About a week ago, I put forth the idea of mystery shopping as a way to supplement income and great way for stay at home mom's to earn a little extra cash. I mentioned that I had applied for some, but was never picked to actually perform a shop. Imagine my surprise when a mystery shopping company actually phoned me Friday night and asked me (nay, begged me) to please do a mystery shop for them at a fast food restaurant? The pay would be $12 for the shop, plus reimbursement for the food. Who could resist? I had two dates to choose from, so I took the later one so that I could have my window fixed to be able to do the drive thru portion of the mystery shop.
So, since I am a newbie to this, I am needing some advice! If you are a mystery shopper pro, please post your tips below. I'll take any help I can get!
2 comments:
You can find lots of information about mystery shopping at http://www.MysteryShoppersManual.com/.
A few tips for your first shop:
Read the guidelines and report form carefully before the shop. You must do the shop as specified by the client or it will not be accepted. That can mean things such as going during the correct timeframe, ordering specific items or types of items, asking a particular question, etc.
Do the report as soon as you can. It will probably be due within 24 hours of the shop (or sooner), but the sooner you do it the easier it is to remember everything.
Remember that mystery shopping is not about giving your opinions. Your report is based on the standards set by the client. Do not include opinions in your report unless they are requested.
You may wish to record the shop with a digital voice recorder, cell phone or other recording device. This is legal most places in the U.S., but you can check your state's laws at http://rcfp.org/taping.
You may be a little nervous your first time or two, but do your best to be a normal customer. Blend it and do not do things to stand out.
Have fun! Mystery shopping can be hard work, but it is also fun. Once you have done a few shops, it gets easier, too.
You should visit www.whiteglovejournal.com. It's a resource that allows mystery shoppers to share experiences, advice, tips, etc. It also lists helpful tools, etc.
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