Ivan -

You allude to the "benefits" of this badge. What are said benefits?

I've been using iSS for well over two years. I am under the impression that my age, ID and more have been pretty thoroughly "verified" by the companies on this site. What will I miss out on if I don't do this?

Hi MFJohnston,

Since a lot of MSPs are already using the "Demographic requirements" system - making their shops only visible and available to shoppers that meet certain demographic requirements (in most cases it's the Age requirement for Compliance shops, but it can be any number of requirements, from passed certifications, to having a certain level of a certain badge, etc) - this will initially be used as an extension to that - they will set some of their shops to have a requirement "Age & ID Verified", so only shoppers with that badge will have access to them. It will at first most likely be shops that require absolute integrity (I'll list a few examples below) and later on I assume it will expand to more and more shops, as MSPs are trying to guarantee to their clients the highest stands of security and validity.

Here's which types of shops you can first expect to start having this requirement:

-Alcohol and/or Tobacco ID projects, where the shoppers need to be within a certain age range.

-Casinos, lotteries, bars, breweries, banks, brokerage houses or other financial institutions.

-Apartment shops, where liability and employee safety are powerful concerns.

-Shops that may require retirees (or other specific demographics) to complete.

-Medical/dental space shops,

-Luxury automobile projects,

-High-profile corporate evaluations

-Shops that offer generous fee and/or reimbursement packages, like hotels, spas, cruises, amusement parks

In essence, any shops where the integrity of the data is absolutely critical to the MSP's clients are the ones that will start implementing this requirement first. The iSecretShop system itself is already highly secure, and relies on responsible, reliable shoppers to provide clients with accurate data - this just adds another layer to that, taking it to the next level.

Cheers!

So... Are you saying that I will no longer be able to do some of the shops I perform now (i.e. casinos, banks, apartments) if I don't pay for this service?

Please excuse my skepticism, but I have already provided my Social Security Number, and Driver's License to every MSC on iSS. I am well-established as a shopper here and am less-than-thrilled that I am being asked to pay for a service (even if it is only a measly $10) in order to continue to do the work that I have been doing for a couple of years.

Ivan,

I went thru the process and the system came back that I could not be verified? Why? Also, can I try again or is there another method for completing this requirement. Someone suggested that I load a picture of my DL which I did. Thanks.

MFJohnston - the "Age and ID Verification" feature is entirely optional, and there will of course always be shops (a majority I assume) in the foreseeable future that do not have this requirement. I'm not sure how many clients have already begun utilizing this feature, but it's safe to assume that you will still be able to do the shops that you did - especially if you have a long-standing tradition of completing them reliably, and a reputation as a reliable shopper with the MSPs that post them.

Keep in mind that this will not be used by all clients/MSPs as a necessary requirement, some will choose to use it as a preference - many shops will not require you to be Age & ID Verified, but the schedulers may still prefer to give these shops to shoppers that are Age & ID Verified, over those that aren't.

In the hypothetical case that some of the shops which you used to complete get updated to have this as a scheduling requirement, and you are not Age & ID Verified, you wouldn't be seeing them on the Available Shops page anymore, but the schedulers still technically have the ability to assign them to you manually, so you'd have to rely on regular communication with them.

Norm - The Age & Identity verification process is a one-time check, and if you weren't automatically verified, your profile was then manually reviewed. If Verification is possible, you get verified manually, and if not (if there are too many mismatches), nothing bad happens - as a courtesy, iSS has so far refunded shoppers that don't get verified. I would suggest opening a support ticket to iSecretShop to inquire about the specific circumstances of your case.

Cheers!

I have just started secret shopping. I am amazed at how little money is made. Especially, if you factor in travel time. I have been enjoying though. But if I pay to do it, I will be losing money! I am shocked that there is a charge!!

Susan -

Money can be made mystery shopping....I pull in over $2K each month while working full time in my profession. I have done over $2K in a week when I am off work. However, it takes time to make connections, etc.

Wow! I'm impressed! :)

susan_15329783073768 @ Sep 10, 2018 5:54:58 PM

I have just started secret shopping. I am amazed at how little money is made. Especially, if you factor in travel time. I have been enjoying though. But if I pay to do it, I will be losing money! I am shocked that there is a charge!!

Is there a way you can "double up",that is,so to 2 shops in the same mall or something?

susan_15329783073768 @ Sep 10, 2018 5:54:58 PM

I have just started secret shopping. I am amazed at how little money is made. Especially, if you factor in travel time. I have been enjoying though. But if I pay to do it, I will be losing money! I am shocked that there is a charge!!

I like when you get reimbursed for food in addition to the shop.

MFJohnston @ Aug 25, 2018 2:42:36 PM

So... Are you saying that I will no longer be able to do some of the shops I perform now (i.e. casinos, banks, apartments) if I don't pay for this service?

Please excuse my skepticism, but I have already provided my Social Security Number, and Driver's License to every MSC on iSS. I am well-established as a shopper here and am less-than-thrilled that I am being asked to pay for a service (even if it is only a measly $10) in order to continue to do the work that I have been doing for a couple of years.

it does seem like your official state I.D. should be sufficient.

MFJohnston @ Aug 22, 2018 3:41:23 PM

Ivan -

You allude to the "benefits" of this badge. What are said benefits?

I've been using iSS for well over two years. I am under the impression that my age, ID and more have been pretty thoroughly "verified" by the companies on this site. What will I miss out on if I don't do this? Thinking "Wow!Someone really can't tell I'm over 18 just by looking??" LOL

The new age and identity verification system might apply. It's up to the MSP's to decide if they want to add that requirement to their shopper criteria. So, it will be included in the shop instructions before you accept it. Newer shoppers will probably be the most affected by this new system. Seasoned veteran shoppers who have shopped with certain MSPs for a long time have already established a shopper relationship, so they shouldn't be affected as much. This is only speculation though. So take it for what it's meant to be on this forum: information. Thanks for reading