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The ed-u.com Mystery Shopping Club has recently been featured in the following media:
New and Experienced UK Mystery Shoppers Always Needed...
(Please click here now if you are already a Mystery Shopper)
Are you a student over 18? Part-time teacher? Or maybe a parent or just someone that needs some extra income? Some free food and drinks perhaps? Would you like to pick your own hours? Casual work is available now."Do you love shopping? The Mystery Shopping Club could just have your dream job." She Magazine
Please read this page fully before becoming a Mystery Shopper
Mystery Shopping, or Secret Shopping as it is sometimes known, regularly changes the life of 1000's of people, but isn't suitable for everyone.You may already be self-employed, employed, a stay-at-home parent, unemployed or retired. Mystery Shopping is something that bolts on to your existing lifestyle.
Is Mystery Shopping something new?
Mystery Shopping started back in 1940 and is now a huge part of the Market Research Industry. It is a service used by the top retail outlets, restaurants, pubs, cinemas, theatres, travel companies, hotels, spas, cruise companies, airlines, amusement parks and leisure organizations."The Mystery Shopping Club is an online support service for the UK spies. Virtually all UK firms now employ mystery shoppers. Just 10 years ago there were only 2,000-3,000 people working as covert researchers in Britain. Now there are nearly 190,000, working either full-time or part-time." The Independent
Why do business and organisations use Mystery Shopping?
Whenever you visit a major fast food restaurant or well known retail chain, have you ever wondered how they manage to maintain a consistent high level of service no matter how many branches they have and regardless of where they are in the world? It is not left to chance. They all use mystery shoppers to pose as diners or buyers to evaluate the service at ground level. They need to know what customers think about them to help them improve their business. They need as many people as possible to tell them how they are treated and how they feel about their products or services. Mystery Shoppers are the eyes and ears of their businesses."A useful contact is The Mystery Shopping Club. Mystery shopping agencies specialise in all sorts of things such as supermarkets and cinemas. You could get up to £100 for a day's work with them." Daily Mirror
What are the benefits of becoming a Mystery Shopper?
Huge flexibility: The freedom to work when and where you want and as little or as much as you want.
Extra income: Earn spare cash as and when you need it by getting paid for the ordinary things you may be already doing regularly anyway. You will also be able to claim mileage on many Mystery Shopping trips.Free stuff: You'll be sometimes asked to purchase and keep such products as clothes, spectacles, groceries, petrol and car servicing. You will receive reimbursement for purchases.
Free nights out: You might for instance receive free cinema tickets to check whether you received good service, the popcorn was fresh and the sound and vision of the film was clear. You might then be able to follow that with a meal out - restaurants provide free meals and drinks for Mystery Diners. On top of this, you will also be paid for your time... yes, really!
Free nights in: Many fast food restaurants and pizza parlours regularly run Mystery Shopping tests for their home delivery and take-away service.
Free lunches: After your free evaluation of the local leisure centre, treat yourself to a free lunch and don't worry about the bill. Yes there is such a thing as a free lunch!
Childcare convenience: The ability to take children with you on some Mystery Shopping visits. Some fast food restaurants prefer if you take children on the Mystery Shop visit. Free pizzas and burgers taste just as nice as the paid for ones! Amusement park assessments often require children to be taken along. Don't have children? No problem, just borrow one for the day!
Work from home: You can also get paid to shop online. Major online companies will pay you to buy things from their website and evaluate the service you receive.
See the country: Take a working holiday whilst Mystery Shopping.
"It might seem like an unattainable dream, but it is possible to be paid for going shopping. Information on how to become a Mystery Shopper can be found at The Mystery Shopping Club" The Sunday Express
Frequently asked questions:
Question: - How do you know so much about Mystery Shopping?Answer: - Our team has over 20 years experience in the UK Mystery Shopping industry, both in a fieldwork and supervisory capacity. In the name of Mystery Shopping we have been on several holidays, stayed overnight in many hotels, watched dozens of movies and assessed 100's of restaurants and countless bars. We've also spent thousands of pounds in shops and supermarkets - of which a significant amount of the purchases we were able to keep for free.
Question: - What is a Mystery Shopper?
Answer: - Whilst acting as a typical customer, a mystery shopper or diner visits a location and performs specific tasks such as ordering goods or services whilst observing sales and service techniques. The shopper then leaves the premises without revealing who they are and completes and returns a questionnaire. Mystery shops can also be carried out by telephone, e-mail or over the Internet.
Question: - Why is Mystery Shopping performed?
Answer: - It raises the quality of the service and the goods on offer. Customers complain less than you might think, they often just stop using a particular shop or service and take their business elsewhere. Companies and organisations gain an excellent insight as to how their companies perform in the eyes of their customers. This helps reduce complaints and stops customers converting to their competitors.
