Getting Started as a Secret Shopper

Mystery shopping is a valid industry but it has a bad reputation as a result of some fishy companies that make you pay money to get secret shopping jobs. A legitimate mystery shopping company will never ask you for money. They will pay your or provide free products in exchange for the service that you provide. Stay at home moms can turn mystery shopping into a profitable part time job that they can do with their kids or as a way of getting free food , clothes, and other products.

What is Mystery Shopping?

Many companies use secret shoppers to determine areas that they may need to improve. Having an unbiased outsider come in can help companies to understand the way that their customers see them. As a mystery shopper, you must be sure that you play your role well and act just as any other customer would. You will be observing the appearance of the business, the quality of their customer service and various other things that the company may be looking for.

You are not there to evaluate the services that the company provides, but rather to make objective statements about the things that you observed while you were shopping. Statements such as “The store was really messy” are not helpful to companies in improving their services. They want to know exactly what the problems are with a statement such as “The glass on the store windows was streaked and there was trash littered around the entrance.” This gives the company management a clear idea of the state of the store and your experience there rather than trying to interpret subjective statements.

You will either by paid for your services, recieve free products, or a compination of the two. Many different industries use mystery shops including, fast food restaurants, apartment buildings, credit unions, and others. Some shops will allow you to take your children with you and others you may have to go alone. Several industries have mystery shops that need to be done over the phone and are easy to do while your children are playing or naping.

Use Multiple Companies

If you want to turn mystery shopping into a productive part time job, the trick is to sign up with as many different mystery shopping companies as you can. There are many secret shopper jobs available but they are spread out over a large area. An individual company may only have 1-2 jobs a month that are available in your area. By registering as a mystery shopper with many companies you will increase the number of jobs that are available to you. Signing up with a mystery shopping company is often as simple as filling out a registration form. Some companies will require you to complete a short online training session to familiarize yourself with their policies. You will quickly find that some companies have more secret shopper jobs available in your area than others.

An online search for mystery shopping or secret shopping will give you an abundance of information. There are several online directories that provide more detailed information about each company.

Follow Directions

Each mystery shopping company has their own way of doing things. Be sure that you understand what their expectations are before you accept your first shop. Many companies will deduct money from your paycheck or refuse to pay for a mystery shop if you do not follow their instructions completely.

If your mystery shopping assignment requires you to have a certain shopping identity, be sure that you are clear of your story before you go. You clearly identify yourself as a mystery shopper if you have to look at notes to answer simple questions or if you contradict yourself.

Create an Organizational System

Most mystery shopping companies require you to save receipts, company promotional material, evaluation forms, and other material after you have completed a mystery shop. You may have to mail these materials in to the company or use them to enter your report online. It is important that you are able to find whatever information or materials you have collected from your mystery shop in order to get paid. A simple filing system or binder can be helpful to keep track of your mystery shopping materials so that you can be sure you will be able to find them when you need them.