Hi demonpop,
Ahhh... what a great question! :)
Secret Shoppers, also known as Mystery Shoppers are generally hired on
a freelance basis, although *some* companies do employ on a full-time
basis.
Mystery shopping covers many different types of work. Physical mystery
shopping involves actually visiting a store, enacting a scenario and
then reporting on your findings. Video mystery shopping goes one step
further and involves recording the experience via a hidden camera.
Telephone mystery shopping is exactly what it sounds - you simply
contact a business via the telephone and record the details of your
contact as per the requirements. Price checking is often carried out
undercover as well.
Projects or assignments are many and varied - and can encompass all
aspects of the shopping and service industries.
You may be asked to visit a certain shop and buy or return something,
to attend a cinema, stay a night at a hotel, dine out at a restaurant,
make an inquiry at a telephone call center, etc.
While carrying out an assignment you will have been given a checklist
of things to observe and report back on which needs to be committed to
memory before you undertake the assignment. Your status as a mystery
shopper must be kept secret at all times so you can't walk into the
place with a clipboard and pen but must act as a real shopper would
act. You need to pay close attention to detail and have a good memory
to complete assignments successfully.
Many times reports are due in 24 hours after an assignment is completed.
Depending on the company pay by check, direct deposit, PayPal, etc.
Some companies will pay you a flat rate for a specific assignment, and
mileage is reimbursed in some cases in addition to commission and cost
of purchases.
The bottom line: Do not send any money to anyone for information.
FYI - I know several people who have been Mystery Shopping and love
it! You'll not want to quit your 'day job' but it can be a nice
source for extra income.
=================================================
Hot Home Biz: Mystery Shopping
http://www.ivillage.com/work/wfh/features/articles/0,,187811_413334-2,00.html
What You'll Do: Visit stores, restaurants, banks and other
establishments, and discreetly evaluate the service through
questionnaires that rate factors like helpfulness, safety and
cleanliness. There's also a growing need for online mystery shoppers
to assess e-commerce sites. (For these assignments, you won't even
have to leave the house!) After registering with a mystery shopping
company, you'll receive occasional assignments with specific
instructions and a window of time in which to accomplish the "shop."
For example, you might be told to visit a fast food establishment and
order a kid's meal, and then time how long it takes to get your order.
Or, you could be sent to a bank on a particular day to open up a new
account and rate the customer service. Most mystery shopping
assignments (whether online or off) will require at least a half-hour
of "shopping time" and another half-hour for filling out the
evaluation form. While not a big moneymaker, mystery shopping can be a
convenient way to earn a small supplemental income with the kids in
tow.
Skills You'll Need:
http://www.ivillage.com/work/wfh/features/articles/0,,187811_413334-2,00.html
Skills You'll Need: You must be attentive to details, and a good
memory is essential because you may not be able to take notes while on
assignment. (As a mystery shopper, your mission is to act like a
regular consumer, so you don't to want to do anything that could bring
attention to the fact you are evaluating the business.) You'll also
need good record-keeping skills, so you can keep track out-of-pocket
expenses, such as gas and car mileage.
Equipment You'll Need: A car is usually necessary for getting to and
from the establishments you're evaluating, and a computer is needed
for online shopping. A fax machine or email fax service is also
desirable.
Start-Up Costs: Though you'll be reimbursed later, you'll have to lay
out the money needed for each mystery shopping assignment. (For
example, you'll have to pay the price of admission at the theater
you're evaluating or cover the cost of groceries when doing a
supermarket shop.) You bill the mystery shopping company for these
expenses when you send in your evaluation form. Since mystery shoppers
work as independent contractors, you will be able to write off any
non-reimbursable expenses on your taxes.
How much you can make
http://www.ivillage.com/work/wfh/features/articles/0,,187811_413334-3,00.html
How Much Can You Make? Anywhere from around $5 for a supermarket or
fast-food evaluation to up to $100 for complicated, time-consuming
tasks like opening a bank account or assessing the service at an
airport ticket check-in counter. But most pay in the $20 to $40 range,
and include additional incentives such as coupons for free dinners or
movies. Some companies don't pay cash -- instead they'll only offer
coupons, free products or services, or gift certificates.
How to Break In:
Register with several mystery shopping companies to increase the job
frequency. For an extensive list, contact the National Center for
Professional Mystery Shoppers and Merchandisers http://justshop.org/
Join Mystery Shopping news groups (such as those at Mom!Mom!.Com
http://www.mom-mom.com/
Resources:
The Mystery Shopping Online Beginners Guide
http://hometown.aol.com/mysteryshops/index.html (see links on left
side of page)
National Center for Professional Mystery Shoppers and Merchandisers --
offers support, company contacts and information about industry
courses and conferences, as well as links to several mystery shopping
message boards.
http://www.justshop.org/
Secret Shop Net.com -- A national mystery shopping company, where you
can apply for assignments
http://www.secretshopnet.com/
=================================================
Mystery Shopper
http://www.mvalue.com/mystery-shopper.htm
The cool thing about mystery shoppers?
They get paid. They get free stuff.
The bad thing about mystery shoppers?
Lots of people want to do it, but there's a lot of competition now-a-days.
In a nutshell, there are lots of people -like you and I- who are
secret shopper at a number of various retail stores. But, those people
worked hard to get their mystery shopper job and they also had a bit
of luck too. Not everyone makes it.
