The Mystery Shopper’s Manual

Shopping addicts may love the idea of mystery shopping, but does being a mystery shopper present too much temptation for someone who can not control their shopping and spending? If you consistently overspend on mystery shopper jobs and other shopping trips, you may be a compulsive shopper.

What is Shopping Addiction?

Shopping addictions take many forms. We all buy things, but shopping addicts:

• shop to make themselves feel better
• buy things they don’t need (and don’t use)
• spend money they don’t have, running up debts
• may hide their purchases from friends and family

Some shopping addicts buy certain types of items, such as shoes or electronics, while others will buy just about anything. Shopaholics may also indulge in other compulsive behaviors, such as overeating, problem drinking or gambling.

Anyone can indulge in inappropriate spending at times, and the occasional trip to the mall when you feel down does not mean you have a shopping addiction. …continue reading Shopping Addiction and Mystery Shopping

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If you have been mystery shopping for a while, you know that it is hard work. Keeping track of all of your assignments, making sure everything gets done on time, remembering all of the details needed for your reports and, oh, writing those reports.

Keeping a full-time mystery shopping schedule, or even a heavy part-time schedule, can lead to burnout. When burnout happens, some secret shoppers quit completely and never return to mystery shopping. A better course of action is to take steps to prevent burnout from happening in the first place.

Most importantly, always stay in control of your time. Decide how much time you want to spend doing mystery shopper jobs, and limit yourself to the number of jobs you can complete in that time. Although you may choose to make the occasional exception for a really special opportunity or to help a favorite scheduler when she is in a bind, do not make a habit of taking on many more shops than you can reasonably handle.

Take a break now and then. This is especially important if you work a full-time job and mystery shop on the side. Working full time then mystery shopping several hours a week, on top of your family responsibilities, can wear you out. Take a week or so off from mystery shopping now and then. …continue reading Mystery Shopper Burnout

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Have you ever done a shop where you had to drink alcohol? There are bar and restaurant shops where you may be encouraged or even required to order cocktails or wine, but drinking alcohol on a mystery shop can create problems if it is not handled properly.

Becoming inebriated can mean that you do not get all of the information you need for your report. And if you are drunk enough, you may behave completely inappropriately and not even realize it.

I had to do a fine dining mystery shop where my husband and I were required to order drinks in the bar, then a bottle of wine with dinner. That is a lot of alcohol, but with planning and thought, we kept our wits about us and did not become intoxicated.

Here are some things you need to remember when drinking while mystery shopping, and how to handle your liquor without getting out of hand. …continue reading Shopping Under the Influence (SUI)

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There are lots of restaurant and fast food shops available, and eating many of your meals on mystery shops can lead to making poor food choices and eating too much. Here is how you can be a secret shopper without piling on the pounds. …continue reading Secret Shopping Without Gaining Weight

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