Mystery Shopping - An Excellent Way To Make
Extra Money
Mystery shopping (sometimes called secret
shopping) is an excellent way to make extra money. It is very easy to do,
you need no previous experience, no special knowledge and no expensive
equipment. Mystery shopping can be performed by anyone who is able
to go shopping. The mystery shopping companies employ men and women
of all ages and descriptions as secret shoppers in order to obtain feedback
from a wide range of different people on a wide range of services.
Some mystery shopping assignments have to be undertaken by people who are
accompanied by children in order to report back on specific facilities
in places such as theme parks or family restaurants. (If you don't
have children of your own in the right age group, don t worry: you are
allowed to borrow them from relatives or friends.) If you enjoy shopping,
mystery shopping will be a fun way for you to make extra money.
Mystery shopping consists of getting paid
to go into a business (eg a shop or restaurant), without the employees
knowing that you are anything other than an ordinary shopper, and reporting
back to the mystery shopping company. A focus group is when you get
paid to sit down with other people who are also getting paid and discuss
new products or services, many focus groups are actually held online, so
you don't even have to leave home for carry out the assignment.
The reason mystery shopping companies and
survey companies exist is to provide companies with impartial feedback
on their employees, products and services. That way they can see where
there might be problems and make the necessary changes to improve things.
Mystery shopping companies will pay you
to shop, eat at restaurants, have a drink at a bar, visit the cinema, take
a trip and take part in focus groups. If you are sent out to do mystery
shopping, you might be required to visit a particular shop and just make
enquiries about an article to test the staff's customer service level but,
if you are instructed to make a purchase, you are allowed to keep the articles
and will be reimbursed for the cost. If you are sent to do mystery
shopping at a restaurant or bar, you will be given a budget figure to spend
on your food and drink and that money will be reimbursed to you by the
mystery shopping company on top of your fee for the assignment. You
might be asked to sample new products and these items will be sent to you
free of charge. As part of your mystery shopping, you might find
yourself receiving free samples to test of anything from detergent to chocolate.
(This can also happen if you join survey companies.)
Mystery shopping jobs are obviously easier
to find if you live in or near a fair sized town where there are a large
number of shops, restaurants etc but, if you live in a rural area, you
can still earn money taking part in online focus groups which can be found
through online paid survey companies.
After you do a mystery shopping assignment
you answer some questions on a form provided by the mystery shopping company
and file your report with them. These reports are usually set up
as a series of questions with a box for you to add any relevant details
the company might request. The reports can usually be completed very
quickly and it is best to complete your report straight after you finish
your mystery shopping so that you don't forget any detail. Some mystery
shopping companies require you to report to them by phone immediately after
you have completed the mystery shopping assignment but, generally, the
companies expect you to submit a written report by post or email.
The way to approach mystery shopping is
to remember that basically you are like a reporter. You must never add
your feelings or recommendations to a mystery shopping report. Your job
is to just answer the questions, report the facts and describe what actually
happened during your mystery shopping expedition.
If you accept a mystery shopping
assignment but then are unable to complete it, make sure you immediately
notify the mystery shopping company so that they can make alternative arrangements
to avoid letting down their client.
When you start doing mystery shopping,
make sure you accept all suitable assignments including last minute jobs
and any less than glamorous assignments you might be offered. The
top class assignments will be offered to reliable mystery shoppers
so you will need to prove yourself and build up a good reputation by making
a good job of the lower quality assignments and getting your report in
on time. At the start, you might find yourself being asked
to do mystery shopping a the local fast food outlet or department store.
Once you build up a reputation as a reliable mystery shopper, you can look
forward to assignments where you are paid to visit expensive restaurants
and designer shops. You might even be lucky enough to get a free
trip and hotel accommodation as a mystery shopper.
Always keep in mind that, although mystery
shopping is a fun and easy way for your to make extra money, it is a business
and you need to behave in a businesslike manner when carrying out your
mystery shopping assignments and reporting the results to the mystery shopping
company. Your mystery shopping reports will be helping to shape the
future of the businesses you visit and you have the chance to make a positive
impact on decisions relating to improvements to services and facilities
which will be of benefit to you.
Author-Bio: Elaine Currie has a Work From
Home Directory and Auto Surf Review at her Plug In Profit Site:
http://www.Huntingvenus.com
for people who want to make money at home. |
