If you want to be a mystery shopper, there is something that you need to get straight: Mystery Shopping is WORK. Its a way to make money — And it can be fun, down-right rewarding, flexible, and all sorts of wonderful…but let me get this straight…
Mystery shopping requires work. Sometimes that work is hard! This is not a way to ‘get rich quick.’ And you are NOT getting ‘something for nothing.’ As a mystery shopper, you are providing a valuable service. You are expected to be reliable, honest, hard-working, and professional.
This means you have to pay attention.
But don’t let me scare you away!
There are shortcuts to getting started. And here’s the best one: DIVE IN LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!
The reason most people fail at mystery shopping is because they give up before they’ve even started. They might apply to one or two companies. Or they’ll buy an ebook and then expect the money to just start pouring in. But that’s not how it works!
I have seen shopper after shopper succeed because they dived in with almost reckless abandon.
And what where the consequences?
A successful mystery shopping career!
Here’s how you can launch your mystery shopping career — if you’re willing to risk it!
- Apply to mystery shopping companies. Find those companies on job boards such as www.jobslinger.com or www.shadowshopper.com. Don’t worry about the particulars of the assignments, just look for companies that have had assignments in your area. Apply to 10-20 companies. Then, as you move on to the other steps, keep applying and applying to more companies.
- Apply for assignments. Once you apply to companies, you’ll need to log in to their websites and apply to assignments. Jump in like there is no tomorrow and apply to a lot of assignments.
- Just do it. Do the assignments. Do them to the best of your ability. Do them on time, and really pay attention to the details.
- Learn like crazy. One of the most practical, down-n-dirty things you can do is to read-read-read about mystery shopping. Read all of the discussions at www.mysteryshopforum.com, read all of the articles on this blog, read all of the articles at MysteryShopMaven.com.
If you expect to succeed at mystery shopping without really trying…If you expect to get tons of free money so that you can ‘shop-till-you-drop’…If you expect mystery shopping to give you ‘something-for-nothing’….
Then you’re barking up the wrong tree!
But, if you dive in and work hard…you can reap the rewards of a successful mystery shopping career. Mystery shopping is one of the most flexible ways to earn money out there.
You get to choose how much you work. You get to choose your own hours. If you are retired, have kids, or are disabled, this business can really change your life!
And that leads me to what mystery shopping really is all about: A flexible way to earn money that is fun and sometimes frustrating, but also rewarding.
Cheers!
You have some great advise and good tips but one thing all the articles don’t seem to emphasize. The mystery shopper needs to lay out money up front to do many shops. You are not reimbursed for at least 30 days. So, if you have 10 shops that require you to make a $5.00 or more purchase you have to spend $50.00 plus to complete those shops. Some shoppers can not afford to constantly purchase without the option of a return. This is a very important factor that seems to be overlooked by many mystery shopping articles and needs to be mentioned more often.
Anna, that’s a very good point. I’ll keep it in mind! Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it.
I do house keeping and pet care take care of peoples pets while they are gone
Just to add to the comment about paying up front…….I live in a small town, I drive 30 to 95 miles one-way to larger cities to do most of my shops. The price of gasoline is getting worse all the time! When I shop apartments, I shop those located closely together as much as possible, and I do 3 to 5 in a day when I drive 50+ miles because it takes the entire pay from one shop just to pay for gas!
Another tidbit: when a scheduler tells you “it’s a 15 minute shop” that probably means 30 to an hour; and then you go home and write the report! I made $450.00 my first month; I’m in my second and it looks like $550.00 or so. BUT- paydays range from 3 weeks to 60+ days after the shop!
Now I’m on a roll!
-Fast food means writing 7 pages about a burger joint for $6.00 8 weeks from now!
-Merchandising is always harder and takes longer than you think and much harder and much longer than you were told.
-“enjoy a free dinner!” means you can’t enjoy it because you have to observe and record 500 details; you get no compensation for your time; you BUY dinner and then wait for the reimbursement.
-I have known of shoppers who did something incorrectly and did not get paid. That means no reimbursement also.
Don’t I sound negative!! Actually I’m having a pretty good time. I have toured places I would love to live in! I just had to learn to focus on why I’m there. I HAVE to be observant; in most of my shops I am rating the salesperson, not what they are selling. I have to be able to “tell the story” and “paint the picture” for the person paying me, so they see it through the eyes of their customers. It isn’t a bad job at all, it just isn’t an easy job. I don’t think they should advertise “Get paid to shop and eat!” Honey if that were true I’d be in the spa and my assistant would be typing this!
I agree with the aforementioned comments, but I am also grateful for the initial information, as provided by Jacob. I think the bottom line is, it takes money to make money, and in today’s economy, one has to plan, plan, plan when it comes to scheduling shops, and anticipating pay~offs!
