Mystery Shopping-What you do
What's the proceedure? How does it work?
A typical shop goes something like this:
Look for shops
- All of the companies that I shop for have job boards where you can check to see if there are any shops available. Many of them allow you to search a radius based on your zip code. Popular shops go quickly, and you'll miss out if you don't check frequently so you can request them as soon as they are posted.
- Some companies send emails to their shoppers when shops become available. The drawback is that for some of these companies the jobs are gone if you wait for the email. On the other hand, I do work for a couple of companies that do not assign jobs until after the emails have been sent.
Are there any special requirements?
After you find a shop you are interested, read the short synopsis of the shop. It will tell you if there are any special requirements. Some shops, like alcohol or tobacco compliance shops, require shoppers of a certain age. Others require you to read training materials and take a quiz before you can accept a shop. Read the instructions carefully to determine if you are eligible to perform the shop. If there is a quiz it is helpful to print the training materials so you can refer to them while you take the quiz.Request a shop.
- Some companies allow you to accept shops directly from their website. These are self-assign shops. I prefer these types of shops because I can make my plans immediately.
- Other companies require you to apply for a shop. They will notify you by email if you have been assigned a shop. Some of my best shops are assigned this way.
Get the paperwork.
- After you have been assigned a shop, log onto your account and download the paperwork. Sometimes you will not be able to download the paperwork until a few days before you are to perform the shop. Usually you will have a set of instructions and a questionnaire to download. Some companies also have you download an invoice to submit to them when you submit your report.
- Read the shop instructions as soon as possible so you can contact your scheduler if there is anything you don't understand.
- Make sure you know about any tasks you need to do before you perform your shop. Some shops will require you to make a phone call before you perform the shop. Somtimes you need to some research on a product or develop a scenario before you go.
- Even if you've done the shop a hundred times, check the instructions to make sure there are no changes. It's really frustrating to do a shop and then get home and find out you were supposed to ask a new question about how your meal was prepared.
- Verify that you know when and where the shop is to be performed. This may seem obvious, but in my town there are two grocery stores of the same name right across the street from each other. I didn't even know it, and it was sheer dumb luck that I shopped the right one.
- Download a pdf printer for shop instructions that aren't posted as a pdf. Bullzip is my favorite. Some shops have pages and pages of instructions. If you have good eyesight, or you've done the shop several times, you can save some paper by printing your paperwork to a pdf file. I do one shop that has an html questionnaire that prints to 22 pages and shop instructions that print even more. I've done it so many times that I print it 4 pages to a sheet, although I have to get my readers out if I need to actually see it.
Mark your calendar
When I did my first couple of shops I thought I would remember each and every one forever. Now I do enough of them that if I don't keep track of them in some way, I will forget to do them. I use a spread sheet to keep track of both completed and upcoming shops. I use the same sheet to track my expenses (including travel expenses) and whether or not I've been paid.Do the shop.
- Be sure to review the questionnaire before you go.
- You must be discreet. The employees must not know they are being shopped. In most cases you will not be able to take notes. You can get away with it on grocery shops, or other places where it is not unexpected for you to take a shopping list with you. You may be able to slip into the restroom to make notes.
- Remember that most stores today routinely video tape every customer. Many clients will verify your report against their video tape.
- A digital voice recorder is one of the most useful tools I have. Check to see if it is legal in your state to record someone without their knowledge. Also, some mystery shopper companies prohibit their use. I use mine to verify fast food restaurant timings. Sometimes I carry the microphone in my shirt pocket and mumble notes to myself as I'm walking around a store. This is especially effective if you have an over the ear cell phone. Occasionally I use it to verify that a salesperson has used certain catch phrases required by their company.
Make notes as soon as possible.
Make your notes as soon as possible after leaving the location you are shopping. Ideally you should leave the parking lot and get out of the sight of all employees before you stop to make notes. You can use your cell phone as cover though, and make notes while you pretend to talk on the phone. It is especially important to make notes after each shop if you are shopping multiple locations of the same store on one day. Enter your report as soon as possible.
Get it out of the way. Answer the questions while the shop is fresh in your mind. Do not put the report entry off until the last minute. This will help you avoid problems with the mystery shopping company's website or your internet connection. Contact your scheduler immediately if you have any problems. The scheduler may be able to extend time limits for you, but they can't if you don't let them know that you have a problem.File your notes and receipts.
Different companies have different requirements for record retention. They can ask to see your notes or for your receipts or business cards at any time. Have an organized filing system. Mark your documents in some way so you know when you can discard them.Wait for payment.
Check the website of the mystery shopping company to find out what their payment schedule is. It is not uncommon to be paid on the 20th of the month following the shop. Do not assume that you will be paid. Keep track of which companies have paid you.What should I watch out for?