or direct deposit.
Pros:
- Selection and availability of shops
- Quick payments via Paypal
- Shopping cart job selection interface
Cons:
- Shop commissions increase as due date nears
- Do you risk loosing the job to another shopper and wait to accept trying for more money?
- Most jobs start with low commissions
100% SB APPROVED INCOME STREAM
[We have received payment via Paypal for completing mystery shops, including earnings and product reimbursement.]
Click here to see our full spreadsheet
Danger Zone: The same mystery shopping danger zone applies here as well. After signing up be sure to only accept those shops close to home, and if possible group multiple shops together or time them to occur during your normal errand trips. It’s tempting to sign up for every shop offered and before you know it you are traveling too far out of your way to make the payments worthwhile. Stay close to home to maximize profits.
DETAILED REVIEW:
FREE
(never pay for a mystery shopping or online survey site. Spam is delicious but something to probably avoid if you can)
We are able to complete 5-10 shops per month. CRI has by far the most shops available in our area, usually displaying a list of about 20 to 30 within a 20 mile radius. Although most are off our normal routes, the selection is very favorable.
Shopper Interface / Assignment Signup Process:(5)
The CRI shopper website is pretty impressive. Searching for shops in our area is very simple, and the information detail sections for each shop listing are clear and easy to understand. If we find a shop we are interested in it can be added our job “shopping cart” and upon checkout we choose which dates (within their schedule) we are able to complete the assignment. Occasionally we receive email messages alerting us to new jobs or increased job commissions, however it’s best to simply check the site on a regular basis.
Ease of payment:(5)
Very Easy: Payment can be made via PayPal or directly deposit and is typically completed within 7-10 days of entering the shop survey. Direct deposit is recommended to avoid a small transaction free that is imposed by Paypal.
PayPal Payment Fee Notice (from CRI) Due to the transaction fees imposed by PayPal, Corporate Research International will be deducting the fee from your payment to cover the costs. The fee is 3% or a maximum of $1.50.
They also have a very straightforward payment pending and payment history view that makes keeping track simple.
Amount Paid:(3)
Payment can range between $4-$20 in addition to a small purchase reimbursement. The key we found with CRI (and most mystery shopping sites) is to complete the job as fast as you can while still following all requirements in the shop. It sounds like common sense, but it is easy to spend extra time doing additional store browsing or detouring unnecessarily to nearby stores, etc. Several types of shops may only pay in the form of product reimbursement so unless you need something from the location, it may not be worth your time.
Shop commissions also increase as the deadline for completing the shop approaches. If you have several shoppers in your area, it becomes a game to see who will take the shop for the lowest bid. This is one feature I don’t really like about CRI.
Speed of Payment:(4)
We have received payments electronically by direct deposit within 7-10 days of completing the evaluations.
Ease of Reporting:(4)
Some job assignment types are more involved than others and may require different lengths of evaluation questionnaires. Some may also require photographs of the store exterior and interior, pizza crust thickness, bathrooms, it all depends. All assignments details are spelled out in the shop listings and you can be the judge on the estimated time required versus the payment and reimbursement involved. Often the questions about your experience are very detailed, but you quickly learn to mentally scan the stores and employees for the things that are relevant to your report, making things much easier.
Time Commitment/Personal Involvement:(4)
Most shops takes between 15 and 30 minutes with more involved (and higher paying) shops taking up to an hour. The key again here is to combine these shops with errands you normally need to complete each week, group multiple mystery shops together, or select those that warrant a special trip.
Recommendation:
Very Good. Some shops are more fun than others and all require a little planning to make them as profitable as possible. The speed and method of payment as well as the quality of the site are big pluses
Related Posts:
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
he he…i love your "buckets" rating system
Pleasant to the eyes!
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Sara
http://pianonotes.info