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Trying to decide whether to be mystery shopper

April 10, 2013 09:12PM
I need some feedback whether I can make enough money to supplement my income part-time as a mystery shopper? I was told other mystery shoppers work for a few companies and can supplement their income nicely, or use as a full-time income by working for other companies mystery shopping. I am registered with the Maritz Group. Can you make suggestions of other companies that I can mystery shop for that it would not be in a conflict with Maritz? Please feedback is appreciated.
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April 10, 2013 09:24PM
I make $1,600 to $2,000 a month doing about 4 days a week mystery shopping. If you research these pages and put the time and effort into it you will be able to make a nice side income mystery shopping. As the others will tell you just go to the bottom of this page where it lists all the companies and start registering. None of them will be in conflict with Maritz.
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April 10, 2013 09:52PM
jpgilham,

Thanks so much for your reply. I am trying to decide who to shop with and promised my hubby that it will not costs us more than profit as sometime have in one of my other ventures. lol I know I will need to take my taxes out and have to figure all that out. How many hours a day do you put in mystery shopping and would you say there are other shops that are more profitable to do than others? I am going to look at the list you referred to and register with other companies. How long does it usually take to build a profitable route(s)? Do you usually get paid promptly on a biweekly or monthly basis? Sorry for all the questions I just want to get started right and feel confident what about what I am becoming part of. I like the idea of working my own schedule.
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April 10, 2013 11:05PM
Missy, welcome to the forum. It is possible to supplement your income mystery shopping. All the questions you have asked depend a lot on the shopper and the area of the country where the shopper is located. A more motivated, self-starter will make more money mystery shopping. The area of the country is important as well, because the more competition you have in your area the fewer jobs you will get and the less money you will make. How many hours you put in depends on how many assignments you take and what kind of assignments you take. Some assignments are very time-intensive and others are fast. The amount of money varies per assignment also. Some jobs pay more than others.

The way it works is that you sign up online with companies, providing your personal information and your SS#. You sign their independent contractor agreement, which usually includes a nondisclosure clause. After you have registered with a company, you will be able to search their job board to see if they have jobs in yours area and you can request those jobs. The more companies you sign up with, the more jobs will be available to you. For a lot of information, go to the New Shopper Area and read the top threads which explain in detail how to run a mystery shopping business.
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April 10, 2013 11:05PM
missy it took me quite a while to get to where I am now. Lots of research and studying this forum. I registered with all the companies on the list and now most of the time they email me with jobs, I don't have to go searching their websites. I mystery shop 4 days a week but on those days I'm going from 8-9am to 12-1pm actually shopping and then another 2-4 hours entering reports. I think if you had a smaller goal than what I make and you registered with all those companies that you could probably be quite picky about assignments you took. Mystery shopping payments are all over the place. I feel you have to be consistently shopping for 3 months before you get a steady and regular income. Some companies will pay you in 3 weeks but most pay the month following the shop and there are plenty who pay 2-3 months after you've done the shop. If your goal was say, $600 a month, you would have to be shopping for 3 months before you consistently made $600.00. Also if your goal is $600 a month I would say to do $800 in mystery shops because you may pay up to $200 on reimbursable items (food, gas etc).

Good luck with your endeavor!!
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April 10, 2013 11:17PM
Missy, welcome to the forum. You have already received good advice here, and this is an excellent way to supplement your income.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.
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April 11, 2013 12:59AM
Thanks for all your replies. I am open to any suggestions on getting started. I am going to get registered for some shops and other companies. I am presently only registered with Maritz so I need to get registered with others. Any tracking forms you suggest for my personal records would be appreciated. I saw one where others are suggesting an excel spreadsheet. I just want to get up and running correctly and be successful. I really am glad to be part of the forum.

Thanks

Missy
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April 11, 2013 04:44AM
My first month was $870, second $2450, third $3548 highest one $5800/m.
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April 11, 2013 12:58PM
Missy,
Please go to the New Shoppers area and read, read, read the messages on the topics marked at "sticky" at the top of the list of topics. Successful shoppers are usually registered with 75-150 companies.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
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April 11, 2013 08:51PM
I can tell I'm in the right place. Brand new here and want to know what I need to know so that I can invest my time and effort into this endeavor. So I'm open.
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April 11, 2013 08:53PM
By the way I'm in New York city.
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April 11, 2013 11:09PM
Hi, JT, welcome to the forum. Everything you need to know to get started is here. It doesn't matter where you are. There are mystery shopping jobs available in all areas. Once you have applied with several mystery shopping companies you will be able to search their job boards and see what jobs are available in your area. Plan on investing a lot of time reading the forum and researching and a bunch of time registering with plenty of mystery shopping companies. Mystery shopping is very time-intensive when getting started because it will take you time to understand what you are doing and lots of time registering. To get the information you want, go to the New Mystery Shopper area and start reading. To find companies to apply with, see the blue link at the bottom of the page, Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies.
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April 12, 2013 01:39AM
Don't be misled into thinking it's normal to earn over $5000 a month in the first few months you shop. I'm happy for anyone who can do that, but it's not a realistic figure for most of us. A really good day for me will run between $100 and $200 and that entails driving and shopping all day and reporting up into the wee hours of the night. How much work you can get depends on where you live, how much competition there is, and how many companies you've signed up with. If you're doing this part time in addition to a full time job and taking care of a family, you might hope for a few hundred dollars a month. Many shoppers who can devote more time or full time to this do much better.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.
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