Work Home Journal

How much time do you have available and are willing to commit to secret shopping?

Determine the time you will spend on a weekly, or monthly basis to be effective and successful at your mystery shopping. Since you are an independent contractor, you determine the number and types of assignments you are willing to complete.

Make sure that when you apply for shops that you take into consideration the distance you may need to travel, the time involved in performing the shop correctly, the time of day, and any expenses you may incur as a part of doing the shop, and the amount of time it will take you to complete and submit a complete and accurate report.

How do I get assignments? – The majority of mystery shopping assignments are offered to secret shoppers via website postings, job boards, or email. Each posting gives detailed directions on how to apply and what the fees for completing the assignment are.

You must read everything carefully and do not apply for shops you are not certain you can complete. If you have any questions on an assignment, be sure to request additional information, before you commit to complete the shop.

What types of assignments will you perform?

Since there are many types of mystery shops, you need to determine what type of shops you are willing to accept. they can range anywhere from purchasing gas and a stick of gum to a five star restaurant evaluation or overnight hotel stay.

Depending on the fee offered and the time involved, you will want to make sure that you allow yourself enough time to go a good job and organize your shops so that you complete shops in one location or area at one time, instead of driving back and forth to different areas, wasting your time and gas.

What is the average pay for shoppers?

There is no standard pay in mystery shopping. Each mystery shopping company determines the amount they are willing to pay for the assignment and you decide if you are willing to accept the fee or reject the shop assignment.

As with any other industry, there are some companies that pay better than others, and you will quickly find out who they are as soon as you start reviewing the job boards and visiting the mystery shopping forums.

I’ve provided the pay ranges below as a guide only, and you will find that depending on the area of the country you shop, the ranges will vary greatly. you need to decide what is the minimum amount of pay that you will accept for an assignment, given the amount of time involved and make your decision based on that information.

Markets using Mystery Shoppers & Average Pay

- Restaurants (Free Meal to $35)

- Retail ($12 to $30)

- Banking/Financial Institutions ($30 – $70)

Make sure the companies you sign up with are legitimate mystery shopping companies. These can be found online or visit our website. a free copy of our get Paid to Shop and Dine report is also available on our website for a limited time.

Secret Shopper Jobs – Keys to Success