Author: Cathy Stucker

Cathy Stucker is the author of
The Mystery Shopper's Manual. You can learn more about mystery shopping, and sign up for her free mystery shopper course, at IdeaLady.com and MysteryShoppersManual.com

When you apply to mystery shopping companies, you are usually asked to sign an Independent Contractor Agreement (ICA) that includes a confidentiality clause. This clause requires that you not disclose any proprietary information about the mystery shopping company and its clients. Many shoppers are unsure about exactly what constitutes confidential and proprietary information. Here is a quick guide to what you may and may not disclose.

Never discuss with anyone which mystery shopping company shops which client companies. In fact, don't discuss which companies get mystery shopped, even if you don't mention which mystery shopping company has them as a client.

Don't disclose the amount of any fees or reimbursements.

Any forms, guidelines, and other materials you receive from a mystery shopping company or client are confidential and should not be shared with anyone. You also should not share the results of a mystery shop (e.g., the completed report) with anyone outside of the mystery shopping company that hired you.

Some applications ask about other companies for which you have mystery shopped. It is acceptable to list some or all of the mystery shopping companies for which you have completed jobs, but don't include any information about the clients.

Never contact a client directly, unless you are told to do so by the mystery shopping company.

Don't gossip about the people who work for mystery shopping companies. Word travels quickly.

If you have a question about how to complete a shop, contact your scheduler. Don't post the question on a public forum. You may disclose confidential information, plus any answers you get may not be correct. Other shoppers may have different assignments.

What should you say if someone asks how they can get started in mystery shopping? Refer them to resources that will help them (such as the MSPA web site or the free email course I offer at IdeaLady.com). If they ask about mystery shopping companies, you may recommend some of your favorites to them--but don't mention the clients of those companies.

When in doubt, keep it to yourself. Many mystery shopping companies monitor posts to public forums, and they know which shoppers are posting inappropriate information. Don't damage your reputation by saying or posting something you shouldn't.

Author: Cathy Stucker

Cathy Stucker is the author of
The Mystery Shopper's Manual. You can learn more about mystery shopping, and sign up for her free mystery shopper course, at IdeaLady.com and MysteryShoppersManual.com

Have you ever imagined yourself going undercover, like one of those TV reporters with a hidden camera? That is very much what it is like when you do a video mystery shop.

Standard mystery shopping involves visiting a store, restaurant, bank, apartment complex or other business posing as a customer. Mystery shoppers do the things other customers do: we ask questions, make purchases and returns, etc. But we are also making observations about service, quality and cleanliness. Afterward, we submit reports describing what we observed.

During a video mystery shop you will do many of the same types of things you do in a regular mystery shop. You will ask questions of employees, engage them in conversations and record their responses. You may also be asked to record images of the sales floor and service areas.

An advantage of video over written reports is that the client can see exactly what happened, and not have to rely on the written impressions of the mystery shopper. The employee who was shopped can view the tape and see exactly how s/he comes across to customers.

The video equipment is easily hidden. The camcorder and battery pack are usually worn on a belt or carried in a purse. The camera itself it so small that it can be hidden in a button or a piece of jewelry.

Shoppers hired to do video shopping often have experience in mystery shopping or using video equipment, although some companies hire new shoppers and train them to do video shops. If you are asked to do a video mystery shop, you will be taught how to use the equipment and conduct the shop.

You may be asked to do some sample or test shops to get used to using the equipment. According to the companies that do video shopping, the best way to learn is to do a shop then view the tape you made. You can immediately see your results that way. Test shops allow you to learn without the pressures of a real shop.

The mystery shopping company will provide the video equipment for you. You may pick it up from a local location or it will be shipped to you. If you enjoy doing video shops and the mystery shopping company can provide you with a number of assignments, you may decide to buy equipment of your own.

Video mystery shoppers often receive higher fees than mystery shoppers doing a standard written report, because video mystery shopping requires a lot of skill. If you want to take on a new shopping challenge, video mystery shopping may be for you.

Author: Cathy Stucker

Cathy Stucker is the author of
The Mystery Shopper's Manual. You can learn more about mystery shopping, and sign up for her free mystery shopper course, at IdeaLady.com and MysteryShoppersManual.com

Before you click, "Submit," make sure your mystery shop report is the best it can be. Use this checklist to avoid some common mistakes.

Is the date, time and location information correct? Did you visit the right location, on the right day and during the allowable hours?

