I tried secret shopping for a while, and I found it was not for me. It is a real job, but it is not something that others make it out to be. Though there are cushy assignments out there, they are few and far between. You do get to keep some stuff for free, but it is more likely to be a roll of tape than it is to be something you really want to have. One of my first secret shopping jobs was so bad that I was convinced then and there that I was not going to last very long.
I had to go to a gas station in my area and buy something under three dollars for my first secret shopping job. I had to look at many things in the store including the gas pump area, the restroom, and all areas within the store. I had to see if the paint was chipped on the curb and I had to make sure the sigh they had advertising the price of the gas was accurate and neat. It was a lot of work, and it was also pretty typical of a secret shopping job in my area.
The worst part of this secret shopping job was the restroom. I had to ask for a key to get into the restroom. Once I was in there I was horrified. I didn?t have to use it, thank goodness, but I did have to take note of everything I saw. I would not be exaggerating if I said it was by far the nastiest bathroom that I had ever seen. It was all I could do to not throw up while I was in there, though I don?t think anyone would have noticed a pile of vomit on the floor. It was that bad. I know I was unlucky on that secret shopping job, but it definitely turned me off from taking future jobs.
If you want to get into secret shopping, remember that this could happen to you. The early jobs you may get will be gas stations and fast food restaurants. They aren?t much fun and they don?t pay a lot at all. It?s almost not worth the time you have to take to get there, check the place out, and then go home and fill out a report. Secret shopping has it?s ups and down. If you don?t mind some horrible work for a while to get the better jobs, then go ahead and give it a go. Just remember you should never have to pay for a job. If someone asks for money they are not a real secret shopping company.
