A secret shopper is hired by a company as a secret customer to find how the company itself serves other customers.
The secret shoppers pretend to be an ordinary customer and interact with that company’s employees to get services as a customer and evaluate the quality of those services.
If you`ve shopped before( as I`m sure we all have), you can be a secret shopper.
Now imagine being paid to shop! But more on that later, first we have to look at other things you need to know about mystery shopping and what you need to do if you want to become a secret shopper.
What do secret shoppers do?
Mystery shoppers help make an impact in shops, restaurants, buses, trains, retail stores, coffee shops, and all other public services be more consumer-conscious and friendly places.
Mystery shopping helps businesses understand more about customers and customer needs than they would have otherwise, thus giving them a chance to improve things.
After visiting the employees for the company’s services they are working for, they always have a notebook or a record book to note the findings.
They then take the report to the office or their employers who sent them.
Who Can Be a Secret Shopper?
The good thing about mystery shopping is that almost anyone can do it shops and businesses want ordinary people who can also blend in with regular customers.
The great thing is that even a teen can become a secret shopper(with permission from parents).
Teens will blend in well especially in shops and businesses where there are always age restrictions.
Teens can be very successful at secret shopping jobs as there are enough assignments suitable just for teens. Check an earlier post on jobs for teens here if you missed it.
What are the qualities of a good secret shopper?
Secret shopper jobs need good preparation and possess some qualities that will enable you to work successfully; here are some good qualities of a secret shopper.
- Have good communication skills.
- There is a need to possess a good communication attitude in secret shopper jobs, even when interacting with employees and your employer.
- Be a good detail-oriented person. Secret shopper job needs a person who focuses on instructions and detail given.
- Have a discrete character. You have to keep in mind that you are working as a spy or undercover to monitor how customers get served by their employees. Therefore you should not bust your finding to everybody only to your employer.
- Observe punctuality. You have to report to the job at the required time and avail yourself whenever you are called upon.
- Have better interpersonal skills. It is the quality of being a friendly and professional person and especially to the employees you will meet.
How to find secret shopper jobs online
Most secret shopper jobs happen offline, but here I will give you tips on how to find these jobs online. You will find the jobs online but most will be performed offline on location.
So before taking any mystery job, be sure the location is reachable at a reasonable time.
Do you need extra cash but don’t know where to find the best and good-paying secret shopper jobs? Check out the following companies and their websites.
1.Bare
Bareinternational.com is one of the best and legit secret buyer websites that have won a buyers’ choice award from MSPA.
It employs mystery buyers to do phone, in person, customer video, or chat visits. Once you sign up to work for the company, you will have to give the area code that you desire to the mystery shop.
With over 30 years of customer research experience, bare works with international members, so no matter your geographical location, you can sign up with this program.
Bare has networks in 150 countries, has offices in 10 countries, and with over 500,000 evaluators(according to their website), you can`t be wrong.
So, if you want to maximize your earnings, you can work in many different area codes.
2. Market force
The company requires its mystery shoppers to complete shop proposals for restaurants, stores, and banks.
If you work here, your work will be giving feedback for aspects like product selection, customer service, and cleanliness.
Again it`s not only limited to people in specific areas, people outside of North America too can join the Market force mystery shopping program.
3.Ath power consulting
Various mystery companies focus on varied niches and gigs. Likewise, Ath Power consulting focuses on mystery shopping in the banking and financial industry.
A secret shopper who wishes to work for this company is likely to visit banks and give feedback on their experience.
According to the website’s information, the firm offers more than ten thousand mystery jobs per month.
How much do secret shoppers make?
Before you join mystery shoppers, it`s important to know what you`re going to make.
Secret shopper jobs do not have a fixed amount you`ll earn, in some jobs, you`ll not even be paid in cash but you`ll get gift cards that you can use to purchase what you choose as these are like cash.
Most companies will pay you spending money and you get to keep the products you purchased (but you have to understand these are little products like body wash and stuff like that).
Now the spending cash for the mystery shopping can be enough to purchase just facial moisturizer, while some will pay enough for you to spend a night in a hotel.
So choose well as you`ll be keeping the product you bought(in most cases). Always check what the assignment is and the fees they`ll pay after the job is done. But generally, most jobs pay between $8-25.
How is a secret shopper paid?
As already said, mystery shoppers do not earn a lot, some people even do it for the fun of it and the free goods.
When cash is involved, you`ll usually be paid between two to four weeks after completing a task. These payments are usually:
- Cash payment
- Reimbursem*nt(restaurant visit mystery jobs usually do not pay cash apart from the food)
- Cash and reimbursem*nt(get the cash to shop and you get to keep the products you purchased)
Payment can be made via direct deposit, bank cheque, gift card, or PayPal.
Find what works best for you and put the amount into consideration, for example, a $20 cheque is really not worth the trouble(depending on where you live).
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How Do You Prove You Completed Assignment?
After every secret shopping assignment, you`ll have to complete a report.
Another thing to always remember is to keep all receipts from your purchases, it’s also important to take pictures when out and about on the assignment.
Completing the report is quick and straightforward and should take thirty minutes tops.
It`s wise to complete the report as soon as you`re done with the assignment when things are still clear on your head.
How to know legit secret shopper jobs
Even though there are several legit secret shopper jobs, scams are also even more. It is interesting to work as a mystery shopper, but there are many scams out to rob people.
And so you have to be careful. The following are ways you can easily spot mystery shopping scams and avoid them.
Search the company with the words” complaint,” “scam,” or “review.”
Legit companies do not ask for payments to give you a job, but they pay you for a job. Companies that ask for upfront to provide a job are scams.
There is no payment for job guarantees or certifications. If a company asks you to pay, then it is a scammer that you should avoid and report them to authorities.
Do not buy gift cards for mystery shopping jobs or assignments. Legit companies should purchase gift cards for clients.
Conclusion On Secret Shopper Jobs
Secret shopper jobs are merely dependable to those who are seeking secret shoppers as their carriers to make extra income.
Find the best legit mystery shopper companies and companies hiring secret shoppers and make some extra cash.
Please understand that secret shopper jobs will NOT make you rich, they are not even enough to leave your day job.
They are just little side hustles, where you can get things you wouldn’t otherwise have gotten for free and some cash on the side!
Alternatively, if you want to make enough income without quitting your day job but build up until you`re making enough to quit your day job, my suggestion will be for you to learn affiliate marketing.
Now don`t worry, it`s free to get started, this is a newbie-friendly community led by integrity-driven marketers whose interest is to see you succeed.
I created an in-depth post explaining everything about learning affiliate marketing, Where we discussed different online courses and training.
I hope you found this post successful, if you have any questions, please leave me a message below. If you know anyone who can benefit from this post, please share it with them on social media.
