The Art of Mystery Shopping

Many of you may have heard about the business of mystery shopping or secret shopping as it is sometimes called. This is when you shop at stores, restaurants, over the phone, or on the internet and evaluate various items in an inconspicuous manner. Companies hire outside companies to mystery shop their employees and locations to improve customer service, retain customers, and to improve sales. Mystery shopping can be a fun and exciting way to make some extra cash and try new products, while dong something you enjoy at the same time. There are many companies out there in this ever expanding business. Each company works a little bit differently as well.

To get started in the mystery shopping business, you first have to find some trustworthy companies you can shop for. Many have online applications for you to fill out. You can use a search engine to look these up. Some companies only deal with certain industries such as hotels, restaurants, certain stores, or even certain states. Just because you apply for a company does not mean you will have jobs offered to you. Some company's websites allow you to do a search to see if there are shoppers needed in your area.

In your voyage for a mystery shopping company you may notice that some will ask if you are certified. There are two certification available, silver and gold. Silver certification is cheaper and can usually be completed online. It ensures that a shopper has a basic understanding of the ins and outs of the mystery shopping business. You must complete the silver certification before moving on to achieving the gold certification. The gold certification involves an all day workshop where you would interactive with other shoppers mystery shopping companies at the class location. These classes are held nationwide through out the year. This is an unnecessary certification and you will still be able to get many jobs without it.

Also, some companies may require you to pay a fee in order to join there database of shoppers. Steer clear of these companies. You should never have to pay to work for them. If you can help it, do not provide your social security number either until your first payment is in the works. You never know if some of the smaller, unknown companies are legit or not and you don't want to make your social security number readily available to just anyone. Other signs that a company may not be 100% legit include the ones who try to solicit shoppers through advertisements or junk e-mail.

Furthermore, it may be very over whelming when you first get started in this business. There are so many companies out there and they all seem very appealing. Do your homework on a company and see if you can contact other current shoppers for them and get their opinion of the company. Look for how often they pay, if there is a minimum before payout, how they pay you (PayPal, check, direct deposit), and how many jobs they offer a month. One great website with tons of mystery shopping information is www.volition.com. This is a forum that posts mystery shopping jobs as well as other shopper's opinion of the companies. There is also a huge alphabetical list of various mystery shopping companies. You can also look in groups such as Yahoo Groups for more information.

Moreover, most people do not and can not make a full time job out of mystery shopping. It's a nice supplemental income, but you'd have to put many hours in a week and do far too much driving to get rich doing this. One thing you should consider when the job to start rolling in is their proximity to one another. If you can get a few jobs in the same area, that will greatly save you on the ever increasing cost of gas. Mystery shopping companies do not reimburse you for gas, as you are considered an independent contractor, not an employee of theirs. Therefore, make sure you log how many miles you drive for each shopping trip as you will need this come tax time.

In addition, the pay scale for companies can range from $4.00 a job to over $50.00. For those shops where you have to go to a restaurant or store, you usually get reimbursed for the purchase you had to make, as well as a fee for your time. You have to make sure you follow all the instructions perfectly or else you risk the chance on not getting paid. There are time limits of when the jobs have to be completed by as well as when the paperwork has to be turned in. Most companies have you fill out the paperwork via the internet, although some have you fax as well. Always keep your receipts for future reference. I recommend keeping them at least one year. You have to make sure you have a good memory for this line or work, and a stop watch doesn't hurt either.

Moreover, there is a slight drawback to this business. You have to pay everything out of pocket first, and then get paid later, sometimes one to two months later. So the first month or two might be a little rough, as you are getting started. Just make sure you keep all your paperwork and receipts in order and organized and everything will start to get into a routine. With most companies, once you prove yourself as a worthy shopper, they will offer you more jobs to choose from as well as even higher pay.

In conclusion, mystery shopping is a great way to have some fun while you do something you already love to do, whether its shopping, eating out, or traveling. There are many companies out there, so make sure you do your homework and pick those that are legit and dependable. You won't turn into a millionaire doing this, but you may make a few extra hundred dollars a month. Make sure you keep good records of everything you spend and are required to observe. In return, you will get paid in full.