Become A Mystery Shopper And Get Paid To Shop
Do you love to shop? Do you feel a surge in adrenaline when a friend invites you to go shopping? Are you someone who pays careful attention to the quality of customer service that stores provide their valued customers?
Then ask yourself this … what if you could earn $40/hour or more by simply shopping at your favorite restaurants and stores - and then get to keep many of the things you’ve just bought or consumed for free?
There is a secret way to earn a comfortable living simply by shopping at your favorite stores & restaurants … become a professional Mystery Shopper!
While many people are skeptical of “mystery shopping” and “getting paid to shop” and find the concept of being a ’secret shopper’ to be just too good to be true (and many times it is), consider the following argument from a business point of view:
Companies are becoming increasingly more aware of the importance of customer opinions for their continued success. In fact, there are now many businesses and agencies that have been formed to provide their business clients not only with market research information about customer preferences and product choices, but actual feedback on the way their client’s employees treat consumers. These agencies require trained researchers to visit shops, stores, offices and anywhere that their clients’ staff come into contact with their customers, then observe and report back their findings. The need for these “secret” evaluation services (i.e. checking out a business to see how customers are really being treated) has even been extended now to corporate websites, where much of a company’s business is done online.
Businesses want to know how their customers view their business and more of them are now contracting marketing companies to recruit, train and send out mystery shoppers to evaluate their employees secretly. The information reported back is invaluable to these companies, as it can be used to identify problem areas in the business, or on a more positive note, to reward and acknowledge outstanding employees by giving them the recognition they deserve.
In the United States alone, companies are spending over $1.5 billion dollars each year on mystery shopping and using this information to better understand their customers and refine their businesses. Mystery shopping has been around since the 1960’s and today is a very legitimate and necessary part of doing business. Store owners and management need to know how to improve their businesses and better serve their customers. The very best way for businesses to find out exactly what they need to do to improve their customer service is to employ mystery shoppers to tell them exactly what the average customer experiences when shopping at their store.
As a mystery shopper, sometimes you will be required to make a purchase, while other times you may simply be required to evaluate a particular service or the information provided by employees to potential buyers. You don’t get to keep everything you shop for for free, however. For example, if you are assigned to visit an auto dealer, don’t expect to get a free car, but you will be paid for the time you spent asking questions about the vehicles, financing options, deals for trade-ins, etc., then writing a detailed report about your experience as a potential customer of that store.
Hopefully now that you understand that mystery shopping is a $1.5 billion dollar business and growing, you can see how it is possible to make up to $40 an hour or more as a professional mystery shopper, getting paid to eat at your favorite restaurants, shop at your local mall and grocery store, watch a movie at your local theaters, or hundreds of other mystery shopping assignments … plus get to keep many of the things you purchase for free!
Who Hires Mystery Shoppers?
Most people think of fashion retail stores or restaurants when talking about mystery shopping, but the truth is that just about any business that sells products or services to the general public may have a need for the information that mystery shoppers can provide them with.
Some examples of companies and businesses that currently employ the services of mystery shoppers include:
- automotive dealers & auto repair franchises
- banks, credit unions and financial lending institutions
- entertainment and video rental stores
- gas stations
- government departments entrusted with regulating certain types of business
- grocery and convenience stores
- hair and beauty salons
- health clubs and fitness gyms
- home building-related businesses
- many hotels and motel chains
- movie theaters and cinemas
- optical and eyewear providers
- real estate / property management companies looking after large apartment complexes
- restaurants and food chains
- retail chains and department stores
So … You Want To Become A Mystery Shopper?
As a mystery shopper, you will be required to secretly “shop” at a designated business or store, behave in a low-key manner whilst shopping at the store, interact with staff as a normal customer would, complete a report afterwards detailing key aspects of your shopping experience, and then return your report promptly to the company that originally handed you the assignment.
Depending on the type of assignment and the information required, your mission could take as little as 5 minutes, or sometimes an hour or more. Some companies may choose to pay you by reimbursing your costs, a pre-determined flat fee, or both. Sometimes you may be required to make a purchase at the store, or just ask questions in order to observe and evaluate responses and customer service levels from staff or store employees. You will also need to pay attention to certain details of your shopping experience, such as counting the number of customers who frequented the store at the time you visited, observing the level of cleanliness and any other special requirements the client may need.
Will You Make A Good Mystery Shopper?
To become a good mystery shopper, you first need to decide whether this is something you really want to do, and whether you can commit the time to do it. Next, make an honest self-appraisal of yourself as a shopper, and ask yourself whether you are someone who truly appreciates and looks for good service.
The next step in the process of deciding whether or not you would make a good mystery shopper, is to determine if you can look upon “Mystery Shopping” as an opportunity to help companies and stores that you like to frequent improve their service levels.
Are you the type of person who could take personal and anonymous satisfaction in watching service levels improve because you played a key role in helping create that improvement? Could you consistently act in a conscientious, reliable and objective manner and approach each new assignment as if it were the first time you had ever heard of the store? Can you complete your assignments on time, objectively, and without bias?
Good mystery shoppers understand how important it is to follow instructions and deliver evaluation reports exactly as per the client’s requests.
Finally, the last thing to consider in your decision to become a mystery shopper, is whether you would like to get paid for doing what comes naturally to you. In other words, you were “born to shop” and you love to “shop till you drop”!
Mystery shoppers can be virtually any age or gender. It can be a perfect opportunity for stay-at-home moms, but there are also of plenty of mystery shoppers who are men. You decide when to work and you can choose assignments to fit the hours that suit you best. You are not obligated to accept every assignment offered to you and can pick and choose the mystery shopping assignments that you like and think you would do well in.
