If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to operate as a mystery shopper, then you might be in luck. With more and more people looking for ways to spend less money, the demand for legitimate ways to do so is also expanding. As such, Mystery Shopping Programs have become increasingly popular over the years, especially with online businesses that deal with suppliers and vendors from all over the world. With this article, we will explain everything you need to know about becoming a Mystery Shopper and the 5 steps you need to take along the way!
What is a Mystery Shopping Program?
A Mystery Shopping Program essentially allows you to become a customer or an agent for a company that uses mystery shoppers to evaluate their customers and services. You will be given a fake identity (or an alter-ego) and then you will be asked to complete a real-life shopping experience.
You will be in control of the accounts you take as a customer and the accounts you take as a vendor, allowing you to decide if you want to give honest feedback to the company or lie and leave a less than satisfactory review. What’s more, you can earn money from these programs in different ways. You can earn a fixed amount on a per-shopper or per-shopping-session basis. Or, you can choose to do it on a per-incident basis, which means there are no set rates.
Why Become a Mystery Shopper?
Everyone wants to know what it’s like to be a Mystery Shopper. Because this industry is still in its early stages, most people are under the impression that being a Mystery Shopper is easy, and that there are millions of consumers eager to be mystery shoppers. In reality, however, it’s not quite as easy as many people think.
The most obvious reason to become a Mystery Shopper is to earn extra money. When you sign up for a Mystery Shopping Program, you are simply looking for opportunities to accept gigs from companies that are looking to get their services evaluated. With any luck, you will quickly find that being a Mystery Shopper is easy — and that you have a lot of potential for earning a lot of money.
The pros of being a mystery shopper
Flexible hours
While many companies offer regular 9-to-5 hours, some will be more flexible. If you are able to arrange child care, you may be able to take care of some shopping sessions in the early morning or late at night when it’s most convenient for you.
Low overhead costs
A lot of the costs you incur when you’re a Mystery Shopper are directly related to the shopping you do. If you are hired to evaluate a product, service, or company, you will be expected to complete a transaction with that retailer and record your experiences. So, you don’t have to incur the cost of the transaction.
Easy to find gigs
Finding gigs can be challenging, especially if you’re just trying to get started as a Mystery Shopper. This is because most Mystery Shopping Program companies don’t advertise on social media and don’t have a ton of online resources to help Mystery Shoppers. This can be a major challenge when you’re just starting out. But, once you’ve found a few companies that you think could be good fits, the process becomes much easier.
The cons of being a mystery shopper
Traveling
This can be a huge challenge, especially if you travel for long periods of time. Because you will be expected to complete a transaction, you will be responsible for all of the expenses associated with doing so. In this case, it’s better to be a regular customer of the company rather than a mystery shopper.
You will have to go undercover
You will have to lie to vendors and customers about who you are and what you are doing. This is usually not a big deal since you are not asking them for anything in return. However, it can be a challenge if you have ethical issues lying to people.
Sometimes you have to work irregular hours
Some companies have a lot of requirements and expectations when they hire a Mystery Shopper. One of these requirements is that you are expected to work very long hours. The more difficult the assignment, the longer you are expected to work.
How to Join a Mystery Shopping Program?
There are a few different ways to find mystery shopping assignments. You can search online for websites that post gigs or post on social media sites like Reddit. You can also contact companies directly to see if they have any assignments that you might be qualified to complete. You can also search online for mystery shopping forums where you can make connections with other Mystery Shoppers.
Conclusion
And there you have it. Mystery Shopping may sound like an easy way to make money from home, but it’s actually a very challenging job. In addition, it’s important to be aware of the cons of being a Mystery Shopper, including the need for you to go undercover and possibly lie to other people about their products, services, or companies.
However, if you take the time to find the right companies and figure out the best ways to find gigs, the job can be very rewarding. And if you’re interested in learning more, there are plenty of Mystery Shopping Programs and Mystery Shopping Colleges that can teach you the ins and outs of this exciting career.
