mystery shopping: have you ever don this before ?

Hi littlefranciscan, I have done this mystery shopper task before. And it is quite easy. They ask you to go to certain outlet at a certain time and watch and take some note about their services, products and cleanness of the outlet. Most of the task I got is visiting fast food restaurant. I need to take how much time I have to ques before I were served, how many people in front of me when I reach there and how long they take the time to prepare the foods. I also have to measure whether the product is according to their standard like the hot or coldness of the food. I need to go to their toilet and see if everything is clean and all the facilities can be used properly. You also need to get the receipt as a proof and send it together with the report. It is done online entirely. So, you need to take a picture of your receipt (need scanner or digital camera or hand phone with camera). I need to send the report before eight hours after my visit. Otherwise I would not get my payment. The only problem is you can not visit the outlet twice regardless the month. They will pay me on certain date (24th) every month for my tasks I have done in the previous month and they paid it directly to my bank account.

Yes I have. Actually, I am still currently a registered mystery shopper. But, I am not part of a brick-and-mortar organization, I just registered with one company online. I don't do it often, but I have been with them for more than 3 years now. Mostly, I go to small stores near where I live. I just go in with specific objectives and specific questions, and then I write a report afterwards. It doesn't actually pay that much for me to really like it. That's why I rarely do it.

I can't get myself to try this job but my ex-mom-in-law enjoyed it. She buys season seats to the LA Angels game every year with her earnings. So I guess it pretty profitable. Lots of paperwork I believe.

There is a website, I forget the site though, that lists a bunch of respectable sites for mystery shopping. You pay a small fee to be put in the database than create something like a resume and mystery shopping places contact you. Back when I was an adjunct and had a pretty open schedule I used to do some mystery shopping. I got a free oil change and cold stone ice cream. It was fun and I only did shops for things close to me and for things I would have bought anyway. It was a great way to save money when I was on a lean budget.

There are some scams out there for "mystery shoppers" so be careful. Don't get involved with anything or anyone that asks you to "invest" or use your own money. If they ask for money, then that is all that they want and if you give them any, you will get to spend the rest of your life kicking your self and wonder why you were so stupid! "Let the buyer beware" and "If it sounds to good to be true, then it probibly is" are two really good quotes to go by. Good Luck.

Most of those sound like scams. And if they do turn out to be legit. You would be putting a lot of money into traveling to god-knows-where to mystery shop and not even sure you'd get credit for it. I don't like adds that don't provide a lot of details and require you call a number to apply. No matter how desperate I may be for cash I have to set smart realistic goals.