Forum Alias: Rezteach. My alias comes from teaching on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona for 40 years. How long have you been mystery shopping? I first started mystery shopping in 1999 as I was looking ahead to ways I could earn extra money in retirement while living in a rural area. I knew there were…
Forum Alias: GeauxCJ How long have you been Mystery Shopping? 4 years Where are you shopping? Georgia and Florida. Occasionally Louisiana. What got you started? My friend told me that she signed up with this company called Market Force. She explained what she did, but I thought it was a scam. I waited until she…
Forum Alias: Lisa4984 How long have you been mystery shopping? I started a little over a year ago when I lost my full-time job. Where are you shopping? I shop Eastern Washington and North Idaho. What got you started? After losing my job, I went through a major mid-life crisis and decided I never wanted…
Forum Alias: topaz74 How long have you been Mystery Shopping? Since January 2008. Where are you shopping? Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and West Virginia. What got you started? When I was in college, all the way back in 2000, one of my business professors in college mentioned mystery shopping to us and told…
Forum Alias: TowerOrchard How long have you been Mystery Shopping? I did a few shops about 4 years ago, but I seriously got back into mystery shopping during the last week of November, 2012. Where are you shopping? I primarily shop the Tulsa, Oklahoma area, but I have done routes in Kansas, Missouri & around…
Forum Alias: jpgilham How long have you been mystery shopping? I’ve been mystery shopping for 5 years now. What was your first assignment and how did it go? My first assignment was a gas station for a whopping $4. I picked up 4 of them and just thought that was amazing that I could go…
How long have you been Mystery Shopping? I have been mystery shopping for over 7 years. I was a starving college student when I started. I was so glad to eat something other than ramen noodles I didn’t know what to do. I thought mystery shopping would be a great way to earn free meals…
Forum Alias: 57 Carol How long have you been Mystery Shopping? About 18 years. Where are you shopping? The greater Seattle area. What got you started? I first started mystery shopping about 18 years ago when I answered a small advertisement in the newspaper. I remember it was for the New England shopping company. You…
There are many questions that come up repeatedly on www.mysteryshopforum.com that will be compiled in a series of articles here in the Mystery Shopping Magazine. We hope that this will be a convenient resource for you to find the answers you are looking for regarding the tips and techniques and tools used in this business….
Forum Alias: ShopperBob How long have you been mystery shopping? Since 2003. What got you started? During the winter of 2002-03, I began searching for a profession that could supplement my upcoming retirement from 39 yrs. in direct commissioned sales. After considering several opportunities, the idea of being paid for an everyday task caught my…
Forum Alias: SunnyDays2 How long have you been Mystery Shopping? I have been mystery shopping for about 2 years now, since 2011 Where are you shopping? South Carolina. I will go up to 80 miles in any given direction. I even shop North Carolina, if the bonus covers the gas! What got you started? When…
Contributed By WalesMaven, Mystery Shop Forum Member FAQ: Okay, I studied how to construct a believable scenario. What should I expect when I arrive for my appointment? Expect to describe and get the name of the receptionist or concierge who greets you. You may have to wait for the marketing associate (MA) with whom you…
Contributed By WalesMaven, Mystery Shop Forum Member FAQ: Help! I have my first assisted living assignment, and I want to be sure I do it right. What do I need to know? Almost all such shops begin with a phone call, often recorded, to gather information and make an appointment. You will probably be working…
Forum Alias: James Bond 007.5 How long have you been mystery shopping? I started on August 1, 2012, and I’m signed up with 136 companies right now. Where are you shopping? Based in Myrtle Beach, SC, but willing to travel in the southeast and New England. What got you started? I was looking for supplemental…
Contributed by Amie068 I admit to being somewhat naïve and trusting in a world that constantly proves that it is anything but trustworthy. In the last 7 months, I have had 3 occasions where more than one of my credit card numbers was obtained and large, fraudulent charges were made. This made me hyper-aware of…
Contributed by Itsasecret I have been self-employed for over 15 years. I have also been a victim of identity theft. When I first became self-employed, I took classes about owning a small business and found out from experts what it was going to mean to be self-employed. Among other things, I was told that having…
Contributed by Itsasecret The primary arguments raised in the forum against using an EIN take two forms: One, shoppers simply object to companies requiring an EIN when there is no legitimate reason for them to do so. The other objection is because some shoppers don’t want their town or city or HOA to know they…
Forum Alias: GraceR How long have you been mystery shopping? I started shopping two years ago but didn’t get really serious about it until a year ago. Where are you shopping? I shop all over Northern California. What got you started? I had always seen those mystery shopping ads that were obviously scams. I always…
Contributed by itsasecret, Mystery Shop Forum Member. There are many questions that come up repeatedly on Mystery Shop Forum that will be compiled in a series of articles here in the Mystery Shopping Magazine. We hope that this will be a convenient resource for you to find the answers you are looking for regarding the…
Forum Alias: Irene_L.A. How long have you been mystery shopping? About 6 years. Where are you shopping?The Los Angeles area and surrounding suburbs. What got you started? I started shopping after retiring and becoming quite bored. I discovered shopping through Shadow Shopper, signed up, and did a few jobs in my area through them. I…
The Adventures of 007.5 By James Bond, Mystery Shop Forum Member. Cettie isn’t the only one here to have “interesting” adventures on mystery shops. I can recall a BMW shop earlier this year that was anything but routine… It had all appearances of being a routine day, a loop of six shops from the Grand…
Editor’s note: This interview is all about last year’s IMSC conference in Atlanta Georgia. We’re re-publishing again this year, ahead of the New Orleans conference. It will give you a more clear idea of what these conferences are all about, and what you can expect from them. Be sure to read our other two interviews…
An interview with BigEdBSA about the recent IMSC Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. What made you decide to go to the conference? Unlike most mystery shoppers who operate in urban or suburban environments, I take on a difference challenge from my mountain top village of 400 high up in the Blue Ridge & Great Smokey Mountain…
An interview with Traveliz about the recent IMSC Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. What was the most important thing you learned? Hmmm, hard to say but I am thinking that the reminder of only doing what is asked was a biggie. It’s both more profitable for the shopper and exactly what the MSC/client wants. I think…
Contributed by ItsaSecret. Overview: How would you like to be able to mail a package without paying for the postage? With a USPS shop, you will evaluate the facility condition and customer service while shipping a package. These shops are particularly popular with people who sell on eBay. Project variations: Postal shops come in four…
Forum Alias: miketfse How long have you been mystery shopping? I’ve been shopping for part time pay since December 2012. In my FT career, I have done competitor comparisons, some mystery shopping, and franchise standards compliance for over 5 years. Where are you shopping? Southern Alberta and all over Saskatchewan, Canada. It depends where my business…