What’s a Secret Shopper Anyway?
January 24th, 2008 Comments
To be honest I have no idea what a secret shopper network is, they don’t have them where I come from, but here we have a contest where you can win one of two lifetime memberships to what is apparently one of the top rated ones around - Shop Until You Drop.
Entering is easy too, all you need to do is reply to the contest post here with why you want to be a secret shopper or why you would make a good one. The best entry (as judged) will win one of the memberships, whilst the other will be won through a random drawing.
All entries must be received by 28 February and the drawings will take place in the first week of March.
As a “secret Shopper” (aka mystery shopper), you get paid to shop, eat out at restaurants, and more. Basically, you go undercover to stores/restaurants/movies, etc… and pose as a customer. You preform a specific action (eat a meal, make a purcahase, etc…) and then report on your findings of the quality of the service, friendliness of the staff, cleanliness of the site, and such.
A “Secret Shopper Network” is a network of companies who are regularly seeking secret shoppers. As a member of a secret shopper network, you have access to hundreds of these companies who are willing to pay you to shop, eat out, watch movies, etc. Although you do not have to join a network to become a secret shopper, it is a fast and easy way to start receiving secret shopper jobs from hundreds of companies.
To the uninformed, secret shopping sounds like a perfect job. Eating out and shopping for free while making extra money; what could be difficult about that? But it’s not all that simple. Secret shoppers provide valuable market research through first hand accounts of products or services.
Once a secret shop task is completed, the shopper must report on his or her findings. Often there is a script of questions to be asked during the experience. A specific item or items may be required to be ordered from the menu. The job or the secret shopper is grading customer and patron service as well as product quality or taste. Secret shopping is a job unlike any other, but it is still a job with work to be done and a level of quality to be maintained.
An occasional product tester and market researcher could respect the important nature of the secret shopping job while reaping the benefits. A professional writer could prepare reports on products with accuracy and depth. A level of professionalism is necessary when working as a secret shopper and a reputable firm like Shop Until You Drop should expect and receive nothing less from a new agent.
Wow, great clarifications there! Thanks!