MYSTERY SHOPPING ARTICLE

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Take charge of your Mystery Shopping career


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Wanna Be A Mystery Shopper?

Read Our Article Now By Our Expert Author

Mystery Shopping

 

Ever fancied going out to dinner or shopping and getting paid for it? Then you might consider becoming a mystery shopper.

 

• What is Mystery Shopping?
  
  
• What qualifications or skills do I need to become a Mystery Shopper?
  
  
• How much money can I earn?
  
  
• What is involved in a Mystery Shopping job?
  
  
• What to do after an assignment is completed
  
  
• Recommended agencies to join in the UK
  
  
• Recommended agencies to join in the USA
  
  
• Recommended agencies to join in Canada
  
  
• Mystery Shopping Case Studies
  
  
• A Word Of Warning

 

What is mystery shopping?

A vast amount of companies are interested in knowing what their customers/clients think of their services and/or products in order to right what may be wrong and help them to improve customer service and productivity. To obtain this crucial data from a non biased viewpoint they hire Mystery Shopping agencies, who are trained market researchers, to gather the information on their behalf. This is where you come in. As a Mystery Shopper you will pose as a regular customer but will actually be collecting essential data set by the client and briefed to you via a questionnaire. Mystery Shopping companies are always on the lookout for trustworthy and reliable people to carry out assignments for them. Assignments vary from restaurants to shops, banks to fitness centres, the list is endless.

Sounds like fun? It is but it's no joke, your reports are vital material, so you've got to be commited and be able to complete each job as specified on your worksheet by your agency.

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What qualifications or skills do I need?

You don't need any particular qualifications to become a mystery shopper, basically anyone can do it, any age, any background. However, you must be reliable, observant, have a good memory and be able to give an accurate, unbiased view of your findings. The job also requires discretion as in effect you are akin to an undercover reporter, therefore at no time must you reveal that you are a mystery shopper during an assignment.

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How much money can I earn?

Mystery shopping companies pay between £4.00 - £20.00 per job, averaging at around £7.00. Some jobs pay more, some a little less. Costs incurred during a visit, i.e. buying food, drink or shopping will be reimbursed and some companies pay traveling expenses too. You won't get rich from mystery shopping but you will earn some extra cash and a host of freebies in the process including food, cold drinks, hot drinks, sandwiches, groceries, magazines, petrol, hotel accommodation, fitness lessons, small electrical items, software,cd's, dvd's and much, much more! Payment is made either monthly or fortnightly via bank transfer.

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What is involved in a mystery shopping job?

The first step is to register with some agencies. Once accepted you will be given an assessor number that you must quote in order to enter the shopper page on an agents website, or quote via e-mail or telephone if need be. All agencies have their own system of distributing assignments but most of them offer jobs via their website. Assignments are on an ad/hoc basis and although some agencies notify you by e-mail when jobs become available, it is strongly advisable to check in on a regular basis to ensure you don't miss out on all the best assignments. Once released jobs disappear quickly! You will be notified if you have been accepted to carry out an assignment and will receive a brief detailing what is required of you together with a questionnaire - everything is explained in detail including times, dates, job description and what you need to look out for. Jobs usually take about an hour to an hour and a half to complete including travelling. If for any reason you accept a job then find that you can not complete it then you must notify the agency as soon as possible in order to give them sufficient time to reallocate it to someone else. It is best not to accept an assignment if you are unsure about whether or not you will be able to complete it. Once you build a good rapport with an agency and prove that you are a reliable assessor you will be offered more evaluations.

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What to do after an assignment is completed?

After completing an assignment you are usually required to fill out an online questionnaire within a set timeframe, this is usually between 8 - 24 hours of job completion. The best thing to do is to enter your results onto the system as soon as you can while the details are still fresh in your mind. Some questionnaires are longer than others but should take no longer than fifteen minutes to complete.

