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| Things to Avoid when Searching for Mystery Shopping Companies |
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| Written by Ethan Hunter |
| Thursday, 24 July 2008 17:02 |
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There are literally hundreds of mystery shopper companies out there and not all of them are as genuine as they claim to be. The need for mystery shoppers has increased dramatically over the past few years which is why so many mystery shopper companies exist today. Typically in America there are around 400 different companies that you can apply to. In order to find a decent company you will want to look at their customer satisfaction and how long they have been running for. To put it into perspective, in the year 2003-2004 mystery shopper companies increased by 11%. It is thought that the value of the industry is over $600 million. While it may seem self explanatory of what factors you would want to take into consideration when choosing mystery shopper companies to partner with, we wanted to outline a few specific details to help you to make your selection. Unfortunately, just like in almost every business type today, there are a few bad businesses that make the rest of the industry look bad. So, when you are looking for mystery shopper companies to partner with, keep this in mind. One of the main ways to tell fraudulent mystery shopper companies is through advertisements that are sent to you through the post or through email. They make mystery shopping sound too good to be true and they promise to make you a lot of money quickly. One of the main types of fraudulent mystery shopper companies are the ones which require you to cash checks. They will basically ask you to wire the money to an address which is usually in a different country. You should stay clear of any company which asks you to do this as you could get into serious trouble if you take part in it. For handling, the shopper is told he/she would keep a percentage of the check. However, once the check is cashed, the shopper is advised within a few days by the bank that it bounced, leaving him/her with serious financial issues that could be as much as $5,000! One company, GFK Custom Research, explains through their North America's marketing communication department that they are taking this personal, working to get the word out about this horrific crime. GFK is among a list of top mystery shopper companies and they do not want their reputation smeared. Another one of the top mystery shopper companies is called MSPA. In fact, this company is the largest, professional trade association, one that has a true dedication to improving customer relations and satisfaction. Using mystery shoppers has proven to be a significant tool in accomplishing this goal. With a shopper, customers will have an opportunity to see the customer's experience in an entirely different way. However, illegal schemes are being exposed by MSPA too. In fact, MSPA give out tips to mystery shoppers to help them to avoid getting involved with fraudulent companies. They tell you to never pay a fee to join a company. Usually mystery shopper companies hire their shoppers for free. Also you should stay clear of companies who tell you that they will pay through money transfer or check cashing. If you follow those tips you should successfully avoid fraudulent companies. About the Author: You need money, they need shoppers. Mystery shopper companies need you to tell them what they are doing wrong. Your words, their money in you pocket. Free Mystery Shopper Kindly provided by MoneyHunter.org You are welcome to use this article on your own website, if you include the link just before this text. |
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