A few months back a friend asked if I wanted to be a mystery shopper. It was like I was being invited into a secret sorority of sorts. It was all so exciting! Before I knew it I was completing the application and clicking send. The whole application process only took about 30 min. The next day, I received an email and I was in. I chose the San Diego Zoo as my first shop. The whole process could not have gone easier. I received detailed instructions on what information was needed to complete the shop. There was also a 15 min conference call where I could get answers to any questions I had. On the day of the shop I took a few minutes at the start to plan out my route and remind myself of the details I needed. One tricky part is you have to do is get names and ask questions of the people you interact with. I consider myself to be outgoing but I made sure I had a question or two in mind before I interacted with people. They recommended that you write down names and other pertinent information as you go. I found it easiest to send myself messages on facebook messenger. That way it was time stamped and if I lost my phone or the paper I could retrieve the messages on the computer. Once I gathered all of the information I needed for the shop I headed home to complete the online evaluation. There were rating scales and narratives for the various sections of the zoo to be evaluated. There is a section to upload pictures of food and receipts. The whole evaluation took approximately 3 hours. I was contacted a day later with a request to provide some additional information. I answered the questions to the best of my ability and a day later I received a grade. 20 days later the money was deposited into my paypal account. The payment for shops varies per shop and time of year. There are shops all over the country too. Overall, I am really glad I had the opportunity to be a mystery shopper and will be completing other shops in the near future. If you are interested in being a mystery shopper feel free to comment below with your email address and I will send you the link. I will say as a disclaimer I will receive twenty dollars once you complete your first shop.
