Sorry, gents, this one is for the ladies out there in mystery shopping land. Gals, get ready to get pampered and dolled up when you go out on one of these assignments. These are great to do before an evening out on the town!
Project Variations: Assignment scenarios are fairly straightforward. The shopper usually presents themselves to an adviser seeking advice about a skin maintenance issue or looking for new products to try out.
Sometimes these are targeted visits, meaning that the shopper must interact with a specific associate.
Visit & Reporting Requirements: Typical time on-site is about a half hour to forty five minutes, depending upon customer traffic at the time of visit. Reporting can vary from just a few minutes for the easier evaluations to almost an hour for those requiring detailed narrative.
Strategies: To make the whole process easier, go in as a blank canvas without makeup. Your backstory should include why you are wanting to try out a new line of cosmetics, what you have used in the past, what you liked or disliked about it, your daily skin regimen, and what improvements you would like to see. This doesn’t have to be elaborate. The closer your backstory is to your reality, the easier it is to carry off successfully.
The adviser should ask you specific questions about your skin, sometimes using a referral guide. There are many products to choose from, and the adviser’s job is to determine which would work best for you.
The adviser should be able to knowledgeably represent the products in a manner that entices you to purchase them. To do so, she should be able to explain the benefits of each product and the positive results you will see from using it.
During the application process, the experienced adviser will give you tips or advice on using the products. You can relax during this stage and simply listen to what information she shares with you. Afterward, she should provide you with a written list of all products used.
Also observe how the advisers handle multiple customers at once. Wait times should not be excessive, and no customer should be shown a favored status over others.
The advisor will then attempt to close the sale. Be sure to note how she tried to accomplish this for noting in your report later. Sometimes the adviser will ask for your phone number. Do not make the mistake of providing this. Early on in my mystery shopping career I lost my poise during the closing stages of a cosmetics assignment and gave up my phone number. The adviser called me over a half dozen times over a three month period.
What Others Have to Say: According to many shoppers on www.mysteryshopforum.com, these assignments can go extremely fast, lasting mere moments on the job boards. Some cosmetics clients have such appealing products that shoppers are more than willing to complete these assignments for little to no pay with reimbursement.
Estimated Pay: Pay can vary from $10 to $15 per visit, but can go higher. Some are reimbursement only for $30 to $45 worth of merchandise.
MSCs: Among the mystery shopping companies that conduct cosmetic assignments are About Face, National Shopping Service, and Market Force.