I'm just starting mystery shopping and am looking for advice from others who have been doing it for awhile. Who are the best and most lucrative companies to work with? What do you like most about mystery shopping? What are suggestions you can give me regarding what to observe and how to do the best writeups? Thanks so much for your help.

Hi and welcome to the forum!

If you want the most lucrative jobs you evidently need to purchase your own video equipment (to the specs required by the companies that do video shops) and do those. More realistic for the beginner, however, is to sign up with companies that will have shops anywhere in the country because the shop shippers, gas stations and fast food places. These will allow you to get your start with simple shops that have good instructions as you learn how to do shops. They are also the companies you are also most likely to want to leave behind as you grow more experienced and sophisticated as a shopper. These include Market Force (blue portal), Bare, Corporate Research International and Maritz. Instructions for these types of shops will train you in the basics such as doing timings and descriptions though generally they will not require much narrative. Most companies that require more extensive narratives provide you with a sample that can give you a good idea of the depth required.

What I like about mystery shopping is that I have found a few companies that I am very comfortable working with that my 'style' seems to coincide with theirs. Thus they are happy with me and I am happy with them. I mystery shop for the tax advantages of having my own business and for the reimbursements, which are not taxable as income but are useful to obtain goods and services I would otherwise need to pay for out of my own pocket.

Thanks for your help. What do you think about bank shops?

I enjoy doing them. They vary a great deal in what is required. Like everything else, there are simple, straightforward ones out there and ones that are rather complex. The pay also varies greatly and is only marginally related to the complexity of the shop (either in the visit or the write up).

A forum is a good place to find out what companies are not keeping their obligation to pay in a timely fashion, and these it makes sense to stay away from. As a shopper I would suggest you try one of each type of shop that appeals to you to determine for yourself if you find the experience reasonable. There are companies for whom I will not perform bank shops because they pay too little for expectations and particular bank shops with other companies I will happily perform while I will not do particular other bank shops for that same company. We all determine what our comfort level is and we can only do that through trial and error.

I just wanted to introduce myself. I am new to mystery shopping and could use any advice as a new shopper. Thank you and I look forward to reading all the good advice and posts.

Welcome to the forum evakh!

I must agree with Flash that video shops are probably not the best choice for beginners. Getting a good grounding in written shops of the sort that include apartment shops would be great background for an apiring video shopper, since a very large portion of the video market is in various forms of housing, i.e., apartments, new homes and assisted living.

I have done the easy and difficult Bank shops. They were very lucrative to me during Aug....not doing many in Sept. Video shopping is the most lucrative, but take an investment to start. I also think you need to check into the laws in your state about taping and reveling that. MSing is an esier way to start, my favorite are new home developments, doing three this week. You'll find your likes and dislikes, take what your comfortable with, and say no to the others. Remember to enjoy the learning process, and make a business out of it.

Thanks for letting me know about bank shops. I think I'll give some a try.