Take the mystery out of mystery shopping

Mystery Shopping

If you're looking for something that is a quicker way to make money than retail merchandising, with less time commitment, then mystery shopping may fit the bill.

You've probably seen the ads and thought "Yeah, right. What's the gimmick?" Really, there is no gimmick.

The only thing you should beware of are companies or ads that require fees from you. No legitimate mystery shopping company will ask you to pay anything. Most ads you see in newspapers are not mystery shopping companies - they are clearinghouses that will give out lists of mystery shopping companies - for a fee from you. Don't buy into it. That information is readily available at the cost of your time only.

You just need to know where to look.

How does it work?

Mystery shopping companies are generally contracted by larger companies - retailers, restaurants, etc. to pay you and I to shop their stores then report back to them our experience.

They don't want to know if you liked your cashier or if you thought they were pretty. They want to know if the cashier greeted you, acted appropriately, if the bathrooms were clean, how long it took for store personnel to help you when you asked for assistance, and the like.

Some mystery shops may require all of these things and more, while others simply tell you to order, buy or ask for a specific item or entree then time how long it took to get what you asked for.

It varies from company to company and job to job.

I have done mystery shops at local fast food restaurants, local cellular service centers, office supply stores, copy centers, department stores, movie theaters, gas stations and convenience stores and many other businesses.

In essence, a mystery shopping is simply observing and reporting. The main thing to remember with mystery shopping is to simply report facts. The company does not want to know that you felt your cashier was in a big hurry unless that cashier states to you "I'm in a big hurry so I need to get you checked out quickly."

All mystery shopping companies have specific guidelines for specific jobs and these are detailed to you - the mystery shopper - up front before you agree to do a shop.

Most mystery shops have a specific - yet flexible - time frame, i.e. a shop must be completed between Tuesday and Friday of next week between the hours of 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. for example.

Some shops require a specific date during a specific time (between 3 and 5 p.m. on Friday).In addition, mystery shops do require you to pay for an item during your shop, then you will be reimbursed for that item when you are paid.

You must save all receipts for mystery shops.

How to get started

Most shop sign ups are conducted over the Internet or by phone. Most companies have websites where potential shoppers can sign up and choose shops to do. Other companies will have shoppers sign up online, then the company will contact the shopper by phone to arrange shops.

I have found that the best way to get into the mystery shopping business is to sign up with several companies then regularly check their websites.

In addition, to find merchandising gigs there are several avenues: Check your local newspaper's classified section (especially on Sundays), do a search on job hunting websites such as www.monster.com or www.careerbuilder.com or www.indeed.com (put in the keyword "merchandiser") or go to www.volition.com.

www.volition.com is a good place to start for both merchandising and mystery shopping. This website has a master list (and user recommendations) for mystery shopping companies and merchandising companies.

Most of the mystery shopping jobs I've done were found through volition.com. I have done mystery shopping for several companies - Corporate Research, Shopnchek, Secret Shopper, Shadow Shopper, Maritz Research, Certified Marketing, DSG Associates and many others.

How will I be paid

Through trial and error, I found that some jobs paid really well while others did not pay well in comparison with the amount of work I was expected to put into a mystery shop.

For example, one company called me to ask if I could make an "emergency" shop visit to a local fast food restaurant. All that I need to do was order one large soft drink then stay on the premises for 15 minutes. For that I was paid $21 - well worth my time.

I took a job for another company in which I had to go to a local hardware store (20 miles away), browse in three different sections, ask for help in a fourth section, time how long it took to get help, recall the names of each employee I encountered in each section (and describe them), go to the front checkouts to observe another customer checking out, purchase an item then keep notes on my checkout experience. I was in the store a total of one and a half hours and I was paid $5 - plus reimbursed up to $2 for the item I purchased. It was not worth it.

Some companies will pay within just a few days of the completed shop but most pay on a 30 to 45 day cycle after the completed shop. Some companies will send you a paper check while others will pay via PayPal. I prefer the companies that use PayPal because the payment is generally faster and doesn't depend upon iffy mail service.

In closing. . .

With mystery shopping, attention to detail, ability to keep time commitments and follow directions to the letter are very important. Make sure you are able to do those things if you want to get jobs and get paid.

All in all, merchandising and mystery shopping have been well worth my time. Even now, when I find myself strapped for cash, I'll look around at the websites I'm signed up with to see what's available.

Either way, if you're looking for an easy way to bring in a little extra income it's worth your time to check it out.

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