I know it sounds a bit too good to be true but really isn’t.  I have been doing Mystery Shopping alongside my Market Research for about 20 years now and in that time I have had free:  hotel accommodation, meals in restaurants, hair cut and blow dry, supermarket shopping, eye test, admission to amusement parks, cinema tickets, contact lenses, petrol, played bingo and that’s just the assignments I can remember.

I enjoy mystery shopping because I like the variety of jobs and the flexibility.  Meals and products are reimbursed in addition to my evaluation fee.

Can I just point out though this is not a get rich quick scheme it is just a little extra to supplement my earnings – and its nice getting something free.

Some months are busier than others so I can’t guarantee a certain level of work but I have found that the more agencies I am registered with the more work I am offered.

What is Mystery Shopping?

Mystery shoppers are the eyes and ears of the business owner and tell him how his customers see the business and whether his employees are living up to the standards he has set and following the rules.  They provide objective and factual feedback about the quality of customer service, cleanliness of the store, product knowledge etc from a customer prospective at local retail stores, restaurants, theatres, hotels, airlines, car showrooms and other establishments that deal with the public.

This information provides management with independent and unbiased feedback which is used to assist them with any further staff development and training.  Sometimes the reports are used to reward staff who have performed well.

What can you earn?

It all depends on the company and the assignments.  Payment is normally a set fee for the assignment.  The typical payment is around £10 - £20 for an average simple assignment with rewards topping £100 plus for longer, and more complicated jobs.

Sometimes, if evaluating a bank or shop (obviously not a restaurant or pub) I take on several assignments for the same day and work out the most cost effective route to complete each assignment around the area rather than just going out to do one assignment.

You are able to take family and friends sometimes too, when the scenario allows.  I had an assignment at a restaurant two weeks running where I was asked to take 5 friends with me to evaluate a restaurant – all expenses paid, which totalled over £150 each time plus an extra evaluation fee of £7.50 on top for each one.

Some agencies will only offer you assignments in your own area or within a 15 mile radius and reimburse travel expenses. Others post their assignments on the internet and you decide how far you want to travel.  You should always check when you take on an assignment as you don’t want to take it on if it is too far from home and you can’t claim back the travel expenses.

 If the agency does not allow you to claim for travel then it hardly seems worth taking on the job.  There are exceptions however, as if you are going to be in the area anyway, or you have several assignments in the same area. I recently evaluated a hairdresser’s and used the £40 gift voucher that was provided.  Although I wasn’t paid an extra fee on top, on this occasion, I was happy as I still saved myself the cost of a trip to the hairdressers that I would have made, I then went on to the next town and had a  nice meal then finished off with a clothes store evaluation.  That was a very successful day out!

Tips on applying to become a Mystery Shopper

When you first contact a Mystery Shopping agency they will send you an application form or ask you to fill in an online application.  I must warn you they do ask for quite a lot of detail but, unfortunately it is necessary to enable the agency to assign work to match their needs and scenarios as some agencies will require, for instance, an older couple to evaluate a restaurant one month then the next would require a family with young children.

Sometimes, when you apply to an agency for the first time you are asked to complete a mock evaluation form.  This is so that the agency can test your writing and observational skills as well as ability to follow instructions and meet deadlines. This report determines whether they will take you on as a mystery shopper so you should make sure that you check your spelling and grammar and read through the report making sure it is clear and concise paying attention to detail before submitting it. 

Some of the agencies will ask you why you think you would make a good Mystery Shopper and you should include, in your answer, some of the qualities I have listed below.  Infact before applying to any companies it is advisable to read the rest of this article.

Qualities of a good Mystery Shopper

Mystery shopping agencies require people from all walks of life, age, (although usually do not take on anyone younger than 18), race, gender etc regardless and in areas all over the country but you have to be aware of the kind of work involved and decide whether it is of interest to you.  Also if you live in the middle of nowhere the chances are that there will be limited work in your area.

You really need to be able to drive as if you don’t you have to consider the additional cost of getting to the assignment.  Most companies reimburse mileage but public transport can take a large chunk out of your earnings.

A phone and access to the internet are usually required.  A credit/debit card and the ability to work at short notice are all advantageous but not always necessary.

Mystery shopping is particularly popular with females.  This is because they are more likely to take advantage of freelance or part-time work to balance around child care and family commitments.  Also Mystery shopping is a big hit with students, who can fit the assignments in around their lessons. 

