Ever been a mystery shopper?

[finn's mom]

I'm curious about this money making opportunity...I may check into it as something to do part time to earn a little money. Anyone have any experience, leads, tips, etc for me?

[Karen]

All I know is there are a lot of scams out there claiming to pay folks to be mystery shoppers, so I would check any place out with the Better Business Bureau before getting involved with any of them, or giving anyone your information or money.

[moosmom]

It's a scam. Trust me.

[aTailOf2Kitties]

A friend of mine did that years ago. She did make a bit of extra money, but sometimes they'd send her to some random store 2-3 hours away from home.

[Taz_Zoee]

My SILs sister does something like that. Before she got her full-time job she had to take what she could get. I'm not sure if it is "mystery shopper" or not. But what she does is shops around at different stores then reports back with the prices. She does it online and has to check in by a certain time on Sunday. She keeps all the receipts and such to record.
I thought it was a crazy thing to do....like who pays for what you buy? But she said she just does her regular grocery shopping and uses that to log. So I guess the only downfall is having to go to all kinds of different stores.
She is still doing this even after getting her full-time job, so she must like it. I can't imagine it pays a whole lot. I'll have to ask her. I'll see her at the end of the month.

[AdoreMyDogs]

I did it one time. The company sent me to a local bank and had me "mystery shop" for a money market account from a certain individual. I got paid $10 or $15, I don't remember exactly how much, and everything was fine until I kept getting the SAME assignment 6 or more times. I can't keep going to the same person over and over, shopping for a money market account! Silly company. So I just took myself off the e-mail listing of assignments.

[sparks19]

I haven't done it before but it's something I've always been interested in. I remember secret shopper reports coming in when I worked at Burger King in my teens.

I used to know someone that did it and they really liked it. you just have to make sure you go with a reputable company

[Randi]

An American woman I know does this... on the side. She has a job in a supermarket also. She is extremely service minded and well dressed. She suggsted this might be something I could do and sent me this below.

She is also the reason I joined the Catsiting Exchange group (a Meet-up group). Yes, of course she has a kitty! :D

"Dear ....

As a registered service checker (mystery shopper) with our company you will receive regular offers of mystery visits available in your country.

At the moment we may offer you paid mystery visit for several projects. To ensure we can offer our clients the best service we work with final visit dates for each round of visits. This is to ensure each project is finished on time and shops are not visited twice in the same time period.

Due to the international culture of our company all our emails are send in English, however when project documents are in your local language your personal rapport may be written in your local language. When rapports must be written in English this is stated below with the preview of the project.

Please find below a list of the available projects and location. Below the list you will find a preview of each project scenario, please read this before you make a selection. We invite you to register for these visits by sending us a reply email with:

Your name and /or T shopper number.
The location(s) you like to visit.
The planned date for your visit.

We cannot guarantee that you are assigned to all locations you sign up for. If you did not hear from us within 48 hours this means you have not been selected for this round of visits. Please try again next round. We always select new service checkers for every round.

When selected to perform a visit you receive an automatic email with your log in information, this will give you access to the full scenario,the questionnaire, invoice and attachments. On the role description you will find your coordinators contact, please contact him/ her with questions you may have. You may also request a personal phone call. Never make a visit without reading the role description. After the visit your rapport needs to be received online within 24 hours after your visit.
4-6 weeks after entering the results of your mystery visit payment will be made into your bank account.


Available projects with locations:

Shoe store
...
Fashion store
...
Computer center
...
Perfumery
...

etc.

° ° ° °

Preview Shoe shop Scenario: For this visits our clients request that our mystery shoppers check the window display, especially the advertising posters displayed. Inside check overall cleanliness and advertising posters displayed. For the purpose of this visit your will be a customer looking for shoes for yourself. Our client requests that you notice how you are greeted and how you are approached by the sales assistant. You will only give the sales assistant minimum information on what shoes you are looking for to ensure the sales assistant needs to ask you questions to find out your specific wishes. Our client likes to hear from you how the sales assistant advised you and how you were served. Thefull scenario will tell you exactly what the important points are for you to remember.

