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Mystery Shopping ~ General Discussion and Q & A Thread


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Can someone recommend good mystery shopping company's?

 

 

EDIT: I hijacked DramaQueenLucy's thread to create 1 thread for questions, answers and general discussion on Mystery Shopping. This is to keep the forum more organized and to prevent countless threads with the same questions and discussions.

 

If you have specific questions or discussion relating to a particular company post in That Companies Thread. This is a General Information and Discussion Thread.

 

Thanks.....mmm40

 

:threadjac

 

Ok I see how it is...lol

Edited by mmm40
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I have read a few things about people doing the mystery shops?? Where do I sign up? I'm a single mom looking for ways to bring in something extra for my family.

If you read through the pages in this forum (near the last few pages) you will find over 60 companies listed here. In the thread title it states it is a Mystery Shopping Company and All are marked with a yellow warning icon.

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Thanks, but that wasnt the post. I cant look in my history or anything because it deletes every night. *sigh* Guess I'll just have to wait and see.

I have an idea where you may have gone. Sending you a pm.You won't be able to pm me back yet. You don't have enough posts. I don't want to post "that other site" as we are not permitted to post our name there.

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  • 1 month later...

I have no personal recommendations. Oh wait,....... Kern scheduling is excellent. Back in the beginning pages of this forum I posted well over 70 sites. They all clearly state in the thread title "Mystery Shopping Company" and the icon is always the yellow "warning icon. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

 

Good Luck!

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  • 2 months later...

I am signed up with GfK Mystery Shopping. They pay thru paypal only. It depends on your area, but there has been a lot of shops to choose from in my area lately. You can apply on-line at the link below. You have to do some reading (on-line) and then do a test, just to see if you did the reading, before they will accept you. Likewise, once you accept a mystery shop assignment, there is material to be read followed by a test before you are approved for the shop. The pay differs, from as low as $5.00 to $12.00 so far for me. You also get reimbursed for any purchase you are required to make as part of the shop. I hope this helps! Good luck. :thumbsup:

 

www.cybershoppersonline.com

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Unless you lived in an area with a lot of Bestmark shops, or any sort of shops, you will not 'make' money. I have worked for Bestmark for about 5 years and have gotten things at a wonderful price, have gotten almost free meals but have never looked at it as a make extra money deal.

 

I am sure in some areas you can make more or less. It really depends on where you live.

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I've used Kern, mysteryshops.com, and ShopnChek with success. They are all legit, fairly straightforward, and pretty easy to use. But I agree - I live in a smaller city and there aren't a lot of opportunities that are posted for my area. In a month, I might complete 3 or 4 mystery shops between all of the companies. There seem to be more shoppers than shops around here - they fill up very quickly.

 

And, although I enjoy it, it isn't as exciting as the spam e-mails make you think. It really is a lot of work to prepare (read the materials, schedule the dates), then during the shop you have to remember all of the questions and procedures as well as the responses you get, and finally you have to go back home, fill out the paperwork, fax or scan the information, etc etc. All in all, most of my local shops pay a shopping fee of $5-$9 plus a $1 reimbursement for a small item you purchase (so that you obtain a receipt to verify the shop). The better shops are restaurants, because you do get a free meal for most of them, but they aren't that common here. I had one shop at a shoe store. When I was browsing the job site, I saw that you got to make a purchase of shoes and I thought Woo-Hoo!!! But then I read further and saw that part of the shop was to return the shoes that same day. Boo.

 

Good luck!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have no personal recommendations. Oh wait,....... Kern scheduling is excellent. Back in the beginning pages of this forum I posted well over 70 sites. They all clearly state in the thread title "Mystery Shopping Company" and the icon is always the yellow "warning icon. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Very helpful as usual..

 

Has any one heard of shopper services?

I went back and looked up these my self many are good.

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  • 4 months later...

How do you tell if a mystery shopping company is legitimate?

Excellent question!!! I am a bit out of sorts tonight. I have a broken arm and it is hurting and I took a pain pill so my head isn't clear. So, I will provide a more in depth answer tomorrow. If I forget, post again and do some hollering! I have the attention span of a gnat sometimes, so I won't mind.

 

I can tell you, every company I posted here Is Legit. I researched them before posting them. I would start with KSS. (Kern Scheduling Services) They are top notch. They aren't a mystery shopping company but many MS companies send them jobs to post and fill. After you sign up you can search the jobs in your area. When you read the description of the job it may tell you that you need to do sign up with company "XYZ" Just follow the instructions. If you get the job you will be notified by email.

 

Know, that they will ask for your Social Security Number. They HAVE TO DO THIS. You are not their employee. You are an independent contractor and you will be responsible for your own taxes. The company is still required to keep track of what they pay you. If it is over $600.00 in a year, by law, they are required to send you a 1099 at the end of the year. This is why they ask for your SS number. You can't be paid until they have it.

 

I will search for the addy to KSS right now and get back to you tomorrow but before I go let me say this:

 

Never, Ever Pay To Take Surveys, Participate In Focus Groups Or Market Research.

Do Not Buy A List Of Survey Sites, Focus Groups, Mystery Shopping Companies, etc..They Are All Bologna!!! Someone has actually had the nerve to copy my thread (at the top of the page) "Survey 101 and Q & A" as well as my threads with hundreds of links. They copied it word for work and they are selling it for $40.00! People can get it free at the top of the

page !!!

 

No Legit Company Will Ever Ask For Money!!

 

I will return tomorrow and see if there is anything else I can say. Other members may pop in before I get back and give you the skinny.

 

We Are Glad To Have You Aboard!!! If you ever need anything please post and ask. You are always welcome to pm me for any reason! Welcome.

 

 

http://www.crooked-stroke.org/gallery/smilies/light/thumbs/welcome.gif

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O.K. Here is the deal. I received a Fedex yesterday with a cashier's check. The directions were to cash the cashier's check, take my money and transfer the rest through a money a transfer company, fill out an evaluation about the transfer company and return it to the company. I am very suspicious. What do you think?
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I wouldn't do it! We just had a report on our local news about this as a scam. Some people in our area lost money and they somehow got access to their bank account or something.

I'm sure others on here are more knowledgeable but this is the scenario they were talking about.

cheryl

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O.K. Here is the deal. I received a Fedex yesterday with a cashier's check. The directions were to cash the cashier's check, take my money and transfer the rest through a money a transfer company, fill out an evaluation about the transfer company and return it to the company. I am very suspicious. What do you think?

This does smell like a scam. Can you give any more info and we might be able to help you out? What company was this for?

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