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Agencies to join:

GAPbuster Worldwide: One of the most renowned and successful mystery shopping agencies. They offer a wide range of assignments with excellent support. Jobs are straightforward and require you to fill in an uncomplicated online questionnaire within eight hours of completion. With a state of the art website giving shoppers online training, you really can't go wrong. Payment is made monthly by direct debit. GAPbuster Worldwide is particularly looking for shoppers in the following areas of the: UNITED KINGDOM Barnstaple NORTH DEVON England Bideford NORTH DEVON England Bude CORNWALL England Camelford PLYMOUTH England Castletown KIRKWALL (Orkney) England Clifton YORK England Exmouth DEVON England Helmsdale KIRKWALL (Orkney) England Jersey CHANNEL ISLANDS England Kirkby Stephen CARLISLE England Kirkwall KIRKWALL (Orkney) England Knighton STAFFORD England Minehead WEST SOMERSET England Stornoway HEBRIDES England Thurso KIRKWALL (Orkney) England Tiverton DEVON England Wells BATH England Wick KIRKWALL (Orkney) England Athlone  RIVER SHANNON Ireland Cahir SOUTH TIPPERARY Ireland Kildare KILDARE Ireland Kilrush CLARE Ireland Monaghan MONAGHAN Ireland Roscrea  TIPPERARY Ireland Sligo SLIGO Ireland Thurles  TIPPERARY Ireland Tullamore OFFALY Ireland Coleraine LONDONDERRY Northern Ireland Cookstown TYRONE Northern Ireland Crossmaglen ARMAGH Northern Ireland Downpatrick DOWN Northern Ireland Dungannon TYRONE Northern Ireland Enniskillen FERMANAGH Northern Ireland Kilkeel DOWN Northern Ireland Larne ANTRIM Northern Ireland Maghera LONDONDERRY Northern Ireland Mulingar   NORTHERN IRELAND Newry NORTHERN IRELAND Omagh TYRONE Northern Ireland Strabane TYRONE Northern Ireland Argyll PAISLEY Scotland Campbeltown PAISLEY Scotland Dingwall INVERNESS Scotland Fort William FORT WILLIAM Scotland Fraserburgh ABERDEENSHIRE Scotland Gretna DUMFRIES Scotland Inveraray PAISLEY Scotland Locharron INVERNESS Scotland Morayshire INVERNESS Scotland Peterhead ABERDEENSHIRE Scotland Brecon POWYS Wales Builth Wells POWYS Wales Llandrindod Wells POWYS Wales Rhayader POWYS Wales With these locations being the least competitive, you'd be offered assignments immediately and can start earning cash right away! Use the drop down list above to locate current hotspots - for all other UK areas click here. back to top   GAPbuster Worldwide is particularly looking for shoppers in the following areas of the: USA John Day Oregon USA Devils Lake North Dakota USA Wolf Point Montana USA Deming New Mexico USA Thermopolis Wyoming USA Pleasanton Texas USA Hardin Montana USA Winter Park Colorado USA Rawlins Wyoming USA West Yellowstone Montana USA Shelby Montana USA Mountain View Missouri USA Kayenta Arizona USA Nantucket Massachussettes USA Chamberlain South Dakota USA Cut Bank Montana USA Glasgow Montana USA Shiprock New Mexico USA Omak Washington USA Salida Colorado USA Weed California USA Clovis New Mexico USA Taos New Mexico USA Wilson Wyoming USA Green River Wyoming USA Trinidad Colorado USA Ord Nebraska USA Truth or Consequences New Mexico USA Cody Wyoming USA Coulee Dam Washington USA International Falls Minnesota USA Cook Minnesota USA Socorro New Mexico USA Dillon Montana USA Viroqua Wisconsin USA Thatcher Arizona USA Douglas Wyoming USA Globe Arizona USA El Dorado Arizona USA Plover Wisconsin USA Ironwood Michigan USA Valentine Nebraska USA Lordsburg New Mexico USA MC Connelsville Ohio USA Payson Arizona USA Alexandria Minnesota USA Baudette Minnesota USA Gothenburg Nebraska USA Window Rock Arizona USA West Point Nebraska USA Homer Alaska USA Miles City Montana USA Sitka Alaska USA Shelbyville Illinois USA Price Utah USA Madras Oregon USA Blair Nebraska USA Hailey Idaho USA Lewistown Montana USA Sisters Oregon USA Winner South Dakota USA Livingston Montana USA Port Townsend Washington USA Falmouth Kentucky USA Winslow Arizona USA Farmington New Mexico USA Hamilton Montana USA Ellensburg Washington USA Jackson Kentucky USA Gunnison Colorado USA Safford