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Mystery Shopping - An Excellent Way To Make Extra Money
Copyright 2005 Elaine Currie
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.
About the author:
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.
Written by: Elaine Currie
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