Secret Shopper?

G.,

There are several companies who hire legit Secret Shoppers, however they have very stringant requirements and can be very competitive. I used work for an amusement park that hired their own Shoppers, and while it paid well, they didn't get a lot of hours and it was very much an on-call kind of thing.

A friend of mine's Mom who has hip issues, got a job working at the local hospital in the gift shop and she only works a few days a week for a few hours.

This link is a great resource for finding out about disability and training...you can call your local agency and see what is out there.
http://www.edd.ca.gov/Disability/

Good Luck.

Hi G.,
I have no personal experience with secret shopping, but recently read an article that some are scams. Be very cautious. The one thing I remember from the article I read is that often times they will send you a large check and ask you to deposit it and then send them part of the money for other secret shoppers working in the area. The check then turns out to be couterfiet and you'r eleft responsible for the check amount.
Best of luck to you and your mother.
Linda

A friend of mine tried it for some extra money and felt it wasn't worth the gas money for some areas she was sent to and she didn't follow the exact instruction on one of her assignments and they wouldn't pay her. Not sure of the details, but if no one else gives you any feedback I will ask her for you.

I'm a secret shopper for the restaurant and hospitality industry. It is VERY competitive, a person typically does not get signed on unless they have experience in the industry AND know someone. And the pay is minimal (if any). Most jobs I go on do not pay for my time, just reimburse for the meal or lodging. AND if I do not follow the instructions precisely and fill out the report accurately (which can take up to 2 hours), I do not get reimbursed. And yes, many websites and ads out there are scams, if anyone says it will cost you money up front, just walk away. If her disability does not impair her hearing or hands, she may want to look into medical transcription work (can be done at home).

Hi, I had a friend who was a secret shopper and never made much money. I have found a great way to make extra income with Scentsy candles. Scentsy is wickless candles, no smoke, no soot, no flame, it is a great alternative to traditional candles. I have never had a party, all my business has been done over the internet from my website, and it has been great. You can get more info at my site www.scentsy.com/danacarey

I have checked out several of those secret shopper websites and opinion or survey related website... if the are NOT a scam, they are certainly NOT worth the time and effort. I have a home-based business she may be interested in. She can visit www.HelpUstayHome.com and see if it sounds like something she may want to hear more about. She can respond to "Get more info" or contact me thru here to schedule some time to get all the details. I can call you or her when it's convenient.

Best wishes,
C.~

I know of a good book on the subject, you can buy it at amazon. It was very informative:
http://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Shopping-Course-Consumer-Re...

I signed up to be a secret shopper but I did not follow through because the pay was so minimal it would not pay for my gas to go do it. Also you must give them banking info so they can deposit the money you make in the bank. My husband didn’t want personal information of this nature shared. You can find them by googleing secret shopper. It’s mostly a lot of driving around for like 4 or 5 dollars a pop. Some of them are very strict about what you have to do. Some pay as much as 20, but you have to quality and compete with others to get there first. The ones I signed up with were legit, but not at all lucrative.