Putting the mystery in shopping (From Redhill And Reigate Life)

Putting the mystery in shopping

10:27am Tuesday 25th October 2005

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Imagine being paid to shop, eat in nice restaurants or even to take a weekend break. It all sounds too good to be true, but people working as mystery shoppers often get a range of free products and services, plus they get paid for doing it.

Mystery shopping is a growing part of the market research industry, with agents employed to pose as normal customers and report on the service they received. Businesses can then use the reports to identify customer service trends, measure actual service against company standards and identify training needs at an early stage.

You don't need any particular qualifications to become a mystery shopper, however it is useful to be comfortable using the internet and the telephone.

And although most people choose to work part-time, you can often arrange as many or as few assignments as you wish to, depending on the time you have available.

The most important qualities for mystery shoppers are reliability and great observational skills, as clients are relying on you to produce an accurate, detailed and honest report on their business.

As mystery shoppers generally work from home, it is also important to be self motivated.

The range of possible assignments are huge, from ringing call centres and visiting restaurants, to taking flights on a particular airline or returning goods to test a company's after-sales service.

In many cases, if a mystery shopper is required to buy a product as part of an assignment, they are often allowed to keep the goods either in lieu of payment or, in some cases, as well as their fee.

Payment varies but shoppers are often paid for each assignment they carry out, as well as receiving travelling expenses and any costs they may have incurred.

Mystery shoppers are recruited by market research agencies, and it is possible to sign up to more than one.

Once you are on their database of agents they will then contact you when there is a job in your area.

Naturally this means that you are likely to get more work if you live in or near a major city, but as all kinds of businesses use mystery shopping services, you can find work anywhere in the country.

For lists of mystery shopper vacancies go to your local job centre or visit www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk

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