The Real-World Quick-Start Guide to Mystery Shopping
- Register an email account just for mystery shopping. You are going to be receiving a lot of email as a mystery shopper, and it will be a big help to keep it separated from your main email account. You will also want to make sure that the email address you are using is not going to disappear if you switch internet service providers. So I recommend that you register for a free email account from Google, Yahoo, or Hotmail. Be sure to pick a professional sounding name.
- Sign up for Paypal. Paypal is a free service that lets you send and receive money over the internet. Most mystery shopping companies now prefer to pay their mystery shoppers through Paypal. So — if you want to get payed…then register for PayPal!
- Register with mystery shopping companies. You can apply to companies online, completely free. Keep in mind that if they are asking for money…then they are NOT a mystery shopping company. I recommend that you save your responses to the first application you fill out in a separate document, so that you can copy and paste it into other applications. You can find companies to register with at MysteryShopForum.com, on this website, and on the MSPA job board.It helps to keep a table or spreadsheet with information about all of the companies you have registered with. Include the url of the company, the url where you log in to their website, and the username/password to log in. Also, it helps to record the date you registered, and whether or not they are likely to have assignments for you.
- Apply for assignments. Every mystery shopping company has a different process for giving out assignments. With many companies, you can ‘self-assign’ on their website. Once you get a confirmation that you were assigned the assignment, you will be able to go out and do it. It is important to keep a record of all your assignments. For each assignment, record the mystery shopping company name, the location of the assignent, the date it is due, the fee expected, the reimbursement expected, and when you expect to get paid. You will also want to record the miles driven to and from the assignment for your tax records. If this is your first mystery shopping assignment for this company, then pick a very easy assignment. If you do well on it, your ‘shopper rating’ will go up — and they will be more likely to offer you better assignments.
- Review assignment instructions. Once you accept an assignment, you should review the instructions as soon as possible. This is to make sure that you are able to do the assignment, and to make sure that you will have plenty of time to ask the company for any help in clarifying what they expect of you. They want you to do well on the assignment, so do not hesitate to ask as many questions as necessary. You will also want to create a ‘cheat sheet’ that will help you keep track of the details you are expected to observe for your assignment.
- Go out and complete the assignment. Be sure to complete the assignment on time! And just as importantly, be sure to file your report on time. And do your best. If you do well on the assignment, the company will take note of that, and they will be more likely to offer you better assignment in the future. Be sure to keep a copy of your assignment instructions and any other records/receipts from the assignment.
- Repeat steps 3-6 as much as you want. The more companies you apply to, the more opportunities you will have. The more assignments you complete, the more money you will earn. The more you ‘wow’ the company you are working with, the more likely they are to offer you more assignments in the future. So, apply to companies and complete assignments to the best of your ability. That is the formula for ‘mystery shopping success.’
- At the end of the month, review your logs. You will want to keep track of which payments you have received, and which ones you still expect. Every once in a while, a mystery shopping company will need some ‘cajoling’ before they pay you. Keeping good records will help with this tremendously.
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This is my first try as a mystery shopper. I worked in retail and
as an insurance agent. Any information on getting started would be appreciated. I am retired
Thank you for concidering me to be a M.S. Lets get started!! I understand what is expected and am will to put forth my best effort to benifit all concerned.
Thanks,
Glynis Kelly
Iwll I be using my own money for these assignments. I’am not working right now and have no money so if I could do this with out any money from my pocket i would be very intresting.
Thanks
I shopped for Infotel,ShoppersInc., and Sinclair until the hurricane hit us in September. Since then, my contacts have been lost. Do any of you have information on these companies? I work around the east side of Houston.
Thank you.
I have been wanting to try this MS thing for a year.
I can find anything on the net, and can get around the
whole of Ca. and alot of Nv. & s Or. I’ve been wanting
to take some road trips anyhow. Thanks
Why do I have to pay to become a Shopper?