Warning: Mystery Shopping Is Not For Everyone
Mystery shopping can help you create an ideal lifestyle, if you are prepared to take the opportunity seriously and act professionally. You can earn good money if you are a motivated shopper, and able to accept various types of assignments, including last minute shops. The more dependable and reliable you prove yourself to be as a professional mystery shopper, the juicer the jobs and assignments you will be given.
Having said that, however, the idea of getting paid to mystery shop is a very seductive way of earning extra money, having fun, getting free items and enjoying the occasional free meal, but the role is not suitable for just anyone. If you think that the whole concept of mystery shopping is a “get rich quick scheme”, or you really don’t have time to take on shopping assignments for clients, or if you are unable to meet deadlines or reschedule an incomplete shopping assignment, then you shouldn’t consider it. Many companies are relying on the information and data that Mystery Shoppers provide them with to help them make business decisions and assess the financial security of many of their employees, and this is not something that should be taken lightly. Mystery Shopping is fun, but it’s not a joke!
How To Get Started As A Mystery Shopper
If you’ve reviewed the above information and see yourself as a potential Mystery Shopper, then there are two main approaches you can take to get started. One way, is to start contacting companies by going to their websites and emailing them or mailing out a letter of introduction. You will need to sell yourself well in this letter, as well as being honest.
Companies will want to know whether you have done any Mystery Shopping before, what your work experience and personal assets are, why you think you would make a good Mystery Shopper and why they should hire you instead of someone else. You don’t need to have any experience as a mystery shopper to get started, so don’t lie about the fact if you are a complete novice. Just remember that once you’ve completed your first assignment, you will be able to claim to having experience in future applications.
The other way to get started, is to purchase access to a database of companies that are looking for Mystery Shoppers and a system for approaching thse companies as a professional mystery shopper candidate. Links to several agencies that maintain updated databases with a brief description of their services are provided at the end of this article.
Some Tips To Remember On Your First Mystery Shopping Trip
Your first assignment as a mystery shopper, or secret shopper, can be quite exciting. You must remember, however, that it isn’t a frivolous game and that the companies behind your assignment are relying on the information you provide about your experience to make important decisions. Don’t accept an assignment if you don’t feel you are capable of doing it well, or if you feel uncomfortable about it. Remember to be professional and discreet during your shopping trip. Read the brief thoroughly and note down the things the company wants you to observe, remember and report on. You will need to know your assignment brief well, and carry out the task without giving away the fact that you are a Mystery Shopper.
Prepare yourself well before you leave home, by thoroughly reviewing the assignment brief before you go shopping. Note the items that you are supposed to check and report on. Some assignments will require you to check the exterior of the store or building and may also want you to do some competitive intelligence research on the businesses surrounding your target store. Always double check the address of your destination, as some businesses may have different branches located on the same street or section of the town.
Never let people see you completing forms or making notes during your shop. Don’t go sit in a coffee shop across the store you’ve just visited and start filling out forms. You do not want to blow your cover. Remember … you are a “mystery shopper” and the whole point of the exercise is to have a secret agenda while you shop. After the assignment, go somewhere else far away from the target location, preferably get in your car and drive down the street, then park somewhere else where you can quietly recollect your experience and make notes. You may even want to carry a small voice recorder, and tape your notes so you can transcribe them later. The more detailed your notes and observations, the better your report will be.
The last tip is to ensure that you submit a clean and professional report. Make sure the report is neat, without scribbles or cross outs, as these will make your report appear less credible and convey the impression that you just did it “on the fly” without giving things too much thought. Check your spelling. Use a dictionary if you need one. Finally, remember to be considerate when describing the employees you interacted with during your shopping trip. Never be insulting or use words that convey any form of prejudice. For example, if you are describing a larger-sized person with blonde hair and you didn’t get her name, try using “the full-figured blonde assistant”, not “the big blonde girl at checkout #7″.
Pay attention to the terms of your assignment, as some companies may have a policy of not paying for reports that are submitted late. Other companies may allow you to fax or email in your report, so it’s important to check with the company, or agency for exact details and clarify anything you’re not sure about.
Our Recommended “Mystery Shopping” Site To Help You Get Started
If you’ve gone through the above information, decided that mystery shopping is something you could do well in and would rather go the route of accessing a database of established companies that employ mystery shoppers and can provide you with step-by-step instructions for approaching companies and getting assignments instead of trying to start from scratch, then we recommend you start your mystery shopping career with SecretShoppingCenter.com
SecretShoppingCenter.com is the largest and most comprehensive mystery shopping membership site on the internet. They have over 240 mystery shopping companies and sites listed in their database, which is more than any other mystery shopping site on the internet, and are constantly adding new sites to their list. In fact, they will even pay you a $10 finder’s fee if you find a mystery shopping site or company that is NOT listed in their database and report it for submission and inclusion as a new site.
The site also offers a special section that shows new members how to earn over $280.00 on their first day of signing up. This not only covers your one-time sign-up registration fee, but it can also add an additional couple of hundred dollars to your pocket before you even embark on your first mystery shopping assignment.
New members will find many great resources immediately upon joining, such as a great “Getting Started” Guide to help you get started quickly and also offers many tips and insights into being a successful mystery shopper, plus access to a constantly updated message board which lists new jobs, plus bonus lists of companies that will pay you to complete online surveys, read email, drive your car and pass out free samples of their products to others.
At the bottom of their site, SecretShoppingCenter.com state that they only want to work with satisfied members who have tried their service and decided they want to continue. To this extent, they offer a 56-day (8 week), 100% money-back guarantee.
If you’re looking for a fun way to earn a nice stream of extra income and think that you could enjoy being a professional mystery shopper, then you may want to visit SecretShoppingCenter.com and register as a member.
For more information, including member testimonials and to register as a new member, visit the site by clicking on the link below …
