Mystery shopping presents a great opportunity for many people to earn money in a convenient and largely less stressful way than with other types of employment. The job allows people to enjoy a great deal of flexibility that other jobs don’t offer, including the ability to work as much or as little as you like, and you can even bring your kids along on many jobs. What’s more, there really isn’t any experience required, and you just need to have good writing skills and some attention to detail to be good at the job.
With this in mind, it’s no surprise to learn that mystery shopping is the ideal job for many different kinds of people, from college students to stay-at-home moms to retirees. If you are considering getting started working in the mystery shopping industry, there are a few things that will be helpful for you to know up-front. This article is the first in a five part series that examines everything you need to know to enjoy a smooth transition into a profitable mystery shopping career. As the first article in the series, this article will explore how to find providers to work with.
What Is A Provider? Mystery shopping providers essentially act as go-betweens for businesses such as retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters, gas stations, and just about every other type of business that involves direct interaction with the general public with mystery shoppers. The offer the various assignments these businesses offer to mystery shoppers, ensure the assignments get completed, and review the reports you write on your assignments before handing them back to the businesses.
There are several hundred mystery shopping providers out there, and each one usually specializes in a different area. Some may specialize in a certain part of the world, such as the southeastern United States, while others specialize in a certain section of industry, such as restaurants or movie theaters. Unfortunately, there are also some scam artists out there who act like they are legitimate companies and pray on unsuspecting mystery shoppers.
How Can You Find Legitimate Mystery Shopping Providers? Legitimate mystery shopping providers are registered with the Mystery Shopping Providers Association. This association has a website that is chock full of information on mystery shopping, and provides you with a complete, up-to-date list of mystery shopping providers. You can also learn about the latest scams targeting mystery shoppers by visiting this website. Keep in mind that there are plenty of websites out there that offer to sell you a list of providers for a fee. This information is available for free via the MSPA, so you should not have to pay for it.
You can sign up for as many providers as you want to, but keep in mind that each provider has their own unique sign-up process that can range from about five minutes to close to thirty minutes. So it will be in your best interest to sign up for providers that offer the most jobs in your own part of the world. You can take advantage of the mystery shopping forums online and ask other mystery shoppers for advice on which providers offer a lot of jobs in your area.
After you’ve found a few mystery shopping providers you want to work for, your next step is to sign up to work for them. This process will be reviewed in detail in the second part of this five part series, “How To Get Started Mystery Shopping, Part II: What You Need to Know About Signing Up With Providers”.
I read these before I applied and that is what got me started.
Thanks this really helped again thanks
I alwys appreciate your candid advice about the world of mystery shopping. I woud like to point out something else! Mystery shopping is not for everyone, I must reinterate that fact not to say that it’s such a challenge but the fact remins that everyone is not a writer and the mountains of narratives are the way that you get paid. Writing is not my forte but constantly reinforcing my grammar and punctuation has gotten me off to a running start. Remember that what you write dictates whether you’ll continue getting the plum assignments.
I could have used this article when I first started mystery shopping! It is well laid out. In the beginning it is hard to think that you can really get started without paying something up front. The MSPA has so many resources for free. But you have to dig and work at it. It’s like creating your own job. Reading the Maven and Forums go a long way to getting practical pointers, learning from those who are experienced and are in the know. Getting established and actually performing mystery shops require an investigative spirit. I agree with Brenda, that mystery shopping is not for everyone. One must be a good listener, a good communicator, and able to keep a confidence. A good measure of patience and discretion are also indispensable. But for the right fit, it does make a fabulous way to earn money. It is not a way to get rich, but if you want total flexibility and control, give mystery shopping a serious try!
I am already a secret shopper. Your mystery shopping program appears to be complete and thorough.
Breaking into the business of being a secret shopper takes a dedicated, self motivated individual. It is not for the faint of heart. There are times when you must be forceful in your dealings to a given situation. eg. When you have asked politely for assistance and it is not forth coming than a firm but cautious approach is both acceptable and effective.
