The concept of mystery shopping has been around for quite some time. I first came across it a few years back when I had gone on a U.S for a trip to visit my cousins. I was highly intrigued by the concept and wanted to explore it more. In simple language, you are paid for availing the services of a particular brand in return of your valuable feedback. For example, if you are someone who has an eye for detail and cares about the quality of customer service being offered, then mystery shopping might be the job for you.

Most companies value customer feedback and want to improve or upgrade their services in order to fulfill customer expectations. Hence there are plenty of mystery shopping jobs available in across the globe. All you have to do is sign up with a mystery shopping company that will provide you with a plethora of options in your chosen interest area.

However, there are a number of facts that need to be kept in mind before taking up this job because it might sound fascinating at first but you need to show professionalism and integrity before you give your commitment. Following are the points that I have always kept in mind before, during and after my assignments:

  1. Someone paying for your shopping and restaurant bills sounds fascinating, but there is a ground rule to it. Normally you are reimbursed after a period of 30-40 days post your audit report has been submitted to the Mystery Shopping company that has engaged you as a Mystery Shopper. So in case you are among those impatient shoppers who cannot wait to get reimbursed then this might not be the job for you.
  2. Do not be in a hurry to earn money. Apply for a shop only when you are completely sure about fulfilling the commitment and meeting expectations. After all, someone is dependent on you to complete the assigned audit within the specified period of time.
  3. Submit the audit report along with all the required documents within the given deadline otherwise there are chances that your report might get rejected and you won’t be paid for it. I am sure you don’t want your effort going down the drain. Similarly you would not want the company to be stranded with an incomplete audit.
  4. Remember, you do not have to pay a company to be a mystery shopper. There are many mystery shopping jobs available on the net. Just read the terms and conditions carefully before signing up. Do not opt for the ones that ask you to pay for registering.
  5. Another tip for getting recommended or selected by the company is to be concise and specific with your report. It doesn’t matter how you personally feel about the service. You should objectively fulfill the required purpose of the audit in a clear and concise manner. It is about making factual observations, not writing an opinion or giving suggestions.

Finally, mystery shopping can be fun, do not forget to complete the task at hand and you will be brimming with exciting shopping offers. Go ahead and have fun shopping!