My Experience as a Mystery Shopper - Pros and Cons

You've seen them, the enticing ads, with words like Get Paid to Shop and similar phrases. Many of them are scams, luring people to pay them to get lists of companies that might pay them to be a secret shopper. A few are legit. I actually signed on with a legitimate company whose name will remain anonymous in this article. Why? Because I'm going to be honest about both the pros and cons of my shopping experience. Very honest.

First, the situation. I was asked to eat at a restaurant at lunch, given a twenty five dollar amount to spend and had to take along a friend. So far, so good. I knew the restaurant and had eaten there before. The amount sounded reasonable and it'd be a free lunch, even if I wasn't paid extra. I was game.

Then came the conditions. First, I had to go to the company website, print out pages of forms, take a test to make sure I knew the rules and more. It took time, plenty of it. Those forms were detailed. Still, I was intrigued, up for an adventure. I even felt a bit like a private eye, out on a mission. I was going to make this restaurant better for future diners, or so I thought. Then I looked at the forms again, all seven pages of them, asking for information that I needed to note and memorize. I wouldn't be allowed to take the papers into the restaurant because how secret is a Mystery Shopper who is taking notes pages with clearly marked questions labeled Server Appearance and Performance? Not very.

Next day, I had to call the restaurant and note the response of the person even before visiting the restaurant. Miss this step and I wouldn't get paid. I was to notice if the person who answered my phone call actually gave her first name, suggest specials and answer my questions. She did, passing with flying colors. Then my friend and I met for lunch. Things started out smoothly, with our server telling us her name, a requirement according to my form. Of course, I wasn't allowed to bring any of my paperwork into the restaurant, as that would be a sure tip-off. So I'd crammed the night before, recalling each step. It was like studying for an exam and as I sat there in the restaurant I tried to remember each part.