What's it like to be a Secret/Mystery Shopper?

Question

I am looking into becoming a secret shopper however I don't know anyone who actually is one. I'd like someone with personal experience to let me know if its a legitimate job (not full time, just extra cash).

Answer 1

It's a lot of work. After performing the mystery shops, the "shopper," must write a report regarding the shop, how it went, if there were any problems, etc.

Yes, Mystery Shopping is a legitimate job, but don't expect to make a lot of money.

Most of the "shops," pay between $1.00 and 3.00 per shop, some pay more, depending on the complexity of the shop. The perks are, you often keep the product you are asked to shop for.

Do NOT expect to make a living a Mystery Shopper, most of us do it for fun and perks, i.e., free meals, or we get to keep the product for which we "shopped."

I have "shopped." pet stores, candy stores, music stores, diners and paint stores.

You have to take assignments as they are given to you. You can decline, but, you may not be asked to perform other shops.

If you make a habit of not accepting shops when the shop company calls you, they will no longer offer shops to you, they want responsible, reliable people as Mystery Shoppers.

To find out more about the Mystery Shop industry, go to:
mysteryshop.org. the official organization for MysteryShoppers.

NEVER pay to become a Mystery Shopper, it is always FREE to become a Mystery Shopper.

You will get paid by the various companies that call or E-mail you, to peform shops for them. I have shopped Walgreens, Rite-Aid and various other major businesses.

Go to: MysteryShop.or for further information, there is a Question and Answer section at Mysteryshop.org.

Good Luck and Enjoy!

Answer 2

Online ads for mystery shopper jobs promise high hourly wages and free merchandise. It all sounds too good to be true, and it usually is.

Many companies do engage the services of 'mystery shoppers' that work as independent contractors who anonymously visit stores and restaurants to gather customer service data for management and owners. In the search for new targets, online scammers are trying to take advantage of mystery shopping's growing popularity.

Anyone who wants to be a mystery shopper should be on the lookout for signs of inter-net scams. Reputable mystery shopping firms give applicants a test, so the supposed employer should provide some kind of screening process. Other warnings include an insistence that applicants must have a bank account and debit card or mystery shopping companies that charge a fee in order to apply as a mystery shopper; member firms of the MSPA are forbidden to charge their shoppers fees.