Hello, How does one change their career to become a secret shopper? I've searched google and several of these places ask for $$$$. To me that seems to be a red flag! Am I wrong? Does anyone have any advice? Where do I find a legit business that allows for someone to become a secret shopper? Be paid to visit restaurants, hotels, stores and even casinos.
It's usually referred to as Mystery Shopping and if you Google that you'll find loads of sites. From what I can tell it is unusual to get paid, but your expenses are usually reimbursed so you get free purchases.
"It's usually referred to as Mystery Shopping and if you Google that you'll find loads of sites. From what I can tell it is unusual to get paid, but your expenses are usually reimbursed so you get free purchases." As stated, I've done a search on Google. Just not sure which business is legit or where to begin. As for being paid- I once met a guy who was paid and reimbursed to visit casinos and take others to these casinos.
Wow - who says there's no such thing as a free lunch? I don't think it's a very regulated industry but there is something called the Mystery Shopping Providers Association which allows you to search for opportunities. Might be worth a punt.
CountryBoy, Thank you. Yeah, a few years ago I met this local guy. For a career he visits casinos across the United States. He rates them and every month brings with him clients. He gets paid to do this.
Fancy casino man aside, most of the time it's not worth the time for the amount of $ they pay you...it's like I need 5-22K impressions to make 2 cents???...wait.... I've done mystery shopping...gas stations is a popular one...sure you get paid $10-15 for the shop and maybe get reimbursed for 0-2 gallons of gas but prep, the shop, and write up of the shop takes like 2-3 hours easily... by the time it is all said and done you're like making MIN. wage!! that being said, I have another one where they give me a free oil change, that is pretty nice. $40-50 with of service for free. sure they make it sounds glamorous...free stuff...yeah well you can't buy a whole heck of a lot for $1 @ Walgreen's! (Drug store) or hey I get free value meals sometimes...YIPPEE!!
No offense but secret shoppers need a real job. I got fired from a job because of a secret shopper. I worked at that job for nearly 4 yrs. Fortunately for me I had a side job on the internet, so I wasn't in financial troubles being without a job for 3 months because of that single secret shopper. But if I didn't have an internet business I would have been screwed. I ended up getting a cool job after 3 months of being "unemployed." I only hope that some day I can put every secret shopper out of a job! / end of rant
Sorry auddy, but how did this happen? How could you got fired because of a secret shopper? Are you saying that some guy who worked as a secret shopper came to the office where you worked and got you fired somehow?
I worked in a restaurant, the lady ordered a alcoholic drink with her lunch. I didn't ID her because she looked well old enough to be my mother. She was dressed like she worked in a professional office or was in sales, with expensive clothing. At this restaurant if you don't ID the secret shopped when they order alcoholic beverage you are fired on the spot. So after her meal with her counterpart, she told my manager that I didn't ID, and I was fired. I hated the job anyways, but I was making $400/week cash, and didn't have to claim all of it. Plus there were so many girls that worked there
becareful though.. i've read, seen and heard many bad things about mystery shoppings.. most I've heard about and seen complaints on TV: they tell you to buy this and that and keep buying....you did as they told.. later they either didnt pay you or they charge you more because you used their provided card to buy
i'm almost positive i have read either blogs or internet news stories about secret shoppers and they made it sound pretty cool. but i would not pay anyone to find out more information. that makes it seem like where you have to pay someone to find out how to make money stuffing envelopes. -dan
i've worked at a few restaurants and you are only suppose to card if they look like they may be under 27 or so. If you ask an older person they sometimes get offended.
like I said, if min wage sounds cool then yeah I'm sure there are exceptions like high roller casino guy but by and large it's nickel and dime stuff. I had to pay $ to a company and basically all they did was basically refer you to other companies and then you in turn work for them. It was like a $99 finders fee is what it was! It took me like 5-7 shops to just pay that fee off@!!@