Mystery Shopping Methods for Effective Market Research

Mystery shopping, also called secret shopping is a market research tool that is designed for improving a business’s product and service standards and therefore increasing sales. In other words, this effective tool is employed to assess the quality of customer service provided by the employees. In case of shortcomings, the companies train the employees further for better customer satisfaction. Secret shopping is also rewarding for the shoppers as they can reap great benefits on performing well.

Big corporate giants hire market research companies who are responsible for designing mystery shopping assignments and also recruiting eligible candidates for the same. Like paid surveys, mystery shopping jobs can also be taken up by any individual above eighteen years of age.

In every assignment, a mystery shopper is required to pose as a regular customer. During a mystery shopping assignment, a shopper needs to congregate various information like, performance of the employees, quality of the products, cleanliness of the assigned location, etc. and then write them down in details in a report. Some companies allow the mystery shoppers to carry audio or video recorders to capture the incidents LIVE.

Companies require mystery shoppers who are well trained in observing every nook and corner of a store, evaluating the customer service process, writing accurate and grammatically correct reports, and finally submitting the reports to the companies within twelve hours of completing the mystery shopping assignment. The reports are then reviewed by the market research companies and the data is then passed on to the client companies.

All businesses aren’t the same. Therefore, each mystery shopping assignment is planned based on specific client requirements. The client company has every right to set the objective measures for the brand evaluation.

Mystery shoppers are given a stipulated time frame within which they need to carry out the evaluation procedure. However mystery shoppers are allowed to make changes in their assignment schedule in case of emergency. This is one of the good things about mystery shopping. Again, as mentioned before, mystery shoppers can not only earn good cash amounts but can also get various free gifts and merchandise provided they successfully complete and submit accurate mystery shopping reports.

shopping is a great way

Mystery shopping is a great way to make some extra cash. But, becoming a mystery shopper has its own challenges. One of the most difficult parts of mystery shopping is staying away from mystery shopping scams and finding legitimate mystery shopping companies to work for. Here are some tips to help you make money as a mystery shopper, while avoiding mystery shopping scams.

Getting paid before even performing the actual mystery shopping assignment

One of the biggest mystery shopping scams starts with a person receiving a check from a supposedly real "mystery shopping" company, being asked to deposit the check to their bank account and wire some of that money through a wire transfer company like Western Union and keep the the rest of the money as their reward for mystery shopping that they did not even start yet. Of course, after sending his own money, in about a day or so, when the check is supposed to clear, the "shopper" discovers that the check is a bad check. So, not only s(h)e didn't make any money, but lost some! Remember, a legitimate mystery shopping company will never send you a check before your shopping is completed. You shop with your own money, after reporting your shop, you get reimbursed for what you spend, and then will be paid your reward.

Charging a fee for registration

A real and legitimate mystery shopping company never charges you a fee for registration, not even a cent. If you come across a company/website claiming to be a real mystery shopping company, asking for a fee in order to assign you mystery shopping jobs, turn around and don't look back!

Here are a couple of Mystery shopping scams who claim to be legitimate mystery shopping companies, yet they are charging people a fee to register them. Shopping Jobs ($25), Shop Until You Drop ($24.95), and Get Paid To Shop ($34.95). Stay away form these sites as they are nothing but mystery shopping scams.I did not provide a link to them, because i do not want you even enter their website, because they are so good at convincing people with flashing images of stacks of cash or big text promising you a $100 an hour job… that some people wont be able to resist paying the fee to learn the "secret".

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

In most cases if it sounds too good to be true it probably is! I mean if a company promising you that you get to keep things like a $3000 flat screen tv or a diamond ring for a 20 minuet shopping assignment, don't you think that's a bit too much? After all mystery shopping agencies, do what they do to make money. If they were to give out such big payouts, i don't think they would be making any money. So, stay away from companies with such promises.

