Secret Shopper - Is that what you want to be when YOU grow up?

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of it all...

My first exposure to the industry was in 2004. I don't actually remember how I found the company I used but I remember being overwhelmed by the fact that people were actually making money doing this.

I was a bit opinionated at first. I actually thought that this was just for women. Afterall, everyone knows REAL MEN don't go shopping, let alone like it. But I had to find out if a real income could be had as a secret shopper. If it was true, I was definitely going to put my wife to work. Afterall, she spent enough time at the mall as it was, why not have her get paid for it?

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What made this such a sweet assignment was that we lived in a community that had a relatively large number of these financial institutions within minutes of each other as well as close to our home.

I was extremely nervous conducting my first "secret shop" and I was concerned about getting the forms filled out correctly and submitted on time so I could assure getting paid.

Well, in the end I found that I was a natural at it and as I began to submit my results of each "seceret shop" I began to see faster responses in terms of new assignments being handed to me. This was great for us becuase I was just getting started with my internet business and the extra money came in handy.

In summary, I want to say this...

You have to be committed...smarter than the average bear...treat it like a business...and correspond with the company assigning you the shops in a professional manner at all times. The better you are at this the more likely you'll get the "sweet" assignments.

Here are some helpful insights to give you a better understanding of this industry...

Know some basic things before you consider starting

What Is Mystery Shopping?

In order to make sure their service is up to the proper standards, stores, restaurants, gas stations, fast food chains and banks need mystery shoppers to act as typical customers and report the results of their evaluation. They use a business that connects them with secret shoppers rather than find individuals themselves. These companies pay you on a contract basis to perform evaluations on service, displays or specific items.

The paperwork part of the job can all be done on your computer. You receive notifications of jobs via e-mail. You then choose the jobs you would like to do. Shops can pay anywhere from about $15.00 to $60.00 or more. Many of the shops reimburse you for purchases or services you receive as well as pay cash for your report. Some shops have few questions to report on and some have many. You pick the ones you want to do and apply for them.

When I was testing it out, I found there were plenty of jobs to choose from every month. I would average about 15 notifications every day. The good thing about this type of work is that you have a choice. The amount of time you want to spend at it is up to you. You also often find businesses that offer you part time or full time opportunities doing merchandising in store. You can accept or decline any offer.

I joined up with Shadow Shopper and was very pleased with the amount of work available, the amount of requests I received and the information and help they provide for learning about secret shopping. They have a wide range of clients looking for many different types of shops. I could choose from restaurants, clothing, video and retail store shops. The shop I did paid exactly what was expected. They also provide training for their shoppers through their site.

Secret shopping is available in all areas. You don't have to live in a big city to get work. There are many shops in high demand for shoppers who live in rural areas.

What You Need To Start:

A computer.
File folders to keep track of your work and pending work.
Sign up to a reputable business.
Write a profile (potential clients can view your details and request you).
Prepare an example of your writing by doing an example shop report.

Not Required But Helpful:

Get certification online at the Mystery Shopping Providers Association.

Scam Alert:

Do not to respond to ads or letters that promise free gifts and fast cash for performing mystery shops and evaluations. These "businesses" ask you to cash a check and wire back to an address. The "reward" is that you keep a percentage of the check as payment for your services. After you have sent the money to the address, the check bounces and you're out all of the money. Real mystery shop companies do not engage shoppers in this manner or provide payment in this manner.

http://www.makemoneyhonest.blogspot.com

Is it really as great and easy as they say it is?

You've seen the ads touting how you can make a part time or even a full time income doing “mystery or secret shopping.” Some say you can make between $10 – $60 an hour or more. That is technically true. But it’s stretching the truth a bit. There's another side of the story that most people omit. I believe everyone should know this side as well.

According to Mystery Shopping Providers Association website: Mystery Shopping is the practice of using trained shoppers to anonymously evaluate customer service, operations, employee integrity, merchandising, and product quality. You can work as a secret shopper for practically any service or product you can think of.

First and foremost, there is NO need to pay for mystery shopping information. Secret shopper information is available for FREE o­nline. You just have to know where to find it.

Secret shopper assignments o­n any sort of regular basis is really for stay at home Moms, people who have plenty of spare time or someone with an extremely flexible schedule. Lots of notifications are for “emergency” or “urgent” shops which may need you to do it the very next day.

You MUST have internet access. You also must be intelligent. You will need to write out your reports and you have to be able to articulate your observations well.

The hardest part about getting an assignment is to get that FIRST o­ne. The trick to getting selected is to SELL YOURSELF in your reply.

With many shops you must pay out of your own pocket first then wait to be reimbursed. That's not always the case, but it's quite common. Many companies pay you the following month and it can take up to 45 days. So if you need the money you’re spending to do a mystery shop to pay the bills, DON’T do it.

The most time you will spend associated with a mystery shop is in filling out the report/survey afterwards. It will take you over an hour to complete the survey if you are just starting out. Anyone who tells you otherwise is not being truthful. Something very important that gets conveniently left out is if you don’t fill out the survey 'correctly,' your report may be rejected and you will NOT get paid.

Those stories about people making over $7,000 in a month doing mystery shops are anecdotes. They are few and far between. The truth is that you will earn far less as a secret shopper. It is true that you can make $10 - $60 an hour doing mystery shopping. But...You may not get more than o­ne job a week or a month for that matter. The reality is that you might make between $50 - $100 a month when you first start out. If you stick with it, you can make several hundred dollars a month or more by doing multiple shops. To make any decent money, you’ll need to do multiple shops in a day. And the longer you stay with it, the more money you’ll be able to make.

You've heard all the hype, now you have the other side of the story. You now know what to expect going in. And you won’t have to learn through the school of hard knocks like so many others have.

Cynthia Alexander has been mystery shopping for several years. She has written a detailed report on the subject. In the report she reveals insider tricks, tells where the highest paying jobs are and gives a website that lists hundreds of mystery shopping companies and best of all, it won’t cost one penny to sign up. Go to http://www.stopyourbarking.com/mysteryshoppingexposed.pdf to download the FREE report.

I think I'm ready...how do I get more information to start shopping?

Secret shopper websites are becoming extremely popular as more and more companies tend to use mystery shoppers. Secret shopper websites provide information on facts related to mystery shopping, including the nature of the job, ways to get e-books or guides on mystery shopping, using such guides effectively and so on.

Secret shopper websites list plenty of job opportunities in this area. Companies are becoming more and more conscious of the importance of customer feedback. Many agencies have sprung up, requiring researchers to check out offices, shops or any place where their staff have to interact with customers. Various companies carry out services on corporate websites also. Secret shopper websites gives details about such services. These websites also tell us how to use market researchers to establish awareness among the public about a company, product or service.

Secret shopper websites supply information on mystery shopping resources. One can find featured articles on mystery shopping websites. They report events such as workshops and conferences and publish press releases on mystery shopping. Such websites focus on what is new in mystery shopping, the mystery shopping providers association and mystery shopper blogs.

Secret shopper websites are thus a source of information on the kind of companies or organizations that use mystery shoppers, various ways to become a successful mystery shopper, payments of mystery shopping and methods to increase your payment. A list of opportunities for mystery shoppers can also be found on mystery shopper websites. FAQs on related topics find a place in such websites. Mystery shopper websites also have features on mystery shopping written by experts.

Mystery Shopper provides detailed information on Mystery Shopper, Mystery Shopper Jobs, Become a Mystery Shopper, Free Mystery Shopper and more. Mystery Shopper is affiliated with How To Become A Secret Shopper.

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