To be a successful Mystery Shopper you need to be…..

·         Discreet:  It is important to be discreet otherwise you will not get an accurate account of the customer service.  You must blend in with the crowd; therefore, if you have bright red spiky hair, body piercing and tattoos you are not likely to be accepted as a suitable Mystery Shopper.

·         Confident:  You need to be confident in your ability to act as a normal, ordinary customer.

·         Articulate:  You need to be able to write a clear and concise report on the evaluation.

·         Observant:  You need to play close attention to detail to report on your findings.

·         Good Memory:  There is a lot to remember when you do a Mystery Shop and you are not encouraged to take anything with you although if doing a supermarket visit a piece of paper that looks like a shopping list would be acceptable.  Learning a few memory techniques would be helpful.

·         Reliable:  Mystery Shopping visits tend to be booked within restricted time periods (sometimes days) and once you commit to a visit, you can cause an agency real problems if you let them down.  All agencies look after the Mystery Shoppers who do what they say they will do when they say they will do it.

·         Honest:  You must provide honest opinions on the shopper reports and all answers must be objective and professional. 

·         Conscientious:  Most visits have a fairly prescriptive scenario that you will be asked to complete.  You will therefore need to record certain details or say certain things and it is clearly important to the agencies that the scenario is followed precisely.

·         Punctual:  Most assignments are time sensitive which means you have to shop during a specified time of the day.

·         Resourceful:  On most assignments you have to obtain the name of the employee and not all of them wear name tags.  You have to be creative in finding out their name.

·         Good Writer:  Some agencies like a report rather than a questionnaire or some have space on the questionnaire for you to paint a picture with words to make the reader feel as if he has been shopping with you.  You must check for spelling and grammar before submitting your questionnaire or report.  You must always go back over the report afterwards reading the questions carefully to make sure there are no contradicting answers.

·         Unbiased: It is extremely important that the Mystery Shopper gives an unbiased view of the visit.

Some essential Training to become a successful Mystery Shopper

The first thing you should do when you are booked on an assignment is to schedule it into your week.  Sometimes you are asked to carry out the assignment on a particular date and other times you are given a time period in which to carry it out.  Allow plenty of time to complete the evaluation before the deadline, never procrastinate! It is important that you, as a team member complete your work for pre-arranged deadlines.

If you cannot complete the assignment once it has been booked out to you then you must notify the agency in order to give them enough time to have it re-booked out.  Letting them down too often would result in them not offering you anymore assignments.

Once you have accepted an assignment you will normally be emailed or posted a questionnaire.  All the instructions to complete your evaluation will be included or emailed to you.

You should always read your paperwork carefully as soon as you receive it and contact the agency if there is anything you are unsure of.

On the day of the evaluation you should go over the paperwork again.  Jot down important notes on a small piece of paper that can pass as a shopping list if seen so that you can refer to it on the premises without being noticed.  Infact, I have used my mobile to make notes then if I need to refer to my notes it just looks as if I am checking my phone or sending a text.

Always check the address on the paperwork to make sure that you are evaluating the correct store as sometimes there is more than one outlet on a high street.

Most agencies will require you to note down what was to the right and left of an outlet.  This information helps to validate your assignment.  It the outlet is on a corner or has no other shops near it then you will be required to note down the name of the street or address of the property to the left or right.

Your instructions will sometimes give you several scenarios and ask you to choose the one you are comfortable with before you enter the premises.

As a Mystery Shopper your job is to blend in and look like a normal customer but to notice everything.

When you pull into the outlets car park, if they have one, You must look to see if there is any litter, pot holes etc – nothing must escape your attention.

On approaching the property you must look at the condition of the exterior to check that it is clean, tidy and in good repair, the windows are clean and that the pavement directly outside is litter free.

On entering the premises you should check that the floor is clean and litter free, that the walls and work tops are clean and tidy.  The merchandise is displayed neatly and that there are no trolleys or stock obstructing the walk ways.

Sometimes you will be asked to check the walls for promotional posters and take a mental note of the special promotions on offer.

You must observe if the employee who serves you makes eye contact and greets you with a smile and in a friendly manner.

You will time how long it takes to get served, how many staff are available and how many checkouts are open.  You will note whether the cashier handled the transaction efficiently.  Also if there are any employees standing around talking and not looking busy.