Knowing the requirements

Make sure you completely understand the instruction for each specific assignments and what is required of you, like if you have to do an evaluation of their inventory, the prices or perhaps documenting the names of one or more employees

Considering shopping assignments

Try to accept last minute assignments, no matter how big or small the assignment is. Take small assignment as seriously as big ones. Just like any other job, you may not get big assignments in the beginning, but keep doing your best to show you are a dependable and trustworthy shopper. An assignments can be as simple as sitting in a hospital waiting room for 20 minutes, or as hard(enjoyable) as an all expenses paid vacation to a dreamy resort for a week or two!

Communication methods

For most mystery shopping companies, having access to internet and email, cell phone and some times fax machine is a plus for their shoppers, as it allows the shoppers to communicate instantly with the company. Having a digital camera and taking a picture of a fast food restaurants table or floor, will allow you a much faster, easier and more affective way of reporting the cleanness or dirtiness of the restaurant than having to write a one page report.

Shopping on time!

Completing assignments on time is very important, as it establishes you as a dependable shopper, which will help you receive bigger and more important shopping assignments, with bigger payouts in the future.

If you want to become a mystery shopper, and don't know where to start, here is a list of legitimate mystery shopping companies that many mystery shoppers work for. I hope these tips and warnings will help you make the most out of your mystery shopping, and actually enjoy getting paid to shop instead of being a victim of mystery shopper scams.

Mystery Shopping Jobs for Extra Monthly Income

Those who have this unrecognized artistic talent mystery shopping may be more than rewarding for them. Mystery shopping is a kind of drama, the scenes of which are planned and enacted by mystery or secret shoppers in various shopping destinations. A mystery shopper does not have complete control of the shopping environment. In other words, mystery shopping is pretty much staged, and the hired secret shoppers need to follow a predetermined scenario in order to fulfil the goals of the assignment given to them. However, there might be situations that might demand improvisation of the mystery shopper.

Secret or mystery shopping jobs allows the mystery shoppers to meet new people and face different situations each time they are sent for an assignment. The location for mystery shopping changes with every assignment and so does the role of a mystery shopper. If a person is flexible and outgoing, mystery shopping is just the ideal job for him/her.

Most people take up mystery shopping as a source of extra income. It is believed that money well-earned is always challenging and tempting. Mystery shopping is truly rewarding if one does it religiously. Completing the mystery shopping assignments on time can allow one to enjoy good earnings that can help him afford a couple of more purchases a month or add that extra amount to the monthly savings. Therefore, getting paid to complete mystery shopping assignments is a great way to utilise one’s spare time.

Mystery shopping proves to be beneficial in a number of ways. Mystery/secret shoppers not only enjoy tangible benefits like cash, prizes, free items and free services, but also contribute to the improvement of the customer service in a particular area. Through unbiased mystery shopping feedback, mystery shoppers help create a more favorable and friendly customer environment. This brings about a positive impact to the entire community.

Mystery shopping can be a great part-time job as it brings in lots of cash and free stuff like merchandise, free services, and free trials. Mystery shopping has various benefits and those who discover this fact after completing few assignments are seen signing up with more mystery shopping companies for more mystery shopping assignments. Besides, this also helps in building a reputation as a reliable and accurate mystery shopper, which in turn brings in more invitations to perform higher-paid mystery shopping assignments. The key to a successful mystery shopping career is that the more satisfied companies are with the mystery shopping reports, the more chances one acquires to earn more cash and freebies.

Mystery Shopping: Payment amid Fun

It always sounds great when an individual is paid or reimbursed for shopping. When a person loves shopping and interested to travel then the right decision would be talking up mystery shopping. This kind of mystery shopping research companies pay an individual just for shopping

Here's how it works. A person will be assigned a task by the company and execute the work in an orderly manner prearranged by the client company. Like one might have to note down of the entrance, whether anyone greeted them, did they offer their name, and how was their look, and so on. In general, an individual will have specific items one will require to purchase.

Throughout the shopping course of action one will be looking for the associate to utter specific things the company guides them to say. Did they ask one question, did they ignore them? Did they offer the in store credit card, one can visualize the entire query.

Once secret shopper jobs are finished, they have to comprehensive a thorough form made available with their task. This is where one will have an assessment done for the company they just shopped. It is important, that people are proficient to finish the form in its total. Companies do not like to disburse, or just won't compensate for unfinished information.