Did you answer all questions and provide all required comments and narratives? Although most systems will not allow you to submit a report with unanswered questions, the system can not always tell, for example, whether you have provided a comment for each "no" answer.

Did you answer "N/A" appropriately? Use N/A when the question truly does not apply, such as questions about the drive through when the location does not have a drive through. Do not use N/A because you forgot to check something.

Are your comments relevant? Are they consistent with your yes and no answers? Do your comments expand on the yes and no answers and provide additional information? That means your comments should not simply restate the question (e.g., "Sally greeted me within 30 seconds.").

Are comments and narratives written with proper spelling, grammar and punctuation? Use spell check, but also proofread carefully. The spell checker will not know you meant "from" when you entered "form."

Are timings correct and consistent? Timings are critical to the client, and a few seconds could mean the difference between a location making a standard or just missing it.

Have you complied with all guidelines and client requirements? Did you purchase the required items? Did you ask the correct product knowledge question? Did you stay at the location for at least as long as the client specified?

After you finish your report, do not forget to submit any required documentation, such as a receipt or business card. Prepare an invoice, if required. Then, file all of your shop documentation in case there are any questions.

Taking just a few extra minutes to make your reports the best they can be will make you the shopper who gets more and better assignments.

Author:

Kern Scheduling Services Inc. is the world's premiere mystery shopping scheduling services company

1. What is Mystery Shopping?

Mystery Shopping is a specialized research methodology used for measuring, monitoring, and maintaining operational standards and compliance of customer service and operations within a company. For companies that operate numerous locations, Mystery Shopping quantifies how each unit operates comparatively to predefined standards of expectation. This insight is achieved without the bias that can accompany self-assessment and provides a clearer, more accurate picture of the customers' experiences and the Associate/team's strengths and areas of development.

2. Should I become a Mystery Shopper?

Mystery Shopping offers insight to impact change for all types of selling environments, including retail stores, restaurants, financial institutions, hotels, etc. It is both enjoyable and rewarding. Work as a Mystery Shopper is well suited to anyone who would benefit from working highly flexible hours, earning a reasonable wage, working for a company that provides a number of diverse assignments, and in some cases receiving free products and services.

Mystery Shopping is not just about fun, as it is also a very serious business. Many companies use Mystery Shopping results as a vital component in reviewing and assessing employees and management. Important organizational decisions are based on the information gathered from Mystery Shoppers. All the detailed reporting that we provide to the Client is only as good as the information that you supply, so you must provide accurate and detailed facts. Mystery shoppers should prepare themselves thoroughly before conducting each and every assignment. Since every project is unique to a specific Client, it is important that the shopper read the evaluation criteria carefully for each new assignment they complete. The identical question on two separate client questionnaires could be evaluated in two entirely different ways, depending upon the Client's evaluation criteria. The more precise your feedback, the more valuable the information is to our Client.

3. Where can I receive more information about the Mystery Shopping industry?

If you would like more information pertaining to the Mystery Shopping Industry, you can access the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) web site at www.mysteryshop.org. The MSPA was formed for the purpose of strengthening the Mystery Shopping industry throughout the world. It is the goal of the organization to improve and stimulate the acceptance, performance, reputation and use of mystery shopping services internationally. Their web site is a comprehensive site with information about the Mystery Shopping Industry, the companies within it, and the many advantages of Mystery Shopping.

You can also visit any search engine (i.e.; Yahoo, Google, Lycos) to find out information about Mystery Shopping as an Industry. While on any of these search engines, type in a key term, such as "Mystery Shopping", in the blank field provided.

4. How much will I be paid for each assignment?

Shoppers are paid as independent contractors. Every shopping assignment has different factors, but most payments fall between $8 and $20. The personal extras like the free products and services that are available on many assignments certainly raises this rate of pay. Examples of free products and services include reimbursements for movie tickets, automobile repairs, meals, overnight hotel stays, etc. Each assignment varies and may be subject to change.

5. How much time does it take to complete each assignment?

The time it takes to precisely complete an evaluation depends solely on the scope of the assignment and the client criteria. An evaluation can take anywhere between 5 minutes and 2 hours (some projects require an overnight stay). Your level of experience may also play a part in how long it will take to accurately complete an evaluation. The more experienced you become as a shopper, the less time it usually takes to complete an assignment. It is important to remember that evaluations must be completed accurately and in detail. All submitted evaluations will be validated for credibility and content. In the event an evaluation is incomplete and a shopper does not provide the necessary information the shopper will not be paid.

