Mystery Shopper

So what exactly is a Mystery Shopper?

Mystery shopping is a service used by marketing companies for measuring the overall quality of customer service. Companies will contract these marketing firms to hire people to pose as shoppers in exchange for payment (of some sort). Payment typically includes a combination of cash and store credits, discounts and consumables.

Mystery shoppers need to be willing to shop and/or dine frequently and sometimes even travel. If the thought of going to the mall, dining out while playing a "role", or completing questionnaires and surveys appeals to you, this just might be the right job for you!

The marketing company which hires you will provide you with instructions. These may include details such as what "role" you'll play (this can be the really fun part), what questions to ask, whether or not you'll actually make a purchase and how you will pay for it, etc. You might be asked to observe how much time it takes for a clerk to pay attention to you, what his/her attitude is like and what responses s/he gives to the questions you are assigned to ask.

Other Names for Mystery Shoppers

According to Wikipedia, Mystery Shopping is also known as...

Secret Shopping
Experience Evaluation
Mystery Customers
Spotters
Anonymous Audits
Virtual Customers
Employee Evaluations
Performance Audits
Telephone Checks
Fulfilment assessment

How Mystery Shopping Started

Mystery shopping began as a way to measure employee integrity and has been around for over a century! Today, many mystery shopping companies are Internet-based, allowing potential mystery shoppers to apply for and sometimes even work online. Online Mystery Shopping can be ideal for moms who want to work at home.

The most common shopping jobs are those targeted at retail stores, restaurants, car dealerships, health clubs and movie theaters. Really, just about any business where there is a customer interaction is open to mystery shopping. Some marketing companies even hire shoppers to "experience" and "observe" for some of the world's largest organizations such as high-end hotels, and airlines.

What Mystery Shoppers Look For

Some of the common details shoppers might look for include...

how long it takes before you (as the mystery shopper) are acknowledged
whether or not the acknowledgment is friendly
the questions you'll be asking
the types of products you'll be "shopping" for
if or how the employee tries to close the sale
cleanliness of store

After an assignment, shoppers record their data and send it to the marketing company. The data is then reviewed and analyzed before being sent to the hiring company.

Here's Where It Get's Tricky

Payment for shopping is HIGHLY variable. A lot depends on the company you are hired by and your experience. While being a Mystery Shopper can be an extremely lucrative type of work (for the right person), you'll definitely want to do your "due diligence" before taking on your first assignment.

What To Look Out For

Be sure to estimate the time that will be involved, including travel before deciding if the assignment is worth it.

If you will be traveling, even a short distance, ask if reimbursement is provided for gas expense. If not, weigh this into your decision.

Some assignments will involve making a purchase and possibly a return. Be sure you know the store details about returns ahead of time. You won't want to get stuck with a purchase you don't need.

Hotel and restaurant assignments can be lengthy and quite detailed. Be sure that the amount the company is going to pay you makes sense for the time involved.

Unfortunately, mystery shopping has taken it's share of unfavorable and highly publicized stories. On the upside, however, mystery shopping is a vibrant, growing and much sought after service within many ethical marketing companies. If you like to shop, this type of work can be both fun and rewarding.

Important Skills Needed...

Ability to be Accurate and Timely

In this type of work, you'll need to be accurate and timely in completing shopping and related paperwork (survey/feedback forms, etc.). Excellent organizational skills will be a plus too. After finishing a job you'll have to accurately fill in all the appropriate paperwork and follow the company's instructions as to how and when to submit the paperwork to them.

Ability to be Honest and Objective

A Mystery Shopper cannot give personal opinions about a company. You must only report the things that occurred while you were on assignment. You'll need to be honest and give only objective feedback to the company you're working for.

Reliability is Key

You'll need to be highly reliable as many companies will let Mystery Shoppers go even after one incomplete shop or cancellation. These companies need to be able to rely on their shoppers to perform assignments in a timely manner. If you are reliable and the company is happy with your work, you could end up receiving rapid increases in remuneration. When a company finds what they consider a "quality shopper" they will often encourage longevity with increases in pay, gifts and bonuses. In other words, it "pays" to be reliable ;-)

Have Strong Communication and People Skills

In most cases you'll be "role playing" (this can be the really fun part) and strong communication skills are very important. For example, you might be asked to go into a sporting goods store and ask about the different types of exercise equipment and several other questions. A smart mystery shopper will sometimes do a little research before an assignment in order to come across more naturally when acting a part.

In some industries, you may encounter a rushed or abrupt sales person. You won't be able to let such behavior stop you from completing your job. You'll need to display the ability to communicate and not shy away from certain situations in order to do your job well.

If the idea of becoming a Mystery Shopper appeals to you and you'd like to know more, check out this Guide to Becoming a Mystery Shopper. You'll find step-by-step instructions, resources and inside information to help you get started on your way to earning money from mystery shopping.

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