The Mystery Shopper’s Manual

Question from a secret shopper:

Would it be okay to return the purchase? I still have the original receipt, as the mystery shopping company just had me input the receipt number in my report.

The answer, as is so often the case, is “it depends.”
…continue reading May I Return Broken Merchandise from a Mystery Shop?

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There are times when a mystery shopping company will send a gift card to be used on a mystery shopper job. Although rare, it’s nice. You don’t have to front the cash for any required purchase and wait for reimbursement. However, there is a new trend in shopper pay that is not quite so nice.

Some clients are choosing to reimburse mystery shoppers with gift cards, instead of cash. What this means is that you do the mystery shop and pay out of pocket for any required purchase. After your report has been accepted, you are paid with a gift card from the merchant.

Let’s do the math to see if this is a good deal. Here is how it might work: …continue reading Mystery Shopper Pay via Gift Card - Good or Bad?

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Question from a mystery shopper:

I just started mystery shopping, and I have completed two shops this week. Is there an unwritten law about how much you should buy during a shop? My shop fees were $10.00 and $11.50 but there was no given dollar amount for the merchandise I could obtain free from the shops. To be on the safe side I just bought things I could really use in case I was stuck with the bill.

As a brand new shopper who has completed two shops in her first week, you are off to a good start. Here is an explanation of how mystery shoppers get paid. …continue reading How Much Free Merchandise Do I Get on a Mystery Shopper Job?

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The new year is almost upon us, and that is the time many of us make resolutions. This year, in addition to the usual resolutions about losing weight or getting organized, there will be an emphasis on resolutions to spend less and save more money. That is where mystery shopping can help.

Mystery shopper jobs allow us to earn extra money that can be used to build our savings, or pay down those credit card bills. And, by choosing assignments wisely, we can also get many things for free, or at a reduced price, that we would normally have to pay for.

In my career as a professional shopper, I have been reimbursed for meals, haircuts, eye examinations, dry cleaning, car oil changes, groceries and much more. In addition, by using a rewards credit card for many of my reimbursed purchases, I have received gift cards and other perks from my credit card company.

We can even splurge a little now and then, thanks to mystery shopping. …continue reading Mystery Shopping and Money Resolutions

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One of the things I love about mystery shopping is that many shops include a purchase allowance or reimbursement. That allows me to get something I would normally pay for in return for doing the shop.

Restaurants are special favorites of mine. My husband and I love to go out to eat, so getting our dinners paid for is nice compensation for the secret shop.

Several years ago, I did a lot of grocery shops where I received a generous reimbursement when buying groceries. I used them to buy my usual groceries and to stock up on non- perishables such as soap and paper products, things I had to buy anyway.

Many mystery shoppers look at these perks and benefits of mystery shopping as getting things ‘free.’ They are not truly free because you earn them with the time you put in doing the shop and report, but they can be good compensation.

The danger is that feeling that you are getting something for nothing can lead you to overspend on mystery shops. …continue reading Don’t Be a Big Spender on Mystery Shops

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One of the ways I have found to increase my mystery shopper pay is by using reward credit cards to pay for my reimbursed expenses whenever I can. In fact, I use credit cards to pay for almost everything I buy, whether I am mystery shopping or not. As a result, I get hundreds of dollars worth of free gift cards and more every year.

This strategy must be used properly, or it could backfire—big time! Here are the steps you need to take to earn more with reward programs. …continue reading Increase Your Mystery Shopper Pay with Rewards

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Question from a mystery shopper:

Is it possible to make $300-$400 a week as a full-time mystery shopper? My husband wants me to get a job, but I would rather be a full time mystery shopper. Can you help me convince my husband this can work? …continue reading Can I Mystery Shop Full Time?

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The compensation for some mystery shops consists of a fee and reimbursement for a required purchase. Others, such as those without a required purchase (including banks, apartment complexes and car dealerships), will not include a reimbursement, but may have a higher fee.

But what about mystery shops where your only compensation is the reimbursement of a required purchase, with no fee? Some shoppers refuse to do reimbursement-only shops, and will only accept assignments that include a fee. They believe that they are most profitable by focusing on fee-only shops, or shops that include both a fee and reimbursement.

Although most of the shops I do include a fee, there are times when I do reimbursement-only shops. Usually, these are restaurant shops. My husband and I enjoy going out to dinner, so getting our dinner paid for in return for a mystery shop report can be, in my opinion, a good deal. Just for the record, we are not talking about fast food here, but nice restaurants involving servers and often alcohol. And definitely dessert. …continue reading Should You Do Reimbursement-Only Shops?

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Are mystery shopper fees negotiable? Or is it strictly “take it or leave it”: accept the pay that is offered or do not take the assignment? Although you may not be able to get a pay increase on most shops, there are times when the scheduler can authorize additional pay to get the job done.

There are lots of assignments that are easy to fill at the usual fee. There is no need to offer a bonus on these shops, because there are shoppers willing to do them. This may be because they are in a large urban area where there are lots of shoppers, the usual fee is reasonable compensation, and/or the shop is attractive because the perks are really good, or it is a fun shop to do.

However, there are shops that are hard to fill because they are in out-of-the-way locations, the client has specific demographic requirements that make it hard to find shoppers, or the shop is simply underpriced. Even if the shop is hard to fill, the scheduler is responsible for making sure it gets done. That can sometimes mean paying bonuses to secret shoppers.

Sometimes a the scheduler will offer a bonus, but other times you must ask if you want more pay. Here is what you need to know about mystery shop bonuses and how to go about requesting a bonus. …continue reading Mystery Shopper Bonuses - When and How to Ask

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