Start a Business and Get Paid to Shop

It’s possible to find a job that pays you for doing something you love.  Like shopping.  Imagine getting paid to shop!  That’s what a Mystery Shopper does.

Mystery shopping works like this: Businesses need to find out how well they are doing in customer service. So they pay people to shop at their stores anonymously and report on the experience; these people are called “mystery shoppers” or sometimes “auditors.” Mystery shoppers are needed for all kinds of retail stores, services, restaurants, and even government agencies.

Mystery shopping sites. There are many mystery shopping sites where you can sign up for mystery shopping jobs and they will send you out on assignments.  For example, I found a job on this job board (selected by city) that was asking for someone to take a $100 voucher and purchase frames and lenses at a local optician.  The job had very specific requirements; for example, you must need the lenses and you must stay for the entire experience, among other things.

Mystery Shopping Organization. Of course, there is a mystery shopping trade organization, the Mystery Shopping Providers Organization (MSPO), which has a mission of “improving service quality using anonymous resources.”  The organization has over 260 members and it works with the Federal Trade Commission to shut down scammers. The MSPO also provides certification programs; if you are serious about becoming a mystery shopper, you might want to look into certification, so you can be taken seriously by companies who might want to hire you.

Before you sign on to be a mystery shopper. Yes, there are scams out there and some companies will try to get you to pay a fee to become a mystery shopper.  The FTC has a Consumer Alert that tells you what to look for in evaluating mystery shopping companies. An organization called “ScamBusters” recently interviewed a mystery shopper about her experiences. You might want to read this article to get a better idea of what is involved with being a mystery shopper. She suggested that you check to see if a mystery shopping company belongs to the MSPO; if they do, you should be assured that they aren’t going to take your money.

If you are serious about becoming a mystery shopper, you might want to check out Cathy Stucker, the Idea Lady or go to the MSPO website to learn more.

Have fun shopping!

Image: Newscom