Finding Legitimate Mystery Shopping Sites

You see the ads all the time. They say that the e-mailed link will take you to the greatest job you'll ever have as a certified mystery shopper. What happens when you click the link? Well, you are shuttled around in an endless loop of surveys, until your eyes are crossed and your computer is chock full of spyware. In the end, you still have to go back to your crappy job come Monday. Although finding a legitimate mystery shopping site is almost impossible to find, they do exist. When you do find that coveted link, don't quit your day job.

Mystery shopping is essentially when an average Joe ventures into a place of business to evaluate products and service. It is, in a way, a test for that business, ordered by the parent company. The business never knows when the mystery shopper is there, that is, until the report comes back to them.

A myth about mystery shopping is that it is a lucrative business. False. Mystery shoppers are independent contractors who vie for jobs in their area. The competition is steep for some jobs, especially if there are several mystery shoppers in your area. They work on a commission that is preset for every job. A good report will net a bonus. Picking up an overdue job can net up to triple the base commission. However, the base commission is often very small, as low as five dollars.

Another myth about mystery shopping is that shoppers get loads of free stuff. Also false. The company does reimburse for the purchase they require the shoppers to make; however, the reimbursement is often very small, as low as a dollar. A lot of shoppers do jobs at movie theaters, restaurants, and bars just to get the free movie or meal (which is often reimbursed fully, but no commission is paid).

The last most common myth is that the mystery shopper goes to the business to catch them at their worst. The too is false. The company sometimes send the shoppers to evaluate weak spots in their own policies, not the individual employee. The company gives guidelines on how to evaluate it store, allowing for human error on the side of the employee. One such guide once said that if a restroom is not clean, but the associate is spotted going to clean it (at any time during the shop), then the negative score cannot be given until the restroom is rechecked.

Mystery shopping a great way to earn extra cash, but again, don't quit your day job if you have one. Do, however, have fun with the job.

Oh, all right I'll throw you a bone. Go to www.mysteryshops.com (the most reliable that I've found), www.certifiedfieldassociates.com , or http://203.94.129.164 (Gapbuster.com). Have fun!