Mystery shopping...anyone?
By mjcookie
@mjcookie (2271)
Philippines
January 20, 2010 5:51am CST
My sister told me about her coworker who has mystery shopping as her part-time job. For those of you who have no idea about it, a mystery shopper is someone paid by a company to act like a normal customer to inquire something about or purchase a product from an establishment, usually fast-food restaurants, hotels, and other stores, and then the shopper gives a detailed report about his observations on the store and its employees. It is done to measure employee's integrity. Mystery shopping is only a part-time job, and if one doesn't like the assignments given to him, he could always deny it. It's a very flexible job that only requires good memory, keen observation, and sometimes, good acting skills (he can be made to complain and observe how the employees react to it). You get paid for it, plus the products that you bought are all yours.
Has any of you tried mystery shopping?
1 person likes this
9 responses
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
22 Jan 10
I used to be a mystery shopper, but the only contracts they had were McDs and Burger King in my area. I had to sample three hamburgers and drinks in two days miles apart quite often. Same with McD's. There are three of each in my county completing with each other. I got sick of hamburgers and soda. I don't like coffee, so I couldn't evaluate that very well. Then I went to work for McDs and I couldn't do mystery shopping any more. So I averaged three hamburgers 2 weekends a month. The McDs weekend and the Burger King weekend.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
23 Jan 10
Yeah, it can get you sick of burgers, too.
When I worked for McDs, I ordered breakfast burritos, parfaits, and salads. Never told them I was a secret shopper and that I had been there to check them out before. Got a free meal every day I worked for them. Loved it. Loved the variety. Secret shopper, they don't do variety. Unless it's changed.
@naka75 (795)
• Singapore
10 Feb 10
I have signed up for mystery shopping with two mystery shopping companies. Usually the companies will first assign you a simple job and based on your evaluation report after completing the job, they would assess whether it is suitable to assign you subsequent jobs. I have done one assignment for a retail shop and one for a restaurant. Though you get to keep the goods, sometimes the amount of money reimbursed is lesser than the amount of money spent. But it is an interesting and enriching job as you get to experience a different customer service experience.
@Clicker625 (196)
• United States
21 Jan 10
I did mystery shopping a few years ago and one of the drawbacks is that you have to pay for things with your own money and then are reimbursed by the company weeks later. If you're not careful about reporting each assignment, online, and keeping receipts, then you could end up losing money. In other words, you have to have some spendable money so you are able to wait to get your money back. It could be different now but it's something to check out. You also have to watch the assignments. I kept being pressured to work assignments in small towns in the area but the cost of gasoline would have meant that I was losing money. On the assignments I did, the company was wanting me to track several things not just one thing. For example, I got lots of assignments for a fast food chain. There were about ten things that I had to record once I got to my table. I had to time how many seconds it was before I was greeted, how many minutes it took before my order arrived; did the counter person smile at me, etc. Of course, you couldn't let the employees know that you were tracking their performance. Hope this helps!
@nissin46 (54)
• Philippines
21 Jan 10
..yeah. i have an idea what mystery shopping is all about. i was once a fast food crew.. and a tip from a co-worker told me that i might encounter some mystery shoppers that can affect my work. it really happened one time.. a kid together with his mom bought from the store asking for an extra condiments (like tissue, cup and catsup), but the counter where they do the request almost forgot because of the heavy flow of customers. i saw her making notes... and in front of every customers, she yelled to the counter crew asking for her request. What i did, just to save my co-worker from embarrassment, I put all the condiments she requested in a plastic bag and approach her with a smile, telling her.. "sorry ma'am for the delay, i just added more of the condiments you requested. thank you very much for dining with us have a good day.." I know she's the one who felt the embarrassment.. but I'm very nervous that time, what will be her report to the main office.." so far, no report came in to suspend me and my co-worker.. hehehe....
@mjcookie (2271)
• Philippines
21 Jan 10
I worked in Jollibee last year (though I only worked there for less than a month). And I heard my coworkers talking about the mystery shopper who just came in. I didn't care at first what that was because that was the first time I heard about it.
The mystery shopper that you just encountered might just be acting. Sometimes a company tells a mystery shopper to act and complain about the products or the employees, to see how they would respond to the customer. :-)
@sanjana_aslam (4187)
• Malaysia
20 Jan 10
wow this is an interesting information .. i kind of like the idea of paid for shopping
cheers
@neelianoscet (9615)
• Philippines
20 Jan 10
I already know about it but I think it is not applicable in my country and it is only available for US citizen that is a good online part time job if ever that is available i may not hesitate to join. I haven't try it yet if ever I am qualify for it i may apply for it.
