National Shopping Service (Mystery Shopping Company Review)

So, perhaps you've heard of mystery shopping, and are interested in getting started. What do you do? Well, you start by signing up with a mystery shopping company such as National Shopping Service.

What happens next? You log in to their website and search for assignments in your area. It's basically that simple.

It might be even easier for you: If they're desperate, they'll call you and ask you to complete an assignment. This is what happened to me. A couple of days after I registered with this company, they gave me a call and practically begged to complete a 'pizza shop.'

Free pizza isn't a bad thing. Though it's not exactly free. Read on to learn more...

Most people are very skeptical when they first learn about mystery shopping. Surely, they think, this must be a scam. But the brave ones dive in. Sure, they use their common sense to avoid the obvious scams out there, but they go ahead and complete a small assignment.

Most people quickly learn that mystery shopping is much more than just 'getting paid to shop.' Mystery shopping is a job. You get paid to complete specific tasks.

Here's how it works: Once companies such as National Shopping Service assign you a job, you are given a specific time range to complete it in, along with very specific instructions.These usually entail requiring you to take certain photos, keep track of specific things the employees say, and keep note of various specific details about the cleanliness of the store.

So, you get the assignment, you complete it according to the guidelines, and then you go back to the National Shopping Service website and fill out a form reporting your experience.

And then you get paid. Usually weeks or months later. (This is the downside--slow pay.)

This is a well established company, with a good reputation. They've been around a long time. They don't pay very high at first--but if you're willing to wait for a 'bonus', they have been known to be generous when they need to be. To learn more about this company's reputation, I recommend keeping up on National Shopping Service on MysteryShopForum.

Keep in mind, this is a legitimate company, with real assignments. You do the job, they pay you. However, there is a scam out there targetting both this company and potential mystery shoppers. Here's what happens: People claiming to be 'National Shopping Service' may send you a large check in the mail as part of an assignment, and ask you to wire it back. The check is fake! Don't deposit it, don't wire it, don't send a money gram! Just report it to the local post office or FBI. This is a pretty easy scam to avoid once you know about it.