As you do more and more shopping, you will find good mystery shopping jobs that you simply can’t do due to scheduling conflicts.  Why not share those jobs with someone else who wants to get paid to shop.  If you are in a network, you will have contacts that you know are interested in these jobs.

Mystery shopper networks also provide a group to help with research insuring that you all know about the most profitable jobs helping everyone in the network have the most profitable secret shopper business possible.

There are online support groups and forums for mystery shoppers and information about how to form your own neighborhood mystery shopping network.  While mystery and shadow shoppers interact with the public regularly, they may feel isolated without a network to discuss issues of the job.  Because of its very nature, mystery and shadow shoppers are not likely to meet one another in a regular networking or public environment. It is important for mystery shoppers to interact in order to share information about scams and non-paying companies as well as sharing job leads and tips on how to shop smart.  By “shop smart”, I mean find easier and quicker shops and learn time saving tips to help you earn more money in less time.

Any secret shopper can start their own network of shoppers in their area. If you know of shops you are not able to perform, reach out to others you know who might be interested. If you are shopping restaurants, stores and dealerships in your neighborhood, it is likely your neighbors shop the same places. Reach out to share information and ask if anyone would like to get started with mystery shopping opportunities and form a neighborhood or area network.

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.