I started MSing about 4 months ago. Let me just warn you, IT IS NOT AS EASY AS YOU MIGHT THINK! I thought you just go, shop, and get paid. WRONG!!!! There is alot of “little things” you don’t think of when you mystery shop. Don’t get me wrong. I love doing it. I love the challenge. There is just alot more to it than I first thought. So, if this is something your thinking about doing, make sure you do research, research, research! Once you get the hang of it’s great. Just be prepared for the “work” part.
hi: please send me the jobs which pay me money cash and I need your help and thankyou
O.K. so no ans. on why i have to pay so where do i get jobs to go out and shop????
Please send me jobs where I can get paid I am unemployed and dont have no income and I really need your help. Please help me before I do something illegal and that is something I dont wish to do for the the sake of my children and grandchildren.
I am new to mystery shopping and so far all the information has been extremely helpful in finding work. I am registered with 12 companies now and this is all within 1 week of signing up with Shadow Shopper. Looking forward to a long term relationship with all companies
I live to shop,I have been on both ends of the business,The employee giving customer service,And the consumer shopping.I have what it takes to provide this company with accurate and honest service please consider my request to become a mystery shopper.Call anytime (817)740-9655. Hope to hear from you soon.
I love to shop its my favorit hobbie..I was a store manager for 7-years a district manager for 3-years a customer service spec for 5-years.. I’m observe people very well…………
I JUST STARTED AS A SECRET SHOPPER I DID MY FIRST JOB 3 DAYS AGO IT WAS HARDER THAN I THOUGHT BUT FUN THERES ALOT OF WORK TO THIS BUT I NO I WILL BE GOOD AT IT. CANT WAIT FOR MY NEXT JOB.
dont think i should pay if they desperately need shoppers to do thier work. i work for 2 companies now and no fee for becoming a shopper as you want
I need a job and I blend in very well no one ever sees me coming I think this secret shopper is right for me I have a ton of experance in company products and company rules and regulations and would love to report so that companies can improve themselves
I will be doing what I do best anyway, this is a job for me.
Peace be unto you, my name is Anthony Gray. I’m interested in mystery shopping, I feel that I will be an asset to the companies that i’m assigned to. With the economy going through this time of testing mystery shoppers will be very important to the business world the companies with integrity will last, the companies that don’t will fall have a blessed day.
i would love to be in this also email me pls
Requesting Immediate consideration. I have observational skills
I am interested in mystery shopping, e-mail me with instructions
want to become a mystery shopper asap, so i can earn extra bucks for my daughter christmas
I am very serious and interested in making some income, please send me info
I need to earn some money for christmas, please send me some info
I have been mystery shopping for two years now around my full time job. I have really enjoyed the process. I am signed up on over 80 mystery shopping websites and have worked a method to keep them straight. There are certain well paying shops on each one and if I wait until they are close to being due I can pick up more for more money. I will pick up shops from different sites on a 75 to 100 mile loop and make a Saturday of it and pick up $100 or more.
I would really like to do this kind of work. But im havein trouble tryin to get strarted. Im relly not sure how to do it ploease someone help me..
Iam looking for a real mystery shopping job.
I will work for any Mystery Shopping company that does NOT use PayPal…..Bad experience so far. Need to learn how to find out which companies use PayPal and which ones do not…..easily without wasting a lot of MY time.
My dream Mystery Shopping job would be to travel and rate hotels (staying overnite), baseball parks, minor and major league, college and pro sports venues and finally airline Mystery Shopping with NO re-imbursement.
If this is true I need a JOB!!!!!!!
that was good I wish that is true to do this job because all my working in retail store and I am fully know about mystey shoppers
if it is true let see it work
Iam looking for a real mystery shopping job , I will be doing what I do best anyway, this is ajob for me.
I would like to be in this job , email me please.
I need to earn some extra cash for my living , please send me some
information concerning to this.
i would love to b a mystery shopper cause i love to shop and help my community
I would like to start making money doing shops for Mystery shopping Thank You!!! Hazel Sue Robinsn
Am very interested in mystery shopping, and would appreciate any assistance and information that you can give me. I am retired from the Marine Corps and do have spare time to do this.
