Become a Mystery Shopper
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How to become a Mystery shopper?
Are interested in how to become a mystery shopper? Do you want to earn extra cash, bonuses and incentives? Do you want to gain valuable work experience? Put your customer service and observation skills to good use? If you have answered YES to any of these questions then you have come to the right place!
Sting is not your average mystery shopping company. We have been in business for more than a decade; we do training, screening and are a full suite investigations agency that has a lot of room for advancement.
Sting has the following positions open for the right candidates:
Mystery Shop liquor stores, pub and cannabis stores in Victoria, Duncan, Nanaimo, Courtenay, North Vancouver, Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, Mission, Surrey, Langley, Tsawwassen, Delta, Chilliwack, Kelowna, and Penticton and all over British Columbia.
All you need to do is sign up with an email address and LOG IN to browse ‘Open Opportunities” on our job board.
Mystery Shoppers are Independent Contractors and when signing up agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the Independent Contractor Agreement.
Steps on How to Become Mystery Shopper
STEP 1: SIGN UP on our website
The first step is to SIGN UP as a shopper on our online reporting portal (enter your email address, create profile, upload resume, paypal info so you can get paid!). You can modify your geographical area to accept assignments in other areas.
Sting will conduct a background check for authenticity and if everything checks out you will start receiving emails and be able to start applying for assignments. Please note you can opt out and/or delete your shopper account at anytime.
STEP 2: SIGN OFF on guidelines
Read, understand and sign off on the Contractor Guidelines and CODE OF ETHICS STATEMENT.
Discretion, integrity and confidentiality are essential when it comes to Sting Investigations’ clients and their reporting, our shoppers and their anonymity, our investigations, shops and practices.
Step 3: LOG IN & get certified!
Next, Log in to get certified and take the free online training courses (Level 1 Mystery Shopper Certification, Level 2 Investigations, COVID-19 Training and other courses).
Our evaluators (mystery shoppers) start off with Level 1 shops; take, for example, a basic liquor store or retail shop. These are quick and easy, 5 minutes in the store and once you know how we like our reporting: 5-10 minutes on your smart phone or computer.
Step 4: APPLY FOR OPPORTUNITES
Start applying for "Open Opportunities" in your area and start earning some extra income and free products!
If you have any questions about the process or assignments in your area - feel free to call us or email us directly!
What does a mystery shopper do?
A mystery shopper will measure quality of service, or compliance with regulation, or to gather specific information about products and services. Mystery shoppers perform specific tasks such as purchasing a product, asking questions, registering complaints, or behaving in a certain way, and then provide detailed reports or feedback about their experiences. This information, along with photos and video evidence, are uploaded to our online report portal.
- Read over survey instructions prior to conducting a shop
- Reports to the location in a timely manner
- Conducts assignments covertly within the specified guidelines – Regulations, Provincial and Federal Laws
- Complies with Sting Investigations, Inc. policies and procedures and client standards
- Completes reports online within the specified timeline (24 hours) in a readable and comprehensive manner
- Completes all reports and upload all photos and/or video on our online report portal
- Maintains honesty, integrity and confidentiality on and off the job
- Accepts investigation assignments, training and seminars as they arise
- Flexible work hours are a requirement
Log in to the Online Report Portal on your browser or download the Shopmetrics Mobile app (for iphone and Android) to do everything from applying for opportunities, receiving your assignment details and filling out the surveys and submitting reports, along with pay statements, latest news and everything else a shopper could need, can be found in our online report portal.
Reports are customized for each client. You will have to answer survey questions, write a narrative and submit photos and/or video as required. You will have access to each assignment after you have applied and be assigned those shops; but, generally mystery shoppers will report on the following:
- Smile & Greeting Customers (within 30 seconds)
- Offering Help or Assistance, Suggestive Selling and/or Up-selling (daily specials, etc.)
- Asking for proper Identification for Government Compliance (liquor, cannabis and/or cigarette purchases)
- Check for Signage (responsible service, health & safety, sales and/or promotions, etc.)
- Problem Resolution
- Timeliness
- Thanking Customers
- Cash Handling, Register & Customer Counts
- Product Quality (food & beverage) & Presentation
- Availability of Promotions & Marketing Material (overall presentation)
- Facility Conditions (restrooms, bar, exterior, etc.)
