Taking the Mystery Out of Mystery Shoppers

Koss DVD - College Sophomore On Track To Become A Millionaire Selling DVDs On eBay
Magnetic clasps - Clever Clasp.

Who wouldn't love to try luxurious products for free? It's this premise that entices many people to become mystery shoppers.

Market researchers often solicit real consumers to anonymously evaluate the quality of a product or service by purchasing it and then reporting back. It's a seemingly great deal for consumers -- mystery shoppers are reimbursed for their expenses and get to keep the product.

But beware: There are a number of fraudulent mystery-shopping promoters waiting to pounce. In fact, last week the Federal Trade Commission charged a company called Mystery Shop Link with promoting fraudulent claims to consumers who lost millions of dollars because of the service. In a written release, the FTC states:

"In exchange for the $99.95 fee for one year of service, consumers thought they would be trained and certified as mystery shoppers, and would gain access to job postings available through the company, with enough paid assignments available to ensure a steady part-time or full-time income. Instead, consumers received a worthless certification and access to re-postings of other mystery shopping assignments posted by other companies, who were unrelated to the defendants. Consumers still had to apply for these jobs, most of them low-paying, and had no advantage over anyone else who found the postings elsewhere for free."

So how do you find a legitimate mystery shopping gig? First of all, know that you will almost never have to pay to become one. If you come across an ad promoting a mystery shopping service that requires you to fork over any cash, move on.

Also, you should avoid mystery shopping promoters who claim they can get you "certified." Companies that need mystery shoppers usually require no such thing. And if you get a pitch to become a mystery shopper by e-mail or see an ad in your newspaper's "help wanted" section, it's probably best to move on.

To make sure you're not swindled, follow these steps from the FTC to find a real mystery shopping job:

• Do a Web search of mystery shopping companies. Look for ones that are accepting applications -- and don't charge a fee for you to complete it.
• Do your homework. There are many books available on the subject, such as "The Mystery Shopper's Manual" and "How to Become a Mystery Shopper." Read up and understand what it takes to be a good mystery shopper.
• Start with the Mystery Shopping Providers Association Web site at www.mysteryshop.org. You can find out how to register with an MSPA member company, browse available jobs and feel confident that the ones represented there are legitimate.

Source: StartupJournal | Retailing

Control the Cravings - Lose the Weight! 15 Day Free Trial of 100% Pure Certified Hoodia!
Kids Entertainment Salon Franchise Taps Growing Children's Sector in $5 Billion Hair Service Retail Industry

Love's Good for Business

Couple lets Web visitors choose their next hometown

Since Valentine's Day is this week, I was curious to see whether being in love helped entrepreneurs. Did romance give business owners and managers an energy boost, or drain their time and energy? When it comes to the bottom line, is it better to be married or single?

So I had my company conduct a survey of the readers of my email newsletter to determine the effects of love, marriage, and being single on their companies.

The conclusion? Fall in love or walk down the aisle and your bank account benefits.

Overwhelmingly, entrepreneurs reported that love was good for the bottom line, with 59 percent reporting positive financial effects.

In fact, entrepreneurs are upbeat about the effects of love and marriage in three of the four areas surveyed: finances, focus, and self-esteem. The only area in which entrepreneurs reported slightly more negative than positive effects from being in love was the impact on their time.

Better yet, pop the question this Valentine's Day -- it'll be good for business. Fully 82 percent of married entrepreneurs reported that being married improved their company's finances.

More than two-thirds of male respondents reported positive financial effects of being in love (69 percent) or married (68 percent) on their business.

Women, on the other hand, weren't quite as cheerful. Only a slight majority reported that being in love had a positive financial effect on their business (53 percent). However, three-quarters of women felt that marriage gave them a financial boost.

Perhaps this is a result of a buoyant outlook on life, with 95 percent of entrepreneurs indicating that being in love improved their sense of self-esteem in business. Marriage likewise improved self-esteem, although by slightly less -- 87 percent of married respondents got a heightened sense of self-esteem from having that wedding ring.

Happy marriages evidently lead to bigger businesses. Entrepreneurs with the largest businesses in the survey (21 or more employees) reported the greatest positive effects of being in love or being married.

Eighty-nine percent of entrepreneurs with larger companies said marriage had a positive financial effect, and 80 percent said being in love helped the bottom line. Sole proprietors were less upbeat: Only 59 percent said being in love gave them a financial boost, while 70 percent said marriage did so.

So take heart when you shell out those big bucks for Valentine's flowers and candy. The money will come back to you with a stronger bottom line!

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie WarDave Chappelle-Good To Come Home(stand up comedy)
Untapped Riches: Never Pay Off Your Mortgage--and Other Surprising Secrets for Building Wealth