Best Quick Cash (page 4 of 7)

Shop For Perks

Imagine, mystery-shopping firms hire anonymous shoppers to purchase a vendor's product or try out a service, and then report to management on their experience.

The average retail "shop," or job, pays $8 to $20, says John Swinburn, executive director of the trade group Mystery Shopping Providers Association. That may not sound like a lot, but there are some good perks to be had. One mystery shopper in Seattle, who asked to stay anonymous so she won't blow her cover, says she earns $200 to $300 each month in cash, and more than double that in food, services and entertainment.

More complicated shops might require you to open a bank account and then close it to test the bank's customer service, or to stay at a hotel, eat at its restaurant and get a massage at the spa. You can sign yourself up at mysteryshop.org. You'll be asked to supply your age, gender and other demographic information.

Mike Mallett, CEO of Corporate Research International, which conducts about 60,000 mystery shops a month, says that "if a lumber store wants a male with a beard to ask about two-by-fours," his company will provide a person who fits the description.

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