Ive been in retail for many years and ive been shopped many many times. I would now like to explore the world of secret shopping. Does anyone have tips or contacts i can send resumes too?

i would really appreciate the help

The way you do this is you sign up with a whole lot of MSPs (Mystery Shopping Providers) who do the shops for the client. Go to the New Mystery Shoppers section and read through the threads at the top of that section about how this works. Then in the Mystery Shopping Company Discussion part of the forum you will find a thread at the top of that section that has a list of a couple hundred companies you can sign up with.

Sign up with at least 150.

sneakers Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sign up with at least 150.


I agree. I am signed up with over 250, but routinely shop for 30; some more than others.

I am signed w/170........but only routinely shop for about 20 although you just never know when one of those you are signed w/will get shops in your area.
I was signed w/a company that mainly did CALIF shops since 2005.........in 2007, they acquired a national client and now, I do shops for them here. So do not avoid some companies because you think they will not have shops in your area.
You just never know who they will acquire as a client.

How do I started? What do look for in my e-mail? How do I get paid.

Hi letitsnow,

There are hundreds of mystery shopping companies. We shoppers all have to narrow them down to mystery shopping companies that do business with clients in areas close to where we live. It's a time consuming process. A way that many shoppers have started is by going on the internet to a site that helps you find mystery shopping companies in your area. The site is JobSlinger.Com. Complete the information on its homepage to help get you started. After you complete the information, including your address or zip code, you will get a list of available jobs near you. Clicking on the job will give you details regarding which mystery shopping company is shopping which client.

Next, you have to sign-up with each mystery shopping company that interests you. You do that by going to their website, and completing the application. Be careful to check your spelling, punctuation and grammar on everything you enter. After doing this, most of the companies have job boards you use to search, and apply for shops that interest you. All of this is on the internet. You will provide your email address to the companies that you sign up with, and that is typically how they will get in touch with you.

For much more information on this, read the New Mystery Shoppers section. You'll find it on the homepage of this forum. There's a wealth of information and knowledge here that will help you.

I'm with about 175, have worked for 41, and regularly for only about 10.

Mert, the torch has been passed to a new generation. I'm sure Flash is grateful that you've helped with this.

Yes, it is nice to have a new voice. Sometimes I feel like I am getting laryngitis

Your keyboard has logorrhea. How about "Please check the New Shoppers forum, then write us back with any questions."? If any shopper can't understand the instructions there....

Good idea, Sneakers. Some people just want the "human touch" of a "real voice" guiding them step by step, though. Reading the newbie section and then asking questions ought to be a requirement, though, because they should know how to interpret instructions and have enough initiative to get to the first level of work.

And run like hell from Marketforce.

I haven't had a bad experience with Market Force. While they are low-paying on the totem pole, bonuses are fair pay. It was a good company for me starting out and though I may now be choosier, it's because I signed up with more companies and have more to choose from. I continue to earn good money from Market Force.

I opted to copy and paste the email that I got today from these folks. Somehow I am just not believing that they are willing to pay what they are quoting...
fromalisson@homecall.co.uk
reply-tokellymysteryshoper75@gmail.com

to
dateSat, Jan 10, 2009 at 2:58 PM
subject*****Establishing Business Relationship*****

hide details 2:58 PM (3 hours ago) Reply


Apex consult Co.,Inc
220 W 26th St, Apt 711
New York, NY 10001
Tel: 718-290-9987
VACANT POST AS A MYSTERY SHOPPER @ Apex consult Co.,Inc (WORLDWIDE RECRUITMENT EXERCISE)

Hello and how are you doing, This is an awareness to let the public know that we have a vacancy position of a mystery shopper in our company and we would like to know your interest in working for Apex consult Co.,Inc. Your job as a mystery shopper would be quite effective and we would provide more details on the job as soon as you get back to us with the details requested indicating your Interest in working with us.

Kindly provide the below information for assessment and registration of the company.
Full Legal Name:
Address:
City:
State:
Zip code:
Country:
Nationality:
Home and Cell #:
Send the Information requested above to the E-mail address given below
KELLY HANDSOME
kellymysteryshoper75@gmail.com
Tel: 718-290-9987
Other Countries: (E-mail Only)
As a mystery shopper you work and shop together for pleasure and the pay is $400 weekly on Part time basis, you only work 2-3hours twice in a week. Do get back to the recruiting department of Apex consult Co.,Inc
Your response would be highly appreciated.
Thanks,
KELLY HANDSOME.

You are wise to be a non-believer. This thing pops up from time to time with various company names on it and never with a corporate email address. 99.99% sure it is a scam. Am not sure exactly how it works except I suspect that after dangling you for a few days they will notify you that they are willing to give you a try but that you must provide personal information (that you would might provide to a legitimate company but otherwise sure would be stupid to give out to strangers).