If you are evaluating a restaurant you will need to time how long it took between taking your order and delivery of the first drink, and between courses and time how long it takes for the plates to be collected.  Whether the food was hot and as described on the menu.  Whether the music was at an appropriate level and if the temperature of the restaurant is comfortable.  You are also asked to note if the waiter checks back that everything is ok with the meal.

You will be asked to check either the male or female toilets to make sure that they are clean, tidy and free from litter, well stocked with soap and toilet tissue and smelling nice.

You will check that the staff are wearing the correct uniform and sometimes have to ask a question which tests the employee’s product knowledge.

Sometimes you will be asked to listen out for certain phrases like “thank you for shopping with us today” or if they are using suggestive selling techniques like “would you like fries with that”?

Immediately after the evaluation you should go somewhere to sit quietly and maybe have a coffee.  If you go back to the car you should drive away from the vicinity of the premises in case any staff see what you are doing if they happen to walk past your car. Don’t go too far away though incase you need to pop back if you have forgotten something.

You should write detailed notes and review the evaluation questions to make sure you haven’t left anything out.  Critical information can be lost if you wait even an hour later.

If you are new don’t rush – be patient with yourself, you will get quicker the more evaluations that you do.

It is essential that the evaluation is conducted in a fair and unbiased manner and that you include as many comments and suggestions as possible in order to give a full picture of your experience.

For instance if you are asked to say what you like about the place you evaluated it is not acceptable to say “It was enjoyable” that does not tell the client anything.  You should say why it was enjoyable, what contributed to it i.e. what was the ambience like, what was the service like were the employees attentive. Friendly, etc. 

If an employee provided exceptional service, write in detail what was done or said to provide satisfaction again just stating that “Our waitress was very professional” doesn’t really tell the client anything.  It would be more useful to list two or three things that happened to allow the client to understand why the service was good.  If the service was not good then you have a unique opportunity to explain what needs to be improved to make a customer happy.  Using harsh or hurtful words is not an objective way to provide feedback.

If you need to give a description of an employee first take in their height.  Think of your height and try to judge how many inches taller or shorter the person is than yourself. Note down their build and any other obvious characteristics bright red hair, rimless glasses, pierced eyebrow, that kind of thing. 

Give the person assisting you every opportunity to do well. Listen carefully to what they are telling you and try not to cut off their conversation.  Allow them a chance to use their selling skills that you are hired to evaluate.  Allow them to offer you dessert at the end of your meal, or suggest a bag that matches the shoes you just purchased. 

Tax and NI

Some agencies will deduct tax and NI for you and some will expect you to arrange it yourself.  You will only be taxed on your fees not the expenses.  Payment is usually made directly into your bank via BAC’s or you may be sent a cheque.

Types of Mystery Shopping

Mystery Shopping covers an enormous breadth of different types of work.

Physical Mystery Shopping – Involves actually visiting a store, enacting a scenario and reporting your findings.

Video Mystery Shopping – Goes one step further and involves recording the experience via a hidden camera.

Purchase and Return - You would be asked to enter a Shop and purchase an item, then return it at a designated time, usually between 20 minutes to 2 weeks later.  In this assignment you will be evaluating the return process. Professionalism and procedures.  You will note if the employee filled out the paper forms and if he or she was friendly during the return process.

Telephone Mystery Shopping - You may be asked to telephone a company posing as a customer with a problem to see how well your case is handled and how long it takes. Or you could be asked to telephone a request for information to be posted to you from an outlet to evaluate if the correct information is sent and how long it takes to get to you.

Dead Letter Box Mystery Shopping - You may be asked if you address can be used to send post that you then forward back to the agency.  Pay for this is usually £5 for each item of post you forward on.

Website Assessing – Surfing the web assessing websites and reporting on their usability, effectiveness and customer performance.

Price checking – This is often carried out undercover as well, and many mystery shoppers will undertake this kind of work to establish promotions that are on offer in a particular store and its different competitors.

Some assignments that you are offered are undesirable.  In some cases, you might be asked to pretend that you are unemployed or that you are suffering from a certain medical condition.  You might be asked to undertake a long and arduous financial transaction, such as applying for a mortgage or business loan.  You are not of course, obliged to undertake anything before you understand what it entails, but this type of work is not for everyone.

Click here for a List of Agencies offering Mystery Shopping Assignments