The relationship between a mystery shopper and a mystery shopping provider is a unique one. Typically, a scheduler working on behalf of the provider is the main contact for the mystery shopper. The mystery shopper and scheduler may work together for years without communicating verbally, or there may only be a handful of conversations that take place over the phone. The two parties can have a healthy, productive work relationship…
How Some Shoppers Are the Cause of Their Low Mystery Shopping Paychecks.
Many mystery shoppers are mostly happy with their jobs. However, if you ask a group of mystery shoppers what one thing they could change about their job if given the chance, the overwhelming majority would likely say that they would like to earn a larger paycheck. While most mystery shopping jobs are not entirely lucrative, the fact is that there are some things that you may be unintentionally doing to…
Do You Tell People You’re a Mystery Shopper?
When it comes to mystery shopping, many people keep their job a closely guarded secret. This may even involve lying to friends and family from time to time about where you are going or how extra spending money is earned. Other people opt to be open and honest about their job, and some will even voluntarily offer the information before their profession is asked about. The fact is that there…
Blurring the Truth: When Mystery Shoppers Go Too Far
As a mystery shopper, you are being paid via provides by a client to make unbiased observations that have been outlined for you in the mystery shopping requirements. Further, you are being paid to repair back to the client what those observations were by submitting a mystery shopping report. Your report is often used for employee training purposes, managerial development, store improvements and more. It is easy to think that…
How Mystery Shoppers Can Remove the Bull’s Eye on Their Back: Avoiding Scams
Mystery shopping is unfortunately one of the industries that scam artists love to target. Mystery shoppers are believed to be easy targets by scam artists. We work from home, accepting work assignments from companies that we largely communicate with via email. Further, we get paid per assignment rather than based on salary, so we are constantly in search of that perfect assignment that requires little effort and that has a…
Why Isolationism and Mystery Shopping Don’t Mix
It is easy to isolate yourself from your fellow mystery shoppers. In fact, in most cases, you actually have to go out of your way to get to know other mystery shoppers. After all, you cannot exactly sit down and chat with them over a cup of coffee in the break room, as is the case with professional colleagues in other lines of work. Unless you make an effort to…
Common Mystery Shopper Jams – and How to Get Out of Them
There is nothing that can ruin a great day of mystery shopping than getting into a sticky situation. There are so many different jams that mystery shoppers can run into on the job, but some are far more common than others. Understanding what common mystery shopping jams are and how to get out of them can come in handy on many of your future assignments. Forgotten Mystery Shopping Assignment…
Is Your Mystery Shopping Job Stressing You Out?
When most people think of high stress jobs that cause anxiety and grief, mystery shopping often is not the first job that comes to mind. This certainly is not a job that is on the same stress level as brain surgery or air traffic control. However, many mystery shoppers often feel stress, anxious and altogether unhappy with their jobs. This is a job that has a lot to offer you…
Top 3 Reasons Why Quality Mystery Shopping Assignments Are Hard to Find
Excellent compensation, a quality venue and easy instructions are three of the top things most mystery shoppers look for in their mystery shopping assignments. In some cases, factors like a popular venue or higher compensation will make assignments that fall short in other areas desirable to work on. However, if you are like so many other mystery shoppers, you may struggle to find a great assignment that meets even one…
How New Mystery Shoppers Can Pick Up the Pace and Earn More Money
It is common for mystery shoppers to start out working on assignments at a slow pace. Unless you pay money to take a mystery shopping class, there is no training available for mystery shoppers. In fact, most who work in this job will learn on the job through their own efforts and through trial and error. The desire to avoid making mistakes often causes mystery shoppers to proceed through assignments…