What to do if you get spotted as a mystery shopper

Mystery shopping is something that you can pick up quite easily. You have to apply to a mystery shopping company, but if you get my book The Secrets of Mystery Shopping: How To Become a Mystery Shopper then you can deal with that without any hassle at all. When you begin mystery shopping, there are a few things that can cause an issue. Being spotted by a member of staff could cause an issue. Here is my guide to what to do if you get spotted as a mystery shopper and how to overcome any potential issues that surround this.

When I carried out a mystery shop in a well-known public house chain this Saturday I thought I was being discrete. After I visited the bar and returned to my son, another customer came over and said that the people at the bar thought I was a mystery shopper. It made me think about how I carry out my mystery shops. I wondered, as many others do, what to do if you get spotted as a mystery shopper and decided to write a few tips here.

Prepare well in advance

The best way to avoid needing to know what to do if you get spotted as a mystery shopper is to not get spotted in the first place. I know I couldn't have made a more obvious statement if I tried, but there are steps you can take to lessen the chance you are spotted -

• Know where you are going
• Read and re-read the assignment notes so you don't need to refer to them during an assignment
• Be confident in what you do
• Don't make notes when you are in the location
• Take your photograph of the location after the visit, not before

All of these will help you to be less conspicuous as a mystery shopper. What to do if you get spotted as a mystery shopper becomes less of an issue if you can look like any other customer.

Stand your ground

If someone says to you, "are you a mystery shopper?" then the worst thing to do is admit it. Your mystery shopping company will probably invalidate your report and not pay you. There are so many better things to say -

• "What's one of them?"
• "A mystery shopper? What's that all about?"
• "Tell me more."
• "I'd like to be"
• Or just a plain old, "no!"

These will put the staff member in the position where they either continue and risk upsetting a customer, or they back down and apologise. You may look back and think that you could have acted differently - use that s a learning for the next time. You might even choose to stay away from that particular location in the future. If you understand what to do if you get spotted as a mystery shopper then you have a greater chance of protecting your income from that mystery shop.

Keep calm and carry on!

I know - I hate that slogan too now it has been overused. But, knowing what to do if you get spotted as a mystery shopper can help to keep you calm and composed. Don't worry about things. Just act like a normal customer and get on with what you have to do. Most mystery shopping assignments are over in a matter of a few minutes, so the embarrassment won't last long if this is how you feel.

The staff members are there to give you great service, so tell them you have no idea what they are talking about and let them get on with looking after you. If they still have thoughts that you might be a mystery shopper then the service will probably be excellent from then on - they won't want to take the risk!

If you are thinking about becoming a mystery shopper then Market Force area  leading UK mystery shopping company and they are looking for shoppers right now!!

How much can I earn as a mystery shopper ?

There is a lot said and written about mystery shopping and one of the main topics of conversation is ' How much can I earn as a mystery shopper ?' Some say that you can't earn a great deal at all, while others state that you can make a living out of it. With such confusion, it is little wonder that mystery shopping companies often struggle to attract people. When I go on the majority of mystery shopping websites I am signed up for, they are advertising for new applicants, or offering incentives for existing shoppers to refer a friend.

I have been mystery shopping for several years now, and I have tried it out with scores of different mystery shopping companies. Some I still work with, while others have either drifted away or I just don't find anything from them. This is the way with an industry like this. A company may rely on one big client, then a lost contract can mean they don't have a great deal available. I have always had to think about how much can I earn as a mystery shopper ?

So, how do you earn as a mystery shopper?

Mystery shopping gives you the opportunity to go out there and test the service of retail and hospitality outlets in exchange for two payments -

1. You are repaid for what you spend in the shop - known as a reimbursement
2. You are paid for your time and trouble - known as the fee

Together, these are the earnings that you get from conducting a mystery shop. This is the answer to the question - ' How much can I earn as a mystery shopper ?'

Like many things in life, this is best explained by way of an example -

You select a task where you have to go into a pub, buy a meal and two drinks.

The reimbursement is up to £9.75

The fee is £2.50

If you spend £9.75, then you will receive your money back and a fee of £2.50 to cover your time, petrol, parking and any other expenses.

You have also had a free meal, in effect.