Already commented on becoming a mystery shopper
How many times do you want me to comment?
Hmmmmmm, if this is such a problem from the start I can see that it is not worth my time.
yes i would like to start making money with mystery shopper
Let’s rock ‘n roll. I’ve completed a few low return jobs. Would like some with that pay well fo a change.
Would like to become active in this .
I have several comments as a seasoned shopper (8 years, MSPA Silver). You will not start out getting the GOOD assignments, you’ll get the fast food and convenience stores. Then you’ll earn credibility to get the sit-down restaurants, the over night hotel stays, new car dealers and so-on. (I haven’t been asked to do a cruise yet). As far as looking for companies to shop for… GOOGLE it! DO NOT PAY anyone to become a secret shopper! Don’t cash checks or money orders prior to a shop – EVER! Stay away from BES. I did a pizza shop for them on January 15, 2010 and they will cut my check on April 17, 2010. Folks, that’s THREE months! Most companies pay by the end of the following month, some pay within a week. Ask for incentives. I shop for one company that will pay me a bonus for a late night shop because I have to drive 5 miles beyond my house to get to it after work (swings). Real problem do happen. Contact your scheduler and tell them that you need to reschedule for a real emergency. Don’t lie to them, or you’ll end up shopping McDonalds for the rest of the year. My biggest gripe is some of the paperwork that you have to print out is 10-20 pages long, read what you can on-line then save the rest to a thumb drive and take it to an office supply store and have them print it out. Look into merchandising and revealed shops – some of these are quite fun and pay pretty good. Got questions? Contact me and I’ll answer what I can… Good luck and happy shopping.
I had signed up for PayPal years ago, & never had the need for it. However, I’ve gotten notices that my PayPal acct has bought numerous items. One of them being a boat, how do I know if PayPal is legit, if I get things like this. It makes me very scary to sign up for PayPal.
NO COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
NO COMMENT AT THIS TIME. WOULD LIKE SHOT MYSTERY SHOPPING AGAIN I HAVE WORK AS A MYSTERY SHOPPER BEFORE.
I am interested in becoming a mystery shopper for your company. I have done this before for another company several years ago!! Thank You!! Hazel Robinson
I’ve just started shopping two weeks ago, or searching and filling out applications. I have already learned a lot. My first was a casino…on probably the least busy night, I counted 20 gamblers and maybe, just maybe that many employees, mostly the slot attendants. I was suppose to observe 15 employees, 3 security which I saw one early in the hour but figured I had plenty to observe. I was wrong, I saw two security the whole three hours and made more trips around in circles searching, never found the first security guy again, so I only had one to report on. Because it was the graveyard shift, and I was to start around 1130p, I didn’t get the two beverage servers I needed…because they quit the bar serving at 1am. Well I was told I could return and get the additional employees I needed or be docked $3 each, and they’d have someone else do it. With it being 30 miles one way, and I had two days to get the rest of what I needed, I decided it wasn’t worth it. So I may get dropped from my first shop. But I want to let everyone know, it is a learning experience. I did the best I could, next time I won’t go unless its a big night with plenty of employees. I do want to let new shoppers know, from reading everyones comments, it is very important to use proper grammar, spelling, sentences, etc. Be professional! The clients want professionals, that’s all there is to it. I am already swamped with offers, even though a lot of small ones, but I feel they will grow. They aren’t going to give the best shops to newcomers….like most companies. Good luck to everyone.
I’VE WANTED TO GET INTO MYSTERY SHOPPING FOR A LONG TIME NOW. I HOPE THAT THIS IS A VERY FORTUNATE ONE. I CAN’T WAIT TO START ON THIS EXCITING ADVENTURE AND LEARNING THE BUSINESS. LOOK FORWARD TO JOINING YOUR TEAM!