Mystery Shopper's Manual

How Much Free Merchandise Do I Get on a Mystery Shopper Job?

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woman-paying-creditQuestion 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

Mystery Shopping and Money Resolutions

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piggybankThe 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

Don’t Be a Big Spender on Mystery Shops

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big_spenders.jpgOne 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

Increase Your Mystery Shopper Pay with Rewards

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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

Can I Mystery Shop Full Time?

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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

Should You Do Reimbursement-Only Shops?

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weigh_cash.jpgThe 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

Mystery Shopper Bonuses – When and How to Ask

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bonus.jpgAre 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

Avoid Rejection of Your Mystery Shop Reports

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rejected.jpgHave you ever had a secret shop report rejected? When a shop is rejected, the client will not pay the mystery shopping company for the report. That means that you will not be paid or reimbursed, and your shopper account may even be deactivated so that you may not shop for that company again.

First, I want to stress that reports are not routinely rejected. I have mystery shopped for more than 13 years, and I have never had a report rejected. You may have the same experience. However, there are times when reports are not accepted, either by the mystery shopping company or the client. Let’s look at some common reasons for rejection, how you can avoid doing things that will get your report rejected, and what to do if your mystery shop is wrongly rejected.

Some of the reasons a mystery shop report may not be accepted include:Continue Reading

Secret Shopper Pay and Reverse Auctions

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A lot of shoppers lament the decreases in shopper pay that have occurred over the last few years. Many believe that mystery shopping companies are simply pocketing cash they are withholding from shoppers, but that does not take into account the pricing pressures that mystery shopping companies experience.

There is a lot of competition in the industry, and nowhere is this more evident than in the reverse auction. Reverse auctions are used by many large corporations to purchase products and services, including mystery shopping. Here is how they work, and how they affect how much you and I get paid to mystery shop.Continue Reading