Lots of the reader questions I get via email have to do with mystery shopping and so I decided to put together a post  highlighting some of these FAQ’s!

Question #1:  Do you have to pay to sign up for mystery shopping?

Answer: No, NEVER.  Do not pay to sign up with a company, they should be paying you!

Question #2: I got an email asking me to accept an assignment to cash a large check and then wire the money out of the country.  Is this a scam?

Answer: YES, this is a scam.  I stay away from any check cashing shops as most are scams, especially if the assignment is received in an email from a company you are not signed up with.  If it sounds too good to be true (i.e. you earn $500 for just cashing a check) then it probably is!

Question #3: I’ve never mystery shopped before but I want a free cruise as my first shop.  Is this feasible?

Answer: NO! You’ll need to become an experienced shopper and really prove yourself to the companies you work with before they will give you the more lucrative paying assignments.

Question #4: Do I have to pay anything OOP (out of pocket) when I mystery shop?

Answer: It depends on the assignment.  For a restaurant or retail store where you are being reimbursed for purchases then most likely yes.  There are some shops that are fee only like a car dealership and those you wouldn’t have to pay OOP.  Read your shop assignment carefully before accepting the assignment if this concerns you.

Question #5: Do I have to claim the money I make mystery shopping on my taxes?

Answer: I am not a tax expert so you’ll need to consult one to answer this question. Generally, ANY money you earn, regardless of the source is taxable, no matter how much money it is.

Question #6: How do I find out which companies have shops in my areas?

Answer: You won’t know until you sign up.  You sign a confidentiality agreement with each company so you can’t tell people who they shop for.  You’ll need to sign up with as many companies as possible to have the best selection of shops.

Question #7: Why do they need my social security number?

Answer: Because they need to report your earnings to the government just like any employer.  If they didn’t collect this information then they wouldn’t be legit.

Question #8:  Where do you find the companies you sign up with and how do you know they are legit?

Answer:  I use the forums at Volition and also look for companies who are members of the Mystery Shoppers Providers Association.  I also google the name of the company to see what people are saying.

Question #9: How do you know when shops are available in your area?

Answer: I check many companies job boards online every day to make sure I don’t miss any shops.  Some companies release shops once a month and you get to know when the release date is.  Other companies send emails when shops are available, it depends on the company.

Question #10: What do you think are 3 necessary traits for a mystery shopper?

Answer: Responsible, discreet and flexible

Check out my posts on mystery shopping for more information!

I am trying to do mystery shops with different companies so that I can bring you all more legit companies to sign up with.  Many of you email me asking for more so here is another one!

I have completed one shop with Ritter Associates and it went very smoothly.  I am not a giant fan of their job assignment system – it’s a little difficult to search but they do send me frequent emails letting me know what opportunities are available in my area which I much appreciate!

The shop assignment was clear and the report was very straightforward.  I received a check for my shop very quickly and will not hesitate to accept another assignment from Ritter Associates!

As always, it’s FREE to sign up to be a mystery shopper for any of the companies I blog about. You can read more about the mystery shopping companies I blog about here. Please read my Mystery Shopping 101 post for more information.

It’s been a while since I talked about a new mystery shopping company but here is one! I recently completed a shop with About Face and received my payment. 

About Face is of course FREE to sign up for and they offer shops around the country.  I found their instructions to be clear and their shop report form straightforward.  It did take several months to be paid via Paypal but I was paid.  Make sure to read about the other mystery shopping companies I am signed up with as well my tips on being a successful mystery shopper!

JC & Associates is a mystery shopping company that I have been signed up with from the beginning but only recently completed a shop for them.  The shop was a fairly simple quick casual restaurant shop and the reimbursment/payment were very fair for the length and complexity of the shop report.  My only complaint about this company is that it took a while to be paid.

I recently received an email from JC & Associates that they are merging with another company and payments will be processed quicker.  I was happy to hear that as they have a nice selection of national restaurant chains to shop at.  As always, it’s FREE to register and you’re under no obligation to ever complete a shop.

To learn more about mystery shopping, please read my Mystery Shopping 101 post. For a list of other mystery shopping companies I have discussed click here.

