Becoming A Secret ShopperBecoming a secret shopper is easy. I'll tell you how to get into mystery shopping, how to find companies that hire secret shoppers and get your first secret shopper job. I'll also explain about mystery shopping and the IRS.
How to Get into Mystery ShoppingYou will be shocked at how easy becoming a secret shopper really is. All you have to do is go to the websites of mystery shopping companies and sign up. There may be a basic skills test they ask you to take. It won't be hard to pass.Once you have been accepted into a company's program, they will either email you with assignments or you will need to check their site for new assignments every day. You shouldn't have much trouble finding a few companies willing to give you a try. Turnover is high in this industry. Lots of people move on when they find out there is actual work involved. Many look for something else to do when they discover that becoming a secret shopper will not make them wealthy. Some people just decide that this type of work is not for them. That's o.k. It leaves a spot open for you! The best way to approach becoming a secret shopper is as a lucrative and fun hobby. It's a neat way to get free meals and merchandise. You will also make a few bucks in the process. How much depends on how much time and effort you put into it. The average secret shopper job or assignment pays about $10. With experience, a mystery shopper learns how to combine assignments or shops so that they can do the maximum number in the least amount of time. This is how they maximize their income potential. Also, once you have gained a few years of experience and your companies trust you, they will give you higher paying shops that they would not assign to a newbie. You could find yourself shopping hotels, high-end restaurants or even a cruise line! Of course, these premium assignments won't come along every week. Once you reach this stage, you could make as much as $30,000 in some years. The thing you need to understand it that the income from mystery shopping is not reliable. It will vary from month to month and year to year. You can manipulate it by signing up with more or fewer companies, the type of companies you sign up with and the number of shops you accept and how you work them, but you cannot absolutely control how much you make at this. The mystery shopping providers association (MSPA) offers two levels of certification(for a fee) to secret shoppers. You do not have to be certified to get mystery shopping jobs but it may give you an edge over uncertified shoppers. The
MSPA website
also has message boards where shoppers can share information. If you are seriously interested in working in this industry, it would be a good idea to visit these boards.
Mystery Shopping and the IRSSecret shoppers are independent contractors. No taxes will be withheld from your earnings. You need to set money aside for taxes on your own. You also need to save all business related receipts and keep an expense log.At tax time you will report your earnings and deduct your expenses. The companies that have paid you throughout the year will send you the proper forms to submit to the IRS along with the amount of money they paid you. You should still keep your own record of this in case there is ever a discrepancy. Deductions include anything that cost you money that you had to do in order to complete a shop. The biggest one will probably be gas mileage. Keep track of how many miles you drive to your shops. The IRS will allow you so much per mile. Becoming a secret shopper is only a little bit challenging at first because it's all new to you. Once you learn the game, you will be having fun and making money.
Companies Looking For Secret Shoppers
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