6. If I conduct Mystery Shopping assignments for one company , can I still work for other companies?

You may work for as many companies as you wish. Mystery shopping should be considered part-time or intermittent work. The volume of work available for you is based upon the amount of work open in your area, the number of shoppers conducting assignments in your area, your level of experience, your Shopper Rating, your professionalism on past assignments, client specifications, and demographic restrictions.

7. Will I be required to make a purchase when I conduct an assignment?

Most assignments do not require you to make a purchase. Depending upon the specific assignment, its parameters, and the client specifications, a purchase may be required. Whenever an assignment requires a purchase you must retain a receipt of the transaction for validation. If a purchase is necessary the assignment guidelines will highlight how much you will be reimbursed.

8. Does the assignment have to be completed at a specific time?

Assignments are to be completed within the times and/or dates listed in the assignment detail. Should there be specific client parameters for completing an assignment this information will be provided prior to accepting the assignment.

9. What should I do if I cannot complete the assignment after accepting it?

If a problem arises that prevents you from completing an assignment you have in progress, you are expected to immediately refuse/reject the assignment by emailing your Scheduler. If you accept an assignment and refuse/reject it, your rating may be negatively impacted. You should not take on any assignment(s) if you are not positive that you will be able to successfully complete them during the specified dates and/or times and according to the Client's specifications.

10. Who will see my completed mystery shop forms?

Reports are processed and reviewed by the mystery shopping company's editors and administrators. These individuals ensure that all information is entered correctly and that all statements are factual. Once scores are tabulated, individual store reports and detailed summary reports are forwarded to Store Managers, District Managers, Regional Managers, and our client's corporate headquarters. Store Associates that have been evaluated may see your shopper reports, so it is very important to be fair, honest, and objective when completing your evaluation.

11. How do Clients use the reports/forms that I complete?

Clients use the reports to measure, monitor and maintain operational standards for customer service delivery, compliance of policies and procedures, competitor analysis, and to monitor a training initiative or to create a new training practice. This research is used to understand the face-to-face customers' interaction or "moments of truth" for all points of contact

Author: Cathy Stucker

Cathy Stucker is the author of
The Mystery Shopper's Manual. You can learn more about mystery shopping, and sign up for her free mystery shopper course, at IdeaLady.com and MysteryShoppersManual.com

Most mystery shopping companies will ask you to complete an online application. Although each company's procedures are a little different, here are some basics that are true in almost every case.

A major reason mystery shopping companies reject applicants is that they did not fully complete the application, so answer every question. If you are asked for a writing sample, provide it. As many as 20% to 25% of applicants do not make it through the first screening because they fail to provide all of the information required.

When you apply for a typical job, there are legal restrictions regarding the types of questions employers can ask prior to hiring you. Because we are all used to those limitations, some of the questions asked on a mystery shopping application may seem odd or inappropriate. You may be asked your age, race, marital status, number of children and their ages, if you own a car, if you have pets, whether you wear glasses, etc. Some companies may make these questions optional, while others will require that you answer to be considered for shops.

The good news is that questions such as these are not asked in order to exclude you, they are asked in order to include you. Some assignments require shoppers to be over or under a certain age to match the demographics of the client's customers. They may need three couples each of a different race or ethnicity to test compliance with non-discrimination laws. Shoppers may have to be accompanied by children. If someone is going to mystery shop a pet grooming service, they need a pet.

Remember that a big part of your job as a mystery shopper is filling out report forms and writing comments and narratives. Making sure your spelling, grammar and punctuation are perfect shows that you will be thorough and accurate in completing your reports. When providing a writing sample, create it in your word processor and make sure you spell check it. Then cut and paste the sample into the application.

Of course, you should carefully proofread all of your application to catch any mistakes before you submit the application. Some companies are more forgiving than others on these matters, but why handicap yourself by doing a less-than-excellent job?

Do not fill out the application in ALL CAPS or all lower case. Your keyboard has a shift key, so use it to properly capitalize the first word in each sentence, proper nouns, etc. Many people get sloppy when writing on the computer and drop letters, ignore punctuation, use abbreviations such as 'u' for 'you,' and otherwise make mistakes which are not acceptable in a mystery shopping report. Do not do these things on your application, either.

