Pros and Cons of Becoming a Mystery Shopper

If the idea of being paid to shop sounds like an exciting prospect, you may want to consider working as a mystery shopper. This is a popular way of earning an extra income and will require you to pose as a regular customer, visiting retailers and other organisations who might be interested in finding out what their customers think and the level of service they receive. Read Full Article »

Spotting Those Scams: It Needn't be a Mystery

Mystery shopping can be an interesting and rewarding experience; but wherever there is cash involved, there is the likelihood of scam operations. If you're thinking about becoming a mystery shopper, knowing what to look for will keep you alert to potential scams. But what exactly are those scams and how do you spot them? Read Full Article »

Does Social Media Influence Mystery Shoppers?

A Virtual Platform for All Whether you want it to or not, you're probably finding that social media, in some form, plays a huge part in your everyday life. From keeping up to date with friends on Facebook to checking the latest news on Twitter, social media is everywhere and when something has this big a presence, it's only natural that it becomes a very influential platform. Read Full Article »

Examples of Mystery Shopping Questionnaire

I've Completed my Mystery Shop - What Happens Now? After completing an assignment, mystery shoppers are generally required to fill in an online questionnaire. This will often include a series of simple YES/NO answers as well as a full written report and various other detailed observations relating to their visit. The questionnaire will normally have to be completed within 24 hours, but extra time may be given depending on the length and nature of the assignment. However, it's advisable to ensure you set sufficient time aside in order to... Read Full Article »

How can I Become a Mystery Shopper?

Is Mystery Shopping Still Relevant to the Current Market? Since the concept was first developed in the 1940s, mystery shopping has become a highly regulated practice within the UK, with the Market Research Society establishing its own code of conduct and standards to ensure acceptable and legal application. Read Full Article »

Mystery Shopper Companies

Mystery Shopping Today As far back as the 1940s, mystery shopping was being used to measure performance and efficiency of employees. Nowadays it is, of course, far more sophisticated and may be used either internally by a company to gauge quality of service or product knowledge, or by an external company such as a watchdog organisation or a market research firm. The identity of the mystery shopper is not known to the establishment being investigated so the expectation is that they will be treated just as any member of the general public would... Read Full Article »

How does Mystery Shopping Work?

How did it all start? Mystery shopping first started in the 1940s and today it is a tool which is used in many different industries such as supermarkets, restaurants, shops and service providers. Researchers (trained or untrained) who know beforehand what they are to evaluate, will pose as a normal customer and investigate an outlet for either a market research company, a watchdog organisation or the actual company themselves. Read Full Article »

How to Earn Money With Mystery Shopping

What is Mystery Shopping? Mystery shopping is a market research tool used to assess and measure a business or premises on findings such as cleanliness and tidiness, politeness, efficiency and general customer service. A mystery shopper will be selected for a task from the panel of a market research company who specialises in mystery shopping, based on the profile they have provided and other criteria. As a mystery shopper, you could be evaluating the performance of a number of businesses such as retailers, fast food restaurants, cinemas and... Read Full Article »