As for "APEX", that name is used by aTH Power but if they were trying to contact folks they would be using their corporate email I feel sure.

Thanks for taking the time. Many people are looking to be able to have that flexible work schedule and because of it tend to be drawn in to something like this. Once I saw what they are willing to pay I just knew it was a scam. Funny, you always hear how people are working from home but never seem to find the positions!! have a nice day.

Of course there are legitimate companies out there rrchris and there is legitimate work, but pie in the sky doesn't happen. What I have found over the years is that home based or independent contractor work pays about half of what one could earn as an employee "in the real world". And that is before considering that an employee job usually has perks. You give up the $ in exchange for the flexibility.

So if, in the real world, a person with your skill set and background makes minimum wage, as an IC you are likely to be working well below minimum wage. If in the real world your skill set and background would land you a $30 per hour job, chances are you will see mystery shopping opportunities worth about $15 per hour. But in mystery shopping an IC with the skill set for a $30 per hour job as an employee has the opportunity to take the lesser jobs as well without damage to their resume.

Excellent point! It's also beneficial in non-monetary ways; shoppers are contributors to improvement and excellence in the workplace, which should net results to companies and the economy. I really believe that.

But, $400/week, according to Kelly Handsome? No way.

I have made $412.50 in fees alone on a one day series of shops for a legitimate MSP. To do that I laid out $118.92 in expenses to be reimbursed. It was a series of shops in an airport and was a one-time deal--and a killer day in more ways than one. In 2008 I don't believe there was a single week when I earned $400 in fees + bonuses and 2009 I expect to be the same, regardless of how many shops I perform. So $400/week is indeed very unlikely.

I have searched for different companies to Mystery Shop for and it seems that the ones I have found are looking for me to pay a fee. I am thinking that it should be the other way around. Is there a site to go to? I work full time but my husband is retired. This would be a way that he could make some extra money and still have flexibility in his schedule. Thanks for any help!!

I posted this not long ago - it REALLY is not necessary to pay for lists of companies that mystery shop, or mystery shopping jobs. It does take time and a computer! Read this post, please feel free to check back with this forum - it's a wonderful resource.
>
> There are hundreds of mystery shopping companies.
> We shoppers all have to narrow them down to
> mystery shopping companies that do business with
> clients in areas close to where we live. It's a
> time consuming process. A way that many shoppers
> have started is by going on the internet to a site
> that helps you find mystery shopping companies in
> your area. The site is JobSlinger.Com. Complete
> the information on its homepage to help get you
> started. After you complete the information,
> including your address or zip code, you will get a
> list of available jobs near you. Clicking on the
> job will give you details regarding which mystery
> shopping company is shopping which client.
>
> Next, you have to sign-up with each mystery
> shopping company that interests you. You do that
> by going to their website, and completing the
> application. Be careful to check your spelling,
> punctuation and grammar on everything you enter.
> After doing this, most of the companies have job
> boards you use to search, and apply for shops that
> interest you. All of this is on the internet.
> You will provide your email address to the
> companies that you sign up with, and that is
> typically how they will get in touch with you.
>
> For much more information on this, read the New
> Mystery Shoppers section. You'll find it on the
> homepage of this forum. There's a wealth of
> information and knowledge here that will help you.

I really appreciate your help and article. I did go to the site that you told me about and signed on. Today however, I received a fed ex envelope with a very large check in it and my first Mystery Shop job to take it to the bank, cash it and then Western Union money to someone else after studying how our local location is set up, etc. I am not comfortable with this and of course am not going to do it...boy...how fast they try to find you though. This is I am positive not within the guidelines of the law or good business. Just wondered if you have heard from anyone else getting this type of mail??? rrchris

I just now noticed the post a few ahead of this one. I see the name in there Kelly Handosome...that is the letter I got today from Fed Ex..with the $2700 check enclosed telling me to go cash it, keep 600 and then play secret shopper as I went to the local Western Union to send somebody else $2100....Duh...do I look stupid or what???? Western Union ME the money Kelly! I sure as heck am not going to put my bank account in jeopardy to see you get $2100 while your check bounces all over my feeble account and then I get hit with the entire thing...Hellooooooooooooooooooo......go get a life and quit trying to take advangae of folks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2009 04:31AM by rrchris.

An additional update to my prior note. After work I took the envelope, check and email to my banker. We looked it all over and they are convinced that it is a scam. They kept all of the information and their investigator is going to take it over. There was no way I was going to be a part of that!! Everyone out there should really beware...if it seems to good to be true it probably is and isn't worth even taking a chance!! We deserve better and that is why we look for honest work. Those who choose to be scammers will get what they deserve too!!