About Mystery Shopping – Page 5 – Ellis Mystery Shopper Jobs

Undercover Mystery Shops

July 25, 2015

Posted by: lford

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There are numerous mystery shopping jobs available to make extra cash each month on a part-time basis and there are some that involve working like an undercover person. Technology has become instrumental with mystery shopping jobs and video shopping is one of the latest innovative advancements in mystery shopping that earns much more money than regular mystery shops!

Shops that offer video shopping often include video tapping the shopping site and recording the conversation of the employee. These shops are secret video taping and the company will send you all the video equipment you need to secretly tape and record an evaluation of their employee. Once you sign up for these types of video shops, the mystery shopping website video department will mail out the equipment necessary to perform these types of jobs.

The video equipment is easy to use and is often attached and concealed under your shirt. The video recorder is similar to a regular tape recorder, but the equipment is a tiny video recorder that is attached behind the shirt you wear and it records the entire conversation and films your interaction with your target shop’s employee.

The demand for video tapping has increased since more employers are interested in how to improve their business. Some people enjoy participating in undercover work or just like the mystery of learning how to use and operate video equipment. The best part of these shops are that they generally pay a higher price of a regular shop and often a shopper can ask for a higher cost to perform these shops.

Legit Mystery Shopping Jobs

July 23, 2015

Posted by: lford

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Finding legitimate mystery shopping work does require some work to obtain. There are so many scams today, and there are so many people willing to use different means to get a hold of your personal information that you must be aware. Be careful who you give your time, information, and money to in this business. Here are some tips and keep these in mind when checking a company:

First of all, you should never send money to a mystery shopping company in order to start work with the company. If any person or company asks for money up front then this could be a scam.

Secondly, doing a simple Google search may not yield the best results at first. You might have to sift through the list of companies and see which one would fit your requirements. Your first search should be with local mystery shopping companies because you would be able to know if they were legitimate just by their local telephone number and address. A simple telephone call would help you determine if the company has a true address or a post office box.

Lastly, when a mystery shopping company asks you to deposit money into someone else’s account then that too is a scam. Any time money is a concern you need to take care and look carefully at the company you are working for and with. Most companies do not ask for large sums of money.

Remember: Most mystery shopping companies do not ask for anything except your email, address and telephone number.

Finding A Legit Shopping Job

July 18, 2015

Posted by: lford

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Mystery shopping work can be fun and it can be beneficial. It can be rewarding and you would be helping businesses keep their customers. Money made can be used to supplement your income or help you save for another purpose. Finding legit work can be tricky and sometimes hard to find. Google searches do not always help, as they do not shift out the companies that have a long history of being a scam.

Too many people trusted companies to help them find work and instead found themselves in the middle of scams.

There are many legitimate companies that are out there, but sometimes the process of applying can be daunting. For instance, you might be wary of entering your social security number in a form. But keep in mind as an independent contractor you are required to give some form of government identification to your employer. If you don’t feel comfortable then call or email the company and ask for help.

Furthermore, beware of mystery shopping companies that ask you to send information to a post office box. The known mystery shopping companies have a physical address or a website with a secure area for entering private data. Again if you ever feel uncomfortable then ask questions. Ask question by email, but don’t send your sensitive information over email.

So keep in mind that telephone numbers and websites are important for mystery shoppers to be aware of today.

I lied for Money

July 15, 2015

Posted by: lford

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Several years ago I started mystery shopping just as a side gig with a few jobs a month primarily paying for some fast food during the workweek. As time progressed I learned about more and more shops.

I began shopping for new cars, apartments, and even houses. I did banking shops, pretending to have large sums of money available for investment. Friends have asked me about shopping and what it involves. All of a sudden, someone just asked me, “So you lie to people for money?”

It was an interesting thought, but the bottom line is, yes, I do lie to people for money. I lied to the banker; I lied to the leasing associate at the apartment complex; and I lied to the car salesman, all the while I had no guilt about it. You see, I don’t consider it to be lying. Yes, I am presenting myself as something I am not – a really interested buyer or investor, but it is my job. I pretend to be on board with policies and procedures at my full-time job that I disagree with too, but it is my job. And, honestly, mystery shopping is a lot more fun, as I’m usually doing something I enjoy.

