Mystery Shopping Might Be Fun And Fit Right In With Your Lifestyle

If you love to shop and eat your meals out, you might be able to do these same activities as a mystery shopper, and be paid to do them. There are all kinds of shops to fulfill, from coffee and donuts, fast food, better dining, overnight stays at a hotel, purchase and return items and many more. This is done as an independent contractor.

Before you begin your searches (and any applications) get another e‑mail address strictly dedicated to this alone. It will help you get and stay organized. Check and adjust the e-mail filter if necessary.

Locating companies that claim they do this type of research for their clients is not difficult. Many, if not most all of them, are on the internet. Finding legitimate, dependably paying companies that utilize shoppers in your particular area can be a little more time consuming. The companies that use mystery shoppers vary widely in their niche markets, areas served, and shopper requirements. Some will even want you to be able to take and send them photos. Most shops are done totally as undercover work and confidentiality is required.

Fully research every company before you apply. Check with the Better Business Bureau even if they claim membership, and any other organizations to which they claim to belong. If you do not recognize the organization, research it as well to be sure it, too, is legitimate. If membership in MSPA (link below) is claimed, you can search on site for membership.

Do searches of the business name on the net to see what others have said, especially on boards and forums. Take into careful consideration any warnings or complaints you find there, but make the final decision yourself. Do a “who is” search. Make certain you understand and can fulfill all their terms and conditions and shopper requirements – or they will refuse to pay you if you do not. Et Cetera. Be certain of the legitimacy of any company before you apply.

Prepare a file on each company: When you do decide to apply, always print out the application you fill out (page by page if necessary) and do not forget to print out the particular terms and conditions you are required to accept as you go along. Bookmark the site. On an additional sheet of paper, write down the URL of the site, and especially the one where you access shopper information, your login and any password(s). Print out any information they send you where you are permitted to do so and where necessary for your records. Basically, anything and everything you would need if your computer ever decides to self-destruct.

Keep records on all your shops, dates, times, places, exact mileage driven and other pertinent identifying information of the shop (things such as job number and if assigned to you by a particular person, etc.). Also, keep receipts (or copies) of your expenses incurred and any income received in each file. You will need this information for taxes or in case you need to provide the company with information if they have made a mistake in your records (particularly payment owed to you).

Never pay a fee for a list of mystery shopping companies. The information is free on the internet and many forums. Never pay a fee to shop for any company – you are the one that should receive payment if you perform the requested services.

According to boards/forums I have seen, you do not need to be certified to mystery shop, although some companies may have a higher preference for those with silver or gold certification. Working with a legitimate company, where both the company and you fully perform all obligations and requirements is probably more the key to success.

Be professional when you make your report. Proper capitalization of words, spelling and punctuation are important. Make certain you answer all the requested information fully and coherently. Fulfill all requirements, or you might not be paid for the shop and/or have your expenses reimbursed.

Mystery shopping is, after all, work, even if you find it enjoyable. There are strict requirements to fulfill so that you get paid and are reimbursed for your expenses. Make certain that you are in agreement with the requirements. You will need to remember all that you have been requested to do so that you can prepare all the paperwork (mostly filling out forms on the company website, although some companies will still require you to print out and fax it to them) to submit at the completion of a shop. When you leave for a shop, this means that you will need a good memory and have to be very organized. Paperwork must be completed and submitted within a short timeframe after the shop, so this would not be suitable for anyone who procrastinates.

Mystery shopping is not a way to earn a living, but incidental income (and on which you as an independent contractor) will have to pay taxes. Most shops do not pay a lot, but if it fits in with your lifestyle and where you live, it can certainly be a way to get paid to do some things you were going to do anyway without being a mystery shopper. Actively participating with multiple companies who have shops in your area would be a way to earn more income.

From what I have seen on boards/forums, people do sign up and provide services for multiple companies and try to organize their shops into the same trip or nearby where they are going on some other errand.

BEWARE OF SCAMS: Not all companies on the net are legitimate or what they claim to be. One of the current scams involves a “mystery shopping company” that sends you a check to deposit into your new or existing account and then you send the money elsewhere, sometimes offshore, sometimes not. You are paid immediately by keeping a portion of the money as your fee. Do not participate, even if your bank checks the company on which it is drawn and says they are legitimate. You are the one who will be held responsible for these funds and reimbursing them.

Read more about that scam here at http://www.mysteryshop.org/news/article_pr.php?art_ID=73. This scam is making its rounds in many different ways.

Here are a few of the mystery shopping companies found on boards on the internet. Any links posted here are totally up to you to research their legitimacy and I do not post any here as recommended as I do not personally know anything about them. They are for your convenience only in getting your search started.


http://www.customer-1st.com/shopper/default.asp
http://www.shopnchek.com/
https://www.experienceexchange.com/
http://65.119.21.227/shopper_application/welcome_letter.asp (Pacific Research Group)
http://dataquestonline.com/, apply at http://dataquestonline.com/mystApp.html
http://www.nwlpc.com/
http://www.jmridgway.com/shopperoverview.htm
http://www.gapbuster.com/xec/default.aspx?culture=1033 (Gapbuster Worldwide)
http://www.mysteryshops.com/ (Corporate Research International)
http://www.beyondhello.com/secure/index.htm