i've told a few friends that i mystery shop, and sometimes their response is immediate fear/derision, if they work in a field that gets mystery shopped. one was a retailer salesperson and the other was a banker. they get mystery shopped at their companies, and ask me if i'm going to shop there. now i'm afraid to shop at their locations/chains.

has anyone else encountered this? do you tell people that you mystery shop? i prefer not to tell people anymore.

or worse yet, a local friend may want to become a mystery shopper also, which would potentially take some of my assignments away if they live in my local area. local friends would just compete with me for assignments then, if i referred them.

there is also one mystery shopping company that always offers me a referral bonus, but they rarely even offer shops in my area. why lose the few shops that they offer in my area by referring a local friend who will just compete with me for the jobs anyway?

do you find this a danger also? or not?

I do shops for a bank my sister works at. Her particular branch is not near me so I never shop her branch. I have referred a few friends who mostly do fast food shops. I don't think my friends would ever mystery shop like I do. I didn't have a problem referring them because I live a pretty healthy lifestyle and don't like to eat out too much anyways.

Of course a cardinal condition of mystery shopping is that you do not shop where you have friends or family working or where you have worked in the recent past. Some companies no longer have a specific reminder statement of this, while many/most have it in their instructions if not in their screening questions.

As for telling other people, I am very vague about what I do. I am not thrilled about referring people for free or for $$. In fact I have never received a fee for a referral or sought one. If I refer someone who screws up badly, it reflects on me. If I refer someone who does well, it may take work from me. I have had my significant other sign up with a few companies who needed someone and I was out of rotation. I then carefully monitored that he got all the required observations done and monitored his report. His sign up was purely to help out a desperate scheduler and he has little interest in shopping except emergency situations.

When I run into former colleagues or clients and they ask what I am doing, I am retired and doing a little consulting.

You are not supposed to shop places where family or friends work, that is in all instructions. The reason being you won't give a biased evaluation, and I agree. I have told a few friends what I do but tweek it a bit. I do various evaluations and cannot really give detail, or mention names. I say I am in the hospitality business and leave it at that.

I do not charge for anyone I might refer, but really don't refer, as that would take my jobs away from me...doesn't make sense. I just had a pm for the MSC that does a restaurant I did, she is also in L.a., I had to decline, I want that restaurant and found it on my own, you get the picture. I do have a couple friends here that I trust and we discuss things...if they can't take a job, I get a thumbs up and return the favor. Mainly, I just work on my own and come to the forum for support.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/2011 07:49PM by Irene_L.A..

my difficulty is that i don't always know what specific locations that friends/acquaintances work at. i'd virtually have to reject the whole account for fear of running into them there.

i'm preferring now not to tell anyone that i work as a mystery shopper. i just get tempted to tell people, because they may ask me "what do you do for work?"

Simple answer: "I am doing consulting." If they get pushy about "What kind of consulting?" (which they rarely if ever do) the answer is "It varies by what they need." Then change the subject and move on.

Flash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Simple answer: "I am doing consulting." If they
> get pushy about "What kind of consulting?" (which
> they rarely if ever do) the answer is "It varies
> by what they need." Then change the subject and
> move on.

thanks much.

I have told people that I mystery shop in the past and then they start asking me too many questions. Someone recently asked me for a few companies that I work with so they can get started. When I told the person they would have to sign up through a master list, they really got annoyed. I am not going to give individuals the company I work for. I have helped out people that are not in my area though.

kittybratt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have told people that I mystery shop in the past
> and then they start asking me too many questions.
> Someone recently asked me for a few companies that
> I work with so they can get started. When I told
> the person they would have to sign up through a
> master list, they really got annoyed. I am not
> going to give individuals the company I work for.
> I have helped out people that are not in my area
> though.

i don't even like to give job referrals to people for companies that i've worked for full-time, unless i've already permanently quit those companies. i fear that a referred person might turn out to be a bad employee, who will reflect negatively on me.

basically, i don't want any of my friends to work for the same companies that i'm currently working for, because it could damage my own relationship with the company. i really don't like to refer people.

I have a full time job and only mystery shop part time. I have been shopping over 5 years, and I tell people that I do mystery shopping. Other than my husband, I have never referred anyone, or told anyone about any specific companies until recently. A woman at our church asked me how to get started. I gave her basic information such as what is in the new shoppers thread here. I talked to her briefly tonight and it seem MS'ing is not for her. But I had very mixed feeling about having someone I know possibly taking my shops. It's bad enough having to share with my husband.!!!

Shops are few and far between in my area. I don't like telling most people I mystery shop. The ones I do tell are busy and when I tell them how long the observations and reports can take and how little they usually pay, their interest wanes. I have helped people in far away states find legitimate MSC's, though.

