Mystery shopping is a relatively easy job once you get the hang of it, but getting started in your new job can be a challenge. New mystery shoppers have so many questions, but luckily these questions are answered easily enough. Before you know it, you will be making great money mystery shopping!
The Perfect Number Of Providers. For many new mystery shoppers, one of the questions they ponder the most is the perfect number of mystery shopping providers to work with. First, you can sign up to work with as many mystery shopping providers as you want. Literally, you could spend days going down the list and signing up to work with each and every one of them. However, there are a few reasons why you may want to start with just a couple at first. First, consider that you make money doing assignments, not looking for them. You don’t want to be scouring job boards all day, but rather out in the field working on paying assignments. The goal is to find the perfect combination of mystery shopping providers that provide enough work in your area to keep you busy. Plus, while you are learning the ropes of this new business, it may be easier to get to know how things are done at just a couple of companies. After you get established and settled at a few providers, then add just another provider or two at a time when you are ready.
Get Your Toes Wet First. Mystery shopping easy. You’ve likely heard that from other mystery shoppers, and it’s absolutely true. However, there are a lot of things that can happen during a site visit that can throw you for a loop if you don’t have experience behind you. You also may run into issues with schedulers, on reports, and so on. Seasoned mystery shoppers have the experience to know how to handle these situations on the fly. For them, it’s just another day on the job. But for new mystery shoppers, these small hang-ups can cause big issues if they are piled on all at once. You may want to take on an assignment or two at first, rather than fill your days with assignments. This way, you can have time to learn from your assignments, gain feedback from schedulers on your reports, and get tips as you need them from the mystery shopping community’s online forums. Keep in mind that mystery shopping providers can refuse payment if a job isn’t done correctly. So it’s to your benefit to know what you’re doing first before you sign up for dozens of jobs.
Get Different Experiences. There are a wide range of mystery shopping assignments out there, from retail stores and restaurants, to gas stations, movie theaters, restaurants, theme parks, and so many more. The only way you will learn which types of assignments you like is by trying them. So take the time when you are first learning the ropes of mystery shopping to branch out and test the waters of various types of assignments. It is best to do this early on in your mystery shopping career so you aren’t spending months and even years passing up on assignments that you think you may not like. It’s best to know right from the start to maximize your income potential.
Once you’ve gotten used to the nuances of mystery shopping with a couple of assignments, you will be ready for smooth sailing as a mystery shopper!