I've been mystery shopping for the last 3 months but thought it would be beneficial getting to know other shoppers with more expertise and knowledge. I initially got signed up with shadow shopper as a starting point but am now starting to think that this is a middle man I don't need that just ends up taking my money. Any thoughts on that?

Unfortunately you have already paid them. No, you don't need that middle man. Rather you need to get signed up with a number of companies and see who is offering shops in your area. There is a list of legitimate companies in the first post of the first thread of the Mystery Shopping Company Discussion section of the forum. Many of these companies you can read other shoppers' impressions of by using the Search Feature at the top of the index page. Very soon we will be at the end of the year and some clients will change companies they work with, so even if companies you sign up with now don't have any jobs available on their board, that may change with the new year.

hi everyone
i am very interested in mystery in mystery shopping but i an sure like alot of people a little bit worried wheatre it will go well or not i love reading the stories out there some are very very interesting i have signed up with about 10 to 15 companies so far not much happening got a email on one to do a car report as soon as i got my email i signed up for it all excited then i get a email the next morning saying they were all filled, oh well guess that happens i really just want to get my feet wet and get going another company said they had some theatre ( movies to go and view and do reports ) BUT THEY NEEDED MY SIN IS THIS normal i am a little off on that one what do you think i just retired a few months ago so i was hoping with my pension i could do this on a part or even a full time job i live in beautiful nova scotia canada , i sure would appreciate any answers to my questions if you can help and if you know of some companies in the east that are looking for mystery shoppers. i really would appreciate that and if you ever get to travel here look me up and my wife and i would love to show you are lovely city . thanks to every body on here, and please let me know if you can about some honest companies to get in touch with.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/2010 09:54PM by karlie.

Most companies will routinely require your social Security Number in the US, and I expect the same thing will happen in Canada, as there are tax reporting requirements.

Hello everybody Is anyone having success with online mystery shopping?

karlie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> hi everyone
> i am very interested in mystery in mystery
> shopping but i an sure like alot of people a
> little bit worried wheatre it will go well or not
> i love reading the stories out there some are very
> very interesting i have signed up with about 10
> to 15 companies so far not much happening got a
> email on one to do a car report as soon as i got
> my email i signed up for it all excited then i
> get a email the next morning saying they were all
> filled, oh well guess that happens i really just
> want to get my feet wet and get going another
> company said they had some theatre ( movies to go
> and view and do reports ) BUT THEY NEEDED MY SIN
> IS THIS normal i am a little off on that one what
> do you think i just retired a few months ago so
> i was hoping with my pension i could do this on a
> part or even a full time job i live in beautiful
> nova scotia canada , i sure would appreciate any
> answers to my questions if you can help and if you
> know of some companies in the east that are
> looking for mystery shoppers. i really would
> appreciate that and if you ever get to travel here
> look me up and my wife and i would love to show
> you are lovely city . thanks to every body on
> here, and please let me know if you can about some
> honest companies to get in touch with.

hello sopie i have bent that i would really try this but so far no luck.

Hi everybody,
I have been mystery shopping for more than 4 years.I really enjoy, as a matter of fact this is like my part time job.What I have learned in the mean time that the more negative (the truth)you write about the shop,the more you are scrutinized by the mystery shopping company,and at the end you have to prove your self.
Has any one experienced the same??

I just report it as I see it Iftekhar. Sometimes it raises questions, more often not.

hi!im noel from saudi arabia until now i dont know who and where ,what company will im going to. im a fist timer mystery shopper still i dont know how to start the work.im working for 12 years in one of the fast food chain here in saudi arabia.presently i'm working as a human resources personnel in one of the biggest hospital here in riyadh.i hope i experience what you done.
i

Iftekhar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi everybody,
> I have been mystery shopping for more than 4
> years.I really enjoy, as a matter of fact this is
> like my part time job.What I have learned in the
> mean time that the more negative (the truth)you
> write about the shop,the more you are scrutinized
> by the mystery shopping company,and at the end you
> have to prove your self.
> Has any one experienced the same??


Glad to her from someone who has been around for awhile! I just started and I think I am doing well(will know the end of this month!) I have had only one shop put on hold, and I think it went through ok--It was one that I had very negative things to say about the sales associate. But that is to be expeced because if I write negative things that person could get fired, so they want to be sure of everything, which I think is reasonable. (I may feel different if I don't get paid for a shop! LOL)

Hi there! You are from Canada? Which part? We have new missions for miu miu and prada in Ontario, please check mystery shopping job board,I just posted a message to recruit mystery shopper

Hi!
I'm a top-rated mystery shopper from Central Ontario,Canada, and have been "shopping" for over 7 years I have a mystery shopping blog where I review different companies, and give tips that are useful for Mystery Shopping 4 Canada.

