For the past couple of years I have done “Secret Shopping” on a limited basis. Here are some of the things I have received free and have been reimbursed for my time as well:
- Oil changes,tire rotations, air filters on my cars
- Meals at restaurants
- Meals at Drive-thru’s
- Carry-out meals
- Shipping services
- Grocery store evaluations
- Phone calls (Paid to make calls)
These are not huge money makers. Most pay about the equivalent of minimum wage plus the free services or goods you receive, so you are not going to get rich doing these. However, if you are going to get a service done anyway, or you are going out on a date or out for lunch, you might as well get it free, and even get paid a little!
Here’s how it works:
You sign up to secret shop. Then you can browse all the shops available. If you meet all the requirements and understand what it needed, sign up for the shop. There are often several documents for you to read and a quiz to take to make sure you understand what it needed.
While you are on the shop you will want to take notes discretely. I use my cell phone usually since no one really questions a person texting anymore. Shops may require photographs. All will require you to upload a picture or a scan of your receipts.
You’ll need to pay attention to details. You will be asked lots of detailed questions, so be sure to read the questionnaire ahead of time so you can take all the notes you need. Trust me, you won’t remember the associate’s name, age, height and whether or not he had glasses once you are home.
Be prepared to share a narrative of what happened as well. Some companies like evaluations told like a story. Typos and the like are not tolerated, so spell check and proof read. It’s worth it. The higher scores you receive, the more likely you are to get special treatment (like self- assigning shops or a phone call from a manager when a shop for which you qualify is available for you). Low scores may result in you not getting paid (yikes!) or not being permitted to do any more shops.
Speaking of pay, most of these companies have a delay in payment. For example, they pay after the end of the month or two weeks after a shop is complete, so you will need to put some money out beforehand. However, some shops have no costs (you may be taking photos or get a business card or making phone calls) and for those, there is no cash outlay.
Does this sound like something you want to do? Here are the companies I have personally used that have clear instructions and pay as promised:
- http://www.baidata.com/shoppers/GotoSignup.norm.php
Use my email, russellhome @ gmail. com and I’ll get referral points if you start shopping and making money!)
- https://www.gfkmysteryshops.com/shoppers/LoginShopper.norm.php
- https://apply.bestmark.com/?r=KY7424
Why mystery shop? I like the free goods and services, especially when they are things I need anyway- and I like putting on my “Sherlock” and “spying” legally. At the same time, I know when I give valuable feedback to the owners and management of these companies, I am helping them serve others better.
