hi new shopper in san augustine texas this is my first time teying this out so how does this work

Welcome to the forum!

so how will this work

Just start reading the forums.

Hello Partida, I'm northwest of Weatherford. Welcome to the forum. Have you signed up with any mystery shopping companies and have you done any shops?

First of all, you need to sign up on the internet with some companies. I suggest you start with Corporate Research, Maritz, and Market Force. You will need to sign up with a bunch of companies in order to get enough work to stay busy, but these will get you started. The companies will post their available shops on their job boards, and sometimes will send out emails. You need to check the job boards of your companies daily and watch your email.

Corporate Research starts their shops off at a modest fee, which increases throughout the month until someone picks up the shop. It will take you a while to learn to do the shops and report them. Eventually you will get more comfortable and pick up speed.

Look at the bottom of this page and you'll see an official list of mystery shopping companies. There is a lot of good information on this forum, and you need to read as much as possible. The companies you work for will also provide training modules to help you learn, and will provide detailed shop guidelines.

Start off with just one or two different shops until you learn to do them. Then add new shops and learn to do them.

Legitimate mystery shopping companies will not send you money in advance. They will pay you and reimburse you per guidelines after the shop is reported and accepted. If you have specific questions, put them on the forum and someone will answer.

Don't forget to register with www.BeyondHello.com. We have mystery shops all over the US.

I ma very new to this green you might say. Can any real money or benefit be gathered from doing this?

It depends on how you structure your business, what is available in your area and your overall definitions of what is 'real'. Very few people make a living at this, but as one tool in your tool box it can make a difference in overall solvency and lifestyle.

Hello to all of you who just posted & are new,

*Welcome to the Forums! I put together a little help/fact sheet outline for new shoppers. Hopefully you find the information valuable and helpful getting you started!

Try and spend as much free time as you can find READING the forums. Too many new shoppers come in, post 1 time, and then skeedaddle. There is so much valuable information you can find just by visiting (even lurking), and reading!


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You are probably feeling somewhat overwhelmed, wondering where to begin. Here are some facts and tips:

1. Mystery Shopping is NOT "quick money" or a "way to make a living". (True, few people do, but they are gone on over-the-road video trips for several weeks at a time, and they BUILT their Reputation by starting at the beginning.)

--> (A) Mystery Shopping is work - hard work.
--> ( You are self-employed.
--> (C) You pay taxes on ALL of your income (YES, EVEN on that single $7.00 Shop Pay you got from one company you did work for once in the year!).
--> (D) You need to keep a spreadsheet and/or track of ALL of your expenses.
--> (E) You should have an office with a good computer, internet, printer, paper, ink, a good camera (if you decide to get into auditing), or a good cell phone with a camera.

2. You get paid (starting usually) $4.00 to $10.00 AFTER you complete a job, submit a survey free of errors, have your survey accepted, and hopefully had no deductions!

3. You get paid - 95% of the time - 45-60-90 days AFTER your survey is accepted. (There are a few companies that may pay in 30 days, just don't count on it, and it really helps to learn how to balance/budget your future earnings.)

--> (A) Most of the time, you will need to lay out money first. Example - that Fast Food shop? You need to pay in *CASH*. You'll get reimbursed - and also a "fee" - but that will come later (See #2 above)

4. You need proper Grammar, Spelling, Capitalization, and Punctuation. Yes, that should include a forum. We consider ourselves professionals, even on a forum.

5. READ - pull up a chair and Read. Tired of reading? Don't like to read? Well, you are not going to learn anything unless you start reading. Grab a soda, coffee, tea, whatever your preference and start going through all of the threads - at least threads on the first page of EACH forum. Forums are listed at the bottom of all of the pages.

--> (A) When you get to "New Mystery Shoppers" Forum: [www.mysteryshopforum.com] - there are "Sticky Threads" at the top of this forum. READ through ALL of the information that a long time shopper/member (Flash) wrote for new shoppers. Then, go back and read it again. Some people have been known to print out the information that Flash has written (not all of the follow up threads, just her first post).

6. Get yourself set up with a spreadsheet to keep track of your future jobs. Search here on the forum "spreadsheets" - and you should pull up ideas on how others set them up. You NEED to keep track of your expenses - you will need those for tax time!

7. Get yourself set up with a PayPal account.

--> (A) I would also suggest that you set up an Email ONLY to be used for Mystery Shopping - and use that email to connect with your Paypal account and the one you use signing up with MSC's.

8. I'd also recommend that you start a new checking account - Again, ONLY to be used for Mystery Shopping. At tax time - especially if you stay interested in shopping - you will be SO glad that you had separate accounts! Someone recommended it to me when I first started - and I am definitely glad that I did get one!

Have fun shopping - but you do have to do the work yourself. It's the only way you are going to learn - and find out what type of company works best for you.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2012 01:28PM by r@inyDayZ3.