HOW DO I BECOME A MYSTERY SHOPPER?

First, you should read this entire page so that you have a basic understanding as to what Mystery Shopping is. Mystery Shopping is NOT for everyone. You will not get rich Mystery Shopping and it can take quite some time to build up your reputation and number of assignments your complete. It can be very fun and rewarding, but it is work.

WHO MAKES A GOOD MYSTERY SHOPPER?

If you are dependable, honest, organized and like to write (and can write well), you would probably make a good Mystery Shopper. I cannot emphasize enough that you need to enjoy writing. Most shops that you are asked to complete are not surveys (with simply yes/no questions), they are reports. You have to write a detailed narrative of your shopping experience. The client wants to feel like they were there with you.

WHAT IS MYSTERY SHOPPING?
Retail stores, restaurants, hotels and many different types of businesses hire mystery shopping companies to conduct mystery shops or secret shops in their stores. The mystery shopping company provides the business with valuable information on things such as customer service, service times, etc. There are many reasons that companies choose to be mystery shopped. The obvious is for customer service, however there are many other reasons, such as possible employee theft.

THE MYSTERY SHOPPER
A mystery shopper goes in to the business and acts like an ordinary customer. The shopper then fills out a report detailing the experience they experienced while they were there. The shopper only gives the facts about the visit. The shopper does not include personal opinions, unless specifically asked. It is not your job to decide that the employee didn't want to help you because they were on the phone to a friend. It is your job to report that the employee was on the phone for several minutes while you waited to be acknowledged. The shopper is paid a fee for their time (or sometimes reimbursed for the price of the service or meal) and report.

SCHEDULING COMPANIES-WHAT ARE THEY?
I used to be an independent scheduler for Kern Scheduling Services. KSS is NOT a mystery shopping company; they simply recruit and schedule shoppers on behalf of the mystery shopping company that hired them. They also do not have anything to do with payments; those are handled by the mystery shopping company that you complete the mystery shop for (not the store you are shopping-never contact them).

HOW IT WORKS-SHOP NOTIFICATIONS, RECEIVING ASSIGNMENTS, ETC.
Each company has their own way of notifying their shoppers of available shops. The most common are:

• By e-mail (you receive an e-mail with available shops in your area)
• Via their website (you must log in and check for available assignments)
• By phone-you call them (some companies have certain days they ask you to call in)
• By phone-they call you (sometimes schedulers will call you about shops. That doesn't happen too often because it is very time consuming).

Each company also has their own way of assigning shops. For the most part there are two ways:

1. Self-assign shops
2. Shops you apply for

With self-assign shops, the shopper assigns the shop to themselves. That usually means first come, first served so you will want to be quick when responding to shop offers.

With shops that you apply for, you submit an "application" (directions on how to apply are supplied with the shop notification). Schedulers use their own criteria for selecting shoppers for their shops. Obviously, the more experience and better history you have as a Mystery Shopper, the more shops you will receive. However, do not get discouraged when you are first starting out. You will probably see a lot of "rejection" notices in the beginning. Keep applying. I know that for me personally, if I see someone is spending the time to apply over and over, they are most likely serious.

Schedulers always need new shoppers (at least new to that client), because clients ask for a rotation of shoppers. Each client is different. Some do not want the same shopper two months in a row, others do not want the same shopper within the same  year.

PAY RATES, PAY DATES, ETC.
There is no set payment amount. An average retail shop, where no purchase is required, can range from $2-$20. Shops that require a purchase and/or return usually pay a few dollars more, or will reimburse you for your purchase (or a portion of it). Restaurant shops are typically reimbursement only, although there are some companies that pay a small fee on top of the reimbursement. As a shopper, it is your responsibility to review the requirements of the shop and ask any questions BEFORE completing the shop.

If you are ever promised a bonus for a shop, GET IT IN WRITING.

Every single company has a different pay schedule. Typically, you can expect payment 45-60 days after you complete your shop. If you are required to make a purchase on your shop, you may want to ask what their payment schedule is since you will be spending some of your own money and waiting for reimbursement.

A lot of companies are using Paypal now to make shopper payments. Some still issue checks and others offer direct deposit. There are some people that refuse to sign up with Paypal. If you are one of them, make sure to find out the payment options before accepting a shop.

A little about me
I work from home and am available to help in any way I can. If you have a question or problem, you can e-mail me at Rachel@schedulersupport.com and I will do my best to help you. Please note that I receive hundreds of e-mails every day and may not respond to you right away, but you should expect a reply within 24-48 hours.

Still interested in becoming a Mystery Shopper?

The next page will go through, step-by-step, on how to get started as a Mystery Shopper: Click here to get started