The Mystery Shopper’s Manual

Making more money is nice, whether you do it through getting more mystery shopper jobs or higher-paying assignments. However, it is possible to be more profitable without earning any more money.

How? Well, as a CPA friend of mine says, “It’s not how much you make, it’s how much you keep.” Here are some suggestions to help you keep more of what you make as a secret shopper.

Maximize tax deductions. You can deduct reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the process of running your business. These may include:

• Computer and Internet expenses;
• Office supplies (including paper, ink, toner, etc.);
• Cell phone service;
• Mileage or automobile expenses;
• Training and education;
• Voice recorders, digital cameras and other technology;
• Batteries and supplies for technology;
• A home office; and
• Other costs.

…continue reading It’s Not How Much You Make, It’s How Much You Keep

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Have you ever gotten one of those notices on your receipt to call a toll-free number and answer a few questions about your experience at a store or restaurant? Often the business “bribes” customers to participate by providing a coupon good for a discount on their next visit, or by entering them in a drawing for cash and other prizes.

Integrated Voice Response (IVR) is used by a lot of businesses, often as an add-on to their mystery shopping and other market research programs. Mystery shoppers have often wondered if IVR will put us out of business, but I do not believe it will. There is, however, something else on the horizon that causes me more concern. …continue reading Will Mystery Shopping Become Obsolete?

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One of my pet peeves is the incorrect use of apostrophes. People leave them out when they should use them, then sprinkle them willy-nilly where they have no business being.

Every time I see a big sign that says “BOOK’S” I cringe.

Although apostrophe errors are common, improper use of apostrophes will mark you as an inexperienced and  uninformed writer to those who understand proper usage—such as editors at mystery shopping companies. The proper use of apostrophes will help you get better scores on your mystery shopper reports.

Here are some simple tips that will help you remember how to use apostrophes in your writing—and how not to use them. …continue reading Apostrophe Catastrophe

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You probably know that there are lots of online scams, where scammers go after your data. Once they get your login IDs and passwords, account numbers, or credit card numbers, they can use them for identity theft or  to run up fraudulent charges or empty your bank account.

It can be hard to tell a scam site from the real site sometimes, as many of these crimes are very sophisticated. One of the reasons that these scams are so prevalent is that so many people fall for them.

Feeling a little paranoid? Afraid to switch your computer on? Don’t be. Although nothing is 100% safe, taking a few simple precautions will keep your data secure and make it very unlikely that you will be the victim of a cybercrime. …continue reading Safe Surfing - How to Protect Yourself Online

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Most people think of stores and restaurants when they think of mystery shopping clients. You know, “get paid to shop and eat.” There are many retail and restaurant chains that use mystery shopping, but it certainly does not stop there.

Just about any organization that has contact with the public may use secret shoppers. That means not only for-profit businesses, but non-profit organizations and government agencies, too.

Secret shoppers may not disclose specific clients for whom they have shopped due to the confidentiality agreements we sign. However, it is acceptable to discuss the types of businesses that get mystery shopped. Here are some of the ones I have heard of. Although this list is far from complete, it will give you an idea of the many industries that rely on mystery shoppers to give them information about their businesses (including some kind of odd ones). …continue reading What Kinds of Businesses Use Mystery Shoppers?

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Would you like to get more mystery shopper jobs? Here are some tips to help you get all the work you can handle.

Most importantly, when you get an assignment, do a great job. Do the shop on time, according to the guidelines, and submit a well-written report. Schedulers love to give assignments to shoppers on whom they can depend.

Apply to as many companies as possible. Just like you can’t win the lottery if you do not buy a ticket, you can not get assignments if you are not in the data base. (Of course, you should never pay a fee to apply anywhere.)

Use http://www.Jobslinger.com/ to find assignments in your area. Even if you do not land a particular mystery shopper job, you can find more companies that have clients where you like to shop.

Don’t forget to apply to scheduling companies. They have assignments from many companies. …continue reading Want More Mystery Shopper Jobs?

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You may know that you can use Google Maps to plan your trips. But there are some cool things you can do that make it even more useful.

When going someplace unfamiliar, put in the address to get the exact location. One of the options you may see on the map or in a pop up box is “Street View.” When you click on Street View you will see photographs of the buildings on each side of the street. You can drag the cursor to move to another place, or click on the arrows to look left or right.

Using Street View can help you determine what the exterior of the business you are going to looks like, as well as finding nearby landmarks that will make it easier to navigate. …continue reading Secret Shopping with Google Maps

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Have you ever had this happen? You are mystery shopping more than one location of the same business, and one of the employees from a place you shopped earlier turns up at another location. Oops. What can you do?

Many businesses have “floating” employees who work at more than one branch or store. This happens in banking, retail, property management (apartments), and other businesses. Sometimes floaters have a regular schedule that moves them from place to place, and other times they may be filling in for an employee who is ill or on vacation or when a location is otherwise short-staffed.

I used to shop a lot of grocery stores, and often did two or three in one trip. One day, a manager was at both of the stores I shopped. Fortunately, I saw him before he saw me, and the store was big enough that I was able to avoid him for the rest of my visit. However, there are times that isn’t possible. …continue reading Same Employee, Different Location

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The holiday shopping season is almost here. Mystery shoppers are in the stores all year ’round, so how does the holiday season affect what we do?

One big change that happens this time of year is that mystery shopping companies are anxious to get all assignments and reports completed and submitted well before the end of the month. They know that shoppers will be busy with holiday celebrations, and will not have mystery shopping on their minds. And their staff wants to be able to take a few days off and enjoy the holidays with their families, too, without worrying about the shops that are still due. …continue reading Secret Shopping During the Holiday Season

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