When my friends check out my website, they don’t comment on the expertly written tomes, the witty phrases, the brilliant story concepts. No, they ask me about my side gig as a Mystery Shopper. For the uninitiated, a mystery shopper pretends to be a real customer, while secretly evaluating the company’s products and services.
Most gigs pay a nominal fee, in addition to reimbursing expenses. But you won’t get rich (or even make a living) off it – especially with the cost of gas these days. After signing up for a job, the shopper has to read a lengthy list of requirements for the shop (i.e. purchase a specific product, check out the bathroom, see if the shelves are dusty, ask certain questions) and remember everything, since you can’t take notes while you’re there. Within 12 hours, you input the information online and scan or fax in your receipts. It’s time consuming and the report writing tedious (i.e. "Describe the "doneness" of the pizza in three sentences").
With two kids at home, I’ve cut back on my list of assignments because to be frank – most mystery shopping gigs are a pain the (blank). So why do it? The only assignments I take are for places I need or want to go. For example, I get regular oil changes, visit a specialty coffee shop for drinks and beans, take my kids to amusement parks, go bowling and get my car washed - on their dime. I'm still waiting to score the assignment for the wineries.
So how to sign up? You certainly can Google “mystery shopping” though you’ll get a list in the hundreds of thousands at least. And unfortunately, few sites list their clients. So I’ll give you the name of a few places that have jobs in the Bay Area.
But first:
--Don’t EVER pay to sign up
--Open a paypal account - this is how you’ll be paid
--Payment is often 30-60 days later – track it
--When you fill out the applications, some require a writing sample. Save this to a Word document so you can reuse it on other applications
--Store all your log-in information in one place
--Yes, you have to pay taxes on the income, though you won’t get a 1099 unless your income is over $600 yearly from a company
--Once you’re signed up, you’ll get oodles of emails, and you'll need to respond quickly if you want the job. If you’re serious about mystery shopping, visit the company’s website frequently and don’t rely on the emails as your only alert.
--Start a separate folder for the mystery shopping emails or your inbox will be a mess
A few reputable companies I’ve worked with in the Bay Area:
Service Evaluations
Confero
California Marketing Specialists
Kern Scheduling
August 8, 2003
Skip the Olympic opening ceremony and sleep out under the stars
this Friday, at the beautiful Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga. Before you slumber, though, you’ll see the beginning of the Perseid meteor showers through telescopes, and hear about them from astronomers. This is a great chance for your budding skywatcher to see the stars as never before (providing the sky is clear, of course).
The program runs from 8 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday (with breakfast provided), and costs $88 for adults and $50 for kids under 18 (kids must be at least 6 to participate). Discounts given to members.
http://www.montalvoarts.org/ or (408) 961-5858
August 8-17th.
How can you not love the county fair, where they give awards to kids who set the best table (home arts category). And you can see glass cases of half-eaten stale cookies that won awards (culinary arts category). This year, the San Mateo County Fair even has pig races. I’m. Not. Kidding.
Before you go, plan out which awesome bands you want to see from the good ole days – and they don’t cost much ($20-25 including fair admission). That these performers might be considered to be “has-beens” doesn’t make them any less spectacular. Who doesn’t want to see the Village People? To flail your arms around to “YMCA” with the uh…gentlemen themselves? Priceless.
My husband Mark’s favorite musician, Weird Al Yankovic is playing August 15th. I’m not kidding when I say how idolized this man is in the Kaplan house. When I’m out for the evening, my husband spends his time watching Weird Al videos on You Tube. I know, it sounds rather geeky, but it’s better than the alternative.
Support the 4-H kids (we have 4-H in the Bay Area???) and see the cows they raise (and then sell to Safeway to become Rancher’s Reserve). And watch the cooking demonstrations by traveling pots & pans salesmen (another of Mark’s favorites – free food samples!). It’s all very middle America and very…awesome. Plus there are pony rides for the kiddies. Need I say more?
--August 11th is kids’ day - free for kids 12 and under
--August 13, everyone gets in free until 3:00
The county fair runs from August 8 – 17th. Get discount tickets through August 6th at any San Mateo Credit Union branch or the San Mateo County Event Center Administration office. We’ll see you there, we’ll be there singing along to “Like a Surgeon.”
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