Secret Shoppers

United States
July 25, 2011 9:51am CST
I always here about secret shoppers and I know most jobs for them on the internet is a scam but I'm still curious! I mean there has to be some real secret shopper jobs because it makes sense that companies would want to check up on their employees. I wonder how you find the real jobs. Is being a secret shopper even worth it when you have to drive to those places? I just want your opinion on secret shoppers especially if you are one. Benefits vs hassles please!
2 people like this
7 responses
• United States
25 Jul 11
I have done several shops as a secret shopper. It is additional earnings but not something one can actually live on. You have to sign up to several companies in order to have several assignments. There are some where they do expect you to make an actual purchase but they to reimburse you for the purchases. I have also received a great deal of free items, such as a netbook, perfumes, food and jewelry, but all this after being reimbursed. The shops themselves are a great deal of fun, it is the paperwork that can be a bit lengthy. It is all done online and you have to fill out the reports the same day as the shops. I have done rental apartments, grocery stores, cellphone shops, clothing stores, insurance evaluations, telephone shops, etc.. The shops can take 10 minutes to 30 minutes, it is the reports that can take me anywhere from one hour to 2 hours. Depending on the amount of questions. You are completely under cover so you have to sort of memorize what questions will be asked so that you can answer them based on the criteria requested for each and every shop. It can be fun.
@Beaufly (991)
• United States
25 Jul 11
HWG, I have also done clothing stores, banks and other types of evaluations. The evaluations also do tend to take longer than the time in the establishment. One thing to be aware of is many will require a purchase in which case, you will be reimbursed and often, with a small incentive so make sure to keep that in mind as you pursue this new adventure.
• United States
26 Jul 11
The purchases depends on the shop assignments, where you would know ahead of time as to what you would be spending. For instance I have done some where I only spent $1 and or the netbook I spend $259. I of course accepted and could trust the company and was reimbursed the full amounts. That is along with the shop payment too. The pay also depends on the shop also, where I have some that pay me twice a month and or 30 - 45 days later. I am a member of about 50 different companies. As for the criteria's they do giver you an entire mapped out questionnaire, which you need to review and memorize what exactly they are asking for. The more you do them the easier it gets. Good luck.
• United States
25 Jul 11
How much would you have to spend typically and how soon do you get reimbursed? I'd hate to drop a lot of money and it take a long time to get it back. Paperwork doesn't worry me too much. I'm not lazy and I think alot if companies really need to hear how their doing. Right now if I did mcdonalds I don't think corporate would like my local store too much! Lol
• United States
25 Jul 11
It's real. I used to do it for a good 8 years as a way of making extra cash, having date nights paid for, covering Christmas bills etc. You do have to have the funds to purchase a small item many times and then you get reimbursed but there are "free" shops as well in which you simply go in and evaluate the establishment as well.
1 person likes this
@ebuscat (5935)
• Philippines
26 Jul 11
For me just bring money for the intend of what you are to buy so that no money left more left than non sense of things.
@rameshchow (4426)
• India
25 Jul 11
Are you gonna establish any new secure online shopping site?
@Beaufly (991)
• United States
25 Jul 11
I have done secret or mystery shopping in the past. About 10 years ago, I used to as extra way to make cash. It supplies a few extra bucks and usually a free product if a purchase is required (it is reimbursed). When I did it, there was usually some evaluation that needed to be filled out after the "shop" which asked about the employee, the store, etc....and this info needed to be sent relatively quickly. My thoughts: For me, it worked when I frequented malls and places where the shops were done. I never did it as a full or part time job, just when it was convenient for me to do so and usually to places where I would go anyway. This was literally an "extra cash" situation. Most of the jobs seem to be out of the way or in areas that were not convenient even though, at that time, I was living in a big city. Hopefully, you can find someone who is doing it now who can offer more (and current) insight.
• United States
25 Jul 11
I was thinking of it as an extra cash venture myself. I figured it would be nice to put a little bit back in savings for a change! My only problem is I have a one year old and no babysitter and I figure they don't want you to carry your kids.
@pbbbsra (1214)
• Philippines
26 Jul 11
I have worked on a department stoe before as a custumer service representative and I have experienced coming accross a secret shopper. I am lucky I am in a good mood that day and I handled the situation well. I think being a secret shopper wont be that bad for a job. It wont matter to me if I have to travel a bit since I love travelling(as long as the company provides for the transpo) Some secret shoppers are not even hired. Mine was the owner of the company and I didnt even notice, they say he visits his store once a year and we dont really know how he looks like yet at that time, well now I know how the owner of that dep store look like.
• Malaysia
25 Jul 11
I just a few days ago was looking up in the internet about secret shoppers. I read that alot of benefit from being a secret shoppers. There is no such opportunity here in my country not anymore.