Secret Shopping!

Disclaimer: Never sign up for any secret/mystery shopping company that requires you to pay or to provide your credit card number. These are not all scams, but there are so many legitimate companies that do not require payment to become a member--you don't need to bother with those that ask you to pay them. You want *them* to pay *you*!

Secret shopping is a great moneymaking hobby. I have used it to help pay for things I would already be buying, to try out new places or products (and get paid for that, too)... or just to get paid for running an errand or completing a task that requires no out-of-pocket expense! I love being a shopper, and it has changed the way I do my everyday shopping; once you get into it, you'll find yourself becoming more aware of "the customer experience" and taking notice of little details. It may also help you open up or come out of your shell. Until recently, I would never ask for help in a store; when I was younger, I was always mortified when my mother talked to employees for any reason at all. ; ) After feeling uber-uncomfortable on my first couple of shops, having to interact with employees and present certain questions or scenarios, I got over that pretty quickly, and now I'm never hesitant to speak up and ask for what I need when shopping.

The key to secret shopping, at least the way I do it, is to sign up with as many legitimate companies as possible. There are two good reasons for doing this:
1) Most companies don't have available jobs all the time. If you sign up with multiple companies, you have your pick of several jobs each week or month, depending on how much time you want to devote to shopping.
2) Even if you did find one company that offered you lots of jobs within a given year, that would come back to haunt you at tax time. If you earn $600 from any one company in a calendar year, that company is obligated to send you a 1099, which you, in turn, are obligated to report on your taxes. No fun! (I think that's part of why most companies won't offer that many jobs to one shopper--I'm sure they don't want to bother with the paperwork either!)

When considering your shop opportunities, you should look at the following:
1) Payment and/or reimbursement. Some shops offer a flat-rate payment/fee/incentive; some offer reimbursement only, up to a certain dollar amount; others offer both a fee and a reimbursement. Whatever the case, use this to help you determine if the shop is worth your time.
2) Location, location, location. Is this somewhere you would normally shop, or someplace new you'd like to check out? Is it near your home or office, or on the way to any of your normal stops? (If it's out of the way, does the payment make it worth your travel time and gas mileage?) Is it in an area of town you'll feel comfortable in?
3) Time required to perform the shop. Do the specifications require that you stay a certain amount of time, or during certain hours--and if so, do these specifications fit with your schedule? How many departments must you visit? With how many employees must you interact? Do you have to make a purchase, try on an item, or anything else that will add to the time in-store? Does the payment make it worth your time?
4) Time required to submit the report. If you have the opportunity, check out the list of questions you'll need to answer, or the list of specifications. Some shops can be incredibly detailed (e.g. precise descriptions of all employees who did not acknowledge you in the store), while others just want the basics (e.g. brief description of the cashier). Again, does the payment make it worth your time?

Before I give you my list, there's one more thing you need to know: these companies are legally required to have your SSN on file in order to pay you (mostly for tax purposes in case you meet that $600 mark). Rest assured that this is not an identity theft scam, at least with the companies I have listed here; I can tell you that from experience with them. Before signing up with any company, research it. Make sure you find reputable reviews online. (If I'm not sure, I Google the company's name along with "scam" to see if I get any hits.)

Stay tuned for my list of secret shopping companies, coming soon!

Shoppers' Critique

- Shoppers' Critique International was one of my first shop companies, and I still love shopping for this one--did two shops for them this week, actually! 
- The only shops I have completed for SCI were at Cato and It's Fashion (11 total). These shops are simple to complete and do not take a lot of time--either for the shop itself, or for the report. There is a reimbursement of $5 and a shop fee of $10 (minimum $5 purchase required); so, since these stores have low-priced items, you can buy a great $15 clothing item and essentially get it free. Love it!
- Other shops I have seen available for SCI in my state included a uniform store and some tourist attractions at the beach (part of the Ripley's franchise). Looking through the current offerings for other states, I also see a hair salon, apartment complex, and a few restaurants. LOTS of Cato/It's Fashion, though, in almost every state!



- Bestmark is probably the company I shop for most frequently. I have been sent on some great jobs through this one; they offer quite a variety!
- Shops I've done through Bestmark: 
     ~ Restaurants: one at Joe's Crab Shack (reimburse up to $75), three at Hickory Tavern (remiburse up to $35), and one coming up at Fuddrucker's soon
     ~ Piggly Wiggly three times (reimburse up to $15)
     ~ Best Buy ($10 fee; small purchase required, but no reimbursement)
     ~ Best Buy Mobile three times ($10 fee; no purchase required)
     ~ A phone shop where I called an online college program for information ($6 fee)
- There are a lot of auto dealership shops open now ($14 fee, obviously no purchase) but I was blessed to get a new car last year, and I don't think it would look too legit for me to drive it onto a lot and act like I'm shopping! They also offer a lot of shops at electronic retailers, grocery stores (mostly Piggly Wiggly), and a few restaurants. A unique thing about Bestmark: they're not afraid to call and beg you to take a job! I've had several calls asking me to fill shops on certain dates, and sometimes offering a bonus if they're desperate enough.




- Business Evaluation Services (BES) isn't my favorite, but I've made some money through it and keep it on my list to check for future opportunities.
- I did two BES shops checking Cartier merchandise at Costco (no purchase required, pay of $20 each). The first one was okay; I just had to look at the watches they had and jot down the model and serial numbers. The second one was awful. They added a photo requirement, and the manager of Costco had to explain to me that if you have a photo and serial number of a piece of fine jewelry, you could attempt insurance fraud. This whole situation made me quite uncomfortable, although the shop was legit--it was for a national company that ensures product authenticity in outlet retailers.
- BES has a few types of shops that pop up occasionally--clothing outlet stores, hair loss clinics, auto service, and furniture stores, to name a few.

 
- Second-To-None is a relatively recent add for me (5 months) but has already been a good moneymaker. 
- My shops so far:
     ~ Radio Shack twice ($7 payment + $2 reimbursement), with a given scenario inquiring about phones, cameras, GPS, or MP3 players (shopper's choice)
     ~ Office Max (paid $8--I think that was a flat fee shop, no reimbursement, but required a very small office supply purchase)
     ~ Krispy Kreme ($5 payment + $7 reimbursement)
- STN seems to focus on eletronic/office supply stores, but it does have Krispy Kreme (yum), as well as the Joe Muggs cafe inside Books-a-Million stores. The shop forms don't take an incredible amount of time, either.