Some companies with online applications will ask you to print and mail a copy of their Independent Contractor agreement, or they will ask for other documentation. If they request it, do it. And do it promptly. If you take weeks to do something simple like print, sign and mail a contract, how long will it take you to complete an assignment? Mystery shoppers can be male or female, young moms or 'seasoned citizens,' employed, self-employed, homemakers or retirees. You do not need a college degree or special training and experience. So whoever you are, put your best foot forward with great applications and get started now!

Author: Cathy Stucker

Copyright Cathy Stucker. Cathy Stucker has been a mystery shopper since 1995. She is the author of The Mystery Shopper's Manual, the best-selling book for professional secret shoppers. You can learn more about secret shopping at http://www.MysteryShoppersManual.com

A question I get all the time is, "How can I get a cruise shop?" Although there are not a lot of cruise shops available - I have talked to mystery shopping executives who have never seen one - there are many very desirable high-end shops, including resorts and spas, that offer "free" travel, accommodations and other benefits, and sometimes even a significant fee.

Lots of new shoppers are enticed by the idea of landing one of these high-value shops. There are pay-to-shop sites that claim to offer cruises and other high-end shops to get you to sign up. Of course, you should never pay to sign up with any company, so before you hand over your credit card information to someone dangling the promise of a cruise or resort shop in front of you, think about this:

Imagine you are a mystery shopping company owner or scheduler, and you have a cruise shop to assign. Would you:

a) Post the assignment to a public job board and hire a shopper with whom you have never worked; b) Randomly award the shop like a raffle prize to one of the 50,000 shoppers already in your database; c) Do it yourself - after all it's a cruise; or d) Give the shop to one of the shoppers who can always be relied upon to do a great job for you.

OK, in some cases the answer might be c). That is one of the perks that comes with being in charge. But if they do not do the shop themselves, the answer will be d) and definitely not a) or b).

Let's look at how mystery shopping companies select shoppers for high-end shops. They have to choose someone who will do everything required (and these shops can be complicated) and will turn in a detailed, well-written report. They can not take the chance that the shopper will do a less-than-outstanding job. That means that they will choose a shopper who has worked for them (usually many times) in the past, has always done their assignments on time, follows all shop guidelines, and has the writing skills needed for the detailed narratives often required.

Consider this: If a shopper messes up a $50 dinner shop and does not turn in a report the client will accept, the mystery shopping company will probably not be paid by the client and will not be able to reimburse the shopper. That makes for an unhappy shopper.

Now imagine that the shopper messed up a $3,000 cruise or resort shop. The secret shopping company can not afford to pay the shopper's expenses if they will not be paid by the client. But the shopper probably can not afford to be out of pocket $3,000, either. No one wins in this situation. (That is another reason they may choose to do it themselves.)

So how can you get high-end hotel, resort, spa and (maybe) cruise shops?

• Make your applications complete and correct.
• Provide an excellent writing sample.
• Do your assignments on time.
• Read and follow the written guidelines.
• Follow the scenarios you are given.
• Make your reports the best they can be - good details, and written with proper spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Help out your scheduler when she is in a jam.
• Pick up a last-minute shop or two when someone else flakes (and don't be a flake yourself).
• Be the go-to shopper.

Do a great job on the little jobs, and the big jobs may follow.

Author: David Rich

Once you become familiar with what the job of mystery shopping is all about, you may find yourself enjoying it so much that you want to get more assignments. What can you do to increase your chances of getting more work?

* Apply with as many companies as possible. The more companies you apply with the higher your chances are of getting shop offers and making money.

* Be professional. Mystery Shopping is a real job, so send a cover letter with the job application, complete shops before the deadline and submit complete, accurate reports.

* Get certified. Getting certified by the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) sets you apart as serious. Get silver certified within an hour over the Internet for $15, and gold certified with a one-day workshop for around $100.

* Check your email frequently. You never know when shop opportunities are going to be sent, and shops go as quickly as they are advertised.

* Get on a company's A-list. Mystery shopping schedulers want reliable, dependable people. That's why you need to keep in contact with them and let them know that you are available on short notice assignments.

* Check job boards daily to find jobs in your area.

* Apply to scheduling companies. They work closely with mystery shopper companies and usually the schedulers pay you more than the mystery shopper company itself.

* You wouldn't climb Mt. Everest in sneakers and a t-shirt. Serious mystery shoppers invest in the right equipment. Every so often shops require you to have a digital camera, a stopwatch or a laptop computer. Remember, these items are tax deductible.

