Secret Shopping Sunday: Random Right?

I got a large handful of inquiries about secret shopping, and it makes me so happy!  

- A few people wondered how I got into secret shopping .... 

- Others wondered what companies are good ones to start out with .... 

- A few others wondered how much you get paid on majority of the shops ....

First off, I got hooked on secret shopping after my sister-in-law mentioned she had started doing it after a friend shared it with her.  We use to compete to see who could make more money each month (we view it as free money and add it to savings each month).  I love a good bargain and especially free food, who doesn't?!?  But, I instantly thought back to the good old days of my mom taking us to Captain D's and Shoney's because she was a secret shopper for these companies.  I remember vividly being so excited to go on these shops because we got to order cokes and dessert too (we didn't get to do that much since my dad is a financial planner ... I learned real quick, that money could have been used more wisely)!  Plus, it was a game for my brother and me to evaluate the servers!  Anyways, it is right up my alley, and I jumped head first instantly.

Secondly, what companies are good ones to start with?  Well, to be honest, it is different for every city.  My mom and sister-in-law do secret shopping in Dallas, and their favorite companies are completely opposite than mine.  So, I think the best thing to do is to apply for a handful of companies, and if they are not offering shops you are interested in, then start applying for others.  Also, a few companies may not be continuing to hire companies for shops since the economy is in the situation it is in, but I have not noticed too much of a difference in job opportunities.  If you live in Seattle, let me know and I would be happy to share with you my favorites.

Lastly, jobs can completely vary depending on the company and shop.  I did a shop yesterday at Check Masters.  I have never stepped foot in a facility like this, although I do realize people do, and it was an adventure for me.  I was suppose to inquire about payday loans and see what information the representative shared with me.  I was in the shop for a total of 4 minutes and was paid $20.  I did have to drive to the location, spend less than five minutes there, and an additional 5-8 minutes to enter the shop online.  So, it was absolutely worth it to me.  Although, you learn real quick which companies require a lot of additional time to enter shop information and others that only need minimal information.  I limit myself to 20 minutes for entering information online, and anything longer than that is not worth my time.  FYI  - Most shops require you to enter the results within 24 hours of completing the shop.

Hope this helps!  Feel free to email me with any other questions.