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What is a mystery shopper? A mystery shopper is someone who secretly evaluates a business while posing as a customer. This task is often referred to as a shop. Although the exact nature of the shop varies, the primary task or goal of the mystery shopper is to evaluate the overall atmosphere of the business, including the general appearance of the business, the professionalism of the staff, and the quality of the goods or services. The mystery shopper might be expected to make a purchase or to receive a particular service What are the requirements to be a mystery shopper? Mystery shoppers must be 21 years of age in order to apply with most companies. Are there any costs associated with becoming a mystery shopper? Legitimate mystery shopping companies do not charge any registration or application fees to become a shopper. How much can I earn as a mystery shopper? A mystery shopper’s income is directly tied into the number of shops that she is able to complete. The number of available shops in the shopper’s area will also affect this amount. Moreover, the skill displayed by the mystery shopper will influence the number of assignments that the mystery shopper receives thereby affecting the income as well. Moreover, not all shops are paid at the same rate. Some shops are paid a higher rate or fee depending on the time and difficulty of the shop. How do I apply to become a mystery shopper? Individuals can sign up to become a mystery shopper online. You will need to complete a personal profile that will be used to match them up with specific shops. How quickly can I begin working as a mystery shopper once I apply? As soon as you have received approval as a mystery shopper, you should begin to look over the available assignments that are listed online. Once you find something that interests you, you should apply for the shop. How often do you update your website? The website and listings are automatically updated so that everything remains current. Since we update the site as soon as new shops become available, it is important that you check the website frequently. In particular, if a mystery shopper returns a shop because she cannot complete it as originally planned, it goes back on the board for others. What kind of mystery shopping is available? What types of businesses employ mystery shoppers? Many industries that deal with the public participate in mystery shopping. Mystery shoppers are often expected to purchase store products of services. The following list represents some of the available areas that offer mystery shops:
If you cannot find companies near you in the towns included in the listings, you should continue to check the listings. Some months might be slower than others in your area. Over time, something should turn up. What if I log in to the site and no shops are available for my area.? You should never allow yourself to become discouraged if shops are temporarily unavailable in your area. Some shops are filled quickly. Therefore, it is important to check constantly. Additionally, since the site picks up new clients from time to time, there might be months with only a few listings and months that have more listings Is there room for new mystery shoppers? Since some mystery shoppers might prefer not to take on certain types of shops, new mystery shoppers are welcome. What are companies looking for when they hire mystery shoppers? Most companies are looking for mystery shoppers who can be dependable or reliable. Moreover, they want someone who is good at following directions and capable of being very observant. Additionally, they want someone who is good with following through on assignments and meeting deadlines How will I know if an assignment is right for me? Each available shop has details posted online for potential mystery shoppers to look over. Reading over this information should give you a clear indication as to your ability to complete the shop. How long does it take someone to get her first job or a response as a mystery shopper? Typically, a response to a request for a mystery shop is given within two days. It is the responsibility of the mystery shopper to check the status of their shops regularly What are some of the important things to remember when completing an application to become a mystery shopper? Your application and profile will be used to help match you with shops. Therefore, you should be as honest as possible with the information that you place on it. Moreover, you will be required to complete a shopper’s agreement that indicates that you understand that each shop that you complete is to be kept confidential. Plus, the details of your shop experience can only be shared with us. What if I receive an email stating that there are available shops in my area, but when I log in, there aren’t any listed? What does this mean? It simply means that someone got to the shop before you did. Emails might be sent to every mystery shopper who lives in the area of the shop. Once it is filled or scheduled with a mystery shopper, it is removed from the listings. Therefore, if you are concerned about getting a sufficient number of shops to do, you should log in frequently What are some of the important things to remember when applying for a mystery shopping job? It is important that you are located close enough to the assigned location to actually be able to get there and complete the shop. Therefore, you should never apply for shops in a city that you are not willing to travel to. Be careful and reads the details of each shop carefully including its location. Never select a shop that is father away than you are willing to travel simply because there isn’t anything else available. Practice some patience and wait until something closer turns up. Once you agree to complete a shop, you are also agreeing to complete it on time. Moreover, you must be able to turn it in on time as well. What should I do if I do not understand my mystery shopping assignment? The first step to take if you do not understand your