Question: - Would I make a suitable Mystery Shopper?Answer: - As long as you are of average intelligence, over 18 and have a flexible lifestyle the answer is a resounding yes! Mystery Shopping companies need all different types of people to reflect the types of customer that normally use their services. That said, if you already work 50 plus hours a week, are on a strict schedule or have a big young family with limited child care arrangements, Mystery Shopping probably isn't for you as a flexibility is sometimes required.
Question: - How much will I get paid?
Answer: - Fees per visit vary between companies, but are usually between £6.00 and £30.00. Some jobs do command £100 plus, but these are for longer, more complicated assignments such as staying at a holiday park or buying a pair of prescription spectacles. Most pay travel and petrol expenses, and if you make a purchase you will be reimbursed. You will often be allowed to keep what you bought. And yes, that does mean that your food and drink is included (and your partner's) when you Mystery Shop a restaurant.
Question: - How long does a Mystery Shop visit take?
Answer: - Evaluations can take 1 minute or an hour depending on the type of information required. Picking up a brochure from a travel agent may just take one minute while an eye test and spectacle purchase can take up to an hour.
Question: - What type of jobs will I get offered?
Answer: - You will be working for the well known clients of Mystery Shopping agencies who are normally national or international retail, leisure, restaurant, pub or entertainment chains. Have a look down your local High Street or your nearby retail parks and you will typically see all of the outlets you will be asked to visit. These might include a cinema, steak house, fast food outlet, clothes shops, the bookie, supermarket, department store, pubs or even a hotel. You may also be asked to assess the client’s competitors for comparison.
Question: - Am I free to choose what assignments to do?
Answer: - You have the option of declining the offered visit if you felt it unsuitable for you. For instance, if you have never visited a betting office before, you may not be the ideal candidate to assess the service there. You can also turn down work if you are too busy.
Question: - Is there work in my area?
Answer: - Thousands of Mystery Shopping visits take place across the country daily in all areas of the UK, including Northern Ireland. Some companies who are local to you may not necessarily have work in your area at this time (but most should) and some companies that are some distance away will have local work. Most companies recruit shoppers all over the UK because if they have a contract for, say, Beefeater or Harvester, they will need local shoppers to visit all of these company's restaurants. Not only that, if a restaurant is assessed twice a month, and the shopper is only allowed to revisit that branch once every three months to reduce the risk of being spotted, six shoppers are needed for just the one location. They will also often require extra shoppers per outlet not only for rotation purposes, but also for availability and holiday reasons.
Question: - Will I get work if I live in the countryside?
Answer: - There are definitely more assignments available in the major towns and cities, but of course there will always be more shoppers competing for them. It is often the case where you will find your services in great demand if you live in a sparsely populated area. Mystery Shopping companies sometimes find it difficult to recruit shoppers in such areas.
Question: - Can I do this full-time?
Answer: - Mystery shopping is casual work and therefore would not normally be regarded as a source of regular income. That said, many established Mystery Shoppers (and very often other family members as well) are in the fortunate position of working as many hours as they can manage, because they are so popular with the supervisors. However, most take on just enough to suit their existing schedules - including evenings and weekends. Even full-time workers (with a bit of flexibility) take on a bit of occasional Mystery Shopping!
Question: - But what if I get spotted?
Answer: - This happens extremely rarely indeed, and even if you are spotted, employees are advised not to confront you about it. In the very unlikely event that you were questioned whether you are a Mystery Shopper, simply say no and report the incident to your Mystery Shopping supervisor.
Question: - What does a Mystery Shopping questionnaire look like?
Answer: - Forms vary from company to company and assignment to assignment. They may contain yes or no questions or may ask for marks out of ten for various criteria. Some may ask you to write comments about what you have experienced.
Examples of some Restaurant / Bar questions for Secret Shoppers:
- Was the exterior clean and tidy?
- Was the interior clean and tidy?
- Did the staff member who served you make eye contact?
- Were you greeted?
- Were you served in a friendly manner?
- Were you served within two minutes of entry?
- Were you offered ice with your drink, if appropriate?
- Were you offered starters, side items, desserts or coffee?
- Was your food served within 15 minutes?
- Was your table cleared within five minutes of completion?
- Was the music appropriate for the type of venue?
Join the Mystery Shopping Recruitment Club (90 day 100% money back guarantee)
Designed for those with both extensive Mystery Shopping experience or no experience at all.The Mystery Shopping Recruitment Club, part of the highly respected ed-u.com organisation, is almost 14 years old and has over five thousand satisfied members. For a minimal one-off administration fee of £29.95 (which covers life-time membership and all updates) you will be provided with the contact details of well over 100 UK Mystery Shopping Companies that operate within your area. (Mystery Shopping Companies operate in all areas of the British Isles.) You will also receive significantly more, please read on...
"Thanks for answering all of my questions on mystery shopping and for sending me the contact details. I have been accepted for ALL eleven of the companies that I applied to and have conducted many enjoyable (and profitable) assignments!" - Mark Sevel.
Are you already a Mystery Shopper?
