I work a regular job but I am interested in doing Mystery shopping for extra income.?

Question

Can anybody tell me about any real legitimite companies?

Answer 1

I wouldn't trust any of them out there. I've tried applying and I was just led from site to site. It's kind of like a job that "pays you to take surveys." For me to believe, I need someone I trust to show me an actual check from the mystery shopping company.

Answer 2

The ads you see for mystery shopping on the internet are scams.

Mystery shopping is real. They hire people from companies that specialize in employee training to go into a store, make a purchase or interact with the staff and take notes on the overall experience. It is a form of quality control and employee management and improvement. Companies like A.C. Nielsen do this type of work and it is specialized and actually requires training -and it does sound like fun you know, somebody paying you to shop) which is how so many people have been scammed on the internet in the past few years. Just go to Craigslist on any given day, there will be a couple ads for mystery shoppers. Just don't get burned.

Answer 3

A legitimate mystery shopping program will not provide you with much real income. If anything, they might provide gift certificates, discounts, ect. to shop and buy merchandise or services at their establishment. Most of the information gathered by mystery shoppers can be attained through surveys given to the general public.

Answer 4

My mom does mystery shopping all the time. Most credible resturants (you know them) have a mystery shopping program. Also, movie theaters and hotels are great places to try out mystery shops. Hope that helps a bit.

Answer 5

I joined one earlier this year and have done 2 shops so far. I get paid the following month with a check in the mail. It's totally legit. My first one was going to Electrolux to buy a particular type of vacuum cleaner bag and rating the person that helped me. I was reimbursed for the cost of the bags (since they happen to be the ones I use at home I kept them), but I had the option to return them too and just earn the money for the shop. The 2nd one was going to Ruby Tuesday and ordering certain types of food while sitting at the bar and rating the bartender. I was compensated for the food and the money for the shop visit. You just have to be careful who you do sign up with, but the one I joined, it legit. By the way, I have not paid any to them to be a part of this - they pay me only.

Answer 6

"Can anybody tell me about any real legitimite companies?"

No, mystery shopping programs are usually scams. If there are actually any mystery shopping jobs out there, you have to know somebody, because usually people that actually have these jobs will just hook up friends and family with the position. All the mystery shopping jobs online are usually fake, they just want your money.

-Rick
http://www.zenergram.com/sa

Answer 7

I tried to be a mystery shopper but have yet to be assigned or complete any shops I found it to be a waste of time

Answer 8

Be careful and try to find someone you know personally who had done this so they can recommend you something. If anyone writes you on here saying I made 1000-3000 a month doing blah blah...they are probably full of crap and are spam so don't click on the stuff they send you. I tried to find stuff online before and it is almost impossible to find anything legit.

Answer 9

Do not every pay to become a member of a mystery shopping site & be careful about ID theft.

Here's an article that I think is pretty helpful from one of my favorite informational web sites, about.com.

Mystery Shopping - From Steve Pearce
How to Become a Mystery Shopper
Guest Author Steve Pearce is the Director of Business Development with National Shopping Service, a leading mystery shopping service provider since 1972.

Though the name itself may seem a bit mysterious, the concept of mystery shopping is actually straightforward. Also referred to as secret shopping, performance evaluations, service checks and frontline evaluations to name a few, mystery shopping allows companies to obtain a “snapshot in time” by trained researchers who know in advance what they are to evaluate. It provides management a method to quickly yet efficiently evaluate their business practices, deliverables, and employees from the perspective of a non-biased consumer.

Mystery Shopping Services

Mystery shoppers visit or call businesses posing as ordinary customers and provide detailed evaluations of their experience using written reports or questionnaires.

Mystery shopping is used in a wide variety of industries such as retail, restaurants, financial institutions, convenience stores and gas stations, service providers, manufacturers, department stores, travel and entertainment, etc.

Mystery Shopper Jobs

Though there is a certain level of responsibility and professionalism required to be an effective mystery shopper, you should never have to pay to get a job.

There are dozens of companies claiming that by paying them a registration fee they will send you job opportunities and teach you the steps to becoming a shopper. This may be true, but is also completely unnecessary.

The legitimate mystery shopping companies in the industry NEVER charge fees to the shopper. Training, tips for improvement, and shopping opportunities are provided free to registered shoppers. Mystery shoppers are either paid a pre-arranged fee for a particular shop, a reimbursement for a purchase or a combination of both. Though it is possible to make a living solely from mystery shopping, it is not very common. Most shoppers view this as a second income source or as a way to obtain fully reimbursed meals, products, and services.

The registration process with leading mystery shopping companies has improved over the years. Most provide a simple online form that takes only a few minutes to complete. Once you have registered with a company or two, they will start informing you of shopping opportunities. Most of these are “first-come, first-serve”, so be sure to provide the company with an email address that you check regularly, and a phone number where you can be easily reached.

Be willing to accept last minute assignments and treat bottom-of-the-barrel assignments just like top-of-the-line assignments. At first, take whatever you can get. This will allow you to build a reputation with each company. The old adage, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” is exceptionally true in this industry. Make sure you completely understand the instructions for the particular shop, be impartial, and focus on accuracy. You may be required to document employee names and descriptions, prices, inventory evaluations, etc.

Go hi-tech. More and more mystery shopping companies are requiring shoppers to have access to the Internet, email and a fax machine. Some shops even require the use of a digital camera to capture product placement, signage, cleanliness or other focus points.

Complete all assignments on time. If you absolutely cannot complete an assignment, contact the mystery shopping company immediately so they can reschedule the assignment. Dependable shoppers get the best assignments!

Assignments can be as basic as sitting in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant for 20 minutes to document drive-thru service times to taking an all-expense-paid trip to a resort for 2 weeks to document your daily service experiences.

Mystery Shopping Job Search Tips

Now that you understand the mystery shopping industry a little more clearly, the next step is to locate a few top mystery shopping providers and register, remembering that even if a firm doesn’t have a client in your area today, they may next month. Once registered with a company, it would not hurt to call or send an email to express your willingness to shop and to confirm your professionalism and attention to detail. Just make sure that you do not send an email full of typos and grammatical errors ­ definitely not the type of first impression that you want to leave.

Another method for finding potential shopping opportunities and to gather further industry knowledge is by monitoring online mystery shopping message boards and forums. To locate a few, type words like “mystery shopping message board” or “mystery shopping forum” into your favorite browser.

Mystery shopping may not become your next career, but it will provide you with some extra income, free goods, and maybe even a few adventures along the way!

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/mysteryshopper/a/mysteryshopper.htm

List of mystery shopping sites:
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/mysteryshopper/Mystery_Shopper_Jobs.htm

Answer 10

Ditto on the spam. I had to abandon my email address because of all the spam I got after I signed up for one. Most of them require you to pay a membership fee for their exclusive lists... I's all BS. There has to be a decent one out there somewhere, but theres really no telling what the bad seeds are until you sign up.