Many businesses hire researchers to evaluate the performance of their business from a customer point of view. Shoppers are sent on assignments by a mystery shopping company that has been hired by these businesses. This service has been around for many years as an important instrument companies around the world use. Recently this industry has become a growing and popular source of additional income for many. There is a lot of competition for these easy jobs. Someone wanting to become a secret evaluator needs to find a legitimate, reputable company to work for.

The mystery shopping company you choose may not be the same as all the other companies. You will need to research different companies by comparing the shopping assignments, the pay and their reputation within the organization. There are more than 400 of these research companies in the United States and many others in around the world.

You need to be aware of scams by some deceptive companies. There has been an increase in these companies scamming individuals in the past few years. One such problem has been the fraudulent cashiers checks that are paid to the shoppers. Some of these companies will not require a fee to become a shopper but fail to reimburse the shopper when they have completed their assignment. There are few signs that an offer might not be legitimate. You receive money from them before agreeing to shop and it is an extremely large amount. You receive a check or cashiers check from another country. Be wary of a check with differing names on the check and the letter received. You searched the Internet for the company and could not find them or they were not associated with mystery evaluating in any way. Another signal is the assignment you were given was random and generalized. Another sign that the company is a fraud is the number for the company is a cell phone.

A true mystery shopping company is a legitimate organization that employs top quality researchers and clients, does not charge a fee to join and take researching services seriously. The company should provide a necessary service to businesses and have the shoppers best interest in mind.

Research several companies learning about their history. How long has the mystery shopping company been in business? What types of industries do they typically service? How many clients do they have? What are payment terms and reporting expectations? Do they have a customer satisfaction team available to answer any questions? Spend the extra time to investigate before signing on.

You can find a mystery shopping company by reading blogs and searching the Internet forums for these types of companies. You will be able to read from other real shoppers about their experiences and companies looking for evaluators. The people on these blogs and forums post comments on companies to avoid as well. Many companies accept online applications as well. Research companies at libraries and bookstores. Get recommendations from other shoppers.

You should be able to read actual references by the clients of the company. Feedback given from hotels, retail shops, restaurants, theatres and other businesses who use the companys services offers the would be shopper insight into the various types of companies that will work for them.

The growing field of providing shopping services has grown in the past few years. Companies need evaluators to help find the areas of their business that need improving. They find these shoppers through real companies that provide the services.