The Mystery Shopper’s Manual

Even the best writers get tripped up by certain words. When does “its” include an apostrophe? When should you use “farther” and when is “further” correct? Is it “less” people or “fewer” people? Did you “lose” your keys or “loose” them?

Sometimes even when my brain knows that correct word, my fingers are confused. I have often keyed “there” when I meant “their,” for example. We get in the flow of writing or keying, and enter the wrong word without realizing it. That is why proofreading is so important.

Even if you think you know the correct usage, here are some of the words you need to watch out for in your writing, along with some tips to help you remember which words to use in various contexts. …continue reading Commonly Confused Words

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The first thing someone may do to learn more about you is do an online search for your name. What do mystery shopping companies and others find when they search for you online? The answer could affect your ability to get hired as an editor or scheduler, or even for some mystery shopping assignments. Here is how to find out what your online reputation is, and make sure it shines. …continue reading Managing Your Online Reputation

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In addition to the yes or no questions on mystery shopper reports you will almost always be asked to provide comments. How can you make your comments more valuable to the client and the mystery shopping company? Here are some tips. …continue reading Secret Shopper Reports - Writing Good Comments

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As a secret shopper, you are an independent contractor. That makes you a small business. Investing in your business can make you more profitable in the long run.

The U.S. Treasury has started depositing and mailing stimulus payments to taxpayers. When you receive yours, why not use some of the money to make your mystery shopping business more profitable? That can mean investing in yourself, or in equipment to save time and qualify you for more shops.

Here are some examples of ways you could invest a small portion of your stimulus payment to earn more as a mystery shopper. …continue reading Investing in Your Secret Shopping Business

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One of the grammar issues many people struggle with is the question of whether to use “I” or “me” in a sentence. And should you mix it up now and then by using “myself” instead of “I” or “me”?

Consult a grammar book and it will tell you that you should use “I” when the word you are using is the subject of the sentence and you should use “me” when the word is the object of the sentence. Well, that clears that up. If you learned to diagram sentences in school, that may answer the question for you. However, that answer does not help if you do not know the difference between a subject or object, or just do not want to translate that way. There is an easier way to know when to use “I” and when to use “me.” …continue reading Using I or Me in a Sentence

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One of the reasons a shop report may be rejected by the client is that the shopper went to the wrong location. That may be hard to believe, but it happens. Many large chains have locations that are very close to each other and if you do not verify the address, you could end up shopping the wrong place. That means the report will not be accepted and you will not be paid.

As part of your preparation for the shop, here are a few things you can do to make sure you go to the correct location:

• Go to the client company’s web site and look for a map of locations. Compare the address in your assignment to the locations on the site.
• Use Google Maps or other online mapping systems to check the address. You can also get directions there, if you are going to an unfamiliar part of town.
• Call the client location and ask where they are. The phone number is usually in the guidelines. If not, look it up online or in the telephone directory. Many shops require a pre-visit call, so that is a good time to ask for directions.

Don’t forget to check the address when you get to the location, too. Look for an address on the sign, building or door.

Making the effort to verify the location before the shop takes very little time, but is an important part of doing your secret shopping assignments correctly.

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Do you ever take your laptop on the road while mystery shopping? If you ever use wireless hotspots, you may be making your data–including passwords, credit card numbers and more–visible to others. But even wired connections are not always safe. Here are some simple steps you can take to keep your data safe. …continue reading Wireless Security for Your Laptop

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The Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) is the largest professional association dedicated to mystery shopping and related forms of market research. Although membership in the MSPA is not open to shoppers, the MSPA serves shoppers in many ways. Here is what you should know about the MSPA and its role in the mystery shopping industry. …continue reading What is the Mystery Shopping Providers Association?

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Next week there are two important tax deadlines: April 15th is the deadline for filing your annual Federal income tax return. And, if you pay quarterly estimated income taxes, remember that your first-quarter estimated tax payment (using form 1040-ES) for 2008 is also due on April 15, 2008.

If you can not file your annual return by April 15th, you may file for an extension, but there is a good reason not to do that this year. …continue reading April Tax Deadlines and the Stimulus Payment

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