- Employee Appearance and Interaction (name tags, uniform, cleanliness)
desired skills and experience
- Grade 12 (or equivalent)
- 19 years or older (18 in Alberta)
- No criminal involvement, criminal record or pending charges
- Valid email account and paypal for payment is required
- Good computer skills (ability to use smart phone, voice recorder and camera is required)
- Ability to walk or get around in a hospitality and retail environment (previous experience is an asset)
- Ability to ride in a vehicle for prolonged periods of time (drivers license and vehicle is an asset)
- Ability to complete handwritten reports or computerized reports
- Ability to carefully and accurately observe complex situations
- Ability to carry items up to 20 pounds
- Ability to bend and lift, or pick up items from low shelves
- Experience conducting mystery shops and using software like Shopmetrics (an asset)
NOTE: You will be applying for a position with an Investigative Agency. Our reputation demands we thoroughly screen all of our employees. Part of our hiring process includes using the tools we have at our disposal. We will run a thorough background check and depending on the position applied for, our recruitment process may include an Interview. By applying with Sting Investigations Inc., you hereby agree to our screening process.
What type of assignments will I do?
A mystery shopper may conduct a variety of different types of assignments whether you may be a walk-in shopper where you evaluate customer service and/or compliance, or conduct an assignment over the phone or online.
Compliance
A Mystery Shopper acts as a customer and attempts to make an alcohol/cannabis purchase at liquor store, pub or restaurant, or dispensary. The primary task is to see if the attendant is abiding by the liquor or cannabis law – is not serving intoxicating persons and performing proper ID checks of persons under 30 years of age.
Walk-in Shopper
A Mystery Shopper acts as a customer and undertakes a series of agreed tasks. These tasks monitor the quality of customer service, ask questions, staff uniform and deportment, interior/exterior of premises, and more.
Phone Shopper
Monitor how long it took staff to answer, how they were greeted, and how professionally your request was handled was the member of staff polite and informative? Report back accurately and objectively by completing a questionnaire. This may require you to place a call through the app and submit the recording.
Online Shopping
Evaluate the site for ease of use, order processing, shipping and customer service. This may include a review social media platforms, websites and customer reviews. Answer questions, upload documents or photos, and submit reports online.
what are the Benefits of Working with us?
- FREE TRAINING in mystery shopping, retail, hospitality, safety, private security and investigations
- FREE meals, merchandise and services
- Convenience of only taking the assignments that work with your schedule
- Get reimbursed for goods and services you may have paid for anyway
- Sting can help you become a licensed Private Investigator
- Get paid to get out of the house and out on the town
- Gain employment experience working interesting sites
- Improve your observation and report writing skills
STAFF TRAINING AND TESTING
Online Training saves time and cuts down on high costs associated with classic methods of training. With widespread Internet access, a more computer savvy workforce, and superior low-cost technology; online training and testing programs are the more efficient choice. Contact us to discuss your training or other health, safety, and security requirements.
don't be fooled by
Mystery shopper scams
As a general rule NEVER EVER do anything of the following:
- NEVER pay to work or for training to work
- NEVER wire money as part of a mystery shopping assignment
- NEVER deposit cheques into your banking account and send money back
- NEVER apply for mystery shopping jobs that guarantee a lot of money
Visit our Mystery shopping scams page for more information.
Still have questions?
Overall, we expect reliability to complete the shop, 100% honesty when filling out the reports, and the reports filled out completely, with good grammar, within 24 hours of you completing the shop.
Once you login you’ll see a link on the left-hand side of the screen called Open Opportunities. Click that and it will show what is available in your area. If you don’t see many shops, extend your km’s a bit to see more. If you feel like doing a route – we can send you on a bit of a road trip.
Sting pays out our shoppers on the 7th of every month. Any shops completed correctly before the last day of the month will be paid out on the 7th.
Sting Investigations pays all mystery shoppers by PayPal only. We do not pay by any other means, including cheque or direct debit bank transfer. You would therefore need to set up a PayPal account before you start your first assignment.
Agents are paid once a month for all approved shops. Approved assignments are those that have been completed correctly, followed all instructions, with relevant information and detail in the survey and within the required timeframe.
Before you apply and accept an assignment the payment amount for a successful job will be listed. This amount varies depending on how in-depth the requirements are. Remuneration may be in the form of job fee or reimbursement to a certain amount, or a combination of the two.
Think of it like a Job Board – it will show all the shops in the area that you can apply for.
SHOPMETRICS MOBILE
