Mystery Shoppers Can Now Work From Home
StartupJournal:
More banks, retailers and travel companies are paying companies that hire free-lancers to collect feedback about the usefulness of their Web sites. ‘This is an emerging form of mystery shopping,’ says Jeff Hall, chief executive of Second To None, an Ann Arbor, Mich.-based company that provides mystery-shopping services.
Much as with in-person visits, Web mystery shoppers are assigned tasks such as buying products or services from a site or looking up information. Shoppers often complete an online survey on another Web browser while they navigate the site. This way the company can gauge how customers feel about the site at different stages along the way. They answer questions such as: What did you like or dislike about the site? Did you quickly find what you’re looking for? Were prices competitive? Some companies also follow up with the shopper after a product from the site is delivered to the doorstep.
Early clients of online mystery shopping have been mostly financial-services firms, retailers and travel sites such as Expedia and Travelocity, says Tema Frank, president of Web Mystery Shoppers, an Edmonton, Canada, company that specializes in online mystery shopping. Other companies that provide in-store mystery-shopping services also conduct online versions. Consumers can find names of mystery-shopping firms that do online shopping and Internet surveys at the Mystery Shopping Providers Association by clicking on ‘Search MSPA Companies’ and choosing ‘Internet Surveys/Online Reporting’ under the ‘Services Provided by Company’ menu. No companies listed on MSPA’s Web site require applicants to pay a fee for signing up.
Mystery shopping isn’t like taking an online survey. All mystery-shopping firms want people who can write detailed reports and not simply answer yes-or-no questions. Web companies also are looking for people with little or no Internet know-how so they can find out if the sites are user-friendly even to Internet novices. ‘We want to get a lot of beginners because they represent typical customers,’ Ms. Frank says. This means that many companies seek seniors – as long as they have computer access.
Web mystery shoppers also may need to provide personal information, such as an e-mail address or full name, to a Web site they’re evaluating if it requires registration. If mystery shoppers must purchase something, they may need to enter financial information, too, such as a credit-card number. All mystery-shopping assignments, however, are presented to prospective shoppers before they accept them. Mr. Hall suggests shoppers set up a separate e-mail account to use during mystery-shop assignments, so that their personal e-mail account isn’t affected.
Pay for online mystery shopping is similar to in-person shopping – and can be sporadic. Most online shoppers get paid a flat rate such as $10 or $20 an assignment. Most assignments take 30 minutes to an hour, but it can take longer depending on the tasks and questionnaire length. Because some shoppers might get called upon only a few times a year or less, it’s important for people who want frequent mystery-shopping assignments to sign up with several companies.
Also read: Health Care Taps ‘Mystery Shoppers’.
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