“Young man you have totaling disregarded my request for help, shall I perhaps take it up with the store manager.
You get what I mean!
Thanks
I am actually feeling a little overwhelmed. I sign up with one company and it sends me to another. I wish I could just deal with one company until I get the hang of it and then move on to more than one company. I guess I will figure it out as I go along
I would very much like to get started doing this, at least on a part time basis, possibly growing into full time work, that I would have to see about but I truly would love to do this and I am a professional woman and could do an awesome job doing this for a living. Thanks.
LaToya it is a good idea to get familiar with one company, but you will find that one company does not have all the types of assignments you may want to do. Keep adding to your repertoire. MSPA is a good site to find legitimate companies. Some list fast food shops; some list retail, others eye glasses, automotive, car services, etc. etc. Diversify! Taste what it is like working with different companies, doing different shops and different styles of reports. Over time patterns, likes and dislikes with appear. And above all keep in touch with Mystery Maven and the Forums!
I have done Mystery Shopping in the past and I loved it.
I currently am a mystery shopper for Whataburger AND I LOVE IT!!! I just wish there were more shops available other than 2-3 assignments per month-would be great to obtain more shops for more money!
I always wanted to be a mystery shopper i workedn in stores before an i love dealing with customer service
Who are the best to register with in Australia?
I have been taken and I Hope that you are telling it like it is, I would love to become a Mystery Shopper very bad.
I hope it works this time, I have lost a lot in the past, ended up meeting with the FBI and turning over almost 10,000.00 dollars of bogus checks and money order’s.
Lets pray it works because we do need the money bad…
Bob Owen
I would like to try this kind of work.
I have tried this kind of work and found that it is paperwork intensive and that you must have excelleant writing skills to do a narrative, as well as, punctual in submission of paperwork. I found that paying upfront for movie or dinner is risky, as you May NOT be compensated for your work if not done correctly and if you have no money to begin with, the out of pocket expenses accuumulate for months, Before you get paid, if you get paid. having to drive long distances to get a $8. an hour job is ridiculous. You Must have several jobs lined up and then be prepared to write in detail about all of it.It has given me hope though, as i lost my real job months ago and this has been a way to have mail box money, all be it very little
I really need to find a legitimate way to earn some extra money to go along with my S,S. Do you supply the areas that I would shop?
It has been fun and interesting. I have learned a great deal.
I am so sorry that I just found your web site and saw some of these responses. I will be watching to see if this reply is posted. This is aimed at ‘Jacqueline Henderson, dated 22 October 2010 at 3:42 pm’, but can be taken to heart by all mystery shoppers and want-a-be mystery shoppers who might log onto this site. I want to quote a section of her note. “There are times when you must be forceful in your dealings to a given situation. eg. When you have asked politely for assistance and it is not forth coming than a firm but cautious approach is both acceptable and effective. “Young man you have totaling disregarded my request for help, shall I perhaps take it up with the store manager. You get what I mean!” If she is, or is attempting to be a mystery shopper, she sure has got her wires crossed about how this thing works. 1st, and foremost, we are MYSTERY SHOPPERS in capital letters. What about calling down a clerk and requesting the manager jumps right up and smacks you in the face and screams, “DO NOT DO THIS!” I think jumping down the young man’s throat and requesting a manager just might cause him to remember what customer he waited on that day who could have given him a poor evaluation. I also think, just my own private evaluation, not my 14 odd years experience in the business, that this just might have BLOWN your cover as a mystery shopper! To quote Jacqueline, “You get what I mean?”
Hey guys. I’m relatively new at this whole mystery shopping thing (about two months) and I agree that sometimes it can be overwhelming. You do three or four shops and, because of the lengthy payout time, you think that you are just wasting your time. But then you start getting the checks or Pay Pal notices and you start thinking “I may be on to something here.” You won’t get rich from it but it can be fun. If you start to get that overwhelmed feeling just think “one shop at a time” and you will be fine. Good luck to all of you. Frances