TinysMom
Well-Known Member
As many of you may know - I was working as a customer service representative on the phone for a major credit card line....but I got ill this spring (lost my voice when I got the flu) and I wound up burning out and I gave my notice shortly before I went home to visit my mom.
The more I've been thinking about the jobs I've enjoyed - the more I realized I enjoy the freedom of merchandising and mystery shopping the best. I don't make as much mystery shopping (my pay this month has been $95 and I'm waiting on another $70 ~ but I didn't do much work last month either).
For those who don't know - merchandising is where you go into a store (or a series of stores) to do certain projects. When I did this years go, I worked for one company (Crossmark) where I went into about 8 stores in the greater DC area and did different projects each month depending upon what the goals were that month. For instance - I might go in and check to make sure they had enough signs up for the Listerine breath strips (I forget what they're called now) for one project and also to check their stock levels on a certain brand of shampoo. Sometimes I would take inventory and see if they had a certain minimum stock level of items. Other times I put special coupons on products or put up a sign on the shelf to draw people's attention to that. Sometimes I had to pull products that were being recalled...it just depended upon the project/store, etc.
The neat thing was - I usually had a four week window in which to complete my projects - although they wanted them done in the first three weeks. So for instance - I could plan that I would be in Walmart #1 during the first week and get work done for 3 different companies - and then be in Walmarts #2 & #3 the second week and get other work done.
The thing is - once you are a merchandiser and your name gets out there as being dependable - you get lots of calls and job offers (well -depending upon the area where you live) and you can pick and choose the projects or jobs you want to accept. Of course some jobs are more highly sought after and you may have more competition.
Anyway - I got hired to do projects once a month for a small pharmacy in our town and in a town 70 miles away. The projects will be once a month - anywhere from 2-4 hours per store and I'm paid an hourly wage. When I go to the store 70 miles away....I will get payment for mileage too (and I can pick up some mystery shops in that town and make a bit more money).
I'm pretty pleased - my goal is to get to the point where I'm bringing in about $600 or so per month via. merchandising - this job puts me over 10% of that goal - closer to 15% or maybe a bit higher.
The neat thing is - my new manager has asked for permission to share my name with others....needless to say - I said "YES".
The more I've been thinking about the jobs I've enjoyed - the more I realized I enjoy the freedom of merchandising and mystery shopping the best. I don't make as much mystery shopping (my pay this month has been $95 and I'm waiting on another $70 ~ but I didn't do much work last month either).
For those who don't know - merchandising is where you go into a store (or a series of stores) to do certain projects. When I did this years go, I worked for one company (Crossmark) where I went into about 8 stores in the greater DC area and did different projects each month depending upon what the goals were that month. For instance - I might go in and check to make sure they had enough signs up for the Listerine breath strips (I forget what they're called now) for one project and also to check their stock levels on a certain brand of shampoo. Sometimes I would take inventory and see if they had a certain minimum stock level of items. Other times I put special coupons on products or put up a sign on the shelf to draw people's attention to that. Sometimes I had to pull products that were being recalled...it just depended upon the project/store, etc.
The neat thing was - I usually had a four week window in which to complete my projects - although they wanted them done in the first three weeks. So for instance - I could plan that I would be in Walmart #1 during the first week and get work done for 3 different companies - and then be in Walmarts #2 & #3 the second week and get other work done.
The thing is - once you are a merchandiser and your name gets out there as being dependable - you get lots of calls and job offers (well -depending upon the area where you live) and you can pick and choose the projects or jobs you want to accept. Of course some jobs are more highly sought after and you may have more competition.
Anyway - I got hired to do projects once a month for a small pharmacy in our town and in a town 70 miles away. The projects will be once a month - anywhere from 2-4 hours per store and I'm paid an hourly wage. When I go to the store 70 miles away....I will get payment for mileage too (and I can pick up some mystery shops in that town and make a bit more money).
I'm pretty pleased - my goal is to get to the point where I'm bringing in about $600 or so per month via. merchandising - this job puts me over 10% of that goal - closer to 15% or maybe a bit higher.
The neat thing is - my new manager has asked for permission to share my name with others....needless to say - I said "YES".
I'm so happy for you!
