Mystery shopping will appeal to people who have a flexible schedule who are interested in earning some money. If you are the kind of person who likes variety in the kinds of work you do, then this may be a good choice for you. No two assignments will be exactly the same, and so the work will always have a certain amount of freshness for you.
Mystery shoppers who work as independent contractors can sign up with a number of different companies to work with. If an assignment comes up that you are interested in doing and you can fit it into your schedule, then you can agree to take it on. During times when you have other commitments, you can pass until the timing is better.
You should always be advised in advance how long a particular shop will take and how much you will be paid. That way, you can gauge whether the assignment is something you are interested in doing. Some assignments pay a set fee in addition to reimbursing you for your purchase. If the item is something you would have bought anyway, you get the benefit of getting that merchandise with no out of pocket expense.
Aside from the monetary compensation, some people are drawn to mystery shopping as a way to help influence the way businesses treat their customers. They get a certain degree of satisfaction from their work, since they know it is a way for companies to get a true picture of how well they are meeting their customers’ needs.
Everyone likes to feel that they are being treated with respect when they decide to buy a product or a service from a company. Without a steady stream of customers who are willing to open up their wallets, no business can stay operational for very long. Mystery shoppers may need to remain anonymous because of the nature of their work, but their services are invaluable to the businesses who hire them.
The information they provide tells owners and managers how they are doing in the customer service realm at any given time. Any business that takes its customer base for granted is going to get left behind; it’s that simple.