Arizona USA Mitchell South Dakota USA With these locations being the least competitive, you'd be offered assignments immediately and can start earning cash right away! Use the drop down list above to locate current hotspots - for all other USA areas click here. back to top   GAPbuster Worldwide is particularly looking for shoppers in the following areas of: CANADA BROOKS Alberta Canada CAMROSE Alberta Canada DRAYTON VALLEY Alberta Canada DRUMHELLER Alberta Canada FORT MCMURRAY Alberta Canada HIGH RIVER Alberta Canada HINTON Alberta Canada PEACE RIVER Alberta Canada PONOKA Alberta Canada ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE Alberta Canada SLAVE LAKE Alberta Canada STETTLER Alberta Canada WHITECOURT Alberta Canada DAWSON CREEK British Columbia Canada FERNIE British Columbia Canada FORT ST JOHN British Columbia Canada GIBSONS British Columbia Canada HOPE British Columbia Canada MERRITT British Columbia Canada OSOYOOS British Columbia Canada PORT ALBERNI British Columbia Canada POWELL RIVER British Columbia Canada PRINCE RUPERT British Columbia Canada QUESNEL British Columbia Canada REVELSTOKE British Columbia Canada SECHELT British Columbia Canada WHISTLER British Columbia Canada NEEPAWA Manitoba Canada PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE Manitoba Canada STEINBACH Manitoba Canada THE PAS Manitoba Canada ATHOLVILLE New Brunswick Canada CAMPBELLTON New Brunswick Canada QUISPAMSIS New Brunswick Canada SUSSEX New Brunswick Canada CLARENVILLE Newfoundland Canada GRAND FALLS Newfoundland Canada LABRADOR CITY Newfoundland Canada STEPHENVILLE Newfoundland Canada ANTIGONISH Nova Scotia Canada BARRINGTON Nova Scotia Canada DIGBY Nova Scotia Canada GREENWOOD Nova Scotia Canada BANCROFT Ontario Canada CORNWALL Ontario Canada DRYDEN Ontario Canada ELLIOT LAKE Ontario Canada ESPANOLA Ontario Canada FORT ERIE Ontario Canada GUELPH Ontario Canada HEARST Ontario Canada HUNTSVILLE Ontario Canada KIRKLAND LAKE Ontario Canada NEW LISKEARD Ontario Canada PARRY SOUND Ontario Canada PEMBROKE Ontario Canada PETAWAWA Ontario Canada PORT ELGIN Ontario Canada ROCKLAND Ontario Canada SAULT STE MARIE Ontario Canada STURGEON FALLS Ontario Canada TIMMINS Ontario Canada VAUGHAN Ontario Canada WALLACEBURG Ontario Canada WEST LORNE Ontario Canada AMOS Quebec Canada AMQUI Quebec Canada ARTHABASKA Quebec Canada BAIE ST-PAUL Quebec Canada BERTHIERVILLE Quebec Canada CAP-DE-LA-MADELEINE Quebec Canada CHANDLER Quebec Canada COWANSVILLE Quebec Canada DOLBEAU Quebec Canada DRUMMONDVILLE Quebec Canada FORESTVILLE Quebec Canada GASPE Quebec Canada LA MALBAIE Quebec Canada LA TUQUE Quebec Canada LASARRE Quebec Canada LAVALTRIE Quebec Canada MANIWAKI Quebec Canada MATANE Quebec Canada MONT LAURIER Quebec Canada MONT TREMBLANT Quebec Canada NICOLET Quebec Canada PAPINEAUVILLE Quebec Canada RAWDON Quebec Canada REPENTIGNY Quebec Canada RIVIERE DU LOUP Quebec Canada ROBERVAL Quebec Canada ROUYN-NORANDA Quebec Canada SAINT-ZOTIQUE Quebec Canada SEPT-ILES Quebec Canada ST-FELICIEN Quebec Canada VICTORIAVILLE Quebec Canada ESTEVAN Saskatchewan Canada HUMBOLDT Saskatchewan Canada NORTH BATTLEFORD Saskatchewan Canada WEYBURN Saskatchewan Canada With these locations being the least competitive, you'd be offered assignments immediately and can start earning cash right away! Use the drop down list above to locate current hotspots - for all other CANADIAN areas click here. back to top

A Word Of Warning

You may come across some sites that ask you for money, either to join their agency or for a list of Mystery Shopping Companies. NEVER sign-up with a mystery shopping agency that asks you for money - becoming a shopper is always FREE. And please do not pay for a list of agencies, a comprehensive search on a major search engine will give you the same results. We will be adding new agencies on this site periodically. You can either join our Newsletter group or bookmark this site for updates. Click here to read our article: Scams And How To Avoid Them.

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