Should I sign up as a mystery shopper with Gap Buster Worldwide?

As a UK mystery shopper, Gap Buster Worldwide or GBW is one of the first companies that you will come across. They have been going for several years and appear to be one of the more solid and dependable mystery shopping companies. GBW offer a wide range of opportunities for the mystery shopper and could be a good place to start out as a mystery shopper or to expand into new mystery shopping companies. Here is our guide to mystery shopping with GapBuster Worldwide -

Sign-up process with Gap Buster mystery shopping

To start with Gap Buster Worldwide is an easy process. they want to know some basic information about you and then get to know a little more about what you can bring to the table as a mystery shopper. This is a natural thing for any mystery shopping company in the UK.

After the initial sign-up, GBW then have separate orientations for their different clients. This means that you have to learn a lot of information about each client before you are allowed to shop there. Each orientation has a test that you must pass in order to be allowed to conduct a mystery shop with that client. GapBuster Worldwide mystery shopping have quite strict requirements here, and if you fail the test 3 time then you cannot shop with that client on their behalf.

The type of assignments that GBW have

Gap Buster Worldwide mystery shopping have ,any different types of assignments and these change in a regular basis, they cover the whole of the UK for some major retailers and hospitality outlets, so you should always be able to find the one that will suit you. These include -

• Fast food mystery shops
• DIY store mystery shops
• Petrol station mystery shops
• Convenience store mystery shops

Don't forget that you have to pass an orientation for each client to be able to conduct an assignment there for GBW mystery shopping.

Sending reports to GapBuster

The report system is a simple, way to get your information back to GapBuster after an assignment. It is an online form that gives you multiple choice questions. It usually inly asks for extra information to be types if there is a problem. Gap Buster mystery shopping have one of the best systems for sending reports around.

Payment schedules for GBW

This is one of the bugbears with Gap Buster mystery shopping that is reported. They pay at the end of the month following the month where you conduct an assignment. So if you carry out a mystery shop on the 1st June, it is the 31st of July when you are paid for this. Of course if you carry one out on the 30th June, you still get paid on 31st July. Waiting up to 8 weeks to be reimbursed for a mystery shop works for some, but not for others. Think about this before you sign up.

Summary - is Gap Buster the right shopping company for me?

This is ideal for the newbie mystery shopper who wants to learn what it is all about. The orientations may feel like a burden at fist, but they give you a thorough grounding in what a mystery shopping company is looking for. Once you have got to grips with this, then you can apply your learnings to other mystery shopping companies. Think about the payment schedule though, as for some this is a problem.

Should I sign up as a mystery shopper with Market Force ?

There are many UK mystery shopping companies that you could work for. The decision depends on what is important to you. Here is my guide to being a mystery shopper with Market Force and what being a Market Force mystery shopper entails –

Sign-up process for Market Force

Starting out as a mystery shopper with Market Force couldn’t be easier. You complete your details and answer a few simple questions before they assess your application. They need things that will help them assess if you are a good fit for their mystery shopping programme, such as –

·         Where you work and where you have worked previously

·         The makeup of your household

·         If you have a business

This helps Market force to link you to the right jobs. If you are accepted as a mystery shopper with Market Force then you can look for assignments. A Market Force mystery shopper can only carry out 2 assignments in the first month while you get used to their systems and they become confident that you can meet the standards of their customers.

Don’t worry about this. My book is available now to help you understand all there is to know about mystery shopping – including getting started.

The type of assignments Market Force have available

Becoming a Market Force mystery shopper gives you access to some of the best mystery shops out there. Their customers change all the time, so I won’t go into specifics but needless to say, being a mystery shopper with Market Force will give you access to –

·         Pub mystery shops

·         Restaurant mystery shops

·         Takeaway mystery shops

·         Chemist mystery shops

·         And many more

They are an established company that has been around for some time with some high-profile clients. This means that they are a name you can trust and will be around for a long time. A Market Force mystery shopper will have access to many and varied mystery shops that will keep it interesting.

Sending reports to Market Force

Reporting back your findings to Market Force is by way of their website, with easy to follow and complete forms. The website works on all devices and the forms are super-easy to complete. Most of the questions have a simple check-box answer (mainly yes or no) and then a space under to write any comments, if necessary.

Their reports often have a question where you must put in an overall summary of your visit, but even these usually only require 500 characters.

Market Force payment schedules

One of the main reasons you might want to be a mystery shopper with Market Force is the pay, of course. They pay twice a month in arrears for the work you have carried out, usually on the 15^th and the last day of the month, depending on weekends.

So, if you work for them between the 1^st and the 15^th of the month then you will receive that money at the end of the same month. If you work between the 16^th and the end of the month, then you only have to wait until the 15^th of the next month for your payment.

Summary -  is Market Force right for me?