* Get a PayPal account. Many companies use PayPal to deposit your check.

* Start writing. Not only should you put together an informational sheet for filling out applications, you should also prepare some writing samples. Many applications will ask for one or more of the following: an example of a good customer experience, an example of a poor customer experience and a paragraph about why you would make a good mystery shopper.

Following these simple tips, being professional, and handling yourself like a real business professional should go a long way in helping you to land enough assignments to keep you busy.

Author: David Rich

There are several common mistakes mystery shoppers make and, in some cases, they may not even be aware of how it is affecting the job they have been asked to do or the companies who have hired the shopper. Mystery shopping is a business and you can bet your clients take it very seriously. You should as well, if you hope to become a successful and sought after mystery shopping partner for the companies who want to hire you.

Here are the top 8 common mistakes:

Not Following Guidelines

A very common source of angst among mystery shopping firms is shoppers that simply do not follow the guidelines. This is largely preventable by careful attention to detail, thoroughness and in some cases, flexibility.

Flaking

Mystery shopping organizations really don't like this. As discussed in chapter five, one mystery shopper's flaking can turn into one of your assignments and sources of repeat assignments. This comprises the result of one out of four mystery shopping assignments; it is one of the worst mistakes.

Lack of Communication

It is a frequent complaint that mystery shoppers don't articulate their experiences, or worse, fail to ask questions when clarification is needed. There is no such thing as a dumb question. Clients prefer that you ask all the questions necessary. Failure to communicate can lead to improperly completed assignments.

Inconsistency

Clients don't enjoy receiving inconsistent reports. You may have checked off that everyone at Happy Burger is wearing their paper hats, but your written narrative states that three were missing their hats. Which is it? Make sure you know and you say which it is at all times. Such inconsistencies could lead to the assumption that you are confused at best and incompetent at worst. Neither is good for your career.

Rushing

Clients hate it when mystery shoppers rush through the report, assignment or both. Doing so is an excellent way to be inconsistent, fail to adhere to the guidelines, and fail to ask questions when necessary. If you reasonably suspect you won't have time or be able to complete the assignment properly, inform clients as soon as possible - or don't accept in the first place. Being thorough means taking all the time that you need to do so. Remember, you have all the time in the world to adhere to guidelines, but no time to rush.

Grammar and Spelling

Your report is of no use to the client unless it is coherent. Improper spelling and grammar is unprofessional. It is an excellent way to ensure your report becomes useless, ergo; the mystery shop becomes useless. It will be necessary to send someone else out who does what you failed to do correctly.

Lying

Tell the truth. You are there to observe. This is the point of being a mystery shopper. Lying on reports is a frequent complaint of mystery shopper clients.

Failure to Inform the Client of Errors

If you made a mistake, the client needs to know. Your integrity not only provides the chance to correct the mistake, but it may also help reconstitute a potentially lost account on your end.

Author: David Rich

Part 1 of Common Mystery Shopper Mistakes highlighted the fact that mystery shoppers can make many mistakes that may or may not be intentional. While we all make mistakes, it is important to avoid making these mistakes if you are hoping to be regarded in the industry as a serious mystery shopping professional. Let's continue on and look at the next 8 top mistakes:

Failure to Meet Deadlines

A major complaint of clients is reports submitted past the deadline. Thoroughness, flexibility and attention to detail will help keep your information in order to help you write a better report - and deliver it in a timely manner.

Calling Clients to Shoot the Breeze

Never call a client to 'chat it up'. Not only do they lack the time to do so, it is very annoying. The same goes for forwarding funny emails. Clients simply have no time for this. Besides, how are they supposed to assign you work if you keep wasting their time?

Badgering Clients for Work

Never complain or badger a client because you have not received an assignment yet. Never demand that you receive an assignment immediately. This is an ideal way to make sure you never get one.

Repeatedly Asking for Deadline Extensions

Occasionally is fine in extenuating circumstances. Requesting more time to do the work routinely simply conveys the message that you are unreliable and cannot handle the work you've been assigned. It also takes time away from your scheduler, who will cease to assign more work.

Delayed Responses to Email and Phone Calls

When you receive a confirmation that you have an assignment, respond immediately. Clients frequently complain that they cannot get through to some mystery shoppers. Promptness is especially important when a client is attempting to notify you of some change to the assignment or guidelines themselves.

