IIf I got paid for using Caltrain I would probably take shops further away

I remember about 10 years ago when they used to pay mileage for all mystery visits so if you did 5 visits for 5 different companies in 1 city, you would get 5 x travel expenses! It's not a done thing anymore.

Fees and reimbursements are always going down and mileage is only ever paid when they get really desperate, i.e. last few days of the month when they really want all the visits completed. At this point, you can really "hammer" them. Ask for big bonuses, you have nothing to lose.

I've been abroad from the UK for a few mystery visits where the mystery shopping company has either paid for the airfare and / or the hotel. Fun times :-)

It is kind of a crap shoot with asking for bonuses. I asked for a PAD bonus of $5 on one shop and they declined it but on another shop they accepted a $20 PAD bonus. All you can do is ask and if they say no, then so be it.

A little bit of knowledge can go a long way when requesting bonuses (including for travel)....

First, recognize that every MSC is trying to make a profit. As a part of that, they are going to pay shoppers as little as needed in order to get a job done. So, they would rather pay somebody who is next door to a shop than to pay you $50 to travel 30 miles to it. MSC's will not give out bonuses unless they fill they need to in order to get the job done correctly.

Second, MSC's have contracts with their clients that have all sorts of rules to which we, as shoppers, are not privy. Sometimes they must have every location for a client shopped. Sometimes they might only need to visit as few as 80%. Some of their contracts are for monthly visits. Others quarterly, semi-annually or annually. The closer to a deadline an MSC is, the more likely they are to award a bonus - especially in a location that *must* get shopped.

So, if you are hoping to be granted a bonus to make visits...

* Watch the job board and see which shops do not get picked up at all. Especially watch rural locations that might not have many shoppers nearby.

* Ask towards the end of the month and quarter - especially if the MSC has already posted a modest bonus online.

* Make sure you have a fantastic reputation as a shopper - both for being extremely reliable and doing great work.

* If you are called or specifically emailed by a scheduler, there is a good chance that they are willing to offer some level of incentive pay. Find out what they are offering and make a counter offer that fits your needs.

How much of a bonus should you request? This is different for everybody. If you live in an area where the minimum wage is $8 an hour and the average new home is $250,000, your "needs" will be very different than somebody who lives in an area with a $16 minimum wage and new home costs closer to $1,000,000.... Ask for the amount that would make you "happy" to do the shop. If you are countered with a lesser amount, decide if it is acceptable to *you.*