mystery shopping assignment is to reread the directions. If you still have questions, contact your manager immediately and ask for a better explanation of the assignment How will I know if I have been selected for a specific shop? Confirmation emails are typically sent to the mystery shopper who has been selected for the shop. Additionally, it is a good idea to login and check the status of your requests. What should I say if someone asks me if I am a mystery shopper? What should I do if I go to my assigned location and it is closed? This should never happen. It is your responsibility to call ahead and verify the hours that the store or business is open to the public. If you have forgotten to call, you must return at another time in order to complete your assigned shop How many mystery shops can I work on at one time? Typically, mystery shoppers are given only 3 or 4 assignments at any given time. These shops must be completed before they can apply for additional shops. Limiting the number of shops that are being completed by a specific individual keeps the details of the shop clear and manageable. This not only makes it easier to complete your report, but also, it makes it easier to answer any questions the company might have concerning the shop. What does it mean if I apply for a lot of mystery shopping jobs and I don’t get any of them? If you are applying for a lot of mystery shopping jobs and you aren’t getting any them, there are several possibilities including:
In order to receive a rating as a mystery shopper that is low, your shops must be unacceptable. In particular, you have shops that have been turned in late, have never been completed, or have been poorly done Are there any rules against working for more than one company? No rules prohibit mystery shoppers from working for more than one company. However, it wouldn’t be ethical to share information belonging to one company with another company Are there any rules against completing the same shop at the same location more than once? Many of the shops require a specific time interval in between repeat sops by the same mystery shopper. In some cases, a minimum of 30 days is required. In other cases, the time interval might need to be as long as 60, 90, or 120 days. What tasks will I need to perform when I am mystery shopping? The tasks that you are assigned to complete while mystery shopping will vary. In some cases, you will be required to purchase goods and in others, you will be required to purchase a service. What happens if I do not complete my assigned mystery shop by the due date? If you have not completed your shop by the due date, several things can occur. First, the specific shop that has not been completed will be marked unscheduled. If you have other remaining assignments, they can also become unscheduled. Your rating will be lowered due to your inability to complete one of the shops in your personal log of assignments. What should I do if I am unable to complete my mystery shop? If you are unable to complete a shop, you should contact your manager as soon as you are aware of this. This allows enough time to have the shop reassigned. What should I do when I am finished my assignment? How do I send my assignment in for payment? Once you have completed your shop, you should complete the report for it. As soon as your report is submitted and accepted, it is submitted for payment. What do I need to know about completing my online report? How can I be sure that the office has received my report? You should never wait until the due date to complete your shop. This way, if you have any difficulties, you still have time to work through them. If you do encounter problems, you should contact your manager immediately. You can check the status of your shop online to see if it has been marked completed. How do I turn in proof of the mystery shop if required? Since some companies or businesses do require that you turn in a proof of your shop, it might be necessary to fax your receipts, the business card, etc to the listed fax number for that shop. Alternatively, it might be necessary to scan your proof and to email it to the address provided in the shop’s details. How can I get more shops to do? Although many of the shops are matched according to the submitted profiles for each mystery shopper, it is possible to increase your chances of receiving the shops that you request. In some cases, mystery shoppers are offered shops that match their criteria. In other cases, mystery shoppers request shops from those advertised on the website. To increase your chances of receiving shops to complete, apply for as many of the ones that interest you from the online listings in your area. Since the assignments are rated, you should always do your best work for each one. The mystery shoppers who receive the best scores will be offered the shops that they request more frequently than mystery shoppers who receive poor ratings. May I take someone such as my child, spouse, or a friend with me when I shop? You should avoid taking other people with you. They might inadvertently mention that you are completing a mystery shop. Will the employees be able to tell that I am a mystery shopper? What if someone asks if I am a mystery shopper? If you behave normally, the employees should not be able to tell that you are a mystery shopper. Indicating that you are a mystery shopper destroys the validity of your shop. Therefore, you should never tell anyone that you are a mystery shopper. How long will it take to receive payment? Once your shop has been entered into the system as complete, it will take an additional 35 to50 days before you will receive your payment for the shop. Whenever corrections or changes are requested for a shop that you have completed, it is important that you complete them immediately. A delay could result in a delay of your payment. Moreover, if you take too long to modify your shop, it can become marked as unscheduled and you will not receive payment of any kind. |
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