Very Last Minute Cancellations

Short of flaking, routine last minute cancellations are a primary pet peeve of mystery shopping schedulers. Similar to flaking, these require a last minute scramble to find a replacement mystery shopper. It can lead to the scheduler losing an account, ergo, you losing an account.

Incomplete Reports

Almost on par with a poorly spelled and grammatically tortured report is an incomplete one. A mystery shopper is sent to a store to observe what happened and to report what happened. Clients simply cannot fill in the blanks. Attention to detail, thoroughness and constant review of the guidelines translate into a complete report. Anything short of this makes an incomplete report, and consequently, translates into a waste of your time and the client's money. In some cases, it means you are not paid. Unless you happen to be a fan of not being paid, don't deliver incomplete reports.

Finding Someone to Stand in For You

Never, under any circumstances, send someone to do your mystery shop or write your report for you. After all, the client chose you for the assignment and signed a contract with you for a reason. You have a fiduciary duty to complete the assignment yourself, one having someone else fulfill would violate.

Author:

The recent MSPA Shopper Conference in Pittsburgh was a great time for Team JobSlinger. This was partly because we don't get let out of our cages very often, and for two days we got to eat something besides gruel and see this giant glowing thing in the sky called the "sun" (at least until Sunday afternoon when we flew home...tried to fly home...it's a long story).

The main reason why the conference was so valuable to us, though, was that we got to meet and talk to so many experienced mystery shoppers. When we asked them what advice they'd give a novice mystery shopper, we got a treasure trove of valuable tips that they were generous enough to let us pass on to you.

What you should expect from mystery shopping

The number one piece of advice that our experienced shoppers had for new shoppers was to have reasonable expectations. That's not always easy – you've all seen those mystery shopping ads that say you can make hundreds of dollars a day, or that you can make substantial purchases and be reimbursed for them. Ever think they sounded too good to be true? Well...they are.

"'Moderate' is the word," says mystery shopper Kathy Brocker. "A shopper shouldn't expect to go out and buy a multitude of clothes and jewelry and get to keep it." Likewise, typical payments for mystery shopping assignments are modest. "Mystery shopping is a nice little fun activity, but you're not going to get rich at it," said Jo-Anna Jents, a silver-certified shopper from the Chicago area.

Mystery shopping is work

That's not to say that you can't find higher-paying shops, or shops for luxury resorts, upscale restaurants, cruises and casinos. When you do, though, be prepared to work, according to our super shoppers. The higher the pay, or the nicer the perks, the more the client is going to want in return – typically, very demanding reports that take hours to complete and require a lot of detail.

For some shoppers, this defeats the purpose of a resort shop. "I really thought I wanted to do a cruise shop until I found out the amount of work involved," Kathy Brocker said. When you have to spend several hours a day working on your report, it can turn a fabulous free vacation into a working vacation, or into just plain work. You can still get a lot of fun and enjoyment out of it, but you shouldn't expect the same carefree experience as a regular customer.

Start small

On a related topic, our experienced shoppers advise that beginning shoppers start with small and simple shops. Mystery shopping is harder than it looks, and experienced shoppers can tell some hilarious stories about the mistakes they made and the lessons they learned (the hard way!) on their first shops. Schedulers know this, too, and when they have a more demanding (and thus higher-paying) shop to assign, they're unlikely to give it to a new shopper. This can be frustrating, as it seems that you can't get anything but basic, low-paying shops. Don't give up – those shops are just what you need to learn the skills of mystery shopping.

Any mystery shop, even the most simple, requires you to observe and record details about the shopping experience. This may sound easy, but remember – you have to do this without being spotted as a mystery shopper. That's a lot harder to do with a high-end shop, where you will generally be called on to engage in more complex interactions with staff and record many more details. Entry-level shops, on the other hand, usually provide better opportunities to take notes without being observed. For example, as Jo-Anna Jents points out, a cafe shop allows you to openly take notes without being spotted as a mystery shopper. "You can sit at a corner table and write to your heart's desire," said Jents, noting that similar behavior would be more likely to attract attention in an upscale restaurant. "Or grocery shopping -- you've got to have a grocery list, and it's normal to read your list and write things down."

Simple shops also allow you to become familiar with the process of preparing and submitting reports, and help you to establish your reputation with schedulers. You may not want to do simple shops forever, but it's definitely the way to get started.

