Company Overview: Headquartered in Cary, a suburb of Raleigh, NC, Confero has been in business since 1985. They are accredited by the Cary BBB and have an A+ rating. There have been no complaints lodged with the BBB in the last three years, although the BBB website has an alert that Confero has been a victim of the Mystery Shopping Check Scam, where you are sent a check and told to wire most of the money to a third party. By the time it’s discovered the check is no good, your money is gone and you’re left holding the bag.
Confero shops several different market sectors including Banking/Finance, Automotive Service, Food and Beverage, and Retail—including post-security locations at airports. Confero also shops the following venues: military bases, theme parks, truck stops, and institutions/corporate sites.
You can sign up with them on their website, http://www.conferoinc.com. Registration is with the Sassie system.
Personal Experience: I’ve done several shops for Confero. I found the instructions to be clear and with adequate detail when necessary, communication is generally good, and payment is as advertised [approximately 60 days]. They do pay twice a month, on or around the 10th and 25th.
What Others Have to Say: Although I haven’t had any problems getting paid, there are at least two threads on www.mysteryshopforum.com dealing with slow or no payments from Confero. Those threads were from late 2012/early 2013 and there is nothing current regarding this matter. Another area where some discussion has occurred is in regards to Confero’s grading system. It seems that 10’s are very hard to come by, with 8 & 9 being the norm and 9 is considered excellent.
Overall: The company overall has a good track record. There did appear to be a period of time where there were some payment problems, but those seem to be resolved since the discussion has ceased. Additionally, Confero does have a rather strict grading system, so if the grades are that important to you, perhaps you should pass on this company.
On the other hand, the company does have a variety of shops covering several different sectors of business. In my opinion, it’s worth signing up and getting a needed oil change. See if the pay is according to schedule and then make your decision. I know I would likely be doing more if they had more in my area.