Bestmark - Mystery Shopping

Bestmark:

http://www.bestmark.com/

Type of Shops: retail, customer service checks, restaurants

How many jobs (average) per month: 2

Compensation: Shops that require a purchase will reimburse for the majority of the purchase, and up to the full price of the item. You will also receive a commission for completing the shop, this is different from the purchase reimbursement. The commission depends on how much work is involved in the shop and has ranged in our experience from $10 to $148.

Payment: Checks are mailed twice a month, and depending on when you completed the shop, should arrive 2-4 weeks from the completion date.

Scheduling: You can search for available shops on the website after completing your first successful report. You will also receive emails from your regional coordinator with shops available in your state each month. You can schedule shops by contacting your coordinator (via email or phone) or online. Before completing a shop you must log in to the website and confirm you are going to do it. You can confirm after you complete the shop, as long as it is the same day, but it is better to do it in advance.

How to Report Shops: Reports are due by 10:00AM Central Standard Time (CST) the day after completing your assignment. You will also have to log in before your shop to review all materials and the scenario you need to enact. Materials for each specific shop become available only 10 days before the shop is due, regardless of how early you registered. Online reports are easy to fill out, and usually take between 10-15 minutes, unless there is a lot of information requested. As with most companies the surveys vary depending on what you are evaluating.

Requirements to sign up: Name, address, email. You must also be at least 21 years old. There is also a short questionnaire when you sign up regarding your current employment, census statistics (such as race), and why you would be a good shopper for them. It's a regular online job application. The last thing required is what your shop preferences are, and why.

Do We Recommend?: Yes. Our favorite aspects are the usually high compensation payments, and the easy online scheduling. I also like how easy it is to contact your local coordinator with questions or concerns. And when we were travelling we were put in touch with another coordinator who helped us. Negative aspects are that (at least in our area) many shops required bringing a teenager with you, which is difficult for us. Also, sometimes there are a lot of specifics you need to remember when filling out the shop surveys - full names and detailed conversations, for example. Overall this is a good company to work for, and has been reliable for us so far.

Do you have experience with Bestmark? Please share your experiences and opinions in the comments below. The more reviews of a company there are, the more valuable this resource will become.

Here are some other reviews of this company:

• Volition Forum with 58 pages of personal experiences! Most of them positive.
  

• Here's someone who tried to do a shop and couldn't, but they were very understanding. Almost all online reviews are positive.