Many people today had heard stories and rumors about the ability to earn money while shopping over the years, and most had written the job off as nothing more than idle talk or perhaps an urban myth. Yet over time, you may have learned that this actually is a legitimate job. Some people learned about mystery shopping as a money-making opportunity through a friend or family member. Others learned about it through an online search for a work-from-home job opportunity and their own internet research. If you are considering pursuing mystery shopping to make some extra money today, you may be interested in knowing more about the job. This is a job option that provides workers with many benefits, including:
Self-Employed Contract Worker: As a mystery shopper, you are a self-employed contract work. This means that you are your own boss, controlling which assignments you work on and who you work for. You also can enjoy the many tax benefits that self-employed individuals enjoy. For instance, you may qualify for a home office tax deduction, and you can enjoy a tax deduction for any business miles you travel for your mystery shopping job. These benefits can make mystery shopping far more lucrative to you than the initial base pay of assignments may indicate.
Reimbursements on Merchandise: Many mystery shopping assignments today do require that mystery shoppers make at least a small purchase on their site visits. From the job perspective, this is done to ensure a good customer experience throughout the sales process. From your perspective as a mystery shopper, it adds the perk of being able to get a reimbursement on store merchandise, meals and snacks, gas for your car, and more. In some cases, the required reimbursement may not be of any value to you. For instance, if you pick up an assignment in a toy store and don’t have kids or grandkids, this required purchase may mean nothing to you. In other cases, the required reimbursement can help you to pay for your normal purchases, such as by compensating you for groceries, gas, clothing, and more.
Flexible Schedule: So many mystery shoppers today made the decision to pursue this as a job because it does have a very flexible schedule. First, there is no commitment required to perform a certain number of assignments at all. You may pick up ten assignments one week, and then take the next month off. Further, many assignments provide you with a window of time when they need to be done. If the window doesn’t fit in your schedule, you can pass up on that assignment. If you do choose a specific assignment, you can choose a time within the provided window to complete the assignment. Many assignments even allow you to shop with a spouse, kids, or someone else. This makes the job ideal for retirees, college students, stay-at-home parents, those who hold down a full-time job, and so many others.
These are among the most significant benefits of mystery shopping, but there are plenty of others, too. For instance, each assignment is unique and allows you to interact with different people. This is a very exciting job that provides you with control over your work hours, income level, and more.
Excellent job for those of us who are retired. I learn something new at almost every job I attempt.
One of my favorite things about mystery shopping is that it allows hubby and I to eat out more frequently, and at some nice places that we normally wouldn’t splurge for. Also, we’ve had some really nice hotel visits – again – that we normally would not splurge for.