Mystery Shopping 101-Guest Post

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Thanks so much to Nicole for getting this post together for us! She is definitely my “go to person” about Mystery Shopping. She has a blast doing it too! Check it out below! =D

Lots of people hear the term “mystery shopping” and automatically think “SCAM”. I’m here to say that there are very legit mystery shopping companies and with a little research you could be on your way to earning supplemental income each month. I personally earn approximately $300 each month but I work full-time and limit my mystery shopping to mostly weekends and mostly restaurants.
There are mystery shops for just about everything – from oil changes at car dealerships, to fine dining restaurants (think $200 worth of food) to whole days spent at amusement parks, there’s something for everyone. Some shops are reimbursement only (meaning you are only reimbursed for what you buy), some are reimbursement plus fee (you are reimbursed for what you buy and also paid a fee for doing the shop) and others are fee only (paid a fee for doing a shop).
It is always FREE to sign up with legit mystery shopping companies. They are paying you – you do not pay them. I research the companies I sign up with through the Mystery Shopping Providers Association - a quasi BBB for mystery shopping companies. I also research what people are saying about these companies on Volition and other online bulletin boards and forums.
Because it’s FREE to sign up for companies and you are under no obligation to complete any shops, I sign up with as many as possible. You are required to sign a confidentiality agreement with each and are not permitted to reveal what “clients” (i.e. what restaurants, stores, etc.) the company shops for. That means you won’t find out if there are jobs in your area until after you sign up. No big deal. Just sign up with as many as you can – I am signed up with over 100 companies. If they don’t have shops in your area right now, that doesn’t mean they won’t sign a great client tomorrow with lots of opportunities close to you!
I recommend signing up with 5 companies to start:
A Closer Look
Service Sleuth
Bare International
Kern Scheduling Service
Shopper’s Critique
To mystery shop, you’ll need a computer, Internet access, and a scanner. You also need to be organized and detail-oriented. The reports required for some shops can be lengthy and require good writing skills. Sign up for a small shop first and see what you think! For more information about mystery shopping, please check out Nicole’s Nickels.

Tagged as: Mystery Shopping