To finish off the process our client request you purchase one of the pair of shoes that was advised to you. (only shoes from our client’s brand). Before making a purchase you are asked to ask a short question in regards to the refund policy of the store. All our clients’ stores should follow the refund policy and there fore the sales assistant should answer that you may always return the shoes within a certain amount of day. Once you confirmed this you make a purchase as our client likes to hear from you how you experienced the register transaction.

Outside the store please make several photos of the receipt. You need to upload a digital picture of the complete readable receipt in the questionnaire. For our client this is his proof of your visit to his store.

After a minimum of a half hour you to return the shoes to the store and tell the sales assistant you have changed your mind and like to return the shoes. We understand this will feel unnatural for some of our mystery shoppers, but our client has been working with this scenario for the past years and the sales assistant do not make a problem at all with the return. Once you return the shoes the shop assistant immediately returns your purchase money. We prefer to work with this scenario so you do not have to send us the items by mail and wait for several weeks to get your money returned.

Personal report and questionnaire must be written in local language – YOU MUST SPEAK THE LOCAL LANGUAGE DURING YOUR VISIT.

Service checkers fee 22 euro

Visits need to be performed between 1st of February and 8th of February

** One of clients shoe stores is located at Kastrup airport terminal – for this special visit we are looking for a mystery shopper who is flying from or to Kastrup airport during the month of February.


° ° ° °

Preview Computer Exam center: Our client owns a world wide chain of computer exam centers. To check the accessibility and cleanliness of the centers and the competences and friendliness of their staff they have asked us to find mystery shoppers who will act like a IT student taking an computer exam. Once you are selected to this project we will send you a user name and password to schedule an exam online. Our client does not expect our mystery shoppers to have any knowledge of the subject there are taking the exam in.

On the day of the exam our clients likes you to make one phone call to the center and ask for directions. Once you enter the center you will need to form of ID to sit the exam you scheduled. On site you check the interior and exterior of the center. Does the center have a special access for disabled students. Inside you will observe the administrators action and ensure you read his name tag or ask for his/ her name. YOU NEED THE NAME FOR THE RAPPORT. Once you sit the exam you observe the exam room and what type of PC is used. You ask the administrator for a break. (if you ask for a toilet break you can write down most observations).

Once you have observed all the points mentioned in the questionnaire you may stop the exam and explain that you are not doing well at the test and you want to cancel the test and come back another time. Please remember the test normally cost a student around 100 euro. Please act like you are upset because you did not do so well.

Personal report and questionnaire must be written in English.

Service checkers fee 30 euro

Dates for the exam can be organized together with your coordinator. (Exam should take place before 20th February )


° ° ° °

Preview Fashion Shop: Our client owns a chain of fashion shops and likes to hear your experience after making a visit to one of their stores. Our client likes you to check the exterior, interior and overall customer service of the sales assistants. You specific are asked to look for the “Love to Detail” composition. Apart from this our clients request you have a conversation with one of the shop assistant by asking him/ her advice on some items you like to try on. Please use the fitting rooms so you can describe for our client how the fitting rooms looked and the overall service and cleanliness of this part of the shop. To observe the register transaction our client requests you purchase a small item at the register. Please ensure you keep the receipt. (Purchase is included in the shop fee)

Personal report and questionnaire must be written in English.

Service checkers fee 20 euro

Visits need to be performed between 1st of February and 8th of February


° ° ° °

Preview Perfumery: Our client owns a chain of world wide shops and likes to hear your experience after making a visit to one of their stores. Our client likes you to check the exterior, interior and overall customer service of the sales assistants. The first time you are offered help our clients likes you to tell the sales assistant you like to look around first. Please note the reaction of the sales assistant. You need to check 10 items to find out if they are priced. Then you show interest in an article on which a sales assistant could give you an extended advice ( e.g. Perfume, facial products). If you are not approached by a sales assistant you need to ask for advice yourself. Never leave the store without asking advice and ask several questions to find out the knowledge and customer service level of the sales assistant. To observe the register transaction our client requests you purchase a small item at the register. Please ensure you keep the receipt. (Purchase is included in the shop fee).


Personal report and questionnaire must be written in English."

[Marigold2]

No but I have kept purchases a secret, LOL