Thank you for sharing all the useful information, and company lists!
Rhoda, that’s poetic justice. The mystery shopping companies want us to be upfront and honest at all costs. I have found some deception as well in the presentation of shops from the schedulers such as you mentioned.
As far as gas prices, (NY prices $3.90) I have had only one MS company offer shops in the same vicinity to offset the cost of gas in order to complete the shops. At least some people think of shopper’s end.
Jacob thanks for the list and your sdvise and tips.
That is so true Anna. I did so many shop in a week and had to put out money upfront some of them was more than $5.00. I had to slow down because I could not afford it. I started merchandising and love it. I do not have to get upfront cash and long forms to fill out. Don’t get me wrong I still put in some mystery shopping while doing merchandising.
Thanks for the suggestions Jacob and thanks for the additional feedback. Mystery Shopping can be frustrating and sometimes it is like a roller coaster ride. I dipped my toes into mystery shopping a little over 2 years ago by signing up for 2 shops. I love the freedom of working when I want and where I want. Yes, this is work and at times it can be quite challenging. It all depends on how I look at it. When I sign on for a shop that I find to be particularly challenging, and that I did not like, I have to take a look at myself and regard it as something that I used as a growth lesson. As time management goes, I have followed the suggestion to register with LOTS of companies. On some days I have done 6 – 7 shops. I am registered with lots of companies and I poke around to see who has shops in the primary area that I will be traveling to. I don’t sweat the gas that much because I will go out and do gas shops that I will be getting paid for down the road. I paid over $4 for a gallon of gas last week, but I knew that down the road I would be getting reimbursed. I had my best month ever last month and performed shops that will bring in $1,600. Yes, I spend money to perform shops and I feel that I am making a contribution to improving customer service for everyone. But I will make sure that I purchase something that I will be able to utilize or give away in the future. I consider the investment that I make in purchasing something to be an investment in my mystery shopping future. I don’t spent a lot of time thinking about getting paid down the road. I focus my mental energy on becoming familiar with what is required to perform the shop, doing my best. and submitting the report/survey on time. The rest will take care of itself. If I take a shop for a MSP and I am not pleased with the way they handle things, I don’t have to shop for them again. That is the great thing about being INDEPENDENT. I get to pick and choose what I will do. I can work for who I want to, take new assignments and if I don’t like them, I don’t have to sign up for them again. Mystery shopping has also helped me to grow in self esteem in ways that other jobs could not provide.
I am so new at this that I am just in the information gathering stage. Boy, this is all so helpful to me. The information I have received from all the postings and other reading I have done has helped me so much in learning how to be effective as soon as possible. Thank you.
I have been mystery shopping for two years now. I haven’t made a lot of money doing it. How do you make $450.00 a month mystery shopping? I enjoy doing it I would just like to get paid more. I have also done some merchandising I like do this the paper work is easier to do. I have been applying for many merchandising jobs and I haven’t heard back. Most of the time I hear back from the mystery shopping companies.I also haven’t gotten paid for shops that I have done wrong. I don’t think that it is fair they should pay a little for your time.I have been ill this past month I haven’t worked all that much.I hope to get back to do more mystery shopping this. I like doing it can be fun but you also have to work hard.
The month of April was my first month mystery shopping. I shopped 24 sites. I received a letter from a scheduler stating how impressed she was that I had scheduled and completed so many shops with her, she helped me get more shops. I live in a big city but when I started I had a goal. And I stay focus on that goal. Others have said this before sign up with many companies. I think I have signed up with over 50 companies. And I keep signing up. Good Luck, I am having a great time.
I enjoy reading about other shooppers experiences. Since we
sign up with so many companies, how do you keep your records of pay coming to you so far down the line. Have
any of you not been paid at all? I need hints how you
keep up with the payments.
Thanks
Dot, it’s easy. You can either do it the old-fashioned way and keep weekly records of your shops and mark them off as you get paid. My sheets are lined up as follows: Mileage, Date, Place, MS Company, Fee, Reimbursement/Expenses and Date Paid. I label each week, ex., Week of May 5th and as I get paid I highlight them. The more modern way would be on the computer as a spreadsheet. I like to write them down only because I spend so much time on the computer it gives me and the ozone layer a break.
Hope that helps you. Good luck!
I have been a mystery shopper since 2004. I also have a silver certificate. Some day I will have a gold. I tried for almost a year to make this a full time job. As business’s go I can say I did ok for a while, I worked part time in a restauant and started to do better that way. One month I actually make $4,400.00 in one month between the two. The next month I made $2100.00 so I just started to take it for what it was worth. I leave it alone sometimes and just make it work in my schedule. Being certified does get you better shops to it is worth it to do so. Video shops pay great if you qualify for them I try to go for the ones that pay the most. Then just do the $10 or more ones I like. I am trying to keep up with gas shops to let my side business support itself. I have a casino shop to do for Harrah’s this week end.
