Mystery Shopper

Denerick

I've heard a little bit about mystery shopping recently. Basically you are paid by a company to covertly enter shops, pose questions to the manager as if you are merely a curious customer, and fill out an evaluation. In return you get cash. Its part time, flexible work. Anyone ever done it before? Any point having a go?

bubbaloo

I enquired about this a few years ago but it didn't work out beneficially as far as finances were concerned.
As far as I remember, you had to go to the shop and spend €7, ask some specific questions and write a report - this was to get a payment of €10 - so really it's only €3 and the purchase of an item you didn't want! So you have the money spent before you get it.

Sorry I couldn't be more positive about it!

Denerick

bubbaloo wrote: »

I enquired about this a few years ago but it didn't work out beneficially as far as finances were concerned.
As far as I remember, you had to go to the shop and spend €7, ask some specific questions and write a report - this was to get a payment of €10 - so really it's only €3 and the purchase of an item you didn't want! So you have the money spent before you get it.

Sorry I couldn't be more positive about it!

I was thinking it was too good to be true. Cheers

Sure how would they know how much you spend, or if you even enter the shop in the first place?

copacetic

be wary of mystery shopping companies in general, a lot of scams out there. Sunday Business Post recently ran an ad for a company looking for mystery shoppers which turned out to be a scam.

deelite

Why don't you try to get into the "Focus Groups" - there's a few on line such as Empathy Research - but sometimes they call you to personally attend a group - for which your paid from 30 euro - 50 euro for an hour. They're hard to get onto but once your name is on the list - it stays on the list...

mikemac

Did it for a few years, but yeah watch out for rogue employers.

Some are terrible jobs.
Had to setup a display case for batteries in B&Q which took hours and got less then 20 euro for it.

Some were easy. Visit a shop and ask about a TV or sound system. In and out in 10 minutes, complete the report in 5 minutes and bang it off in the post and get a cheque

Some jobs were brilliant. Going to various pubs, one was to buy Becks and Stella. Check for glasses, product placement, service, fill up the report and you drink your pint.
Best job ever

Haven't done it a long while now, lots of jobs going though.
Whatever you purchase I always got reimbursed, plus travel expenses,plus fee
bubbaloo, you were working for cowboys!

pow wow

There's quite a few threads about this already. Not all companies are cowboys, but you're never going to get rich from it. The company I do it for, for example, advises us to treat it as a source of pocket money so to speak :P I usually get about 20 euro per assignment plus expenses - sometimes you keep what you buy, sometimes you post it back. You get hotel stays/restaurant meals for free but you don't usually get a fee in addition to that.

Denerick

Seeing as some of you have done this before, could you recommend some good companies to think in mind? Also, some help with the focus groups would be great

bubbaloo

feelingstressed wrote: »

Haven't done it a long while now, lots of jobs going though.
Whatever you purchase I always got reimbursed, plus travel expenses,plus fee
bubbaloo, you were working for cowboys!

That's what I thought when I got my first "assignment" so I never even went into the shop!!

tinnuvial

It is rife with scams but I know 2 people who did it for a legit company. They never had to buy anything. They mostly dealt with chemists and they would go in and ask about whatever product was the focus of that particular survey. They would then fill out an evaluation form on the entire experience. They got paid a couple of hundred for doing 3/4 shops in their area. However, work has dried up with the legit companies from what they tell me. I believe they both worked for Marketing Partners Ltd.