Get Clued in on Mystery Shopping
You’ve probably heard of the job; whispers in the company break room or between the mommies at playgroup talking about “secret shopping”. The first time I heard that someone could shop and actually get paid (instead of the other way around) my heart started palpitating! What a dream job; forget filing all day or pushing a broom to earn a paycheck! Also known as “mystery shopping”, this market research job has been around for decades in varying degrees, but is a legitimate billion dollar industry these days.
Many are employing the services of mystery shoppers including bricks-and-mortar retail businesses, online stores, restaurants and entertainment venues and others. These companies can get valuable feedback about the way their businesses are meeting the needs of the consumer through sleuthing shoppers who provide an unbiased opinion. As a mystery shopper, the information you sent out to gather varies from assignment to assignment, but typically has to do with customer service, the store facility, product displays and more. How quickly were you greeted by an employee? Rate the cleanliness of the restroom facilities? Did the server introduce himself by name and offer you the special of the day? These are just a small sampling of the questions you may be asked via online surveys after your secret shopping assignment.
Unlike just taking paid surveys from home, you will need to have access to reliable transportation to get to the job assignment. Once at the mall, movie theater, dining establishment or other venue, you will be asked to keep track of a number of quantifiable details as well as provide your objective opinions about the consumer experience. Typically, you will be required to make any purchases from your own funds and are later reimbursed at the successful completion of the job. While you are paid back for your purchases and even mileage in some cases, you may or may not receive additional compensation for your time and efforts. Sometimes the “payment” is just that you get to keep your purchase, other times you are offered extra remuneration – it just depends on the mystery shopping service you are working with as well as the client company.
If you are looking to break into this exciting part-time opportunity, you can sign up with a variety of market research firms that offer mystery shopping. Some of these organizations are solely dedicated to secret shopping while others are full-service, offering paid surveys, focus groups, product sampling and other market studies on behalf of their clients. For a starting point, visit a free online database of market research and survey opportunities such as SurveyAvalanche.com and register with as many mystery shopping providers as possible.