Mystery shopping is an exciting job, with each day bringing new challenges and circumstances. Even the most seasoned mystery shoppers can run into challenges they have never experienced before. With literally no training for the job provided, mystery shopping is truly a hands-on training, learn as you go career. Fortunately, however, both experienced and new mystery shoppers can gain new insight and job techniques through the many online mystery shopping forums.
Who’s The Best. If you’re wondering who the best providers to work for are, forums take the guess work out of this issue. New mystery shoppers can use the mystery shopping forums to look for reputable providers in their area before they tackle even their first assignment. Seasoned mystery shoppers often have a list of providers they prefer to work with. Yet you may be looking for a new provider or two to work with for any number of reasons. Perhaps you want to try a new type of assignment or want to do an assignment at a particular venue. Or maybe you simply want to take on more assignments than what your current list of providers is offering. Whatever your reasons for researching new providers may be, you will get honest and straightforward information straight from your fellow mystery shoppers on the mystery shopping forum websites.
Minimize the “Learn As You Go.” There is a lot to be said for personal experience. The learn-as-you-go technique, however, often comes through trial and error, and even mistakes. With mystery shopping, mistakes and errors can be costly, sometimes resulting in reduction or elimination of pay for your time and efforts on an assignment, or the inability to work with a specific provider in the future. By simply spending time reading about the experiences other mystery shoppers have had on their assignments, as well as the tips and advice mystery shoppers post for others to read, you can learn valuable information that may end up saving you big on your future assignments.
Play The “What If” Game. Anyone who has ever spent more than an hour with a preschooler knows the impossible scenarios the “What If” game can result in. This game provides a learning opportunity for young ones, as they explore why the sky is blue among other things. A modified version of the “What If” game serves as a valuable learning opportunity for mystery shoppers to share information as well as to prepare themselves with seemingly improbably scenarios. You will often find a mystery shopper posting a question that starts with, “I’m just wondering if this has happened to anyone…” More often than not, a seemingly impossible scenario has been experienced by more than one mystery shopper. Reading through forum postings, you will find many seemingly unlikely stories of events mystery shoppers have encountered over years and years of experience. Some of these off-the-wall stories are unlikely to re-occur. But in the event you find yourself in the middle of a challenging situation, the mystery shopping forums can prepare you with the skills and advice you need to handle your situation in a professional manner.
While there is very little in the way of formal mystery shopping training, mystery shoppers as individuals are eager to share their experiences with other mystery shoppers on forums. Learn from their experiences so you are better equipped to tackle your next challenging assignment!
YOU ALL PLAY SOME MANY GAMES WITH THIS MYSTERY SHOPPING . I’VA DONE THIS IN NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY. I DO NOT NEED OR WANT YOUR TRAINING. I’VE DONE ALL THOSE THINGS ASKED AND STILL HAVE NO JOB SEND TO ME! STOP PLAYING GAMES AND JUST SEND ME SOME JOBS.
Sometime you dont get jobs sent to you, you have look on the company’s website. If you are just sitting around waiting on someone to send you job then you are going to wait a long time.
help sounds havenly
every one shoud read every word
I can’t wait to get started.
James SOUNDS like he has more than one problem.
Hello all. Please post the mystery shopping forums that you visit or prefer.
Hi Everyone!
I’ve been working for Safeway (Vons, Dominics…) for close to a year. They offer training throughout your entire time there as a MS. You also get scheduled 6 weeks at a time. There are mandatory training e-mails, etc. The great part is that they pay you for every minute of your time (training, e-mails, phone calls, travel time, etc). It is a lot of work (also with keeping track of your time) but it gets easier. Check it out!
I’m sorry James is having trouble finding jobs. I also work in NY and while there are some jobs I can’t do for various reasons (no car), I have had no problem getting the jobs. I’d love to get more jobs, but I have no complaints. Be available do some jobs which may not seem ideal, do them well and on time. And check the websites. But just like everything else, you have to be proactive. Schedulers will take notice.
I have had some problems getting enough work lately. Some companies have cut the number of jobs available due to the economy, just when I need money the most. I signed up for more companies, and I broadened my experience. Not all companies have been wonderful, but some are very nice, and the schedulers appreciate the shoppers who do good work and do it on time.
What a Shopper James will be, seating and waiting for people stop playing games and communicate with him with the best Shops available.
Economy gets on the Shopper line of business, some Schedulers cuts many of they jobs available, personally I lost about 20 % of my volume, but we just start 2009.
I get a few calls from schedulers for shops, but normally I have completed a few assignments for them already. I work full time and Mystery Shopping is part time for me, yet I keep really busy and often complete 15-20 shops per week.
You have to sign up with multiple companies and check their shop boards regularly. You have to be proactive. I notice above there is a lot of mispellings and grammar errors. If you do not complete a good written report, you may not be asked to complete shops as well. Communication is everything in this business. Jobslinger and Volition are two sources of finding mystery shopping jobs in your area. The shopper forums give great information and tips.