Introduction
Getting paid to shop can be a very fun
experience and is so easy you wouldn't
believe it. It's a dream job for many! It can
be great to go shopping at popular stores
and dining in nice restaurants...and getting
paid for it all! You will most likely find secret
shopping as something you love to do. Do
you have a keen eye, attention to detail, and
the ability to be impartial and reliable?
mystery shopping may just be the right job
for you!
Now, let's discuss more of what mystery
shopping is and how you too can soon
become one.
A mystery shopper is like an undercover
agent. You might accept assignments for
restaurants, grocery stores, automobile
dealers, retail stores, or amusement parks.
Just about any type of business you can
think of could benefit from the services of a
mystery shopper. You receive a specific
assignment for your shop. For example, you
may be asked to describe the parking
facilities, cleanliness, friendliness of staff,
and your wait time at a restaurant.
Whenever you are on an assignment you
must never be detected. The staff should
not suspect that you evaluating them or
they would treat you differently. You are
not suppose to spy on employees,
or try to find things wrong or right but
simply follow the script that comes with
your assignment and provide a fair and
impartial evaluation.
You are the one who will be keeping the
corporate headquarters informed and they
need you to maintain yourself in a
professional and appropriate manner. For a
business to be successful, they must
maintain customer satisfaction. They can
better please the customer if they
understand how the customer is being
treated and if their product is being sold as
they intended.
You will have the benefit of working
around your schedule, which can be
beneficial for a housewife, mother or part
time worker. Some places may want you to
go to their establishment only during
certain hours, i.e. happy hour, early bird
specials, moonlight madness sales, etc. You
may be able to request certain hours of the
day that are best for you, such as early
mornings for mom’s with small children in
preschool or late afternoons-early evenings
for those who already hold down a part
time job.
Getting Started
There are many companies which hire
mystery shoppers. You can apply online to
most of these companies. Make sure you
visit and read the message boards to keep
up to date on new assignments in your
area. These message boards have hundreds
of assignments posted all the time.
Mystery shopping is big business, so don't
just apply to those companies located in
your area. Most mystery shopping
companies are nationwide. Their clients and
stores are nationwide. Just because a
company has its offices in New York does
not mean you can not work for them
because you live in Texas. These Mystery
Shopping companies contract with retail
and restaurant chains. These chains are
located Nationwide, therefore they need
shoppers nationwide.
Never feel pressured into a job. It will not be
held against you if you are unable or
unwilling to take a particular assignment.
Some things will just not appeal to you.
Sometimes the job will just not fit into your
schedule or may not be something you are
comfortable with. If that happens to you,
just be honest with the company and be
sure to decline the particular assignment.
This allows the company to find someone
else. Companies are not concerned if you
decline assignments as long as you do it
promptly. If you do not decline promptly
you will probably not be sent many
assignments after that. All it takes is a quick
email saying you can not complete this
assignment.
Completing an Assignment
Many mystery shopping companies operate
almost entirely over the internet now. You
will most likely receive your assignment
notices via email. It is important to apply
with an email address you use often as you
may need to respond within 24 to 48 hours
to be accepted for an assignment. If you set
up a dedicated address for your
assignments be sure to check it regularly
and it's best that it is separated from any
'busy' inbox such as one receiving a lot of
spam or other types of offers. You may also
be notified through fax or phone.
You will be given the particulars of the
assignment and you will have the
opportunity to accept or decline. If you
accept, you will download or receive via
mail or fax, the scenario that is to be
used for your evaluation.
For example, you may be asked to go to a
retail outlet and ask the salesperson for help
on locating an item or to evaluate service in
a restaurant. You will be given a form with
specific instructions before you shop. You
will be told who to speak to and all areas
that are to be included in your evaluation.
Your instructions may include: Looking at
the displays to see if they are kept neat and
well put together, asking the sales clerk for
information about a certain item, and how
they could assist you in getting a certain
size not readily available. They may ask you
to try on several items and check the
dressing rooms for neatness.
Does the sales clerk offer to assist you with
additional sizes? Are the shelves well
stocked and neat in appearance? Was the
sales clerk helpful? They will want you to
actually purchase something they suggest
or of your choice and will want you to
observe the actual transaction and note
how easily or difficult it was performed.
They may also ask you to question the sales
clerk on several different items. What was
his/her response? They may ask you to
visit the restrooms and make sure they are
clean and well stocked. Use a public
telephone and comment on its accessibility.
Study your scenario before you begin the
shop, because you can't take your notes
with you. Remember you must remain
undetected! Do your best to remember
names and pertinent details, and as soon as
you get to your car you can quickly jot
down important notes.
You will usually be given a deadline of
between of 24 to 48 hours. Be punctual!
This could determine whether you will get
any future assignments with this company.
Most likely you will be able to file your
report online or fax it in. Simply follow the
instructions you were given.
It is very important that you be as accurate
as possible, giving only the facts requested.
If your assignment was to evaluate
cleanliness at an establishment, don't make
comments about the staff either good or
bad. Don't interject personal thoughts of
your experience unless asked.
Apply to as many companies as you like.
That way you can pick and choose
assignments that you like. If you have 10
offers one week you might only like or be
able to perform 5 or 6. If you only work for
one or two companies it will be much
harder to be as picky about assignments or
find ones that pay enough or are at stores
or locations you prefer.
That's it! You are now ready to become a
full fledged mystery shopper. Just continue
to our database below and start signing up!