And what about all the social media? Why on earth would I "like" a bunch of MSC's on Facebook? Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

An aside: I know some shoppers have set up bogus Facebook accounts under pseudonyms, but that solution may not last. Word is, Facebook is cracking down on duplicate accounts that don't represent real people. Anyway, I don't want to have to monitor multiple accounts.

My sister actually just began working at the branch a month ago. I don't really have a close relationship with her and only know this because my mother told me. I may end up not doing those shops only because I'm considering closing my account because I don't want her to possibly look up my financial information.

I have a friend who had a facebook where he would take pictures and videos of "weird things nyc" and encourage people to upload videos and post. I was once on the subway and an older man was telling everyone that we were going to hell. I uploaded the video and he posted it. The account was recently deleted because it wasn't being used by a real person or real business. I also know of a Buffalo nightlife promoter who used his business nickname to run his facebook of 10,000+ followers and that was deleted as well.

I don't mind a bit telling people, and I also don't mind giving them company names. There is more than enough to go around. My friend who most recently signed up is willing to do auto shops, which I tend to avoid, plus she had a 17 year old to do the game rating shop with. I am happy to help, no problem.

My family knows I am a mystery shopper but all of them are in Bama and I am in Florida. Most of the time if someone ask me what I do for a living I tell them I am a self employed private investigator.

wjones777 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My family knows I am a mystery shopper but all of
> them are in Bama and I am in Florida. Most of the
> time if someone ask me what I do for a living I
> tell them I am a self employed private
> investigator.

would a mystery shopper be regarded as a private investigator? people often automatically assume that one is then investigating crime.

My friends all know and say "How do I do it? TELL ME NOW?!!", but then I go into all the 2 hour reports, the waiting for payment, the cranky editors.... and then they want to run the other way!

vince Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I’ve told a few friends that i mystery shop, and
> sometimes their response is immediate
> fear/derision, if they work in a field that gets
> mystery shopped. one was a retailer salesperson
> and the other was a banker. They get mystery
> shopped at their companies, and ask me if I’m
> going to shop there. now I’m afraid to shop at
> their locations/chains.
>
> Has anyone else encountered this? Do you tell
> people that you mystery shop? I prefer not to
> tell people anymore.
>
> Or worse yet, a local friend may want to become a
> mystery shopper also, which would potentially take
> some of my assignments away if they live in my
> local area. Local friends would just compete with
> me for assignments then, if I referred them.
>
> There is also one mystery shopping company that
> always offers me a referral bonus, but they rarely
> even offer shops in my area. Why lose the few
> shops that they offer in my area by referring a
> local friend who will just compete with me for the
> jobs anyway?
>
> Do you find this a danger also? or not?

It sounds like you are not having fun. I do not do anything unless it is fun. You cannot shop where your friends work as you have a bias.

With the rotation, a mystery shop company will not reassign you for 30, 60 or 90 days. There is plenty of time to give away a shop to a friend because you can not do it anyway. It is fun to help people find shops and they give me a "heads up" when they see something.

A lot of people know I help me mystery shop, as I often need a partner at some places I am asked to eat at. My partners will not mystery shop themselves because they have "status". Going to most places for dinner without partner shouts "Mystery Shopper" or poor soul can't get a date and it makes you memorable.

As for inviting people to become mystery shoppers, very few enjoy the experience. I go into situations the suburbanite, would not venture. I mingle with the demographic both high society and inter-city. I am neither getto or society hill.

It is fun to deal with clerks who try to estimate your net worth at high-end stores. They work on commission and get paid on what they sell. People I know are high end and unless they truly have to impress, they dress as they choose and drive vehicles that have been in the family for years.

Self-made people do not look self-made at all unless they want to. Those clerks and servers must be miserable hanging around all that wealth and not be able to afford the merchandise they sell or eat in the level of restaurant they are working in.

I love Halloween and mystery shopping because you can play a role.. I can shop for jewels or Mercedes and dine at fine food places that I paid $150 for lunch. I can go to the inter-city and not get mugged. I am believable acting poor or rich.

Things you do for something to do while you are waiting for your friends to stop working and come out and play. It is called a hobby. It puts gas in my tank and lunches and dinners in my tummy. I have the integrity to report responsibly as I relied on feedback in the several entrepreneurial ventures I was, and still are, involved in.

Go have fun, give away some leads you can not use. it is not dangerous If people appreciate your leads and mentorship in helping them become mystery shoppers it can help you establish relationships with local shoppers. That is why people give away information on this site, it is fun and rewarding, and sometimes monetarily rewarding.

My friends love it that I mystery shop and can take them out to lunch.

Me too carol!

I do tell people. If they live far away, they get all the help I can give. If they live near me, they get a more detailed version of the $2 shops and the the long reports, etc.

