The Mystery Shopper’s Manual

A new year (or any time) is a good time to organize the paperwork, computer files and workflow for your mystery shopping business. Being better organized means you spend less time seeking assignments, doing shop visits, completing reports, and calculating taxes. Most importantly, you will not risk forgetting to do shops, or waste time trying to track down your notes to answer editor questions about your reports.

Here are some tips to get—and stay—organized.
…continue reading Organize Your Mystery Shopping

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What if mystery shoppers evaluated everyday people doing everyday things? Sensors Quality Management (SQM), a Canadian mystery shopping company, has created a series of videos called “Thankfully Only For Business” that show what might happen if mystery shoppers were turned loose to evaluate people in the shower, on a date, in the gym—even while they sleep!

The videos provide a tongue in cheek look at what we do as secret shoppers. SQM is releasing new videos every week for five weeks. Currently, there are two videos in their YouTube channel. Once all of the videos are available, viewers will be asked to vote to choose the top three. For more information, to watch the videos and to vote, go to http://www.sqm.ca/videoContest.jsp.

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Although many mystery shoppers love the “get paid to shop” idea, most do secret shopping because it is a flexible way to make money. Something they can do on their own schedule, around their other obligations and activities.

In that spirit, I offer some additional ideas of ways you can earn money to supplement your income—or even quit your “real” job—in 2010. …continue reading Go Beyond Mystery Shopping to Make More Money

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If you pay quarterly estimated income taxes, remember that your fourth-quarter estimated tax payment (using form 1040-ES) for 2009 is due on January 15, 2010. You may delay making this payment until February 1, 2010, if you file your 2009 return (Form 1040) and pay any tax due by February 1, 2010.

Most mystery shoppers are not required to pay quarterly estimated taxes, because mystery shopping represents a small portion of their overall family income. However, if mystery shopping and other independent contractor or small business income makes up a significant part of your income, you should determine if you need to pay quarterly.

Not sure if you have to pay? You can figure it out by consulting the IRS web site at http://www.irs.gov/publications/p505/ch02.html

Need to know more? …continue reading Do You File Estimated Taxes? Fourth Quarter 2009 Return is Due

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Here are answers to some of the questions I am most often asked about video mystery shopping.

Is it legal to video record people without telling them?

Generally, no. However, most reputable video mystery shopping companies will require that the employer get employees to sign consent forms. These forms will say something to the effect that they understand they may be recorded in the course of performing their duties. So even though you will not announce that you are making a video recording when you enter the business, employees have been legally notified that they may be recorded and have given their consent. …continue reading Questions About Video Mystery Shopping

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Perhaps because these words are spelled and pronounced similarly, they are often confused. However, “then” and “than” are different words with different meanings and it is important to understand how and when to use each of them. Here are some tips to help you.
…continue reading Using Then or Than

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