GfK is another company I have been signed up with since I first started mystery shopping but only recently completed my first shop with them. I received the assignment via email as it was very time sensitive. I was amazed at how quickly the shop was assigned to me and how quickly I was paid!Payment was made via Paypal within a few weeks of the shop. I had to take and pass a short quiz before doing the assignment that was very simple. The form was short and no narrative was required for the shop I did! I love that!

As always, it’s FREE to sign up with the mystery shopping companies I blog about.

To learn more about mystery shopping, please read my Mystery Shopping 101 post. For a list of other mystery shopping companies I have discussed click here.

I have been signed up with Retail Eyes for a long time but just recently completed my first shops with them. I wanted to wait until I received my payment before posting about the company. Everything went very smoothly so I feel comfortable recommending my readers sign up to shop with them!Retail Eyes is FREE to join as are all the mystery shopping companies I blog about. They recently picked up some great restaurants near me and pay generously for the complexity of the report form. I was paid by check in a timely fashion and found the instructions to be straightforward. I liked that they emailed when a shop in my area was open as I don’t generally have time to check the 100+ mystery shopping sites I am signed up with!

To learn more about mystery shopping, please read my Mystery Shopping 101 post. For a list of other mystery shopping companies I have discussed click here.

I signed up for National Shopping Service a while ago but just recently completed (and was paid for!) my first shop. I found the directions to be clear and straightforward and the shop form was fairly easy to enter. In my area they have quick casual restaurants and retail establishments primarily. The site is easy to navigate. I’ll definitely sign up for some more shops with National Shopping Service!

As always, it’s completely FREE to sign up. You won’t really receive emails when shops are open so you should plan to check the site a few times a week.

To learn more about mystery shopping, please read my Mystery Shopping 101 post. For a list of other mystery shopping companies I have discussed click here.

I have done several mystery shops with ICU Associates when I was offered a bonus. This company will offer high bonuses (including mileage and tolls) towards the end of the month to complete open shops. I did a shop very close to my house and was paid quite handsomely for not so much effort.

The shop reports are easy to enter and do not require substantial narrative. I receive emails when shops are open and when they are in dire need of you to do a shop you’ll get several emails. You can negotiate fees with them towards the end of the month. I found the scheduler I dealt with to be very professional and payment was made via paypal on the timetable expected.

As always, it’s FREE to sign up for these companies. You’re under no obligation to do any shops whatsoever.

To learn more about mystery shopping, please read my Mystery Shopping 101 post. For a list of other mystery shopping companies I have discussed click here.

National Shopping Service is a fairly new mystery shopping company to me but I find the shops easy to schedule and the reports easy to complete – both a bonus in my book! There is a good variety of food and retail shops near me and I like how you can indicate you are interested in a shop even if it has already been assigned to another shopper in case they can’t complete it.

I found the directions for the shops to be very clear and loved that minimal narrative was required. The shop paid adequately and I will definitely be doing more shops with National Shopping Service!

As always, it’s FREE to sign up to be a mystery shopper for any of the companies I blog about. You can read more about the mystery shopping companies I blog about here. Please read my Mystery Shopping 101 post for more information.

PamInCa recently emailed me to let me know that she had published a book on mystery shopping called The Essential Guide to Mystery Shopping and asked me to review a copy of it. I’m so excited about this book and couldn’t wait to share it with my readers. The Essential Guide to Mystery Shopping is great for those of you who are new to mystery shopping. The book is divided into chapters, such as “What tools do I need” and “New Shopper Support among others. PamInCa (a pseudonym to maintain her anonymity) writes in a very clear and easy to understand manner, explaining how to get started and what equipment you need.

There is a very large list at the end of the book of mystery shopping companies to sign up with (with live links in the ebook format) as well as commentary from schedulers from several large companies about what they look for in shoppers and what not to do. Even though I have been mystery shopping for well over a year now, I still found this book to be helpful and I learned new things from it.

Pam is a seasoned mystery shopping professional with years of experience. Pam’s tips about scheduling shops and setting up your own shopping calendar have inspired me to become more organized and methodical with my shopping. Every mystery shopper can benefit from this helpful book. You can order the book in ebook form or paperback form.