Mystery Shopper – How To Become One
Becoming a mystery shopper, also known as a secret shopper, is a fun job and potentially a way to make some money on the side. The first step is to sign up with different mystery shopping companies. Signing up with the online applications just requires some basic information, such as your name, address and email contact. The key to remember is that a mystery shopping website should never ask you to pay to sign up. When filling out the application, use proper grammar and punctuation to demonstrate that you are a professional.
Remember that becoming a mystery shopper is not a way to get rich quick. When you do an assignment, you will not be paid ahead of time; you are being reimbursed. It could even take as long as three months for the money to get to you so don’t expect instant gratification. The money is usually less than $20 per assignment but it is only for an hour or so of your time.
After you are accepted to become a mystery shopper and are given an assignment you will be required to make a purchase. It could be at a coffee shop or a clothing retailer. You can sign up for different types of products within your zip code. Follow the directions exactly as they are given to you. If you order the wrong size of cup or do not purchase the right color of item you may not be paid. In addition, do not tell anybody that you are a mystery shopper. You must remain anonymous or it defeats the purpose of secret shopping.
To be a secret shopper you must be good at paying attention to your surroundings and remembering details. Remember the name of each employee you interact with, the clothing they are wearing and if they greet you politely. You might be asked to rate the product you were given in terms of quality or how long it took the employees to make. You might be required to ask assistance of the employees and rate their helpfulness. If you forget important details you may not be reimbursed. It is a good idea to take notes after each assignment. Keep a notebook and pen in the car so that you can record information you are likely to forget later on. You can even keep notes on your phone if it helps.
You should be on the lookout for scams at all times. Scammers seem to target people looking for online jobs, mystery shopping jobs in particular. Do not accept jobs from a company that requests to send you checks if you will wire the money back to them. This is a scam and you will be responsible for owing any money the bank loses as a result. A legitimate company should also never ask you to pay to get assignments. They should be paying you.
Do not be discouraged if you are not able to get many assignments to start with. You are going to have to be patient and earn experience as you go. You may be nervous the first few times you work as a mystery shopper but the more assignments you take on the better you will become. Eventually it will become a fun way to make some extra money.