I get a lot of questions about Mystery Shopping. Is it real? Is it something you can make a living from? Well I decided to answer a few of these questions!

1) It is real!!! Companies hire mystery shoppers (often through a mystery shopping company) to come in and evaluate specific products and services unknown to the employees. The companies may dictate when you go and what you buy.
2) You won’t get rich off of mystery shopping. Usually mystery shopping will reimburse you for a purchase and there might be a small payment. If it is someplace you are going already it will be worth it though! Mystery shopping funded out eating out in the first few years of my marriage because that was the only way we could afford it!
3) You can make very little in comparison to the time investment and that must be considered before you take any assignments. Usually in addition to the actual in establishment there is a report to fill out that can take some time.
4) You never pay for a mystery shopping job, ever!!!
5) But you will make your purchase for the assignment and then get reimbursed. That can take 30-60 days so you need to have room in your budget to wait!

Still interested? Here are a few companies whom you can mystery shop through! You will have to fill out an application and possibly give a writing sample.

–Shopper’s Critique
–Coast to Coast Scheduling Service
–IntelliShop
–Beyond Hello
–Satisfaction Services