A significant amount of experienced Mystery Shoppers use us to help them increase their earnings. Many cannot break the £500 a week pay threshold despite several years in the industry - this is where we come in.- Discover why other mystery shoppers get more assignments than you
- Discover why other mystery shoppers get better assignments than you
- Discover why other mystery shoppers get better paid assignments than you
"I am delighted I joined your club." M. Robertson
The Secrets and Lies Behind Mystery Shopping
You will also discover the dark side of Mystery Shopping. Find out about the 7 fraudulent things that some of our unscrupulous colleagues get up to and how the agencies catch them."For months I've been tracking down ways to become a Mystery Shopper. You have given me the best information so far." C.L.
No experience at all?
No problem at all. You will receive an exceptional guide to working as a Mystery Shopper - everything you need to know to get started. It also includes an example "fill-in-the-blanks" application email/letter and a broad range of the secrets of how to earn the most money and get the best jobs.We will also send you details of how to become an On-Line Mystery Shopper, testing websites for good customer service from the comfort of your own home!
"Thank you for sending me the info necessary on becoming a mystery shopper. The good news is 3 days later I have my first assignment already. Thanks again." T. Gebremicael.
And for something completely different!
Discussion groups: Connecting people like you - consumers and service users - with research companies who want to explore your views.As a bonus, you will receive details of another excellent way to earn extra money. There is absolutely no cost to yourself and you will be rewarded for giving up your time (typically £30 - £50 for 2 hours work) and sharing your views in discussion groups or participating in surveys. Companies who manufacture products or provide services need to ensure they are meeting the needs of their customers, both in what they are doing now and in planning for the future. Similarly lots of organisations, commercial and non-commercial, need to understand public opinion and how this develops over time. Rather than ask their customers directly it is often more credible and effective to use a specialist market research agency to ask the questions.
These agencies need to be able to consult members of the public to probe their attitudes, opinions and feelings on a whole range of issues. Sometimes they need to talk to a cross section of the public as a whole, whilst at other times they need to focus on specific groups, e.g. those who use a particular product regularly. To make the outcome of the research valuable to their clients, they need to select a range of people to take part who genuinely reflect the target group, showing the normal diversity expected within that group - e.g. a range of ages or ethnicity.
You'll also discover how to get discounts and cashback from over 1000 online UK shops including Currys, Tesco, Boots, Littlewoods, Prudential and more. You will receive a £5 welcome bonus on your free sign up.
"It is estimated that there are over 187,000 Mystery Shoppers in the UK. The Mystery Shopping Club offers information and advice to those hoping to get involved in the business." The Mail on Sunday
We have a free members' Mystery Shopping Helpdesk!
However, in practice, very little help is needed, as applications to Mystery Shopping companies are usually very simple and full instructions concerning each project will automatically be sent to you. Nevertheless, we recognise there may be specific questions or concerns that you may wish to ask our opinion about and anyway, we would love to hear from you to find out how you are getting on!"There are people employed by hotels, shops and restaurants to monitor their own service. In return for a short report on your experience, you can often get a free room, meals and clothes. You can sign up for assignments with the Mystery Shopping Club." 'B' Magazine
Why do we charge £29.95 for this service?
Members' payments covers all our administrative, organisational and website costs - it also entitles you to FREE lifetime membership of the Mystery Shopping Club (no extra or annual fees) and access to our Mystery Shopping Helpdesk. Also, if you find that one of the companies is not recruiting presently, please let us know and we will send you another company's information as soon as it becomes available. This information is added to regularly and all updates are supplied to club members free of charge on request. Free lifetime e-mail and phone support (non-premium standard phone charges) is also included, there are absolutely no further charges (you will never be asked to pay to register with a reputable Mystery Shopping company). All for only £29.95.What will I receive?
- A simple "fill-in-the-blanks" application plan that will get you started
- The contact details of well over 100 UK Mystery Shopping Agencies that directly employ mystery shoppers
- Information about who hires mystery shoppers
- Information about how to approach them and how easy it is
- Information about how to get paid for your opinion
- Information about how to get discounts and cashback from over 1000 online UK shops
- The dos and don'ts when working for mystery shopping companies
- Information on how some mystery shoppers double or even triple up on their visits
- Information on how mystery shopping can be combined with a holiday
- How some mystery shoppers defraud the agencies and their clients and how they are caught
No waiting, immediate access!
You will receive your membership information and all your Mystery Shopping companies' contact details immediately.100% money back guarantee
We offer a 100 percent money back guarantee! You’ll have a full 90 days to evaluate and decide for yourself if it is exactly what we promised. If you don't agree, just let us know and we’ll refund your money with the press of a button. Thousands of ordinary people get paid to go shopping, eat out in a restaurant or just pop out for a drink. You can join them now!Please click on the secure payment button below to pay your one-off joining fee of £29.95 by PayPal, Credit Card or Debit Card through PayPal (you do not need a PayPal account).
| 100% Money Back Guaranteed |
We're here to help! If you encounter any problems whatsoever, please email us at mystery @ talkingtraffic.com. The Mystery Shopping Club, Green View, Brook End Road North, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 6NW |