Should you take this shop? This tool checks every factor that affects profit — fee, distance, time, report work, and costs. You’ll get a score and a clear tip in seconds.
Shop Details
Time Estimate
Pick a shop type for auto report time guesses. Or pick “Custom” to enter your own.
Detailed Breakdown
How to Use This Tool
This tool helps you decide if a shop is worth your time before you say yes. You’ll get a score from 1-100 plus a clear tip.
Enter Your Shop Details
Start with the basic money info from the shop listing:
- Shop Fee: The amount you’ll be paid for doing the job (not counting what you get back)
- Reimbursement Amount: Money you’ll get back for things you must buy (meals, items, services)
- Required Purchase Cost: If you must spend more than you get back, enter that extra amount here
Then add your travel costs. Enter the round-trip distance to the shop and back. The tool uses your car’s MPG and current gas prices to figure exact fuel costs.
Estimate Your Time Spend
This is where most shoppers mess up. You’ll spend time in three ways: driving, shopping, and writing the report.
The tool has preset report times for common shop types. A gas station report might take 10 minutes. A fine dining report could take 60 minutes. Pick your shop type from the list and the tool auto-fills typical report times based on real shopper data.
If you’re looking at a unique shop or know the exact needs, pick “Custom Time Entry” and put in your own guesses for in-store time and report time.
Reading Your Results
The Shop Score is a number from 1-100 that weighs your real hourly rate, net profit, and total speed. Here’s what the scores mean:
- 80-100 (Strong Accept): This shop pays really well. The hourly rate is great and worth making it a priority.
- 60-79 (Acceptable): Solid shop with decent pay. Good pick if it fits your day and location.
- 40-59 (Marginal): This shop is on the edge. Only take it if you’re building a track record or it fits your route well.
- 1-39 (Decline): This shop isn’t worth it. The time or costs make it a poor use of your hours.
Your real hourly rate shows what you’re truly earning per hour after taking out all costs and counting all time. It’s the most honest measure of shop value.
Net profit is your take-home amount after gas and extra costs. This matters if you’re tracking daily or monthly goals.
Tips for Good Results
Don’t forget to count report writing time. This is the biggest mistake new shoppers make. A quick 15-minute shop can turn into an hour-long job once you factor in the full report.
If the shop needs buys above what you get back (like a $30 meal with $25 back), enter $5 in the Required Purchase Cost field. This makes sure your net profit math is right.
Update your gas price often. Fuel costs change weekly and can swing a marginal shop into bad territory when prices spike.
Use the shop type presets when you’re checking lots of options fast. You can always switch to custom time entry for odd jobs.
When to Override the Tip
The tool bases tips purely on money metrics. You might take a “Marginal” shop if you’re building your record with a new company, testing out a shop type you want to learn, or it’s right on your way home from work.
Also, you might skip a “Strong Accept” shop if it needs skills you haven’t built yet (like video work) or clashes with time blocks the tool can’t see.
Use the score as your baseline. Then adjust for personal strategy and your current situation.
How the Tool Works
Knowing the logic behind your Shop Score helps you make better picks. Here’s what happens when you hit that Calculate button.
The Scoring System
The Shop Score uses a weighted formula that puts focus on what matters most: your real hourly rate. Here’s the breakdown:
- Real Hourly Rate (70% of score): This is the biggest factor. The tool checks your net profit (pay minus costs) against your total time spent (drive time, shop time, and report time). Shops paying $30+ per hour score highest. Anything under $10 per hour scores in the decline range.
- Net Profit (20% of score): Your take-home amount matters too. A shop that nets you $50 scores higher than one netting $10, even if the hourly rates are the same. This rewards shops with real total pay.
- Speed Bonus (10% of score): Quick wins get rewarded. Shops under 90 minutes total time get bonus points if they’re paying well. This knows that fast shops let you stack more jobs in a day.
The tool assumes an average drive speed of 40 mph to guess drive time from your round-trip distance. Gas costs use your actual MPG and gas price inputs for precision.
Score Levels Explained
The four tip types reflect real-world profit standards:
- Strong Accept (80-100): These shops earn you $20+ per hour with solid net profit. They’re worth changing your day for.
- Acceptable (60-79): These earn $15-20 per hour. Good filler shops or handy options.
- Marginal (40-59): These earn $10-15 per hour. Only worth it for strategic reasons (building company ties, learning new shop types, handy spot).
- Decline (1-39): These earn under $10 per hour. Your time is worth more than this.
Key Disclaimer
This tool is built to help you check mystery shopping options quickly. It gives estimates based on the info you enter and uses smart guesses about drive speeds and time spent.
However, this tool can’t see everything. Your actual results will vary based on traffic, your personal work speed, specific report needs, surprise problems, and dozens of other factors only you can weigh.
Think of the tool as your starting point, not your final answer. Use the score and metrics to inform your pick. Then apply your own judgment based on your history, current schedule, and personal situation.
You’re in charge of deciding which shops to take and making sure they meet your profit standards. This tool is here to help you make those picks faster and more evenly — but it’s a tool, not a swap for your own good sense and research.