I go on the websites and look up payment history.Some of the web sites show when your going to be paid on the jobs completed. Most of the mystery shopping companies I work for pay once a month.I find it the best way to be paid is through direct deposit if offered. I also like being paid through paypal.That way you don’t have to wait for the mail to come.I have had a few companies not pay me because mistakes that I made. I think that they should have paid me a little something for my time.How many of you are working at others jobs besides mystery shopping?
Interesting comments -Thank You.
Bob
THANKS ANNA.
DOT
Hi, Its Kathy from Long Island,NY I think that as a new shopper Im having fun,I am signing up every day for more and more shops , and the shops I did are happy and sending me more. I need the silver certification and am not sure when i get into the web site how to sign up. I emailed them and am waiting because every bit of knowledge helps.
As far as gas, if its too far away and I have to pay out of pocket and get 10 for a job that I have to pay $10 in gas its not worth it unless you ask if they can reschedule it where you have several jobs that day in the same area. Thats how you can make money and also make a new client happy .Good Luck to all and any tips you can give me as a 2 mo newbie let me know,I love it. I dont love the pay out of your pocket ones,I need to bring in income now when i first start.If its minimal i don’t mind but Not a $100 dinner paid back 4-6wks later,I’ll save those jobs for later dates.Thank you for all the advise. Kathy
Hi I’m Ava, I work a night home, plus work a home business and mystery shop. This is my first month, I try to pick MS close to home, and the shops in a circle. I would advise, if you can take aprox $60.00 cash and keep in a safe place. Use this as your budget for ms. I was offered a shop for $40.00, $17.00, $15,00,$15.00, $8.00, all with in 3-5 miles of my home with no purchase. I have an entertainment shop coming up $25.00 with up to $60.00 reimburst. My advise to some of you, keep your shops close to home and try to collect all that require no purchase!! Gas is too high!!!
Hi I’m Ava, I work a night job, plus work a home business and mystery shop. This is my first month, I try to pick MS close to home, and the shops in a circle. I would advise, if you can take aprox $60.00 cash and keep in a safe place. Use this as your budget for ms. I was offered a shop for $40.00, $17.00, $15,00,$15.00, $8.00, all with in 3-5 miles of my home with no purchase. I have an entertainment shop coming up $25.00 with up to $60.00 reimburst. My advise to some of you, keep your shops close to home and try to collect all that require no purchase!! Gas is too high!!!
Hi, I’m Gin from Texas. I’m new to MS also and don’t have any certificates. But I’ve been working my self to the bone. I’ve never done less then four and most times up to six shops a day. I agree with all of you though, I didn’t get paid for a shop simply because their instructions were so vague I didn’t do a phone in order and instead ordered a pizza at the shop. So not only did I not get the 30 Dollars, but I’m out the 13 for the pizza plus gas for a round trip to a town ten miles from me. They should at least pay us for our time if we made an honest effort. I love doing MS and I’m already addicted but I’m learning fast to be more picky about who I work with and what I’m willing to do. And make SURE you read ALL the details before you click assign me now. Sometimes the worst of part of the shop seems to be hidden in the last place you would think to look for it!
Peace out all!
Gin
I wanted to sign up as a mystery shopper, received a letter and check in the mail. Unfortunantly I did not check the BBB right away. I put the check in my back account, did not take anything out. Good thing, it was for a business called Frontline Consumer Research Group. The check bounced. I got hit with a $5 service fee from my bank… Luckily my only expense. This company tried to tell me that it was a mistake, and if I would send them $499 they would send me a new check for $6000 to use as a mystery shopper and my salary. DAH!!!! I forwarded them to the BBB and found out that they have about 46 complaints in the last two years.
I am interested in getting into Mystery Shopping, but need to find the legit ones.
I have been doing MS for at least 9 months now…..you can make good money to supplement yourself. I started out with Shadowshopper.com. I signed up for the trial…and immediately was sent work assignments to choose from based on the information I had registered with them…I have been very pleased working independently, when I want to, and it helps alot if you have kids….the shops for pizza, for example.
I have found a niche I really enjoy and when I don’t want to work I don’t have to.
Whats up shoppers. I have been shopping for about 5 years. It’s challenging sometimes but thats one reason I like it so much. I read that a few of you came across some companies that were not legit. I have never came across any. I started out with Shadow Shopper, but I never got any shops through them. So after I registered at most of the companies that they provided shoppers for, it was smooth sailing.
Good luck to the newbies. Remember not to pay to apply to be a mystery shopper and get certified, silver and gold. And also get certified if any company has certain certifications.
Be easy!!
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