How to Find Mystery Shopping Companies
There are no get-rich-quick opportunities out there, especially for those who work from home. Many unemployed and under-employed workers turn to mystery shopping for extra income. The mystery shopping career field is difficult to break into, but perseverance will pay off. The sheer number of mystery shop companies is mind-numbing and intimidating, especially considering the number of scams out there. It's easy to find legitimate mystery shopping opportunities; you simply must research each company thoroughly. A computer with Internet access is a must. A cell phone is also a great tool to help you find mystery shopping companies.
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Instructions
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Determine what types of jobs you want to do. You can shop at restaurants, movie theaters, office supply stores, department stores, clothing stores, and other places. You're only limited by your imagination and the scope of the companies that operate in your area.
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Search the job boards at popular work-from-home sites, such as volition.com and wahm.com, for mystery shopping opportunities. Volition only lists legitimate opportunities, so you can be sure that every company listed is honest. Wahm.com has a huge job board full of reviews, both good and bad, on every mystery shopping company in the country.
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Register with the companies you find and locate available assignments. Some companies post available assignments on centrally located job boards on their websites, while others email specific shoppers when opportunities become available. Check your email often to see if any opportunities have become available to you.
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Take any company-specific certification exams as soon as you're accepted to work for them. Many individual companies require shoppers to read an orientation guide and pass a quiz before working on a particular project.
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Accept shops and complete them on time and submit the reports before they become due. Prove yourself to be a good shopper and you'll get more assignments and make more money.
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Tips & Warnings
Visit mysteryshop.org to ensure the companies you find are certified by the Mystery Shopping Provider's Association (MSPA).
Consider taking the MSPA Mystery Shopper Certification Exam. This isn't required to become a mystery shopper, but many companies offer assignments to MSPA Gold and Silver Certified shoppers first.
Some mystery shopping companies operate nationwide, but some are regional. There is no sure-fire list of which companies operate in which states or regions, so you'll go through a lot of trial-and-error when searching for mystery shop companies with opportunities in your area.
Check the Better Business Bureau's website at bbb.org to determine if the companies you choose have had complaints filed about them. Take any complaints into consideration before committing to work with a mystery shopping company.
If a company promises to pay you by Western Union transfer or check in advance of you completing the work, it's a scam. Likewise, if they want you to pay them for a job or for access to their site and job boards, it's most likely a scam. Steer clear of these sites. Legitimate mystery shopping companies don't charge you to let you work for them.
Don't discuss the work you do for any companies with friends and family members. You must sign a non-disclosure agreement with each company you work with, and violation of this agreement will result in disciplinary sanctions including termination.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit shop image by Ewe Degiampietro from Fotolia.com
