Ever heard of mystery shopping? Sounds exciting and mysterious doesn’t it?
It’s a method that some people use to make money in their spare time, but many people mistake it for a scam. In some cases, it is, but there are lots of perfectly viable opportunities out there that are legitimate. Let’s take a look at what mystery shoppers do, and how to find shopping opportunities that are on the up and up.
Mystery shoppers are customers hired by a company to shop undercover, sometimes in competitors’ stores, sometimes in their own franchises. They shop everywhere, pose as customers, and gather information about all sorts of areas, from cleanliness to quality of service. Mystery shoppers buy merchandise, make returns, ask questions and act just like regular shoppers, while making a lot of observations. After the shopping trip is over, the mystery shopper completes a report.
This is not a way to get paid for what you think about the experience; it’s more like a form of journalism, and your report form will contain mostly yes or no questions. Most mystery shoppers are actually hired by businesses to tell them about the experiences of customers in their own stores – things that a supervisor might not see. After all, we’re all on our best behavior in front of the boss. The information gathered by mystery shoppers can even be used to reward good employees.
There are all kinds of businesses that might use mystery shoppers, from banks to hotels, restaurants to spas. There are even government agencies that send out people who do a similar job to that of mystery shoppers, to find out how citizens are treated. Plenty of opportunities are available, and if you want to get involved, you’ll need to find a mystery shopping company. About two and a half million people are working in this position at the moment.
Of course, like any job opportunity, this kind of position has brought out some scammers, too. Look for companies that belong to the Mystery Shopping Providers Association, which have to agree to certain ethical standards and be formally approved. Never pay any company to apply, or to get a “kit” of information that’ll supposedly help you get the job. Legitimate jobs are available for free.
If you see promises of high pay rates, it’s probably also a scam. Most mystery shoppers get paid around ten dollars per assignment, though complex assignments can be in the hundred dollar range. While you’re not likely to get rich doing this job, it is a way to make a little extra money, and have a lot of fun shopping.