Never pay to get names of mystery shopping companies. If you need names of companies that hire and pay in Canada, check out my blog. [mysteryshopping4Canada]

Shadow Shopper gets a big thumbs down from me. I signed up for a free account, when I first started, then became impatient and paid for a one month silver membership. What did I get? Shops that had been assigned before the were even posted at Shadow Shopper! A free Shadow Shopper can be useful, because occasionally they slip and let the name of a mystery shopping company through.

It makes me boil to see that people are being charged money for information they can find for free about mystery shopping by doing a Google web search and going to some of the lower-ranked pages. Sometimes legit companies will hit the top pages, but companies such as Shadow Shopper are often ranked up at the top.

Hello - I am also in Canada. I currently live in Manitoba and have a home in Alberta as well, so travel frequently between them. Also, my husband and I travel a lot through Canada and the USA for pleasure, so I shop all through Canada and the USA for various companies. I have been shopping for about 5 years now, and have had no real problems. One shop only and that was for a hair salon. Made the appointment, had the cut done, then when I reported it they came back saying that I had the cut done by a supervisor not a student and wouldn't be paid. I argued that I had no way of knowing it was a supervisor as they had no nametag, no different dress and when I made the appointment I had been assured that I would be done by a student as that was the shop requirement. They accepted my explanation and paid. I am looking to add to my list of companies that I shop for, so will be scanning this forum to see which are recommended. If they are ones I dont already shop for, I will add them.

Hi YrHelper,
I'm from Buffalo, NY and originally signed up for the free Shadow Shopper account as well and it upsets me to see so many great shops advertised in their weekly emails -- how does Shadow Shopper get these shops before anyone else? Where are they pulling them from?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! The only place that I've been looking for shops is on Jobslinger.

You need to also sign up directly with companies and check their job boards.

Hi fellow Canadians! I'm from southwestern Ontario.Anyone from my neck of the woods? I have been Mystery shopping for 3 months and just added a part-time Merchandising job to my list. I would like to pick up more merchandising jobs.They paymore regularly.

I too am from Canada..Southern Ontario to be 'exact'. I just read about mystery shopping on another forum I am on, and would love hear more info about it. How do you start up etc?

Most information you need to get started can be found in the New Mystery Shopper's section of the forum.

Welcome, and good luck!

New shopper, have you tried looking on the MSPA board? They are like a watchdog group for Mystery shoppers and business' alike. I have some shops in Canada and as for your SSN number, it is not required until we need it. When you make $600 or more in a tax year we are required to 1099 you as an independent contractor. PLEASE keep in mind that it should never cost you to become a mystery shopper.
If you are in or near these areas please come check us out. Thanks.

www.mysteryshopperservices.com


Burnaby, Surrey, Kelowna, Edmonton, and Sherwood Park.


Emma A. Valdivieso

Project Manager
Phone: 888-300-8292 extension 209
Email: emma@mysteryshopperservices.com
Website: www.mysteryshopperservices.com
MY Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm (PST)

karlie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> hi everyone
> i am very interested in mystery in mystery
> shopping but i an sure like alot of people a
> little bit worried wheatre it will go well or not
> i love reading the stories out there some are very
> very interesting i have signed up with about 10
> to 15 companies so far not much happening got a
> email on one to do a car report as soon as i got
> my email i signed up for it all excited then i
> get a email the next morning saying they were all
> filled, oh well guess that happens i really just
> want to get my feet wet and get going another
> company said they had some theatre ( movies to go
> and view and do reports ) BUT THEY NEEDED MY SIN
> IS THIS normal i am a little off on that one what
> do you think i just retired a few months ago so
> i was hoping with my pension i could do this on a
> part or even a full time job i live in beautiful
> nova scotia canada , i sure would appreciate any
> answers to my questions if you can help and if you
> know of some companies in the east that are
> looking for mystery shoppers. i really would
> appreciate that and if you ever get to travel here
> look me up and my wife and i would love to show
> you are lovely city . thanks to every body on
> here, and please let me know if you can about some
> honest companies to get in touch with.


Most companies will not sign you up without a SIN I think that is the same as a social security number south of your border. I wonder how many people make $600 a year on $10 jobs. I am retired too. That is when you do anything to keep busy until the rest of your friends can come out and play. You certainly do not do it for the money. You can do it for the food but not at the golden arches. That may shorten your life. Welcome to the board.

Hi everyone!! We are looking for Canadian shoppers! We do video mystery shops for new home communities. The pay starts at $50 per shop, and there are NO written reports to be done (which I see so many shoppers complain about on here LOL). Our shoppers simply visit new home communities and tour the model homes, etc. with the salesperson. The assignments we have available are located in the Niagara Falls area and also in Baden, ON. If interested please contact us at info@impact-mrkt.com for more information!