The 5 reasons mystery shopping is great for students

Mystery shopping can be carried out by just about anyone over the age of 18 with access to the internet. There are certain groups that are perfectly suited to mystery shopping. Students are ideal candidates to mystery shop because they have some free time, are often located in big cities and have a need for many of the goods and services being shopped for. Here are the 5 reasons mystery shopping is great for students-

5 - It adds to your CV

It can be difficult enough when you leave university to get your name in front of the right employers. Every company wants to know that you will know how to deal with their customers, so experience in mystery shopping lets them know you what it's all about. It also lets prospective employers know that you didn't spend ALL your spare time drinking.

4 - It helps with your skills

Although towards the end of your university course you will want to focus completely on your degree, at the start you will have time to hone your skills. The reports you file for some mystery shopping companies will stand you in good stead when it comes to putting together your uni reports too.

3 - It is flexible

University work can have peaks and troughs so you might be available to work a lot of hours this week but none the next. The flexibility of mystery shopping is perfect for student life. You can pick up assignments all over the country so you can work when at home or at university. You can pick and choose the assignments you want to do so it fits in around your schedule. Just remember to plan in advance or all the best jobs might have disappeared!

2 - A little extra money always helps

It always helps to bring in some cash when you are at university. Although you can't make enough from mystery shopping to earn a living it does add a little extra cash. It is always welcome to being in a few pounds here and there to help you with the essentials such as food and drink. Mystery shopping is great for students because you can do a few shops and earn some extra income.

1 - Free meals!

Money can be quite tight when you are a student. Thinking back to my university days I would have loved the chance to get some free meals to lighten the burden a little. I currently get between one and four free meals per week. This is the ideal reason for a student to get into mystery shopping.

If you are interested in becoming a mystery shopper then my book is a great place to start. Pick it up now at the Amazon Kindle Store.

A Closer Look is a great opportunity for the budding mystery shopper

As my regular readers know I am a serial mystery shopper, and I like to look for new opportunities all the time. I am constantly looking for mystery shopping companies that can help you to go out there and earn some extra money in a fun way while getting your hands on free clothes, food and drinks. I was clicking through the internet the other night while the TV was on, and I found a great site called A Closer Look. I just loved the name to begin with, so I decided to read on.

Being an established mystery shopper, I actively search for features and strong reputations that will set a mystery shopping company apart from its competitors, making it most appealing to my readers. A Closer Look has just won the 2016 Shoppers’ Choice Award through the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA), so you know that they will be offering you some great opportunities to get paid to shop and experience fun nights out! It is the flexibility in scheduling and variety of shops A Closer Look offers that really wins over their shoppers.

They have a great client list, so you can get your hands on drinks, food and your favourite items from retail stores and be reimbursed (and sometimes even paid)for doing it. You’ll need an eye for detail, access to the internet and be able to post your reports within 12 hours of carrying out the shop, but these are all easily achieved. In return, there are plenty of assignments available all over the United States and Canada in locations such as:

•          Bars
•          Restaurants
•          VIP lounges
•          Shops
•          Movie Theaters
•          Hotels
•          Gyms
•          And more

A Closer Look has an easy-to-use website that shows you all the available mystery shopping opportunities near you. Pop out on your lunch break and get a bite to eat, go to the mall on your day offor enjoy a weekend away. Once you have signed up with A Closer Look and carried out a few assignments, the number of shops available to you will grow. You can sign up at https://insight.a-closer-look.com/ShopperApplication-Start.aspx; please quote reference STT001 when you apply for a chance to win $50 in a quarterly drawing!

The beauty of A Closer Look is the wide range of clients you can shop for. The details of each assignment can be found on the website, and it outlines all the things that are expected of you:

•          What times and dates you can shop
•          Whether you have to shop alone or bring a friend (great for a girlie meal out)
•          If you have to buy anything specific
•          The amount of money you will be paid and/or reimbursed

This last part is important when it comes to your taxes. The money you are reimbursed just repays what you had to spend on the mystery shop. This is not taxable. The fees that you may be paid need to be reported as income if you make over $600.

The amount of money you will earn depends on the type and number of mystery shops you carry out each month. The pay is on the 4^th Monday of the following month, so you never have to wait long to be reimbursed for your shops! Reimbursement is sent in the form of a check. A Closer Look doesn’t need you to carry out a minimum number of shops per month, so they offer the ultimate in mystery shopping flexibility. The focus on fashion (retail shops) and eating out (restaurants/bars) means that 21 to 29 year-old shoppers will see more jobs available for them to conduct. Some bars and restaurants want to ensure their bartenders and servers are asking for ID, so those in the 21-29 age group are ideal candidates to check out age compliance shops in their area. There are plenty of mystery shopping opportunities for all ages, so don’t let the age compliance shops deter you from applying!

Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about A Closer Look.