So, you’ve read the introduction and decided that yes, you’d like to try this! Great! There are a lot of different theories on how to get started, but I’ll tell you what’s worked for me. First, you have to understand that there are thousands of different companies that contract with businesses to mystery shop. They’re not linked; they’re competitors. That means that you have to be signed up with each individual company. Ugh. Filling out the forms and often submitting a short essay can be a huge chore! If you plan to do this full-time, you pretty well have to go that route. Hint: save any essay questions in Word to reuse.
However, if you’re planning to do this on a part-time or occasional basis, there’s an easier way. I recommend signing up with just a couple of targeted companies to get your feet wet and gain experience.
First, sign up with Service Intelligence (SSI). Their pay tends to be lower than many, but they offer training (you’ll need to read and test before each type of shop) and they are self-assign. In other words, you don’t need to wait for a scheduler to call or email you. After you’ve passed the test (usually about ten multiple-choice questions), you simply go to the cities you want to shop and select the jobs you want. SSI is nationwide (and in Canada, too) and has a lot of business. They’re a great place to begin. You’re paid at the end of the month following the shop (if you shop in June, you’ll get paid in July), and it’s direct deposited so you never have to worry about whether you’ll get paid on time or not (this is a problem with some companies in the mystery shopping world). I’ve been with this company for years and years, and have had nothing but positive experiences.
Next, sign up with Kern Scheduling Service. Kern is not a mystery shopping company. Rather, they schedule shops for dozens of other companies. One of the biggest benefits for newcomers to mystery shopping is that when you take a job scheduled through them, you’re now in the other company’s database. In other words, if GFK contracts with Kern to fill a shop in Timbuktu (where you live), after you’ve completed the shop, you’re in with GFK. This can be a real benefit for those companies who restrict how many shoppers can shop a particular geographical zone. Kern is very professional and has very helpful schedulers who assign shops. You indicate your interest on their website, then you’ll get an email telling you it’s closed or you’ve been assigned. Whether you’re just starting out or seasoned, it’s a company every shopper should be signed up with.
After you’ve signed up with these two and have done a dozen or so shops, it’s time to expand. In the next segment, I’ll tell you some of the companies I recommend and why.
Click here to go to The Best Mystery Shopping Companies.