Work at Home: Mystery Shopping

1/13/2009

Fort Worth, TX – Advertisements for "mystery shoppers" are often found in newspapers, magazines, and on the Internet. Those responding to such ads believe they are applying for positions as shoppers who make purchases to assess a store's customer service.

After paying the required fees, respondents report receiving general information which usually includes some marketing firms who might hire them as shoppers, then directs them to local phone books for other marketing firms in their area. These firms do not hire anyone; respondents search for their own work.

Money-back guarantees made by the sellers of this information often require proof that buyers were turned down by companies listed. Complaints in Bureau files indicate these companies seldom if ever, provide a letter of refusal that would qualify for a refund. Therefore, the seller would deny the refund request. Many of the companies listed in the books are not aware that they are listed and often do not even provide the services listed.

Typically, the only one who profits from a work at home offer is the company making the offer.

Marketing and research firms pay shoppers to shop and then evaluate their shopping experience. These companies do not require you to pay for the privilege of working for them. While not frequently offered, when such positions are available, they are generally offered to a company's most senior and trusted employees. If you are interested in such work, check with marketing research firms in your area (usually found in your telephone book's Yellow Pages under Market Research & Analysis), or personnel departments in larger department stores, to see if a demand exists for shoppers in your area