I may not buy a car today, I may not rent that apartment today, I may not make any big investments today however, I do look at each shop as something I might do in the future. Conducting mystery shops helps me shop products in advance. So, is mystery shopping lying? No, it is research for me. Is it the right fit for everyone? Of course not, but neither is the full-time job I have! If you are uncomfortable with presenting yourself as something you are not, you should stick with fast food shops and some other simple shops that do not require you to make-up or use a back story. If you see it for what it can be, you may want to give it a try.

Earn Extra Cash Shopping

July 8, 2015

Posted by: lford

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Summer is a great time to earn extra cash since many students are out of school and family budgets may increase because the children are home for this season. Mystery shopping offers accommodating schedules and various job opportunities to earn extra cash each month, and each shop generally only takes a couple of hours to perform.Most jobs can be performed during regular working hours during the week while other shops offer evening and weekend work.

There is no long term commitment when you sign up and perform mystery shopping jobs other than committing to do one job in its entirety. In a couple of hours, you can earn from $40 to $300, and most mystery shopping jobs easily accommodate your schedule.

Mystery shopping jobs generally involve a shopper to evaluate an employee’s performance at a company. You may need to ask certain questions and interact with an employee. After your evaluation of the employee, most jobs require you to fill out an easy on-line questionnaire form for their company.

Generally, most mystery shopping companies pay within 30 to 45 days or some pay at the time you perform a mystery shopping job. The Internet is filled with ads for mystery shoppers which include evaluating apartments, shopping for a particular item in the store, or having potential customers taste or try new company products.

There are many types of mystery shopping jobs available and the sign-up is easy and free. Summer shopping is easy and many of you have free time to work a couple of hours to make some extra cash. So get moving and enjoy your summer along with a few hundred dollars in your pocketbook.

Was I spotted as a Shopper?

June 29, 2015

Posted by: lford

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When I first started mystery shopping I felt certain I was made by clerks as a shopper. I started looking at things differently and was really concerned about being spotted as a shopper. What would I do if they confronted me? I did several shops that required pictures. How do you inconspicuously take pictures in a fast food place? Of course, over time my presentation became much smoother and more natural.

I started doing more target shops lately, where you must shop a specific person. Sometimes these can be tricky and take a lot more time than a standard shop. Then, there are times when you are told to specifically ask for your target and say something like, a friend recommended you. When they ask for your friend’s name and you tell them, then you have to state your friend’s boyfriend gave her the name and you don’t know his name. Now, that is a feasible story, but I have gotten some weird looks when stating such things.

Sometimes you make phone calls and try to get a specific person. This is tricky. If it is not who you were supposed to talk to, you get a little tired of asking how late the office is open, hanging up, or stating you have the wrong number. It makes me feel as if they may catch on with five calls in a day that it is the same voice over and over again.

Rest assured, most of the time the amount of traffic at the location you are shopping is so high they will not know you are a shopper. And, just the fact that you are approaching the matter from a shopper’s perspective makes you over analyze things and make great strides to not be detected. No matter what happens always stay in character and keep your story the same. Sometimes you might need to embellish a bit, but keep it as simple as possible if you can. And know that many companies know they are shopped on a regular basis. There are times when an employee may be able to determine you are a shopper, but for the most part it will be business as usual.

Any Kids Need Extra Money?

June 25, 2015

Posted by: lford

About Mystery Shopping

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School is out for most kids and finding some part-time jobs to earn extra money helps to keep children busy. Learning about new work environments help motivate teens to be independent, relieves mom and dad to tend to their lifestyles, and the added income ameliorates parent’s overall spending budget on the family. Some states allow kids to work as early as 14 years old, but you should check with your state rules and standards for work requirements.

During summer, teenagers love to buy music, hang out with their friends, go to the movies, or go shopping, and those activities can increase a family’s budget in gas and in telephone bills. If you have children and they do not have any income, then you will need to budget your money to fund all these summer activities. However, if you help them find part-time mystery shops, then this is an excellent and easy opportunity for them to earn fast extra money, be responsible, learn the basics of a computer system, and actually helps them feel more independent since everyone wants to have their own money. Best of all, it decreases your overall need to budget wisely and prevents depletion of your monthly budget.

It is easy to find mystery shopper jobs online and there are numerous opportunities that a teenager would enjoy learning about new work environments and at the same time, make fast extra money for movies and buying music. There are mystery shopping that range from browsing for motorcycles and bicycles, to computer techie supplies, to make-up and fashion jobs, or handing out new products to customers.

