Secret Shopper?by Sherry Holetzky | More from this Blogger 24 Jun 2006 04:36 AM Okay, if anyone has had a good experience with this secret shopper stuff, I want to know about it, please. The whole secret shopper thing falls into my "if it sounds too good to be true, it is," category, but I still can't help thinking how much fun such a "job" would be! Can you imagine not only getting paid to shop, but shopping with someone else's money and getting to keep all the stuff you buy, for the simple job of reviewing your shopping experience or reviewing certain products? The funny thing is if people were actually doing this and making money with it, you would think we would be hearing about it. These companies wouldn't even have to advertise any more, because the word of mouth publicity would keep them overwhelmed with people who wanted to work for them. Kind of like diet pills... if they "melted" away fat, everyone would buy them and there wouldn't be enough bottles on the shelves to keep up with demand. Again, if it sounds too good... you know the rest. Even if I could get a one-time deal and come out ahead, I'd consider trying it again. I must truly be a sucker. When I tried before, I was dragged into a maze of things to purchase in order to "qualify." I felt like saying, "Hey, I already know how to spend money, now I want to make some." I'm still intrigued however, so please, let me know if you are aware of any legitimate secret shopper ventures. Maybe that's what's going on... maybe it is so great that everyone that's doing it is keeping it a secret so they will have plenty of work. Frankly, I'm apt to think that it's just another game being played on those of looking for cool ways to make money, but I would definitely like to hear about other people's experiences. Learn more about Sherry Holetzky  Sherry Holetzky is a work at home mom and freelance writer. Married to her best friend, Sherry and her husband are raising their family in a quiet rural setting in the beautiful Ozark Mountains. Relevanthome business tags User Comments  Valorie Delp (49340) 24 Jun 2006 04:57 AMWhen I worked in retail, we had secret shoppers come in to rate us. So I do know such a job exists. I don't know how you get hired as one but at least in our case, the "mystery shopper", frequently didn't even buy things. . .they just looked around and asked questions to see how good the staff was. While I'm sure you can pick up some extra cash doing it, I doubt that you can make a living at it. Sherry Holetzky (11404) 24 Jun 2006 09:10 AMThanks for the input, Valorie. I have heard of mystery shoppers along the line you referenced. I think it is a bit different, but I still think it would be a fun way to make a little extra cash. I agree that it doesn't seem like a viable option for making a living.  Erika Cox (60) 24 Jun 2006 06:47 PMI have done mystery shopping before. It is a lot of fun. You feel like a detective. Plus, you get paid to eat and shop. It's not too good to be true because you really have to work a LOT to make decent income.  Miriam Caldwell (8030) 24 Jun 2006 09:16 PMI'm signed up for a couple of different services, but I guess I have been too picky with what I am willing to do. I don't feel like driving very far away to make a few dollars with gas prices as high as they are. It is fun to go out and do the shops and I've enjoyed the restaurant shops the most. One problem I have is that neither my husband or I drink and there are several shops that require purchasing alcohol. I'm always sad because they are at the nicest restaurants around here. Oh well! Sherry Holetzky (11404) 25 Jun 2006 09:38 AMWow, how cool. Thank you Erika and Miriam for sharing. I guess I need to research this more thoroughly.  Bonnie Sayers (1298) 16 Jul 2006 10:57 AMMaybe a forum posting for input would be worthwhile instead of a blog sharing no experience and asking questions. Sherry Holetzky (11404) 17 Jul 2006 04:03 PMWell, Bonnie, thank you for sharing your opinion. I'll venture a guess that you didn't read the entire article, since you didn't notice the part where I shared my experience. I did try this line of work, but it didn't pan out for me. Thus, the reason for my interest in others' experiences. I hoped that some might share good experiences or resources that would prove valuable for other job seekers who read this blog. Not everyone visits the forums. I also think it makes sense to post both pros and cons regarding possible home businesses, and questions are intended to reach out and encourage readers to participate. It apparently works, and I thank you for participating as well. Community Tags business, finance, get paid to shop, mystery shopper, mystery shopping, money, secret shopper, secret shopping Discuss this article
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