Mystery Shopper Guidelines

Being informed helps put it all together One of our goals is to "untrain" and let the evaluator be his or herself. After all, we believe that only real consumers and not professionals know what other customers need.

Some Mystery Shopping companies ask you to perform an evaluation and then instruct you not to give any personal opinions. We feel that this is misguided. Your ideas and opinions, as well as factual observations, are exactly what most of our client's want and use to better themselves for other consumers just like you!
If anything different is desired, it will be clarified in the instruction document always associated with each Mystique Critique.

All MYSTIQUE SHOPPER shoppers must be familiar with proper etiquette, grammar and spelling before any Independent Contract work is assigned.

What is this "Mystery Shopping"?
Mystery Shopping is the most accurate and reliable tool a business can use to gather information regarding their actual customer service performance at the "moment of truth". This "moment of truth" is not when the staff is on their best behavior because the boss is around - it is when they interact with customers during their normal daily routines.
This is where you, the Mystery Shopper, come in. You pose as an ordinary customer and provide feedback of both factual observations (ex...the floor was free of debris) and your own opinions (ex...I felt that the temperature in the establishment was too cold).

Remain Anonymous:
Mystery Shoppers must remain anonymous. You must act as a regular customer and be careful not to do anything that would reveal you as a shopper. An inexperienced shopper could tip off the staff to his/her identity by asking for the manager's name for no clear or appropriate reason. You must never bring the survey forms (Mystique Critiques) onto the premises with you. An employee could spot them or you could misplace them. If you are going to be bringing someone with you on the shop, make sure you educate them about the process as well. Beware that even whispers can be overheard by employees. If anyone notices you are a shopper, you can bet that word will quickly spread around the establishment and you'll get some of the best customer service in town.

Allow Opportunity:
Using the question below as an example...
Was an appetizer offered?
Answering "No" on the Mystique Critique evaluation form may deduct points from the server. If you ordered quickly and told the server what appetizer you wanted, the "No" response may not be fair to them. It is important for you to provide opportunity during your shop. Perhaps you could hesitiate before ordering your appetizer etc... You should always be familiar with your form prior to your evaluation.

The MSPA (Mystery Shopping Providers Association) is conducting ongoing Shopper certification programs.

We encourage all shoppers to become certified when possible in their area or online and will post further information as it becomes available.

The following downloadable document is the Shoppers code of professional standards and ethics agreement. We believe it is fair to expect all shoppers to abide by these criteria.

A little about our online Mystery Shopping System:
Okay, so we are partial - but we like our system the best.
Our online system was created for Mystery Shopping from the ground up. You can access the system by clicking on the LOGIN button of our website once you have applied. You can then view your shop log and access other important information. The recently added job board is a great tool for finding out what shops may still be available in your neck of the woods.

If you are assigned a shop, you will receive a confirmation Email and it will show as scheduled in your log. Click on the "New / Submit Now" button even though you may not be filling out the report at this time. Doing this will allow you to see the MYSTIQUE CRITIQUE evaluation form you'll be required to fill out within 24 hours after your shop. You'll also be able to download the instructions at the top of the survey. Please follow the instructions carefully, as compensation will be denied for shops that do not comply fully with the requirements.

How do I get assignments?
The majority of our assignments are offered to our shoppers via statewide Email announcements (sometimes by area code). Each Email will give detailed directions on how to apply. Please read everything carefully and do not apply for shops you are not certain you can complete. Many shops are also posted on our Job Board. In some cases, the Job Board will receive shops first, prior to a mass Email being delivered. The Job Board can be accessed by logging into our online system. Some shops are also periodically posted in the Mystique Shopper Forum.

To show interest in becoming a shopper, please fill out an Application!

What if I am having trouble with an assignment?
Your shop survey must be entered online within 24 hours after shop completion. Any reports received after 24-hours may be denied compensation. If you have any questions or problems with the survey form, enter and submit as much of the report as possible and contact us via email at Problem@MystiqueShopper.com or (516) 887-MYST

WE PAY FAST!
We are among the fastest paying Mystery Shopping companies in the world. Some of our shoppers are surprised with how quickly they receive compensation from us. Although we allow ourselves up to 5 weeks, most payments are processed in under 17 days.

Remember that a good report (especially the narrative) tells a story about your experience. Whether positive or negative, this story should be able to convey what took place at the location. Your narrative should include explanations to backup why you may have given negative responses to certain questions.

PLEASE NOTE: Fees will be deducted for any reports that require excessive editing (spelling/grammar, etc.). Management will review questionable reports to determine the amount to be deducted, if any.

Please review your report prior to submitting and ensure it looks professional. Reports that are typed in all CAPS or all lowercase letters will not be accepted.

Shoppers who consistently apply for shops and subsequently cancel will be deactivated without notice.

The following link is to one of our partner sights and has proven very helpful to shoppers that are just learning the ropes and beginning to take on assignments.

Sonya's Mystery Shopper Pages