Answers to Commonly Asked Questions About Mystery Shopping
What is Mystery Shopping?
Mystery shopping is a technique used by companies to get an objective opinion about how well they are providing for their customers’ needs.
How Does Mystery Shopping Work?
A client company will find a service provider to provide them with mystery shoppers who will pay the business a visit and report back on specific criteria the client company has set out in advance. This information is used to confirm where the company is doing well in providing good customer service and the areas where staff members could use more training and guidance.
Can I Become a Mystery Shopper?
Adults of all ages can become mystery shoppers. Some companies hire people as young as 16 to do this kind of work.
Do I Need to Pay a Fee to Sign Up as a Mystery Shopper?
A legitimate mystery shopping company will not ask you to pay a fee to sign up to be a mystery shopper.
Do I Really Get Paid to Shop?
Shopping is definitely a part of the mystery shopping experience, but it’s not the whole story. In addition to making a specific purchase, mystery shoppers must be keen observers of everything they see during their visit and the actual purchase is only a small part of what happens.
How Do I Get Paid?
Each company will have its own policies about how payment methods and how often they pay. Many companies pay by check or Paypal once a month for all shops completed in the previous month.
Can I Do a Mystery Shopping Assignment at Businesses Where I Know the Employees?
Absolutely not! Part of the idea behind mystery shopping is to keep the shoppers’ identity anonymous. The information they are gathering is supposed to indicate how a typical customer is treated while visiting that particular business.