Telling my friends and church folks has netted me with more information about them like where they work. Then I avoid those places. Last week I walked in to a store to do a shop and came face to face with a person in my Sunday school class. She asked if I was here to do a mystery shop. lol I told her..."Not anymore!" I had to cancel the shop. I'd rather know in advance. I also walked in to do a bank shop a couple of weeks ago and the banker goes to my church. That was really awkward.

iblessyah@yahoo.com Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Telling my friends and church folks has netted me
> with more information about them like where they
> work. Then I avoid those places. Last week I
> walked in to a store to do a shop and came face to
> face with a person in my Sunday school class. She
> asked if I was here to do a mystery shop. lol I
> told her..."Not anymore!" I had to cancel the
> shop. I'd rather know in advance. I also walked
> in to do a bank shop a couple of weeks ago and the
> banker goes to my church. That was really
> awkward.

this is what is happening to me, after telling people at church that i mystery shop. two different people are now apprehensive of me walking into their places of business. one is a retail salesperson and another is a banker. and they both hate mystery shoppers, continually trying to spot them.

I do tell close friends and family. They are all supportive. My sister, who live 400+ miles away, may begin shopping in a few months if she cannot go back to her old job due to an injury. I will certainly mentor her. She has gone with me on quite a few video shops of high end apartments and new homes and even helped out with names and descriptions on a few grocery shops in the past.

vince Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> wjones777 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > My family knows I am a mystery shopper but all
> of
> > them are in Bama and I am in Florida. Most of
> the
> > time if someone ask me what I do for a living I
> > tell them I am a self employed private
> > investigator.
>
> would a mystery shopper be regarded as a private
> investigator? people often automatically assume
> that one is then investigating crime.


In Florida and I guess other states as well a PI does investigations for Divorce cases, Insurance Fraud, and many other types of civil matters. It is not always crime related.

In Nevada, we are consider PI's and employed as such....

The broader sense, we are spys of sort...to work in Nevada...you must have a "PI License", that's the only way you are able to work in Las Vegas (Nevada). The card says unarmed, I do show that to certain people I know, and they sit up straight, brings mystery shopping to a higher level!!

My close friends know I mystery shop. They think it's a hoot, but most have no interest in doing it themselves. For the friends who have expressed interest, I have no qualms in sharing the names of companies. My recommendations tend to be companies with whom I have an established relationship, so I really have no fear of them competing. In many instances, a newbie will not be be selected for a shop over an established shopper, and there is also the element of rotation -- not always, but most frequently, there are shops one cannot repeat within the same period of time.

The problem is most folks have a preconcieved idea that you "eat for free", they know nothing about reports,low pay, paper work, editors, etc. My friends think it neat that I do it, would they want to, no way. I have an person that has coffee at my place and kinda knows what I do...she gets a pop up ad about mystery shopping, and trying to help (right), says oh, here is some more work for you....not a clue... I said, I have all the work I need, they call me, People that know nothing, for some reason have all the answers, go figure!!

Only the people who are close to me know that I mystery shop. Only one person has asked me to help her get started. I got her to apply for 1 company and she has yet to finish filling out the application. That was over a week ago and she complained the whole time she was filling out the first part of the application.

Most of my friends and family are not computer people. They would get impatient searching for jobs are writing narratives. They would rather be on Facebook or doing something simple.

Plus they would not want to drive all over the city going to different places. Me on the other hand im always on the road anyway and I can stay in a store for hours so this is the perfect job for me. I have actually saved money because now I have to limit my time when Im shopping because I have to get to the next location.

I wouldn't have a problem mentioning a few companies to some friends if they were interested in shopping. I don't mind helping anyone get started however I would not just tell them everything I know because I had to learn for myself.

TechSavvy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And what about all the social media? Why on earth
> would I "like" a bunch of MSC's on Facebook? Talk
> about shooting yourself in the foot.
>
> An aside: I know some shoppers have set up bogus
> Facebook accounts under pseudonyms, but that
> solution may not last. Word is, Facebook is
> cracking down on duplicate accounts that don't
> represent real people. Anyway, I don't want to
> have to monitor multiple accounts.


I agree 100%. I cant understand why these MSC's would encourage shopper to "like" their pages. Im sure they have caught many shoppers telling to much about a assignment. People tend to tell all their business on Facebook.

I have one local friend who I share MSC companies with. Neither of us have a problem with this since there are always rotations for shops and we tend to like different shops anyway. But it is good to be able to eat twice at the same location for the dine in shops that require two people and have long rotation periods.

One MSC is givingaway a button cam setup. To be eligible for the drawing, you must like their page, share it with friends and so forth. NO WAY.

I understand they want to publicize their businesses and social media is a logical choice, but they are the benefactors in this case, not those of us who do the gruntwork.

Then there are the companies that say referring friends to them won't result in your losing shops. They cite rotations and so forth. Thing is, I already see shops snatched up before I get a chance to get them, and I live in a smallish town. If I'm having trouble now, why would I throw more people into the mix? I refer the occasional out-of-state person, but that's about it