The Mystery Shopper

Here’s how to make money with a side gig and how long it will take to see the extra income was the subtitle of the article link I received in my email this morning. Despite appearances, the site was legit, and one of the suggestions was to become a "mystery shopper" for one of the several companies that employ such independent contractors.

My interest? Was piqued, and I spent an hour or so completing the orientation slideshow and taking the subsequent quiz just to see what the job entails. After acing the material, I was "hired" on the spot, but I found that, somewhat unexpectedly, every assignment comes with its own extensive set of directions and a quiz. There was also a lot of emphasis on making sure the reports are correctly written with specific examples and details, as well as submitted in a timely fashion. It actually warmed my English teacher's heart a bit.

It seems like shoppers can earn between 10 and 20 bucks a pop, although some gigs require you to buy merchandise that you can be reimbursed for (as long as it is below $10.00, unless you get permission to spend extra from the company contact for the job). 

For example, one nearby opportunity that is currently available involves going to an athletic shoe store, waiting for a salesperson to approach you, and then asking for a recommendation for a specific pair of shoes. The shoes are up to you, but there were suggestions such as I need some pickleball shoes, I want to run a marathon, but I pronate, or Do you have the shoes Taylor Swift was wearing at the Chief's game? 

Then, you had to try the shoes on, buy them, and return them the next day, all the while evaluating the store and the employee according to a detailed set of criteria that you can NEVER bring onto the actual premises with you. If you successfully complete that task, you will be paid 18 bucks.

But, as amusing as I found all the complicated directions and as good as I was at the tests, I just couldn't see myself actually doing the job.