Tips on how you can be a mystery shopper

Mystery shopping is a great way to make a few extra pounds whilst also enjoying free products, meals, drinks and even hotel visits and days out. If you want a job which fits in with your other commitments and can be done at the same time as daily tasks like shopping or dining, then it’s time to become a mystery shopper. Read on to discover what mystery shopping is, how you can get access to the jobs you want and some essential “dos” and “don’ts” in order to maximise the chances of making the role a success.

What is mystery shopping? 

l Mystery shoppers are ordinary members of the public that are asked to undertake a range of activities such as purchasing a product or enjoying an experience and then report back on the quality of customer service they receive.

l Companies are always keen to ensure that the retail experience they offer is as good as it can be, as well as wanting to assess how effective advertising, signage or other promotional work might be. Mystery shopping is a good way of getting feedback on what a customer actually encounters.

l A mystery shopper makes a note of factors such as cleanliness, choice, customer service, queue lengths and promotions, as well as making judgements on the quality and value of what they received.

l These findings are later written up in an online reporting process and forwarded back to the mystery shopping company.

How do I become a mystery shopper? 

l Mystery shopping companies can be easily located through a quick online search.

l  To register, you will need to fill in your personal details as well as indicate where you would like to work.

l  Some companies will want you to fill out an in-depth profile so that they can match jobs to particular shoppers, whilst others may require a short pre-selection test to check your literacy and ability to follow instructions.

l Once you have been successfully registered, it’s simply a case of picking the job you want and carrying it out.

Dos and Don’ts 

l Do read the instructions and comply. If you forget one aspect of the job, you could end up with an invalidated report and won’t get paid.

l Don’t be obvious! You are meant to be a mystery shopper, so dress and act in a way which makes you blend in with the crowd.

l Don’t forget to do a job. Unreliability causes real problems for mystery shopping companies and they may even stop offering you work!

Although the pay when you become a mystery shopper isn’t particularly high, you also get reimburses for the cost of your purchases. For example if the job requires you to buy a coffee, a meal in a restaurant, a garment or drink, you get the cost refunded. This enables mystery shoppers to enjoy many of life’s little luxuries whilst getting paid for the privilege!