I recommend Market Force, particularly for those mystery shoppers that are just starting out. They offer support, a quality website and the payments are pretty good. If you want to use a mystery shopping company to build up your skills for other providers then this is the perfect place to start. Just check them out today and see how you can become a Market Force mystery shopper today.

The top 5 UK mystery shopping companies according to Google

We use Google to run most of our life in the modern day. It gives us information about the latest movie times, where to eat and who to use to fix our home. Mystery shopping is a great way to earn some extra cash and get your hands on some free goodies. Do a simple Google search on mystery shopping in the UK and you will find the companies that are top of the list. Here is The top 5 UK mystery shopping companies according to Google -

1 - Mystery Shoppers - Customer Experience Specialists

This looks like a company that has mystery shopped a vast number of outlets and provided mystery shoppers with the chance to make great money. It's number one on the list of the top 5 UK mystery shopping companies according to Google so take a look.

Mystery Shoppers - Customer Experience Specialists

2 - Marketforce - Get Paid To Shop

Number two on the list of the top 5 UK mystery shopping companies according to Google is MarketForce. This company have been providing mystery shopping opportunities for many years now. They are at the forefront of the UK mystery shopping community. You can apply to join them here.

Marketforce - Get Paid To Shop

3 - Checkout - Have you thought about becoming a mystery shopper?

Checkout are looking for observant and reliable people to mystery shop on their behalf. They are also experts in video mystery shopping, so there are a wide range of mystery shops.

Checkout - Have you thought about becoming a mystery shopper?

4 - Secret Shopping - Mystery Shopper Company & Jobs

They say that it is easy to apply to be a mystery shopper with Secret Shopping , so they are well worth a look. They quite part-time work that pays well, so this may be the opportunity for you.

Secret Shopping - Mystery Shopper Company & Jobs

5 - Scisco UK - Understand and improve your business

Last but not least on the current list of the top 5 UK mystery shopping companies according to Google is Scisco. They look to build strong relationships with their mystery shoppers. It is really important to work for a mystery shopping company you can trust - and never pay to become a mystery shopper.

Scisco UK - Understand and improve your business

Supermarket mystery shopper vacancies

Mystery shopping is something that can make a change to your life. Picking up some extra goods while earning money for it is a great feeling. There are many supermarket mystery shopper vacancies if you know where to look. The big supermarkets are often looking for mystery shoppers to ensure that their service standards are up to scratch. This includes –

·         Asda

·         Tesco

·         Sainsburys

·         Morrisons

·         And more

Supermarket mystery shopper vacancies are some of the most sought after in the whole of the world of mystery shopping. Here’s how you can look for these opportunities.

What is a supermarket mystery shop?

Many retail and hospitality outlets want to know how they are performing. They set standards for customer service and spend a lot of money in recruiting the right people and then training them to hit these standards. The best way to see if this is working is to get feedback from customers. This is where the mystery shopper comes in.

If you apply for supermarket mystery shopper vacancies then you can expect to be asked a few questions. Mystery shopping companies are looking for people who are –

·         Good timekeepers

·         Objective

·         Observant

·         Can write a good report

If you think that you fit into these criteria, then you can apply for supermarket mystery shopper vacancies and the people at Market Force are probably the best place to start. They will give you a good grounding in what is required. After that you can look at the other mystery shopping companies in the UK for more details.

Supermarket mystery shopper vacancies

The mystery shops in supermarkets are generally quite easy to conduct. People may look at supermarket mystery shopper vacancies and think that they need to perform quite an arduous task to succeed. But it just isn’t this way at all. Supermarket mystery shopping has a set formula that you need to follow. This will generally be –

·         Assess the store for cleanliness

·         Browse for a while

·         Ask a question of a team member

·         Note the answer

·         Buy some products at the tills

·         Assess the time taken to be served

Although there are always going to be some variations, this is the general formula. Don’t be afraid to apply for supermarket mystery shopper vacancies and see how it can bring you some extra groceries – and a bit of cash too.

What are the rewards?

Supermarket mystery shopper vacancies bring with them some pretty good rewards, especially if you live near a few supermarkets. Often a mystery shopping company will only allow you to visit every other month, so don’ think that this will bring you more groceries than you will ever need. The rewards on their own are reasonable, but together they can add up.

You will be reimbursed for your purchases. This is often up to £10, so can help the groceries a few times a year per supermarket that you have in your local area. I have 4 Morrisons, 4 Tesco, 2 Sainsburys and 4 Asda that are close to where I live. This allows me to get free groceries more than once per month.

In addition, you are usually paid a fee for your time, to cover petrol and any other costs. This means that you can also generate a small income to go with your free groceries. Supermarket mystery shopper vacancies are well worth looking into. If you want to know about how to become a mystery shopper, then my book will guide you through the process –

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 -