Q: How did you start mystery shopping?
A: I started for FUN.  I met a lady that mystery shops and she told me how to get started.  I loved it from my very first shop.

Q: Is it time consuming or difficult to do?
It is not time consuming if you schedule it correctly.  You have to eat, so why not get paid to eat.  I normally observe my surroundings and rate my experiences to some degree anyway…so why not share your experiences?  The first few shops are difficult, but once you know what you are looking for, the challenge becomes fun.

Q: What happens during a typical shopping trip?
I mostly do restaurant shops. Therefore, you eat of course. I spend a lot of time looking around at bathrooms, floors, trash containers, counters, etc.  Also, I spend time making sure I time correctly and get the names correct.

Q: What did you like best about mystery shopping? Least?
The thing I like best is the rewarding feeling I get for making a difference in the success of a franchise.  The worst part is trying to time and not get caught.

Q: Do you have any tips for someone who’d like to start mystery shopping?
Make sure you have time for it and can take the time necessary to get it right.  You have to be a good planner to be successful. 

Photo by Sophie/Stock Exchange

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Q: How did you start mystery shopping?
A: I started mystery shopping because of my daughter.  She introduced me as I was mad when I left McDonalds with something I did not order and it was cold.

Q: Is it time consuming or difficult to do?
A: No, it’s not. Once you get used to the paperwork (which does take time) you can do the shops and put them into the computer.

Q: What happens during a typical shopping trip?
I usually try to do several in a day.  I like to start with a breakfast, then do a retail, then merchandise, and then a lunch or a dinner. After all that, I have another company that does movies, so I try to get one of those in as well. In a day, I can make $100.00 and have 2 meals for free. In between each shop I write down notes so that when I put them into the computer I keep all of the jobs straight.

Q: What did you like best about mystery shopping? Least?
You can do as many as you want and you can do them when you want to. Least? If there are not enough jobs in one area, the money may not be worth my time. Also, some shops could pay more.

Q: Do you have any tips for someone who’d like to start mystery shopping?
A: Take your time and start slow.  Make it fun and make it at a pace that you can handle.

I’d say Antoinette has a pretty nice part time income going! (If you want to read more about being a secret shopper, check out my Mystery Shopping 101 post.)

Photo by tfwww’/Stock Exchange

Post from: Thrifty Mommy