Mystery shopping isn't going to make you rich, as you can see from this typical example. There are more lucrative mystery shops and ones where you are paid a fee of say £10 and don't have to make a purchase, but these are not as common as the ones outlined above.

How do I make the most of mystery shopping?

The best way to do this is to carry out more than one mystery shop in the same location, or close to each other. In the example above, I would need to not travel very far and have no parking charges to make this worthwhile in terms of pure income. Of course I wouldn't need to buy dinner that day, but as an income £2.50 isn't going to get me very far. The answer to the question ' How much can I earn as a mystery shopper ?' suddenly doesn't look as great.

To make this worthwhile I might have -

• A grocery store visit with a £3 fee
• A clothing store visit with a £2.50 fee
• The pub, as above, with a £2.50 fee
• A coffee shop with a £3 fee
• A perfume shop with a £2 fee
• A visit to an outlet with a £3 fee
• A £10 fee for visiting a mobile phone shop and making an enquiry

So I can walk away with this with

• Coffee and cake, plus a pub lunch
• Groceries to pay for meals for the next few days, plus perfume, clothes and another item
• £26 across the visits to pay for petrol, parking, etc.

This isn't going to make you rich by any means but could be a nice supplement to a day out that you already have planned.

How much can I earn as a mystery shopper ?

The long and the short of it is that you are not very likely to be able to live off mystery shopping. If you live alone with no mortgage in a big city then there is the slight possibility that you could make this happen, but that description doesn't fit many of us. It is a lifestyle business that can help you soften the blow of monthly spending, go out for a meal every now and again or get presents fro Christmas or birthdays. There isn't really anything else in it. I think that a full-time mystery shopper could probably manage between £15,000 and £25,000 worth of good and income in a year, but more than half of this would be goods. This can't sustain most people. How much can I earn as a mystery shopper can be a bit of a how long is a piece of string question. I hope this sheds some light on it.

If you are considering mystery shopping then my book is a great place to learn all the basics and be prepared for what it might throw at you. Check it out now -

The top 5 questions to ask a mystery shopping company

If you are thinking about becoming a mystery shopper, then you may find that there are a few veils of secrecy over the industry. This is right in many ways, because it wouldn't be a mystery if all the cards were laid on the table. But you want to know what you are letting yourself in for. So, there are certain answers that you will need. Here are my top 5 questions to ask a mystery shopping company to make sure you know what is required of you and whether you can work together -

1 - Do you charge a fee for me to mystery shop with you?

This is a question that seems obvious to those of us that have been doing this for a while, but I have read more and more scams out there, so beware. The fact that there is a lot of secrecy in mystery shopping has opened it up to some unscrupulous operators. They think they can earn money from others without any work. This is a scam.

No genuine mystery shopping company will take cash from you up front to join their panel or assign you jobs. I have a list of the legitimate UK mystery shopping companies on this blog, so this is the perfect place to begin. Don't part with your money for a mystery shopping opportunity.

2 - How do I apply?

Each mystery shopping company has a different way for you to send your details and make an application to become one of their mystery shoppers. You will need to know what they are looking for. It is no use telling them you are an avid online shopper if they are looking for new recruits for physical shops. Read up on what they want and make sure you fit the bill.

Some will have multiple choice tests that you have to pass while others might ask you why you think you are suited to mystery shopping. It seems that many of these sites I frequent are regularly looking for shoppers, so take a look at what they need and let them know that you fir the bill.

3- How are shops assigned?

For me, this is the third most important on the list of the top 5 questions to ask a mystery shopping company before you begin. Some will have online systems where you search and then assign yourself the work. This means that it is a first-come-first-served system and you stand as good a chance as all the other registered workers.

Others have certain criteria, which means that not all the available jobs are visible to you. So you might need to work your way up with these companies and build a profile. At least one of the mystery shopping companies I use has a ratings system. You are marked out of 10 for each mystery shop you carry out and only people with a 7 or above (sometimes 8) can apply for specific assignments.

Others still call shoppers when they have an available assignment. this may not work for you if you have others commitments. Find out how the jobs are assigned and choose the most appropriate company for you.

4 - When do you pay me?

