Become a Mystery Shopper

You may have seen ads recruiting people to become a mystery shopper, promising to pay you $200 to shop, or suggesting you might win a car, or expensive electronic equipment. Worst of all are the ads that suggest that all you need to do is fork over $29.95 or more and they’ll reveal the top secret information you need to become successful as a professional mystery shopper. Is it really possible to get paid to shop?

The truth is somewhere in-between the suggestion that you can make a lot of money, and the more cynical attitude that you can’t make money this way. Making money as a mystery shopper is possible – but you’re not likely to be able to quit your day job. You may be able to come up with some pocket money or be reimbursed for a night on the town.

Mystery shoppers are recruited to visit a business such as a store, bank or restaurant for the purpose of observing and evaluating customer service, environment and product quality. Mystery shoppers are sent to visit a particular establishment and pose as a typical customer. When they leave, they fill out a form or questionnaire, which will be used by the business to try to improve quality of customer service.

Many mystery shopping assignments are reimbursement only, which means you receive back the amount that you spent. Be careful: visits to restaurants may not reimburse you the cost of the tip. However there are a few companies that pay above the cost of reimbursement. Also, there may be a delay of up to ninety days before you receive compensation, so don’t spend your last few dollars on an assignment in the hopes of making money.

One great thing about mystery shopping is that a lot of assignments allow you to bring your children. (Typically assignments in banks do not). Another thing that is convenient about mystery shopping is the time on a job is usually under an hour.

Compensation varies from company to company. You may receive $12 to $20 for an assignment, or you may receive reimbursement, free merchandise or discounted merchandise.

You will need to spend some time signing up for several companies and waiting to be contacted for assignments. A good website to obtain information about reputable companies without paying up-front fees is volition. This site also provides information on surveys, getting paid to read email and more. They help identify which sites are scams and which are legitimate. When you are contacted to do an assignment, only accept assignments which you know you can complete. You need to work to prove your reliability.

Remember that you’re not likely to get rich as a mystery shopper, but there are definite advantages to getting involved in this type of program, from pocket money to free meals, or if nothing else, you’ll probably have at least a little fun.

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