On the upside, more and more companies are starting up mystery shopper
programs to help them improve their services and products. So, there
is an improving chance for newbies to get in on this boom. However, it
could be tough to try to find more than a handful of good, trustworthy
programs by searching on the Internet.
One great program we found by a simple and quick search was Jack in
the Box. If you have one of these restaurants near you, then you might
be in luck!
Jack in the Box's program is technically considered "paid to eat", but
it's all really one in the same. You get free stuff and/or get paid to
give your detailed feedback and suggestions.
However, the easiest way is to subscribe to a database service (low,
one-time fee) that maintains an updated and comprehensive list of
marketing firms and corporations offering these programs. This is not
the same as paying for being on a preferred waiting list -- those are
typically scams.
If you're interested in becoming a mystery shopper, check out our advice below:
Mystery Shopper Advice
* You'll want to have a separate email account as you will get a LOT
of new email. And, the chances are high that even some of the good
companies will tend to send so much unwarranted email that it could be
considered SPAM.
* Sign up with one of the more reputable Mystery Shopper database
agencies. We recommend going with a company that offers an all-in-one
deal (i.e. Paid Surveys, Mystery Shopper, etc).
* Do not make the mistake of applying to every "mystery shopper" job
out there. That takes too much time. Instead, look through the
listings and apply to the top 3 that you think you are a fit for.
Then, try to have in mind how often you can shop for them and what you
can offer. If they don't accept you; go to the next best 3 and try to
revamp your presentation.
[edit]
=================================================
Secret Shoppers by Jason Lambert
http://mysteryshopping.articleinsider.com/114218_secret_shoppers.html
Secret shoppers are often the backbone of a large company's internal
evaluation process. When a manager or an executive steps into a store,
every employee puts his or her best foot forward. While this show may
make an executive or a manger feel confident temporarily, it actually
gives no indication whatsoever as to how employees are performing. In
order to get a true assessment of an employee's performance, the
company needs a spy.
While Secret Shoppers are not spies in the truest sense of the word
(no disguise will ever be necessary), they are responsible for
gathering data about the company without giving away who they are.
They must act natural--as though they truly are a "regular" customer.
Only then will the secret shopper be able to make a fair assessment of
a store's staff and service level.
Finding Jobs for Secret Shoppers
The best way to find jobs for secret shoppers is to join a secret
mystery shopper membership organization. Secret mystery shopper
membership organizations provide all of their members with updated
lists of the companies that hire secret shoppers. Many also provide
tips and tricks for staying undercover while on assignment and the
proper way to judge a store's staff.
Many people hesitate to join a membership organization because they
fear secret shopping sounds "too good to be true." The fact is, many
people make hundreds of dollars every week secret shopping at stores
they would likely shop in regardless. As long as you are willing to
complete assignments on time, being a secret shopper can be a reality!
=================================================
Reviews of Mystery Shopping has 17 reviews from people who have
firsthand experience.
http://www.ciao.co.uk/Mystery_Shopping__5097269/TabId/2
=================================================
The Dollar Stretcher has 2 informative pages on Mystery Shopping
Getting Paid to Shop by Gary Foreman
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/990118p.cfm
Mystery Shopping Resources
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/980219a.cfm
=================================================
"Ultimate Mystery Shopper Employment Source Guide" (FAQ) Frequently
Asked Questions:
http://www.workathomeincome.com/mysteryfaqs.htm
=================================================
What Does a Single Mystery Shop Job Pay?
http://www.mymommybiz.com/mystery/whatdoesjobpay.html
The amount of money a job is worth can vary wildly depending on the
type of establishment, what the job entails, and particularly, where
you live.
Grocery stores and casual restaurant dining pay the best, with
expenses paid. Fast food jobs pay less, offer less of a meal
reimbursement.but are also easy jobs to do if you have kids in tow.
Retail stores can vary - you will usually get paid more for an
exclusive or higher end retail shop than you will at a discount store,
for example.
Retail stores pay $10 - $30 per shop.
Fast food restaurants pay $5 - $15 per shop. Meal allowance is usually about $5.
Casual restaurant dining pays anywhere from $15 - $30, with a meal
allowance of $15 - $20.
Grocery stores usually have a grocery allowance of $5 - $8 (very
rarely will you be able to get a basket or a cart worth of groceries
for a shop, and even then it is usually with very specific shopping
lists). Payment varies from $15 - $30
=================================================
Volition.com - Alphabetical List
http://www.volition.com/mysteryUSA1.html
http://www.volition.com/mysteryUSA2.html
http://www.volition.com/mysteryUSA2.html
*****
Mystery Shopping Volition.com Forum:
http://aawsm.com/forums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3
=================================================
Ezboard Message Board
http://p220.ezboard.com/bmysteryshopping90693
=================================================
More pages to look over:
http://www.apennyearned.co.uk/mystery_shopping.html
http://www.mom-mom.com/mystery.htm
http://www.mysteryshoppingbook.com/moneymakingsecrets.cfm
=================================================
keyword search:
mystery shopping
secret shopper
becoming a mystery shopper
mystery shopping frequently asked questions
secret shopping information
secret shoppers guide
Plus, personal knowledge - because I know several people who are
working as secret shoppers and have completed assignments.
Best regards,
tlspiegel |
