I am really eager to try secret shopping(check my profile for experience). Every site has the membership fee, Should I just go for it?!?! and if so what company(s) do you guys recommend?

Do NOT pay anyone anything to shop. It is completely unnecessary.

Hello - What companies are wanting you to give them money? That's not a good idea at all. The legitimate companies will not charge you to shop. You sign up with them for free and you do not give them money. They pay you money for working.

A large company you could start with would be Corporate Research. They are good to accept and help beginners. Their shops start off at modest fees, but through the month the fees will go up until they become decent. Their guidelines are clear and they have a chat line so you can ask questions. Some of their shops will require pictures, so you will need a digital camera for those.

Mystery shopping is not like managing a store. Experience as a manager might make you more observant than the average person, but the guidelines will be very specific about what they want you to do. You will be observing and reporting, and usually your opinion will not be requested. This is pretty much Monkey See, Monkey Tell.

Good luck.
More questions?

You don't EVER EVER EVER pay anyone to let you shop, they pay YOU not the other way around. I also do NOT believe in having to get certified in anything, it is not relevant when it comes to getting shops no matter what some people will tell you. I have been shopping for 17 years and get the same shop offers as someone who paid the MSPA for a piece of paper.

If you're talking about Jobslinger Plus wanting a membership fee, that is a legitimate company that facilitates searching many mystery shopping companies' job listings at one time. For some, that's worth the membership fee since it lets you search so many job listings at one time, saving time.

Shadow Shopper has a membership of $10 a year to be on their "preferred" list. I don't pay their membership, but have still gotten jobs from member companies. I've been paid for my shops by the companies, and in a timely fashion. I would not pay Shadow Shopper's fee. They have a bad rating all around: [www.consumerfraudreporting.org]

Other than those two, I echo what others have said: If they expect you to pay money before you get jobs, steer clear. Don't trust anyone who sends YOU money up front, either. The checks are phony and you'll be left owing your bank cash when it's all said and done.

The MSPA silver and gold certification is a subject of great debate among shoppers. I sprung for the $15 silver because it enabled me to get the Jobslinger Plus membership at a discounted rate, and I use Jobslinger a lot. Some companies will choose an MSPA certified shopper over a non-certified shopper if two shoppers have applied. However, a shopper's track record with the company weighs more heavily than certification.

berns429 Wrote:
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> I am really eager to try secret shopping(check my
> profile for experience). Every site has the
> membership fee, Should I just go for it?!?! and if
> so what company(s) do you guys recommend?

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2011 04:55PM by TechSavvy.