Author Topic: Anybody do secret shopping?  (Read 1563 times)

DeniseNJ

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Anybody do secret shopping?
« on: June 27, 2019, 02:40:48 PM »
I've done a bit of secret shopping, mostly fancy restaurants in NYC.  I used the coyle website--just goodle it.  You apply for reviewing restaurants.  You have to schedule the day and fill out a lengthy quistionaire after and make sure you followed their rules but you do get a nice free meal and $15 for your efforts.

Just went with a friend the other day.  We spent about $120 on lunch.  She has to answer the quetionaire to get reimbursed.  It's pretty specific so we just texted each other when a dish came or they brought water or whatever, so she'd have time stamps for when everything happened.  Easy once you've done a few.

I stopped bc I didn't have a lot of time and I was gaining weight--the food is so good and you want to clean your plate of free gourmet food.  It'd be a great hobby for retirement though.  There are lots of sites to sign up for secret shopping but I think the events and restaurants are the best.  I heard bank reviews are quick and easy and you make 10 or 15 bucks for 10 minutes time.  A friend went everyday during lunch to pay her car note 10-15 bucks at a time.

HipGnosis

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Re: Anybody do secret shopping?
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2019, 12:36:54 PM »
I did it a cpl yrs ago, with 3 (4?) Cos.
It wasn't worth the time it took.  Came out to about $5/hr.
Finding assignments (diff co's call them diff things), reading the details of them, driving, finding parking, photoing receipts, filling out the questionairs, tracking my time, mileage and the $$...
I'm a quick typer, so I thought I'd be more efficient.
Test driving new cars was kinda fun, though.
Only had 2 meals I actually enjoyed.

leonblack

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Re: Anybody do secret shopping?
« Reply #2 on: July 01, 2019, 10:00:21 AM »
I had a good run with secret shopping.

From 18 to 24 I was buying tobacco products and seeing if I was carded or not. This was a freelance job so I could pick up jobs whenever.
The original payment was something like $15 per shop and you got reimbursed for the product. That was the best. The jobs were first come first serve so if you planned accordingly, it was a nice chunk of change driving around to convenience stores you already planned on going to. I don't smoke or dip so the product would just sit around. During college I would sell loose cigs at parties which kind of feels like a grimy thing to do. Profitable either way considering the reimbursement.

Eventually they tapered off and started to only give $10 or so and they didn't reimburse. The item had to be over $2 so I would just get chewing tobacco.

At this point, I was biking to all of my destinations.

I also took a road trip one winter to Virginia where they sell alcohol at the Wawa convenience stores. The company was willing to pay my tolls, gas, and reimbursement for everything which was great. Got back to Philly around midnight and netted approximately $300 and a lot of beer.

The wages and payments have gone done since all of this.
That being said, I love eating on somebody else's dime and writing about it.

Check isecretshop.com

FireAnt

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Re: Anybody do secret shopping?
« Reply #3 on: July 01, 2019, 06:35:18 PM »
I do secret shopping as well to help lighten the eating out budget :) There are also phone shops but they are rarely worth my time. Usually calling a credit union, dentist, etc. and ask specific questions.

Papa bear

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Re: Anybody do secret shopping?
« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2019, 06:57:25 PM »
I’ve done a couple, phone based projects. I know someone who owns one of the companies, and we got hooked up with a pretty good marketing project that paid 4 figures.

There are others that are very specific, on site, out of state, or even out of country that I haven’t taken up. 




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