The 4 best mystery shopping experiences for the newbie mystery shopper

I help people to understand mystery shopping and go through the steps to become a mystery shopper. It is an interesting thing to do and many of the mystery shops end up with a free meal, some new clothes or an income at the end of it. Mystery shopping is a great addition to any lifestyle and is ideal for stay at home mums, the retired or students. It supplements your lifestyle and maybe gives you the chance to do some things that you wouldn't have been able to otherwise. For me it gives the family a free meal out at least once a week and helps around Christmas and birthdays with extra gifts for the kids. Starting out as a mystery shopper can feel daunting. Many of the assignments require you to visit on your own and you may feel like you don't quite know what you are doing. But don't worry. There are some easy mystery shops for the newbie that will help you to get into your stride. Here is my guide to the best experiences that will get you up and running -

4- Restaurant mystery shop

There are many restaurant visits available for the new mystery shopper. When you first look at the assignment notes these may feel like they give you a lot to look at but when you scratch the surface you can see that many of the questions are things that you would have noticed anyway -

"Were the toilets clean?"

 "Did your food look appetising?"

"Did the team member wear a uniform?"

These are a good way to get into mystery shopping and are something that I started out with years ago when I was a fledgling mystery shopper. I still do them today. If you read the notes and take out all that is important, then you can make a success of this and build to future mystery shops that may be more complicated.

3- Mystery shop in a clothing store

The reason I like these is there is always the opportunity to check your notes. The fittings room of a clothing store is paradise for the mystery shopper. It allows you to take a few moments, check your notes and make sure you are on track. I also use this time to write down anything I have observed. Taking a time-out isn't usually something you can do with a mystery shopping assignment but with a clothing store you get to step away for a few seconds.

Clothing retailers always need to be mystery shopped because so much of what they do depends on the service they give. You get to browse, try on some clothes and earn yourself a free item of clothing. What could be better? Combine it with your normal shopping trip to your local town or shopping centre and save on travel too.

2 - Online mystery shop

Another way to get started without the pressure of a face to face interaction is the inline mystery shop. There are many of these available where you ask a question on social media, send an email or spend time on a website. Your report comes back in terms of your online experience.

This can be a great way to get used to mystery shopping. When you start there can be a lot of things to remember all at once. Online mystery shopping gives you the chance to practice from the comfort of your own PC, tablet or smartphone. Check them out, as they may be the ideal way for you to start on this path.

1 - Enquiry mystery shop

These ate where you go to a shop, travel agent or concession stand and ask a few questions without buying. They are a great way to learn how to mystery shop because you commit nothing but your time. There is no expenditure, so if you do get a few things wrong, you won't lose out if the mystery shopping company can't use the report and choose not to pay you. This can happen although it is very rare) so using an enquiry mystery shop gives you the chance to try it out and see if you like it.

Mystery shopping is something that supplements my lifestyle and gives me access to free goods, meals out and cash on a regular basis. If you are interested in becoming a mystery shopper then my book is the perfect place to start. It gives you all the information you might need to start mystery shopping -