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Cathy Stucker has been a mystery shopper since 1995. She is the author of The Mystery Shopper's Manual.
| Mystery shopping is a legitimate way to make money; however, if you received a large check and were told to wire money somewhere, don't do anything until you read about mystery shopping scams. |
Yes, you can really get paid to shop. Mystery shopping isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme, and it’s not money for nothing. But mystery shopping can be easy and enjoyable, and it is a great way to make extra money in your spare time while doing things you have to do anyway. You have to shop and eat, right? …continue reading Mystery Shopping – Can You Really Make Money?
Although you eagle-eyed mystery shoppers caught the spelling error in the title of this article, are you as good at finding typos in the applications and reports you submit to mystery shopping companies? Spelling is important, and submitting error-filled applications and reports will hurt your chances of becoming a successful professional shopper. …continue reading “Secert Shoppers” and Spelling
In a recent post about saving money on gas, I wrote that you should avoid speeding to get better gas mileage, as well as to avoid the expense of speeding tickets. That prompted one reader to email me and ask (rather sheepishly) if she could deduct the cost of a speeding ticket on her income taxes. She was driving between shops at the time she got the speeding ticket, so would it be considered a business expense?
Do you ever wear disguises when mystery shopping? It can be a good idea when shopping several locations of the same business, or when you are asked to return to a business you have shopped in the past. However, most of the time a disguise isn’t needed. All you need to do is avoid standing out in a crowd. Here is how . . .
I often hear from people who want to become mystery shoppers, but do not know how to begin. It is actually simple, especially with all of the resources available through the Internet that enable you to easily find mystery shopping companies, complete applications and locate assignments.
The problem for many of these potential secret shoppers is that they are having trouble finding legitimate companies that do not charge shoppers to apply. Even many of the sites that claim that they will protect you from the scams are themselves scams. How do you know which companies and sites can be trusted? …continue reading Find Legitimate Secret Shopping Companies
In a recent post, I wrote about the legality of using a digital voice recorder on mystery shops. In many U.S. states and Canadian provinces, it is legal to make recordings, especially in public where there is no expectation of privacy. But what if you live in a state where you may not legally record conversations without permission? Should you toss your digital voice recorder in the trash, or sell it on eBay? Not so fast—there are ways you may legally and ethically use your recorder to help you on mystery shops. …continue reading Using a Voice Recorder When You May Not Legally Record
Lots of shoppers ask me what the secret is to getting high-paying, high-end shops—the fine dining, hotels, spas and resorts, and other shops that can bring you great pay, reimbursements for luxury items, and more.
If you have been applying without success for these shops, or do not even see notices for them, you may think that it is impossible to get high-paying mystery shops. It is not impossible, and there are ways you can increase your chances of landing the shops of your dreams.
The secret is . . . …continue reading Secret Shopping Success Secrets