Various Mystery Shopping Jobs

When mystery shopping first came on the scene many years ago, you went and did the shop, and then filled out a survey type questionnaire and sent it back in to your employer, who then paid you for your work. You were given a long form, with questions on both sides, and you simply checked a box as you went down, was your food hot, yes or no, did the employees seem friendly and focused, yes or no, and so on down the line. While some mystery shopping jobs will still use this type of form, there are many others now available, so you should take the time to learn about all of them if you are serious about your mystery shopping job.

Thanks to the advances that have been made in modern technology over the years, many of your mystery shopper reports can be filled out and sent in electronically, via email or website. This cuts down on the time it takes for your employer to receive your feedback, and your wait for payment.

In some ways, however, this same technology has helped limit the demand for mystery shoppers somewhat. Thanks to so many people now being able to shop online for their needs, companies who do business in this manner don’t really have to be concerned with what you think, as you don’t ever see the inside of their store, or have any one on one contact with any of their employees. So, in the world of mystery shopping, technology has been both a blessing and a curse.

Many businesses operate call centers, where customers can call in for product service, questions, or complaints as needed. The company who provides this service has to be certain that their employees are taking care of the needs of their customers in a polite, friendly manner, and that wait times are at a minimum, etc. That being said, you may be assigned a mystery shopping job that you can do right from the privacy of your own home, calling in to one of these customer service centers, and rating your service. You will likely be asked to report on your wait time, employee friendliness, and the support you received, as well as many other details as the employer sees fit.

Another way that some companies are erasing the need of hiring mystery shoppers is by installing video surveillance cameras in the workplace. These cameras are usually linked into the corporate office, where anyone at any time can link up and see what is going on in any given store. If a customer has a complaint about a specific day, a supervisor can even go back to the day in question and view the scenario, visualizing the problems and then taking action to correct them as needed. Not every store does this, as it can be quite expensive, and some still prefer the anonymity of the mystery shopper. Employees know that cameras are installed, and they adjust their actions accordingly, where if you, as a mystery shopper, do a good job, they will be none the wiser that you are there.

Just remember, no matter what type of mystery shopping assignment you receive, you are the voice of the customer. If you see something that needs to be changed or done differently, you should speak up, that is your job, after all.

Police warn of 'mystery shopper' ploy (San Bernardino Sun)

REDLANDS - Working as a secret shopper for a global company and getting paid well would seem to be a dream job. But when that company is actually a front for fraud, visions of easy money and early retirement quickly become the reality of identity theft and large losses of cash.

'Mystery shopping' may be scam (Redlands Daily Facts)

REDLANDS - Working as a secret shopper for a global company and getting paid well would seem to be a dream job.

How and Where to Blow Your Cash (East Bay Express)

And pick up some amazing finds in the process.

Watch out for these scams (Fort Wayne News-Sentinel)

The BBB of Northern Indiana has compiled a list of suspicious enterprises that have been contacting consumers recently. If you hear of something that sounds too good to be true, give us a call first and we'll check it out for you. Or visit www.bbb.org.

Scam bounces up (The Ottawa Sun)

Wed, August 6, 2008 Scam bounces up 'Mystery shopper' scheme lures victims into cashing bogus cheques By JON WILLING, SUN MEDIA Ottawa police fraud detectives have a new scam blazing up their Top 10 chart and it targets the unemployed who are looking to make a quick buck. The story you are searching for is no longer available on Ottawasun.com, but is available in its entirety via email, fax or ...