Mystery Shopping for Stay-at-Home Moms
Being a Secret Shopper is a Great Way for Moms to Work From Home
Nov 12, 2009
Mystery shopping is great way for a stay-at-home mom to make some extra cash. Mystery shoppers simply act like regular shoppers, make observations, and then provide a report to the company they work for about their shopping experience. Mystery shopping is a great work from home opportunity for moms.
Advantages of Mystery Shopping for Stay-at-Home Moms
Mystery shopping has a lot of benefits for women who want to work from home, including but not limited to the following:
- Mystery shopping is very flexible. Though shop visits have to be completed in a timely manner, there is often a window of time in which to complete an assignment. This flexibility allows moms to plan their secret shopping assignments around their children's schedule.
- In most cases, moms can take their baby mystery shopping with them. Exceptions include places that are in appropriate for children such as bars, and certain businesses which ask that secret shoppers come alone.
- Mystery shoppers can generally work a little or a lot and are typically not required to work a certain number of hours in a week.
- Mystery shopping is a great way to not only make extra money but it's also a way to get free restaurant meals, free movies, free clothing, and free big ticket items like eyeglasses and hotel stays.
- Mystery shopping doesn't require degrees or previous work experience.
Disadvantages of Mystery Shopping for Stay-at-Home Moms
Although there are tremendous benefits associated with mystery shopping for stay-at-home moms, there are a few potential negatives that need to be considered.
- Mystery shopping assignments are limited in small towns. Moms living in rural areas may have to drive further than it's worth to get decent mystery shopping assignments.
- Mystery shopping is a very competitive field. Mystery shopping companies compete with each other by bidding as low as possible in order to gain new clients. At times this results in lower pay for mystery shoppers.
- Though some mystery shoppers manage to make a full-time living shopping, many make less than $1,000 per month and others make only enough to provide a little fun money.
- Mystery shopping requires a good deal of paperwork. Once the shopping is completed, the secret shopper has to go home and quickly fill out a report. Mystery shoppers also have to keep good records and keep track of receipts.
Mystery Shopping Cautions for Stay-at-Home Moms
Though mystery shopping is a reputable way to make money working from home, there are unfortunately some less than reputable mystery shopping companies out there. Moms who desire to break into mystery shopping should never have to pay a fee to join a mystery shopping company.
Companies that promise super high earnings should be avoided as should companies that require shoppers to purchase a bunch of materials or equipment.
The Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) is a good place to start for those new to mystery shopping. The MSPA provides certification which does cost a small amount, but even shoppers who choose not to become MSPA certified can claim secret shopping assignments. The MSPA only deals with reputable companies and can be trusted to protect mystery shoppers.
Mystery shopping is a great work-at-home opportunity due to flexible hours, the ability to take children to work, and opportunities for freebies. Drawbacks of mystery shopping include limited opportunities for those in rural areas, low pay, and the need to do a lot of paperwork. As long as appropriate cautions are taken, mystery shopping is a great way for a stay-at-home mom to make some extra money.
Resources:
Mystery Shopping Providers Association Website
Volition Website – Get Paid for Shopping
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