Sign on to the Internet these days, and you?re bound to see ads
announcing, ?Get paid to shop!? or ?Make money eating out!? Most
savvy Internet users instantly think, ?scam,? immediately click
off, and quickly forget the ads.
Do not be too quick to dismiss the idea, though. Some of these
claims are actually legitimate.
Businesses hire mystery shoppers to help them measure the
quality of their service. A mystery shopper is someone who,
literally, gets paid to shop, eat out, go to the bank, and buy
groceries -- things you would be doing anyway. If you are
thinking that this is too good to be true, just wait. The
mystery shopper has to earn her money. Mystery shoppers pose as
everyday customers, making typical purchases. All the while they
are actually conducting consumer research. The ?customer?
evaluates the experience, working from a detailed checklist.
They provide a review of the entire transaction -- from
cleanliness of store and length of wait, to attitude of clerk
and quality of products.
Many types of businesses are using mystery shoppers. Banks,
grocery stores, auto dealers, and restaurants are just some of
the establishments employing these shoppers. The mystery
shopper?s reports help the business find areas of weakness so
that they can improve.
Mystery shoppers are typically trained contractors who earn $10
to $15 an hour. Those who start their own businesses can earn
over $50,000. To find information about becoming a mystery
shopper, you can do an Internet search. Proceed with caution on
the Internet, though, as some of these ads are scams aimed at
stay-at-home moms or unemployed individuals. Be particularly
leery of any jobs that ask you to pay a fee. In general, a
legitimate opportunity will not ask you to pay. The Mystery
Shopping Providers Association provides information and job
listings.
About the author:
Mystery Shoppers
Info provides detailed information about mystery shopper
jobs, mystery shopper networks, mystery shopper companies,
advice about how to become a mystery shopper, and cautions about
mystery shopper scams. Mystery Shoppers Info is the sister site
of Paid Surveys Web.
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