The Tools of a Shopper

One of the best things about being a mystery shopper is you can start with little or no cost to yourself. There is no need to invest in any equipment at first. You should never pay to join a mystery shopping company or obtain a list of mystery shopping opportunities. There are plenty of companies that can be found by a simple search.

The most important tools are your eyes, your ears and your brain. A good attitude, attention to detail and organizational skills will also come in very handy. You must be reliable and perform the mystery shop when scheduled. You will only have a small window of time to submit the report and paperwork to get paid for that shop.

A few tools will make you work as a mystery shopper easier. I recommend a notebook or folder with filing pockets – a simple folder will work.

Needless to say you will need access to the Internet and a printer. Almost all mystery and secret shopping companies now run their businesses exclusively online. After finding the jobs online you will need a printer to print the job order. It also helps to print out the instructions and questionnaire when they are very detailed. To keep my mystery shopper career profitable I usually review these documents one more time right before going in to do the shop. When you submit a detailed and comprehensive report, the schedulers will see you as a professional and will offer you higher paying jobs.

Access to a scanner/fax machine in order to submit paperwork and receipts to the mystery shopping company is a must. You can find an all-in-one printer-scanner-copier combo for less than $80. This will be a good investment if you plan to make money mystery shopping as a professional.

Some shops require digital photography or video reports. While others would be much easier if you had a stopwatch. Of course, you will see all of these requirements before deciding to schedule a shop. As a professional mystery shopper you should always work within your experience and the tools you have.