Dec 13 2008
I got my first shopping job? Now what?
First things first - check your due date. Is it tomorrow? Is it two weeks from now? Make a note of it in a place where you won’t forget it. You should now have access to the guidelines and instructions for that shop. Print them out, if you can, and review them thoroughly. Study them. Even if it’s not required, make a phone call to the location to verify their address and hours of operation. You can also ask for any helpful landmarks, if the employee doesn’t offer them up, that can help you locate your shop. I cannot tell you how much time this little tip has saved me.
Yes, it IS a lot of information. I told you mystery shopping is harder than it looks! 
In time, with practice, it does get a lot easier. I tend to notice ’shopping’ details now even when I am not actively working. Take the guidelines, shop form, and a checklist - if provided - with you to the location to read over again before you perform your shop. DO NOT take any shop paperwork with you into the store for a mystery shop, and do NOT leave them in your car where they can be seen. Do not sit directly outside the location reading your forms or taking notes when you are done. This is a dead tip-off that you are a shopper and if the store can identify you, your report may be invalidated. If your location is in a strip mall, park away from your assigned store. I tend to use those handy SUV’s. They make excellent blinds for my little compact.
Do not leave your shop until the last minute! Things happen - kids get sick, cars break down, and the hurricane hits. This is your very first shop, and your very first opportunity to make an excellent first impression. If you were assigned the wrong shop contact your scheduler IMMEDIATELY. A word of warning, please, PLEASE, try not to do this on your first shop. It sets a bad precedent for you with the company and will most likely severely limit your options for getting a second assignment from them. If you know you aren’t going to complete your shop contact your scheduler immediately. Don’t send your spouse/sister/friend to do the shop for you. This is the quickest way to not get future jobs. Don’t wait until the last minute!
When you get to the location take a deep breath and relax. You prepared for this assignment and you will do fine. Do your shop as early as you can. This way if you make some mistakes, you can always go back to that location and try again if there’s enough time. If specified, make sure you are shopping at the right time of day for your assignment. Double check your location. Depending on the type of store there may be two locations right across the street from each other. Make sure you are in the right location before performing your shop. Right after you leave the location move your car so that you are not visible from the store location and fill out your shop report. When you are more experienced you can just jot down some quick notes to job your memory, but full shop forms are best while the details are fresh in your mind. When you return home to your computer enter your report in. Do not lie. If you didn’t observe something specific explain it, but don’t lie. Some of the questions on the shop forms are put there to make sure you actually went to the location and performed the shop. I did a shop once where I drove myself crazy looking for something that didn’t exist.
Some other things to be aware of. Make sure you know how long you have to get your report in. Different companies have different ‘time windows’ for you to get your report in. The most common are within 12 hours of the shop or within 24 hours of the shop. Make sure you are reporting your shop within the proper time. If you’re late that can mean a reduced shop fee or even an invalid report. Make sure you save your receipts. Scan them in when you get home, if you can. Generally ’shop proof’ must be saved for a minimum of six months. Insure that you have a secure area to store them where you can find them again along with your shop notes. I’m not kidding - three months after you’ve done your shop you may get an email about it with questions. These things do happen.
I’ll talk more about the reports themselves next week and making sure you turn in the best one you can.
