Today’s post is by my friend and colleague, Amanda Moak, who writes the blog Frugal Rocks.
Do you love to shop? Do you enjoy critiquing a dining experience? Then mystery shopping may be the perfect work from home opportunity for you. Becoming a mystery shopper is a great legitimate way to earn extra income. While mystery shopping won’t make you rich you can easily earn $50 to $100 a month evaluating businesses. I have been a mystery shopper for about a year now and I consistently earn around $50 a month and this does not include the free meals, products and services that I receive. Below are some tips to help you get started:
Never pay to be a mystery shopper. There are many advertisements on the internet looking for Secret Shoppers or Mystery Shoppers and many of them require you to pay for a list of companies. The truth is you can obtain these lists for free if you go to the right websites. The National Association of Mystery Shoppers and the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) are two places to start. These associations will provide you with a listing of reputable mystery shopping companies. While you should never pay to become a mystery shopper often times you are required to make a small purchase during your shop, which you are always reimbursed for.
You do not need to be certified. You might notice while signing up with mystery shopping companies that they mention being certified. While becoming certified may help you expand your business and give you priority to more upscale shops it certainly is not necessary. Personally, I do not see the benefit in paying the money to become certified as I only mystery shop on the side to make some extra money. Do not let this stop you from signing up and applying for shops. I get shops weekly and I am not certified.
Read all documentation. Once you apply and are accepted for a mystery shop you will be sent guidelines for that shop as well as a questionnaire that you must complete after you finish your shop. Be sure to read the guidelines and questionnaire thoroughly as they will provide detailed items that you must address during the shop. For example, you may be directed to order a certain item or shop within a certain department and failure to perform the shop correctly will result in you not being paid. It is very important that you read all documentation.
Be prompt. Most companies require you to submit your questionnaire within twenty-four hours of completing the shop. I recommend that you complete your questionnaire as soon as you finish the shop while the information is still fresh in your mind. Be sure to pay close attention to the submission deadline of your shop. Failure to submit your questionnaire on time will result in you not being paid for the shop.
Be organized. Being organized is key to becoming a successful mystery shopper. You must be able to keep track of the companies you work for, your shop due dates, reimbursements and incoming payments. To keep track of everything I created a simple Excel spreadsheet.
Check your email daily. Once you sign up with several companies, you will begin to receive emails from them advising of available shops in your area. These shops are typically first come first serve so it’s best to check your email daily so you have a better chance to get the shops you want.
You will be asked for personal information. When filling out applications with mystery shopping companies you will be asked for personal information such as your date of birth, address, and Social Security Number. Don’t be alarmed when asked for your Social Security Number. Like any business you work for they are required to report your income, over a certain amount, to the IRS.
Payment. It does take a few months to receive your payment. Typically you are paid 60 days after the last day of the month in which the shop was completed. This sounds like a long time but once you start working for multiple companies, the payments start coming monthly. Most companies pay via PayPal, direct deposit or check.
Here are a few companies I personally use and recommend:
I hope this information has been helpful and that you consider becoming a mystery shopper. It’s a fun and easy source of income and what’s more fun than being paid to shop?
Amanda Moak is twenty-eight years old and from Gastonia, NC. She runs the website Frugal Rocks and enjoys providing daily money-saving tips to her readers.
If you would like to submit a guest post, send me an email with your idea. Suzanne@makemoneywithyourbrain.com
3 users responded in this post
Great idea! I was never quite sure if the idea of Mystery Shopper was a scam or not, so I am glad to hear that there are viable options out there!
Kelli, I have been hearing about mystery shopping from several of my readers. I am glad we found Amanda to explain it to us!
Being a “Secret Shopper” is great. Many of the restaurants do it also. I was a Secret Shopper with Ryan’s Steak House for about three years until they closed that store. I had to eat there at least 2 times a month and could up to 4 times. I received my meal for free and $10 (if I remember right) which paid for my wife and the tip. I got to be one of their shoppers by simply filling out a comment card when I had outstanding service and sending it in. They liked what I wrote and sent me an invitation since they had an opening in my area. I think they have at least 5 shoppers for each of their locations. Give it a try sometime. To do so, always fill out the comment card when you have a good, or bad, visit to a restaurant. Tell it like it is and make it plain and not to long. You may get lucky like I did.
Thanks for a GREAT website. I read all your post by RSS on my email.
Bob Jones