Characteristically, they will utilize ones credit card to make purchases and put forward a proof of payment with their finished form. Sometimes the secret shopping research company offers an uninteresting pay for a visit to a shop. Either line of attack, the most imperative thing is to go after the commands cautiously and precisely. These companies contract with 1000's of secret shoppers, so if they stand out as a capable agent, they will send more coursework on ones way.

There are all kinds of chances from restaurants to toy stores. A number of people like secret shoppers jobs for excitement, working once each month or two. While others work hard to build a list of mystery shopping companies, to give them with stable work (or shell out for their meals). Of course, like the whole thing, people are going to get scammers out there, so it's significant to be acquainted with where to give the impression of being.

Qualities of a Secret Shopper again

Mystery shoppers are the persons who work undercover to identify the service capacity of a company. There is a wrong impression that secret shoppers deceive the employees of a concern and point their drawbacks, but it is a legal business which is created to find out the quality of service offered by the company. In compensation one gets cash rewards or gifts or even tours with the family members. One can easily become a secret shopper and they have to build a good reputation with the companies to have a growing market in this job. And the most important point is that the mystery shoppers are not spies.

Prerequisites of a secret shopper

The motto of secret shopping is to find out the quality of service by the front line staffs, wait line in the shop, cleanliness and so on all these factors contribute to the success of a firm. One should look out for the over all performances of the shop and at the same time have a keen eye for the detailing also. Because they have to provide a detailed report to the research company which they are further reported to the business firm.

The main part of this job is the report presented by the secret shoppers. One should explain the overall details in a form of report for this one must be effective in the basic language skill and should be able to write without any errors. They research company don’t expect one to present in a form of literature work but with the simple and easy understandable language which can be processed without difficulty.

Now most of the companies have started to recruit online to save the time and money. And they also want the reports through online which even make the work of the secret shopper much simpler. It is always safe to have a copy of the report in the form of hard copy and one should submit the report before hand to avoid any technical hindrance.

Mystery shopping company’s expectation

If one person is taking the mystery shopping for the first time they don’t have to worry because the company which recruits them will provide them with the proper guidance. If the company is not doing so then one should be alert because it can be a scam. The mystery shopping companies pays a person only for the accurate response provided by them and they have to rely on one’s opinion so they cannot pay a person for a vague report. Therefore one should know about the requirements of the company the details to be checked, the way to fill the forms etc… one can be a successful mystery shopper only with the experience gained.

Mystery Shopping: Interesting way to Earn Cash

It always sounds great when an individual is paid or reimbursed for shopping. When a person loves shopping and interested to travel then the right decision would be talking up mystery shopping. This kind of mystery shopping research companies pay an individual just for shopping

Here's how it works. A person will be assigned a task by the company and execute the work in an orderly manner prearranged by the client company. Like one might have to note down of the entrance, whether anyone greeted them, did they offer their name, and how was their look, and so on. In general, an individual will have specific items one will require to purchase.

Throughout the shopping course of action one will be looking for the associate to utter specific things the company guides them to say. Did they ask one question, did they ignore them? Did they offer the in store credit card, one can visualize the entire query.

Once secret shopper jobs are finished, they have to comprehensive a thorough form made available with their task. This is where one will have an assessment done for the company they just shopped. It is important, that people are proficient to finish the form in its total. Companies do not like to disburse, or just won't compensate for unfinished information.

Characteristically, they will utilize ones credit card to make purchases and put forward a proof of payment with their finished form. Sometimes the secret shopping research company offers an uninteresting pay for a visit to a shop. Either line of attack, the most imperative thing is to go after the commands cautiously and precisely. These companies contract with 1000's of secret shoppers, so if they stand out as a capable agent, they will send more coursework on ones way.

There are all kinds of chances from restaurants to toy stores. A number of people like secret shoppers jobs for excitement, working once each month or two. While others work hard to build a list of mystery shopping companies, to give them with stable work (or shell out for their meals). Of course, like the whole thing, people are going to get scammers out there, so it's significant to be acquainted with where to give the impression of being.