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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.

What Kind of Watch Does a Mystery Shopper Need?

Posted on August 25th, 2009 in Mystery Shopper Tools by Cathy Stucker

Question from a mystery shopper:

I did my first shop the other day, and the hardest part was getting the timings. This was a fast food shop, and they wanted times down to the second! My watch has a second hand, but it was kind of hard to see without staring at the watch. Do other shoppers use stopwatches, or digital watches or what? I think there must be some secret way to do this that I do not know about.

There are many ways to get accurate timings. Some secret shoppers use digital voice recorders. They record the shop, then use cues in the recording to verify the times. Some shoppers use small stopwatches they can conceal in a pocket. If you want to use a wristwatch, there are many that will make it easy to get the timings you need for your report. Your best choice will probably be a digital sports watch.
…continue reading What Kind of Watch Does a Mystery Shopper Need?

Using Tip Sheets on Mystery Shops

Posted on March 9th, 2009 in Mystery Shopper Tools,Preparing for the Mystery Shop by Cathy Stucker

woman-with-basketThere are many things to remember when doing a mystery shopping assignment. Most shops have dozens of questions that must be answered, as well as obtaining the names of employees, remembering what questions or scenarios are to be presented and more.

Even though there is much to remember, you should never take the report form with you to do the mystery shop. Instead, make a “tip sheet” you can refer to during the shop to remember all the things you are to do. For example, it might be helpful to have reminders of which departments you are supposed to visit, the things you need to time and the employees for whom you need to get names.

Your tip sheets may be paper or electronic. The type of tip sheet you use will depend on the nature of the shop. It is critical that you not draw attention to yourself, so don’t do anything that would make you stand out or make employees notice you. …continue reading Using Tip Sheets on Mystery Shops

Submitting Secret Shop Receipts

Posted on February 24th, 2009 in Mystery Shopper Tools,Technology and Secret Shopping,Working Online by Cathy Stucker

receiptMany mystery shopping assignments require that you submit a receipt. The receipt verifies that you were at the location and when you were there, as well as how much you spent.

The mystery shopping company will state in the shop guidelines how they prefer to have receipts submitted to them. These days, most prefer to receive them electronically. They may ask that you upload an image of the receipt when you complete your report, or that you send the image as an email attachment.

Of course, you should always follow any guidelines you are given by the mystery shopping company. If they say to use certain settings when you scan a receipt, or to keep the file size below a specified limit, do so. Also follow their guidelines regarding how they prefer to receive receipts and other documentation. Here are some general guidelines and tips for submitting receipts. …continue reading Submitting Secret Shop Receipts

Erase Your Hard Drive When Disposing of a Computer

Posted on December 28th, 2008 in Mystery Shopper Tools,Technology and Secret Shopping by Cathy Stucker

hard_diskPerhaps if you were a very good mystery shopper this year, Santa brought you a new computer. But wait! Before you dispose of that old computer, make sure you protect your private data.

Computers sold on eBay or donated to charity often include confidential information, such as credit card numbers, passwords, financial data and more. Simply erasing the files, or even formatting the hard drive, may not be enough to remove all traces of data. There are programs that can be used to recover files that have been erased.

Here is how you can avoid having your data fall into the wrong hands. …continue reading Erase Your Hard Drive When Disposing of a Computer

Secret Shopping with Google Maps

Posted on November 19th, 2008 in Mystery Shopper Tools,Technology and Secret Shopping by Cathy Stucker

times_square1.jpgYou 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

Ways to Use Your Cell Phone While Mystery Shopping

Posted on October 17th, 2008 in Mystery Shopper Tools,Secret Shopper How-To by Cathy Stucker

shopping_with_phone.jpgMaking and receiving personal or business calls during a mystery shop is a big no-no. Being on the phone can disrupt the flow of the mystery shop and cause you to miss important observations. However, there are ways your cell phone can help you on mystery shopper jobs.

The specific ways you may use a cell phone on a shop will depend on the shop requirements and guidelines. Never do anything that will look out of place or make it obvious that you are the shopper. Because it seems that everyone has cell phones and they use them everywhere, you can probably use your phone on many of the shops you do.

If you are not going to use your phone in one of the ways described here, it is best to turn it off completely or not take it with you.

Here are several ideas for how to use your phone on mystery shops. …continue reading Ways to Use Your Cell Phone While Mystery Shopping

Mystery Shopper Emergency Kit

Posted on August 17th, 2008 in Dealing with Shopping Emergencies,Mystery Shopper Tools by Cathy Stucker

Anyone who drives should have a roadside emergency kit in the car. Things such as jumper cables, a flashlight, reflectors, duct tape and other supplies can be not only handy but lifesavers if your car breaks down.

As a mystery shopper, you should also have a shopper emergency kit. These are the supplies you may need when you are out on the road doing shops.

The specifics of what will go into your emergency kit are up to you and will depend on the types of shops you do and how you work. Here are some ideas to get you started: …continue reading Mystery Shopper Emergency Kit

Mystery Shopper Book

Posted on April 6th, 2008 in Mystery Shopper Tools by Cathy Stucker

The Mystery Shopper's Manual

This is the only book endorsed by the Mystery Shopping Providers Association, and it includes everything you need to know to become a successful professional secret shopper.

Order here and your copy will be personally autographed by the author, Cathy Stucker.

Get your autographed copy of “The Mystery Shopper’s Manual” here.

“I WANT TU B UR MSYTERY SHOPPR”

My post on Reverse Auctions and Secret Shopper Pay drew this comment from the owner of a mystery shopping company:

We have noticed a substantial increase in the number of evaluations we must return to shoppers because they are incomplete, have poor explanations, or just don’t make sense. I think in most cases we pay well, but we can’t seem to figure out why the quality has gone down – other than the influence of text messaging.

Do you think this is an exaggeration? Judging by the email I sometimes receive, I do not believe that it is. …continue reading “I WANT TU B UR MSYTERY SHOPPR”

Secret Shopper Gift Ideas

Posted on December 19th, 2007 in Mystery Shopper Tools by Cathy Stucker

Looking for a great last-minute gift idea for the secret shopper on your gift list? Or maybe you are a mystery shopper who would like to drop some hints to friends and family about what you want to find under the tree this year. These items, ranging from pricey to stocking-stuffers, are just what professional shoppers need to make their jobs easier . . . …continue reading Secret Shopper Gift Ideas