Be prepared

Speaking of reports, it's important to remember that your report is the main thing that a scheduler uses to evaluate your work as a shopper. Writing an excellent report is the best way to get a good rating from a mystery shopping company and become a preferred shopper – and in order to write an excellent report, you need to prepare for your shop. This means reading and understanding the survey. A typical survey asks some very specific questions (the name of the person who greeted you), and also some open-ended questions. It's common, for example, for a survey to follow a simple yes-no question ("Was the waiting area neat?") with a more open-ended question ("Please describe"). When reviewing the survey prior to performing the shop, don't just pay attention to the specific questions – think about how you might answer the open-ended questions, too. If you're asked if the waiting area was neat, what details would you look for to support your answer? The placement of furniture, the presence of clutter, an overfull wastebasket, coffee stains on a table surface – how many things can you notice? Use your imagination!

Once you get started mystery shopping, you may find yourself performing the same shop multiple times. While this can save you some preparation time, always verify the shop and report details beforehand, because reports can change. After you have verified the details, make yourself a "cheat sheet" with a list of what you need to observe during the shop. Also note the date and time that the shop must be performed, and make sure that you don't have schedule conflicts. Write down the shop location and know how to get there. If you need to use any special equipment, such as a digital camera, verify that it is in good working order (and that you know how to use it). These are small things, but if you fail to pay careful attention to them, sooner or later they will trip you up.

Know what you like

So, mystery shopping is work, and it ain't all free refrigerators and luxury cruises. So why do it?

"Perks," said Kathy Brocker. "They make it worthwhile." One type of shop that Brocker enjoys is theater shops. Her task as a shopper is to check the movie trailers, but when that's done, she's free to stay and watch the feature – and get reimbursed, and paid besides.

"They usually pay about $12.50," said Brocker. "With the cost of movies today at nine bucks a shot, it's worth it. I get a free movie and I get $12.50. I've seen every movie out there!"

Finding your niche in mystery shopping is really a matter of finding an activity that you already enjoy. If you hate shopping for clothes, then an apparel shop is probably not the best shop for you. Find something that you like to do – something that you would choose to do anyway, on your own time &ndash and look for assignments that fit in with that.

Look for opportunities

Want to know how some experienced shoppers were able to attend the MSPA conference in Pittsburgh? They went searching for hotel shops in Pittsburgh! Others used JobSlinger to look for restaurant and retail jobs in the Pittsburgh area and did some assignments while they were here. That's how successful shoppers operate: they look for opportunities, and they're prepared to take advantage of them when they come.

"A successful shopper, in my opinion, would have job opportunities every day of the week, that they can take or not take," said Kathy Brocker. As the mystery shopping industry evolves, sometimes these opportunities appear in new areas. One new area of interest, which was the subject of a seminar at the MSPA conference in Pittsburgh, is medical mystery shopping. "Mystery shopping is going into the doctor's office," said Brocker. "It's a business and you want to have that return clientele. That's a relatively recent trend in mystery shopping that makes sense, and that has only been within the last couple of months."

Find the tools to help you

One of the great things about mystery shopping is that you can get into it without an investment in equipment – your most important tools are your eyes, your brain, and your power of observation. At the same time, it's hard to be organized if your main tool is hand-scribbled sticky notes. Fortunately, some of the best tools available to you are free, or cost very little money. A good desk calendar will help you keep track of your shops – or combine it with an all-in-one organizer that also has an address book and notepad. It's always a good idea to carry contact information with you on your shops, in case something goes wrong and you need to contact a scheduler.

Other tools cost more money, and you might want to consider how much use you'll get out of them. A digital camera is useful for taking pictures of receipts (particularly for retail shops where you must return an item and may not get to keep the hardcopy receipt), and required for some shops where you must take pictures. Many shoppers consider a cellphone an indispensable tool, and there are plenty of inexpensive cellphones available. For more money, you can invest in a smartphone, which duplicates the functions of an organizer or PDA. You can also get a smartphone with a web browser, email client, even a GPS to help you find your shop! Of course, these features cost more, as do the service plans needed to support them. You'll want to make sure that you can justify the additional expense before you make an investment like this.

Finally, one of the most indispensible tools for the modern shopper is the Internet. It's how reports are submitted, and (using sites like JobSlinger) how many shoppers find work. It provides you with the tools you need to research companies and get directions to shop locations. As you get started as a mystery shopper, remember that many of the most useful tools are already at your fingertips!