Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Mystery Shopping, Is it Legitimate?

I have done some mystery shopping and yes, it is legit. The bonuses are that you can work on your own, fitting it into your own time, and you can make money. The drawbacks are that it pays really slow. Some companies pay within 2 weeks, but they are few and far between. Most times, you have to wait between 3 to 6 weeks or sometimes even more for the payment. Most use paypal, so you must have a paypal account.

 There is one that mails checks and they are Maritz Mystery Shopping. They send a check out once a month (through the mail!), and you actually deal live with people, one on one on the phone. They are one of my favorites. None of them pay a lot. But the work can be interesting. Sometimes you have to fill out so much paperwork afterwards, it seems pretty ridiculous. After a while you will get to know which companies are better. Maritz's paperwork is pretty easy! I'm not kidding when I say that some companies I have worked for, I have spent HOURS filling out the paperwork after!

I've opened bank accounts, test driven new cars, got free memberships at wholesale clubs, tried out mattresses, got free parking, shopped for cell phones, gone to amusement parks, museums, zoos, the list goes on and on. Just beware, the paperwork on some of these is ridiculous!

So, where do you start? Good question! First place I would start is by going to Volition.com. They list tons of companies where you can apply to work for them!

Another good one is Jobslinger. You will see listings of jobs here, and you can apply for them. It will give you an idea of what is out there.

Towards the end of the month, these companies get desperate and will pay bonuses to get you to do the shops.

Happy Shopping!