This is a crucial entry in the top 5 questions to ask a mystery shopping company because that's what we are all in it for, right? With mystery shopping you generally buy goods and then wait for the company to pay you back what you have spent plus a fee for your time and trouble.

But what if this wait is up to 8 weeks? Are you still happy to mystery shop for them now?

Some companies pay at the end of one month for work you have done in the month before. Carry out an assignment on the 1st of August and you won't be paid until 30th September. This doesn't feel great.

But most don't work this way. They pay twice a month and pretty quickly at that. Look for the payment schedules and wait times so you know where you stand. If this is something you are doing for extra money then you might want to go slowly to begin with so you build up your cash reserves. Going out and doing 10 mystery shops in one day might feel great, but your bank account needs to suck up this money until you get paid.

5 - Which clients do you work with?

The fifth entry on my list of the top 5 questions to ask a mystery shopping company is still a crucial one. It doesn't feel as important as the others, but will still help you decide if the mystery shopping company is right for you. If you sign up with a mystery shopping company for free meals and they exclusively deal with fashion retailers, then you won't feel like mystery shopping is worth it for you.

Do your homework before you sign up so you don't waste your time. Mystery shopping can be great if you get the right assignments so you need to know hat those might be. The companies are usually quite coy about giving out this information in case you are a competitor trying to steal clients, but you can get a good idea if you ask the question.

Mystery shopping is something that you can grow to love if you start out on the right foot. My guide to mystery shopping is available now, so check it out -

Who would be a mystery shopper ?

The scene is set. You are walking around a shop trying desperately to get the attention of a shop assistant. You will have to write a report on this later and then your actions will in all probability be studied on CCTV to see if you have kept up your side of the bargain. And you are right to ask yourself the question - who would be a mystery shopper in this day and age?

So what is mystery shopping like on the bad days?

Mystery shopping is supposed to be easy. You go to a shop and buy a couple of things before sending a short report and getting paid. And when it goes right, it can be that easy. But there are times when you read the assignment notes, study the location and rehearse what you have to say - but nothing falls right for you. Your sat nav doesn't like the postcode that you have been given You drive up and down time and again to see if you can find the right spot, but it just isn't having it You decide to park and go on foot to look for the place but that isn't any better. The life of a mystery shopper runs smoothly most of the time but occasionally it just feels like a pain.

Who would be a mystery shopper is something that crosses my mind at times like this. To make matters worse, these events always seem to happen when

• It is raining
• It is windy
• I just don't feel very well

You know those days. But you keep on going because you have told someone you will do it. You can't let people down, that is in the nature of most of those who mystery shop for extra cash or a few treats every now and again.

But what about the good days?

When it all falls into place it is a breeze. I can often go out for the day, conduct several mystery shops (my PB is 12 in one day) and then get home to fill out some simple reports that are well-structured and help you to get the story of your visit across. But on others this doesn't work at all. Look for the good and remember if the bad comes along then you can get through it and live to see another day! The ratio of good to bad is around 50 to 1 so don't get down if it happens to you and jump back on the horse again.

Who would be a mystery shopper now?

There are certain groups that would be ideal for mystery shopping. The nature of the job is that you can pick and choose jobs, work across a variety of places and pick up some extra money, free goods or a free meal.

Mystery shopping for students is a great way to get some extra food, have a drink on someone else's money or buy a few groceries.

Mystery shopping for mums is a the ideal way to meet up for a coffee with someone else picking up the tab or to get a few bits for the kids.

Mystery shopping for retired people gets you out of the house or might supplement pension income.

If you are interested in becoming a mystery shopper then my book is the perfect place to learn all about it and get you on the right track. Check it out today -

Four reasons why you shouldn't mystery shop

Mystery shopping isn't for everyone. Some people will get a lot from it, while others will just not see what all the fuss is about. If you want an excuse not to try it then this is the right blog for you. Mystery shopping isn't a full-time job and you can't make the £40,000 a year plus that some websites tell you is possible. I have worked in mystery shopping for long enough to know what difference it can make - it is a lifestyle thing that will bring you free food, shopping and experiences. here are the top 4 reasons NOT to mystery shop -

Nobody really wants free stuff

It's true. The kind of things that they give away free when you mystery shop are really not worth having. The free meals out at quality restaurants are just a chore. The free gifts such as designer label perfume and clothing would just gather dust in your cupboard. You don't want to look great or smell great anyway - it's so overrated. The fact that you can grab a free coffee or spot of lunch when you are out somewhere doesn't really help lighten the load. the fact that it only takes a few minutes to complete a mystery shop and fill in the online form when you've done a few and know what it entails isn't that appealing either.

