Ladies I have this question have any of you heard of mystery shopping? I was listening to a talk show the other day and they had lady on there that does mystery shopping she goes in a buys things from the stores and then fills out a survery when she is done. She gets what she buys free up to so much and gets paid for filling out a survery. I have looked in on it. But, everyone wants money to get start like any where from 24.95 to get you started. I think that is kind of funny to pay someone to start a job maybe I am wrong. But, I was wondering have any of you ladies seen this before and what do you all think of it. Is it to good to be true. I just thought I go to store I wouldn't mind getting a free pair shoes once in awhile and then get paid for filling out a survery but I don't know what to think about paying to join it. ANY comments would be wonderful :lol:
My brother and his wife did it for going to restaurants, but I don't think they payed any money to get started. They had to pay for their meal, but then later had it reinbursed along with a pay for each time. My personal opinion is that any respectable company won't charge you to be put on their list. If you have to pay to get the job, I would think it's a good tip-off of a rip-off. I think the stores would be paying for the company to send in the Mystery Shoppers; there is no need for the Mystery Shoppers to have to pay!
I've never done it myself, but I do frequently see ads in our local newspapers looking for mystery shoppers .
A store I worked at as a teenager used mystery shoppers to check on how nice we were to customers. I think the start-up fee sounds fishy. No employer charges their employees :? .
You know what the start-up fee might be..... Often, when you pay a start-up fee, you're not paying to "become" a mystery shopper (or whatever). You are paying a third company to send you a list of addresses for companies that hire mystery shoppers. This is NO GUARANTEE that these companies are looking for people at that time, and you can probably get that information yourself for free if you know where to look.
Kris, please don't do this. It sounds suspect. It sounds fun, but you will probably be out 25.00, too.
Thanks everyone for the help, I thought it was fishy too just wanted to check. I don't plan on doing. Wasn't going to pay to get a job. :lol:
Someone over at atoz asked about these surveys where teachers fill them out online and get a free computer or whatever. They might do give you a computer, but you have to accept at least one offer from whatever company is listed in that survey. They in turn give your name/email to a cast of thousands and you are bombarded weith baloney. What a shame it has to be like this.
Kris, I did this for 2 years. It is alot of fun,sometimes, the worst is fast food orders because you have to order a certain type of meal and you have to time everything from when you pulled in, when your order was taken , time between order taken and when you paid, when you paid and recieved your food, etc, etc. And you have to do all this while trying not to be caught as a secret shopper. I recommend: http://www.mystery-shoppers.com You fillout the application and they contact you when there is a job in your area or you can go online and pick a job. No up front cost at all. That is a very big red flag when they ask you for money!!! Hope this helps, Crystal
I worked at a fast food restaurant way back when and we had a mystery shopper! I think he/she came by once a month, maybe it was more often. Anyway, try as we might, we never did figure out which one of our regular customers was the mystery shopper! Our manager would receive an evaluation, though, and share it at crew meetings. Paying for the job has got to be a scam. But if you can get a legitimate mystery shopper job, what fun! (Well, if you are shopping for clothes! Crystal, the fast food shopping sounds like it would be quite nerve wracking!) Blessings,
Mystery Shopping Kris, I saw an ad in the paper for mystery shoppers and I applied but I didnt have to pay any money up front. I was going to take the job but it was an hour away from my house and after paying for the gas it really wasnt worth it for me. I would be leary of anyone requesting money for employment. They may provide you with a list of companies that want mystery shoppers for that fee they want to charge you. If you want legitimate work from home opportunities and want to make real money and have taxes taken out of your check, I worked for a co. as a customer service rep. for in-bound calls only. I took orders and took payments over the phone and did returns and such. Very easy money for good money and I was paid for training and for each and every hour I worked.
I also have been an employee of a company who used mystery shoppers. The only advice I could give on the subject is that unless you are quite fortunate it should not be used as regular employment, just pocket money. The reason being it is a pretty popular field, there may or may not be lots of other shoppers in your area which makes it difficult to get called to go on a 'shop'. And if you say 'no' to one job, they aren't as likely to call you for the next. (providing there plenty other mystery shoppers in your area) Conversely though, it would be quite advantageous to you to find out if perhaps this is something your area is lacking in. Also, being the one whose been picked apart up and down by these guys and gals, lol... I personally don't think it's an easy task. You have to be really well at remembering and cognitively organized, because they give you specific things to look for -as another poster mentioned. You can't really write down the info you are gathering as that would give you away in a nanosecond! Cides... having been a retail employee for 7yrs once, I'm way too sympathetic to judge them, lol. But hey, if you have a talent for that kind of thing, it can be a ligitimate business for you. Like anything else there will be copy cats and 'companies' who will try to manipulate you, so do your research. There is a website called something like Homeworkingmoms.com that screens all these companies and can get you in touch with them.
This is exactly it. My mom started to do this and she got scammed. It sounds all fun, but there are many things that are not discussed to make it all sound so great. It also depends on where you live and who you deal with. And it isn't free up front. You have to pay, then you get reimbursed, and sometimes you may drive 30 minutes and get paid $10 for the visit. It's just fishy!
