MYSTERY SHOPPING PROVIDES EXTRA MONEY

RECOMMENDED READING

Mystery Shopper's Manual, 6th Edition

I WANT TO SHOP! WHAT'S NEXT?

Okay, you're ready to start your new business as a mystery shopper. You will officially be an independent contractor which means you are not an employee with benefits and you are responsible for your own income taxes.

One key to success as a shopper is organization. As you apply for acceptance as a shopper, apply for shops, schedule your shops and complete the final report, you must stay organized. There are hundreds of legitimate mystery shopping companies and you need to keep copies of the applications. You will also be asked to sign an Independent Contractor's Agreement with each company and you need a copy of the Agreement. What's this contract all about? It is a legal binding agreement that sets out the relationship between you and the company. Remember, this is a business and if you want to succeed, your approach needs to be professional. As the business owner, you want copies for your records. Having copies of the applications will also save you time later by avoiding duplicate applications. Most companies have general guidelines for their shops and, yes, you'll want a copy of the guidelines. You will find some of the web sites for companies under Resources later in this article to help get the ball rolling. As you are accepted by companies and begin to actually shop, you will be required to keep copies of the reports submitted. Each company has its own criteria for retention of copies.

Once the application has been submitted, you'll wait for approval and acceptance as a shopper. Each company will provide a login and password to access the web site and search for shops. The approval process can take a few days or a few weeks. As soon as you have received the acceptance and login information, you can begin the process of searching for shops. How long do you wait for a shop? It depends on several things. Are you in a geographical area that has a need for shoppers? Do you meet the demographic profile for the specific shop? Depending on the purpose of the specific shop, there may be age, race or gender requirements. Some companies require a test and certification by the company before you're trusted with a shop. Your location plays a part in the number of available shops. If you live in or near a large city, you'll find more shops. I live in Sugar Land, a suburb of Houston, and most of the time, there are lots of shops. But, you must remember, many other shoppers will be applying for the same shops. Do not get discouraged. You will get your opportunity.

BENEFITS OF MYSTERY SHOPPING

HAVE SOME FUN - MAKE SOME MONEY

Mystery shopping provides extra cash, products and services and so much more. The flexibility of mystery shopping appeals to students, stay at home moms and full time workers that need some supplemental income. Because you are an independent contractor (the boss), you can select shops convenient to your schedule. This flexibility provides freedom not found in traditional paid hourly part time jobs. You can also benefit from products and services that are a part of some shops. I have been reimbursed for having my carpet shampooed, plumbing repairs completed, and oil changed in my car. I have been reimbursed for numerous meals ranging from fast food to fine dining and some of these shops included a small fee in addition to the reimbursement. The best cash producers are banks, financial institutions, apartments, assisted living facilities and new car sales. Obviously you would not purchase a car or lease an apartment.

You can actually have fun doing the job. You may have a shop that sends you to the mall to evaluate a dress shop and make a small purchase. You may evaluate a coffee shop and have the satisfaction of knowing that the cost of the special coffee and pastry will be reimbursed. It tastes even sweeter!

For me, mystery shopping has been educational. By doing evaluations at financial institutions, I have learned a lot about investments. I have been educated on the differences between fixed annuities and variable annuities and the advantages/disadvantages of mutual funds.

There is the added benefit of doing an evaluation when the customer service was excellent. You know that the employee will be recognized for their good performance. Some shops are actually used as a part of determining bonuses for employees. It's a good feeling to know that you have been a small part of a good thing. On the other hand, if customer service was less than stellar, your evaluation may be a small part of re-training or replacing that employee.

FINAL THOUGHTS FOR SHOPPERS AND SOME RESOURCES TO GET THINGS ROLLING

As you undertake your first shop, remember that you being paid for a service. Read the instructions for the shop and follow the guidelines. Approach this endeavor as a business because IT IS YOUR BUSINESS. Use your best writing skills when you complete the report, be sure the report is completed and submitted within the set time frame. Be honest and objective as you write the report and remember that your reports are a direct reflection on you. By providing accurate, well written reports, you will begin to earn a reputation within the industry as a reliable professional shopper. Many times special consideration is given to the shopper that has provided timely well written reports. It's like any other business; your reputation can promote you or destroy you.

NOW FOR SOME RESOURCES TO GET THINGS MOVING:

http://www.baiservices.com
http://www.mysteryshops.com
http://www.gofeedback.com
http://www.hotelmysteryshopper.com
http://www.shopnchek.com
http://www.Kernscheduling.com
http://www.athpower.com
http://www.customerperspectives.com

There are hundreds of companies and you can do some research on line and find hundreds. Get your office space organized and start applying.

You can now find Intellishop on Facebook and MySpace!

IMPORTANT UPDATE

October 17, 2009

There was an interesting article posted about Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, England. This local government agency used mystery shopping to assess the quality of service provided to customers. They used a three prong mystery shopping plan: phone, email and website. The "shoppers" were members of the public posing as residents with serious questions. The Council proudly reported top ratings in customer service.

October 7th, 2009
I just read an article from Florida that a new scam has been uncovered. The scammers are outside the United States, but are sending letters under the name of a legitimate shopping company. The letters include a check in the amount of $2996.00 with instructions that ultimately lead to the shopper losing a substantial sum of money. USE YOUR COMMON SENSE I know there are some high paying shops (I've been paid $95 for several shops) but NO ONE and I mean NO ONE will send you almost $3,000.00. Don't let these scammers discourage you from shopping, but use your head and think it through.

The "do-bads" seem to be thriving in this weak economy. I want to emphasize that mystery shopping is a legitimate real way to earn money BUT it is also plagued by scammers. A word of caution - NEVER, EVER, pay anyone for the opportunity to shop. The legitimate companies do not charge a fee.

I have also noticed that many of the legitimate shopping companies now have a presence on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. This is a good sign that these companies want to be progressive and want to be known. Some of these same companies have recently posted warnings to the veteran shoppers about the fraud and scams. This is a legitimate part time source of income and it can be educational and fun, but it should never require money from you for the privilege of doing a job. Now, some legitimate shops do pay a fee and a reimbursement, i.e. for a nice dinner or retail item (which you keep or in the former case, ate!). This is very different from the crook that wants to send you a thousand dollars (in check form) and then you send a money order out to someone else for $800 and you keep the $200. WRONG! The $1.000 was not real and you have just been swindled out of $800!! Please be careful. If you have doubts about a company or their offer, do some research.

One thing that seems to be true in every part of the country and in every industry, when times are economically tough, the criminal element surfaces. Crime of every type has risen in the past year! So, be optimistic and get in the shopping game, but use common sense.

August 8, 2009

WORD OF CAUTION

The Consumer Federation of America reported that the fake check scam has resulted in an average loss of $3000-4,000 for each victim! Pay attention and do NOT ADVANCE MONEY to obtain a job.

How about some more tried and trusted company sites to get things moving:

http://www.epmsonline.com
http://www.jmridgeway.com
http.//www.servicesleuth.com
http://www.shopperscritique.com

I worked with all of these companies and found them to be honest and legitimate!

It is interesting to note that mystery shopping is a tool used around the world and in every type of business or industry.

From Britian: Car dealerships were shopped and interesting insights resulted. "Nine out of 10 dealers are ignoring potential buyers, according to a mystery shopping study by customer relationship experts Mondial Assistance. Just 10% of car dealers followed up requests for a brochure. . ."