The opportunities to earn extra money are out there and one just needs to log onto a computer and search for mystery shopping jobs. So what are you waiting for? Summer is here and it is time to find those mystery shopping jobs to earn extra money!

Keeping Records of Your Pay

June 10, 2015

Posted by: lford

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When you start to work for mystery shopping companies, you should keep records of which company you work for and the pay rate. This way you have an idea of how much you are due and when you will be paid.

It is important that you know the date you will be paid as you can follow up if you are not paid on time. Also when you file your taxes, accurate files are necessary.

First of all, create a document where you enter in the name of the company and the date you shopped. Keep a record of the websites where you entered the data. Next, keep records on when you get paid and how you will get paid. For instance, some companies use PayPal while others mail a check. Still other mystery hopping companies prefer to do direct deposit in to a bank account. Accurate record keeping will help you to ensure you are paid on time and when and where

Secondly, keep a copy of your records and the receipts to give to your tax preparer. Almost all the things you use to mystery shop can be written off on your taxes. A good tax program will show you which items you can claim. If you can possibly hire an accountant for a few hours, it could be beneficial. After all, you can learn what the tax breaks are for working at home. Record keeping is essential for a good shopper.

How to Find Mystery Shops

June 5, 2015

Posted by: lford

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You may have heard through the cyberspace meeting chat rooms or was just googling for part-time work and discovered that there are jobs called mystery shopping jobs that are flexible where you can work them in and around your schedule. When you do not have a friend or mentor to guide you to these type of jobs, it can be a little frustrating to discover what is available and where to apply. But no worries now.

This post caught your eye, so just follow along and discover the portal to where those mystery jobs lie. You can first try googling mystery shopping and apply at each company that advertises jobs available. All mystery shopping jobs, like Ellis Mystery Shopping, do not charge a fee to apply and you can review their website, view all available shop opportunities, and apply to those jobs with your schedule.

However, there are companies that act as a middle man, have thousands of jobs available and they operate like an on-line data base, for temporary part-time mystery shops. Generally, these types of data base companies charge a fee, such as Shadow Shopper, to utilize their services, but you receive hundreds of different types of possible jobs. Before you pay any fee, ensure you check that company with the Better Business Bureau for authenticity and other Internet background checks.

Sometimes it’s better to find these large data base on-line employment agencies and pay a fee so you can find numerous companies all at once that offer mystery shopping shops. Once you start viewing the available employment boards, you will discover numerous company websites that you can apply for free in the future. So hop on the Internet and get started on mystery shopping!

Is Mystery Shopping a Good Start for a New Writer?

June 1, 2015

Posted by: lford

About Mystery Shopping

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In a world where writing is a dying art and texting jargon has become the norm, writers are looking for places to hone their skills while earning money. A good place to start is mystery shopping.

This will give you a boost in finances while you are waiting for that big novel to publish, will give you quality feedback on your writing style, will allow you to earn some money, and give you the opportunity to shop and have a little fun with role playing.

Is it truly a way to hone your skills as a new writer? Any practice at writing, regardless of style, will give you some helpful hints. It may even give you the idea to write a story about the life of a mystery shopper! In addition to mystery shopping, if you prove to be a quality shopper with quality reports, you may be brought on board by a company or two to be an editor. This will further enhance your skills and income.

What type of writing can you expect in mystery shopping? Different types of shops call for different types of reports. Many will ask for at least a small narrative describing your shopping experience. Some of the more in depth shops and higher paying shops will require more narratives. An example of this is an apartment shop. Even if it is recorded on video, companies also want a very detailed narrative regarding the entire experience.

It can take thirty to forty minutes to complete all narratives, maybe longer depending on your experience. This can definitely build your ability to describe situations as companies want more than a simple, “I would have rented from this associate” type statements. You have to give them the how and why. This can enhance your vocabulary and help you piece together informative, yet concise, descriptions more easily.

If your goal is a little extra income while practicing your writing you may choose to stay clear of simple fast food shops. Many of these require little, if any narrative, and are simple fact checking expeditions. But if you need the money, they certainly do not deplete your writing ability. So, if the writing field is slow with work, feel free to expand your horizons and supplement with mystery shopping. But be warned, you may become a permanent shopper and put writing on the back burner!