If you are just getting started in the wonderful world of mystery shopping, you no doubt are eager to get right to work so you can start earning money fast. If you are like many first-time mystery shoppers, you really want to get out there and the waters to see just what is involved in this job and if the work is on par with the compensation, how much fun the job really is, and more. So how can you get your first assignment under your belt and get your first paycheck in your hands fast? Here are some tips to get you started?
Finding Assignments. The first step to getting paid for mystery shoppers is to find a mystery shopping provider to work for. Providers essentially connect you with assignments from various retailers, restauranteurs, and others who are in need of your services. Most offer job boards that you can search online, but to access those job boards, you generally first need to be approved to work with them. Most providers have a quick and easy online application, and you can be approved typically that same day. There is some variation to this, though.
After you get approved to work with a few different providers, you can view their job boards and request assignments. There are two types of assignments – those that you can essentially assign to yourself immediately and those that you have to request and then have them awarded to you. When you are starting out as a mystery shopper and want to pick up a few quick assignments right away, the self-assign assignments are the way to go.
Completing the Assignment. The assignments will come with some requirements that you will want to read through before your site visit. You will want to commit the requirements to memory and follow them to the letter. Pay attention to dates and times when you are required to do the visit, what things you need to pay attention to during the visit, and how you are expected to interact with the employees. Generally, you will need to know the employees’ names, too.
After you complete your site visit, you will then need to head home to complete your report online. The report may take anywhere from about 10 to 30 minutes to complete, and this is where you give the provider all of the details about your site visit. It is critical that all of the details on the report are accurate. If you followed the requirements for the site visit correctly, you will not have any problem completing the report.
Getting Paid. Every provider has a different payment process. Some will pay you through Paypal in just a few days of your report being approved. Others take up to 4-6 weeks and may snail-mail a check to you. If your report has issues with it, such as many grammatical errors or confusing or contradictory details, the report may get bounced back to you for revisions. Your paycheck will not begin being processed until the report is approved, so it is in your best interest to submit a perfect report with the initial submission.
With the pay on a general assignment ranging between $10-$20, you can see that if you want to make a decent amount of money as a mystery shopper you will want to regularly complete assignments. It can take awhile before you start seeing money rolling in the door. However, after a few weeks of steady work, you will find that money will regularly be coming to you, either through Paypal or in the mailbox.