It doesn't take much time

The fact that mystery shopping doesn't take up mic of your time doesn't really appeal either. In fact for many people, the mystery shops they carry out are in their own town or somewhere they were going to anyway. So you can get your hands on free gifts, extra stocking fillers for the kids at Christmas and be fed and watered at the same time with someone else picking up the bill. But why would that appeal to anyone?

It is easy to select assignments online

I'm sure we all want a return to the old days where everything was difficult. the fact that mystery shopping companies operate online just make things far too simple. You don't want to be able to select a mystery shopping assignment at the click or a button or complete the report online in a few minutes - that would be far too easy. There are also mystery shops that you can do online from the comfort of your own sofa - far too easy!

There is no such thing as a free lunch

I'm told this all the time - there is no such thing as a free lunch. I suppose that they are correct. In return for the lunch you have to travel to the destination, pay for the food and eat it. But you would have done that anyway for lunch. Nobody wants something for nothing anymore. They want to jump through a load of hoops and have life as difficult as possible. Take this 'free lunch' thing away from me. It's far too simple.

I hope that I have put you off sufficiently so that those of us that want to mystery shop have all the best assignments to ourselves. But if you still want to mystery shop then the best place to get ready is my book, available now -

How to get into mystery shopping

Mystery shopping can be a great way to make extra money, pick up some free stuff or get a meal out paid by someone else. I love mystery shopping and all that it brings me. I use it for extra presents for the kids at birthday and Christmas and going out for something to eat once or twice a week. You can also make a little extra cash from it, if you do the right shops in the right places. But for many people, the idea of being a mystery shopper is great - they just don't know where to begin. Here is a quick guide on how to get into it.

Do your research

You need to know where to start. Online resources will give you an idea of what opportunities are out there. If you Google 'mystery shopping YOUR COUNTRY' then you will get a good idea about who is hiring. The first piece of advice here is never sign up with a company that wants you to pay yo become a part of their panel. Mystery shopping companies are paid by the retailers and hospitality venues they service, so legitimate companies don't ask for a fee.

When you have looked at some of the companies that are hiring, you should do some research on how they are viewed by the mystery shopping community. Online reviews will let you know if there have been payment problems, reports rejected or other reasons to think twice about working for a particular company. And there are also great online reviews that will let you see who could be a great company to work with. Don't forget that you are self-employed so you would not be working for them - but with them.

Learn about what makes a good mystery shopper

It may be tempting at this stage to get your application filled out online and go straight ahead with the process of becoming a mystery shopper. I suggest a little caution before you do this. Many mystery shopping companies have an application process (not too onerous) where you have to fill out some questions and tell them a bit about yourself. They want to know certain things, so it is always good to understand what they are looking for. My book The Secrets of Mystery Shopping: How To Become a Mystery Shopper is a great guide to the skills and behaviours that a mystery shopping company requires. Check it out today.

Use your knowledge to apply

The next step is to get that application in. Mystery shopping companies that are hiring will want people to join them as soon as possible. Once you know what they are looking for then get that application in and you can start to see the jobs available.

Start with one job and see where it takes you

You may look at scores of jobs available and think that you can jump in right away. Although at this point it is tempting to get on with it, I suggest that you select one mystery shopping assignment and complete it fully before moving on to the next. If you get a detail wring then there is  chance that the mystery shop company withholds payment and you are out of pocket. So to make sure you know what you are doing, read my book and complete the first assignment. From there you will have the feedback from the shop you have carried out and can build your confidence that you are doing all the right things.

Mystery shopping will give you access to anything from a free cup of tea to a meal out and many things in between. It is an interesting and fun way to pick up some extra items such as groceries or toiletries. Once you get started, you will see the potential every day.

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 -