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Mystery shopping in the UK

jennysue19 by jennysue19

Shop, eat, drink and earn in the UK

Plenty of lenses out there about mystery shopping in the USA, couldn't find ONE about doing it here in the UK, so I decided to write my own.

However even if you DO live in the USA or somewhere else, read on because there may be a little something for you later in the lens!

Mystery Shopping? What's that?

All kinds of consumer facing companies all over the UK want to know how their staff are performing and what kind of experience their customers are receiving, from banks to your local pub.

Typically they will employ a marketing company specialising in mystery or secret shopping to pose as an ordinary shopper, perform specific tasks to test their staff and systems and for food/drink outlets the quality of food and drinks served too.

I work for some of those companies on a freelance self-employed basis. It isn't a full time income, but is a nice extra bit on the side that brings me some good benefits in kind like free groceries, meals out and pub drinks.

How much can you earn?

Over the past year I have averaged £70 a month in actual fees and reimbursements received. Depending on the assignment, the reimbursements could be for benefits in kind like a £5 or £10 basket of shopping in a supermarket, a pub or restaurant meal or round of drinks or some toiletries and non-prescription medications from a chemist (drugstore, I suppose my USA friends would call them).

Take off that about 10-15% for travel expenses which are usually NOT paid on top and you have an idea. I could potentially do a bit more, but it would usually mean travelling further and losing most of the assignment fee in travel. I am always on the lookout for new companies to work for.

How do you get the work?

This is how it started. I saw an online article about mystery shopping but the companies were in the USA or elsewhere,

I Googled and came up with a couple of names to sign up with. As time went on, I found a couple more.

The basic method is the same. I register with the site, tell them where I live and how far I am prepared to travel, They also like to know who I bank with, and a few other details so they can pre-select shops for me and screen out any that aren't appropriate.

I get emails to say that there are new assignments but I also sign on to all my sites first thing every morning to check for new work as the emails sometimes don't go out for an hour or so after the assignments are online.

Occasionally I will get a phone call from the companies because another shopper has pulled out of an assignment at the last minute asking if I can take it on.

One caution. There are sites that will charge you money to tell you about mystery shopping companies or buy an e-book list of potential companies - allegedly. DO NOT FALL FOR THIS. It's a scam and for UK would-be mystery shoppers a total and utter waste of time and money.

Who, where and what?

This is supposed to be a MYSTERY so I can't mention names, but my assignments regularly include major banks, big high street retail names, popular restaurant and pub chains and petrol (gas) station chains.

I live in Havant which is conveniently situated on the A27/M27 so most of my shops are in that 'corridor' between Brighton to the east and Winchester to the west then northwards to Petersfield.

I do sometimes go further afield by checking for groups of assignments slightly outside my normal area, sometimes for different companies.

I'm ready to shop - who do I contact

These are the sites that you can just go to and sign up. There is no guarantee of work. Follow the guidelines above and be diligent about signing on every day to look for assignments.

Grass Roots

ABA-i

There is one other company, Retaileyes, that I have to send you a personal invite to be a shopper. Contact me via the guestbook or my profile page and I'll do what's needed. If you just go to the site and apply, you are less likely to be accepted or it may take longer.

You can also contact me via this Ning group Squidoo Club

My Greetings To You- my moneymaking blog

Gives you all kinds of ideas for making money online and at home and helps you to promote existing MLM/networking businesses
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What else do I do for a bit (of extra money) on the side

I do lots of surveys, some of the companies pay well and send lots of surveys, others are not so hot. Watch for a future lens on this.

See that little pic alongside here?.

The power to make money is not in how much you make yourself, but in how many you can get in your downline. Anyone can do this. Takes you a couple of minutes a day. Just make sure you tell everyone you know to do the same.

Take a look

NB. This invoves downloading a new control bar for your browser. This can be a nuisance and hog screenspace, so I just enable it via the 'view'>toolbars menu to use it once a day, then it gets turned off. My firewall/antivirus/spyware are cool with it so it's no risk to your PC.

I wouldn't suggest anything that might download unwanted stuff or put your PC at risk.

Some useful books to read

You are going to be self-employed as a mystery shopper, so here are some books to help you
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Would you give mystery shopping a try?

  • Coach_Kimberly Apr 14, 2010 @ 4:24 pm | delete
    Very informative. Although I live in the US, there is lots of useful information here. I have never done mystery shopping myself but may give it a try.
  • Dec 27, 2009 @ 12:41 pm | delete
    Good thorough information, always a pleasure to find info that is useful, will be very happy to see more from you in the future
    online bookkeeping courses
  • Stazjia Dec 11, 2009 @ 4:51 am | delete
    Good, clear explanation of mystery shopping in the UK.
  • divacratus Nov 24, 2009 @ 5:32 am | delete
    My friends have tried mystery shopping. High time I did too! Well explained.
  • jptanabe Nov 8, 2009 @ 2:21 pm | delete
    Very nice and clear explanation about mystery shopping in the UK. I have to say there are so many scams here in the US I thought there were no legitimate mystery shopping companies left!
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This UpMarket page written by

jennysue19

Hi - I am a multiple blogger, network marketer, writer, poet, sailor, cook and hedgewitch.
I live in an almost-seaside town called Havant, not far f... more »

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