How To Become A Secret Shopper With Pictures

For starters, never accept a gig that requires transferring money. Some places will send you to “scope out Western Union” or something similar and they’ll issue you a false check. You’ll transfer it, the bank catches up to you eventually, and you have to pay it off. No thank you. In the US, you will not be asked any of your super-private (think SSN) information until you make $600 in one year from one company – that’s the mark when taxes start applying. If you do hit this, they’ll send you a 1099 and everything will be confidential and official. Remember the IRS expects all income to be reported even if you do not receive a 1099.

The amount of gigs you get won’t just depend on your availability – it also depends on the amount of shops in the program and amount of secret shoppers in your area you have to compete with. The assignments that require you to make hefty purchases (think at electronic stores) will give you a bit more for your inconvenience (you’ll be purchasing the item out of pocket to be reimbursed later). But if you’re being offered $30 a gig, it’s probably a scam. Be wary.

If an individual is an employee, then any costs of workers’ compensation, social security, and unemployment insurance, as well as federal income tax withholding and state income tax withholding are the responsibility of the employer. If an individual is an independent contractor, these costs and tax withholdings are the contractor’s, namely your responsibility. As long as you’re prepared to keep good records, maintain your own health care needs, etc. , you should be fine.

If you’d rather someone else took care of such things, you’re better off seeking a position as an employee. Further help can be sought from a reputable financial adviser or legal adviser. Local community organizations that specialize in consumer advice may be able to help you too.

Never, ever, ever, ever, ever. Even if it’s $5 a month to access a list of assignments or companies, know that you don’t have to do it. There are other ways around this.

While not every legitimate company is a member of one or more of these globally recognized organizations, they are a good place to start. You can also find legitimate companies to work with at Mystery Shopping Solutions [1] and Volition. Beyond that, there are many mystery shopping related groups, forums, meetups, and communities, i. e. , Market Research Pros on Facebook [2] and Google Plus [3], and dozens of Yahoo! Groups [4]. You can also do a search for “Mystery Shopping Companies” or “Mystery Shopping Provider” to find additional companies. Just be sure to verify companies before shopping for them or providing personal information. [4] X Research source

A reliable computer with Internet access. You’ll be doing all of your “clocking in” via computer by submitting surveys and working on your company’s website. You’ll also be uploading photos and whatnot, so take into account your internet speed. Reliable transportation to get to each assignment. In most cases, your gas and transportation expenses will not be covered. That’s why you stick to your immediate area! The proper attire each assignment calls for. Most are casual but some shops are in upscale restaurants, apartments or retail outlets and you will need to dress the part to blend in. A way to record your experiences. If you’re hitting up a cafe for a to-go drink, you may not need to write down your experience while you’re there. But if you’re sitting down at a nice restaurant for a couple of hours, by the time you get home you’ll have forgotten how the meal started. Bring a tablet with you, your smartphone, or a notepad that can masquerade as something else (you don’t want to be obvious!). A camera. Some assignments will require you to take pictures during your experience. You will also have to send these in, so if you’re working with a digital camera (though a phone is better), you’ll need the connecting cord, too.

Make it a simple system. Include columns for company name, scheduler or company contact (companies can have multiple schedulers working on the same project), shopping assignment name, assignment location/address, due date, shopper fee and paid date. You might also like a comment column, to remind you of any particular issues, i. e. , requirements for receipt and photo uploads, date range or specific date/time when a shop can be completed, reporting or formatting preferences, etc. , that you may experience.

Keep a list of all the zip codes you are willing to shop. You can then just copy and paste this info into the application. Keep a sample of your writing in this file. Most companies will want you to provide them with a paragraph or two describing a recent shopping experience you have had. This is to make sure you know how to write, spell properly and are proficient at grammar and punctuation! Everything counts here, as it is the only way you can show them that you can do the job well and reliably. When the time comes to fill out applications, you can just copy and paste these paragraphs into the form.

Make a column for notes to keep track of anything out of the ordinary that each company requires. While this may be a lot of work now, you’ll be thankful in the future when you can’t distinguish company 3 from company 49875A3F.

When the time comes to begin your first assignment, record it into your log, print out the instructions for the shop from the company’s website and print the form that you will need to fill out about your experience. You will actually fill out the form online in most cases, but it’s important to review those report forms ahead of time so that you know the questions in advance and can find the answers as you shop. It’s never fun to have to scramble for information, and you may have to repeat the shop at your own expense if you’ve forgotten something critical.

Mystery shopping often requires you to buy something, and with the delay in pay and factoring in variables such as gas, you may find it not worth doing that shop. Some companies will offer a “bonus” or “travel incentive” to compensate for gas mileage, while others do not. This is where routing can make the difference between a profitable mystery shopping trip and one that you didn’t feel was worth your time. Choose carefully.

Follow the directions of the assignment to the letter. If the directions say, “Purchase a small drink” do not order a large one, or you may not be paid! Pay attention to every detail – including names of every employee you come in contact with, what they are wearing and what the products are like. Forgetting details could result in not being reimbursed. Always take notes after each assignment, especially if you are visiting more than one place. The last thing you want is forgetting details or confusing them. Companies will “reject” reports if they suspect this has occurred. Make every report its own individual story by providing details that are unique to that location and experience, and make sure that there is no overlap in your narratives (description of events) between one shop and another.

Generally, you’ll be given tasks according to your demographic. If you’re a 25-year-old female, they probably won’t send you to a bait and tackle shop. This makes it a lot easier to just be yourself and use your own wardrobe.

There will be times when things get awkward. You may have to ask several people their names and feign interest in something you wouldn’t be caught dead using. Try to think of it as just a fun experience to widen your world. Be calm. Be cool. You’re just shopping. When you’re taking notes, be discreet. The second you whip out a note pad, the service will be on you like a pack of blood-hungry hounds. While you may get served faster, you’re creating an inorganic, unnatural environment. Don’t let them know what you’re up to. You want to see how the business normally runs.

If you are having a particular challenge make sure to reach out to your scheduler or company contact to request an extension, if possible. Some companies will offer you the chance to reschedule instead of cancelling. However, their clients give them specific days the tasks must get done and they may not be able to work with you.

Check spelling, punctuation and grammar. There are many free spelling and grammar check tools. Many shoppers find it easy to do a quick spelling and grammar check by copying and pasting their narratives into a Word document (though know that this isn’t always 100% correct). This serves two purposes, because after completing the spell/grammar check, you can save that document to retain a copy of your narratives. This can come in handy and save you a lot of time if you have a power surge, connection issue, or get timed out on a reporting server. It’s also important to retain this information in case questions come up later.

Your objective as a shopper is simply to report the objective factual data in many cases. However, some companies will ask for opinions or “feeling statements” (i. e. , “She answered the phone abruptly and spoke so quickly that I wasn’t sure I had called the right place. She spoke in a disinterested tone of voice, and I felt rushed. This made me feel unimportant. I did not feel valued as a potential customer”). These instructions are just as important as the shop instructions and may also include formatting preferences, media upload requirements and instructions (i. e. , receipts and photos), or the company’s preferences in providing descriptions. This information should be available in the instructions for the shop, commonly referred to as “shop guidelines. "

In general, each company has a representative working within an area. You may have actual interact with the company – so be on your best behavior. You’re not just some computer generated survey-taker.

Keep track of this! Legalities may arise, so it’s best to have complete records. Once you start making major moolah, you’ll have to think about taxes, so keep everything as organized as possible.