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Topic: secret shopper  (Read 1943 times)

Offline pianistimo

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secret shopper
on: August 10, 2007, 11:39:01 PM
get paid up to $5,000 per month to be a secret shopper.  has anyone done this?  gotten paid to go shopping.  does it sound too good to be true?

Offline thalbergmad

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #1 on: August 11, 2007, 01:40:53 AM
In UK, it is referred to as mystery shopping and is usually done by gormless students trying to earn enough money for their next fix.

I very much doubt if it pays $5000 per year.

You would be excellent at it as you could test the patience of a Saint.

Thal
Curator/Director
Concerto Preservation Society

Offline jlh

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #2 on: August 11, 2007, 03:04:51 AM
Many of these "opportunities" are scams.  You have to be careful.  Here's a good primer for ya:

https://www.snopes.com/fraud/employment/shopper.asp
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Offline maul

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #3 on: August 11, 2007, 03:44:49 AM
I actually make around $8000/mo doing it.

Offline jlh

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #4 on: August 11, 2007, 03:46:41 AM
I actually make around $8000/mo doing it.

We're not talking about your 'adult' business.  ::) ;)
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Offline penguinlover

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #5 on: August 11, 2007, 04:28:43 AM
I actually am considering it, I called for information on it.  Interesting. I wonder if you have to buy the stuff.  I wouldn't mind evaluating restaurants.  They don't tell you very much about it.  They probably want money to get you started.  I am interested in hearing from anyone else who has done it.

Offline jlh

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #6 on: August 11, 2007, 05:29:14 AM
I actually am considering it, I called for information on it.  Interesting. I wonder if you have to buy the stuff.  I wouldn't mind evaluating restaurants.  They don't tell you very much about it.  They probably want money to get you started.  I am interested in hearing from anyone else who has done it.

Read the article I posted above before you do anything.  They have good information on how to do it with legit companies -- and it seems you don't need to front any money for this, as the information they sell can be had easily and for free.
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Offline pianistimo

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #7 on: August 11, 2007, 05:44:13 PM
thanks for the info - jlh.  women can be so easily had.  we usually think everyone is honest.  now, i'm thinking that the local music school is my first stop in a few days.  it's a fairly large new school - but the thing is - if they have to keep up rent and all - i don't know how much of the paycheck they keep.  i have this dillemma - in that the social security/medicare is twice as much - if i work for myself (plus the school tax of $400.).  it's making me want to fly to mexico and just hang out and teach lessons and english or something.  i see a lot of jobs to teach english to foreigners (china, russia, places like that).  i know i could do that.  (of course, i'd have to revert back to capitalizing when teaching writing).  what to do?

perhaps today is not the day to worry about such things.  i am going bicycling.  secretly, i just want to keep being an artist sort.  sewing is my other hobby.  but, how to turn this all into a mega business?  maybe i'll just sew for those two bazarre's a year and hope to sell the entire inventory over a weekend.  perhaps next to the farmers market stand?

Offline jlh

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #8 on: August 11, 2007, 07:18:01 PM
You could be the first to perform the liszt gretchen am spinnrade trans while sewing at the same time on stage...
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Offline themockingbird

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #9 on: August 11, 2007, 07:54:33 PM
gormless students trying to earn enough money for their next fix.

 ???

Offline jlh

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #10 on: August 11, 2007, 08:18:16 PM
???

Meaning dumb students who can't do anything else for cash (unless Thal was talking about brain-dead substance abusers who can't hold a normal job).

I didn't say that tho...  ;)
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Offline thalbergmad

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #11 on: August 11, 2007, 08:29:21 PM
i see a lot of jobs to teach english to foreigners (china, russia, places like that).  i know i could do that. 

You are so funny ;D
Curator/Director
Concerto Preservation Society

Offline ahinton

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #12 on: August 11, 2007, 09:34:44 PM
You are so funny ;D
Indeed, the language of Pennsylvanglais seems to be an endangered species kept alive only by a palæontologist called Susan...

Best,

Alistair
Alistair Hinton
Curator / Director
The Sorabji Archive

Offline pies

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #13 on: August 11, 2007, 11:12:36 PM
Ban pianistimo

Offline themockingbird

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #14 on: August 12, 2007, 10:38:55 AM
Meaning dumb students who can't do anything else for cash (unless Thal was talking about brain-dead substance abusers who can't hold a normal job).

I didn't say that tho...  ;)

good thing most students aren't really like that :)

Offline penguinlover

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #15 on: August 12, 2007, 08:27:23 PM
Back to the topic.  You can do sewing for these "work at home" people.  I myself don't sew at all.  This information I sent away for concerning the secret shopper, included some sewing.  They are trying to offer opportunities to work at home.  But, they ask for a $42 start up kit.  So, I guess that means they are a scam, by the standards of that article.  It was informative wasn't it?

Offline jlh

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #16 on: August 12, 2007, 08:48:51 PM
Back to the topic.  You can do sewing for these "work at home" people.  I myself don't sew at all.  This information I sent away for concerning the secret shopper, included some sewing.  They are trying to offer opportunities to work at home.  But, they ask for a $42 start up kit.  So, I guess that means they are a scam, by the standards of that article.  It was informative wasn't it?

How I understood the article was that it's difficult to distinguish the good companies offering information about this and the scams.  Perhaps both types might ask for cash as a start-up kit, since they're selling information.  The article said you don't NEED to hire a company to sell you information regarding companies that pay for you to shop, as it can be had for free if you just ask around.

I think you're talking here about working from home, which is a different issue altogether, but also has the risk of being scam material.  Here's something that might interest you in this situation:

10 Tips on Avoiding Work At Home and
Home Based Business Scams


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Offline penguinlover

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Re: secret shopper
Reply #17 on: August 13, 2007, 05:10:25 AM
Well, I inquired about a work at home business.  When I got the info, it included stuff on being a secret shopper.
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