Keep That Paperwork

It is very important that you keep your mystery shopping paperwork for several months after you have finished a shop. You need to keep the questionnaire and the receipt! Just yesterday, I had two inquiries on two different shops I had completed. One had been done over this past weekend. I found the paperwork and answered the follow up questions they sent me. The other one had been done back in early July, and again, I found the paperwork and answered the questions. This doesn't happen to often, but when it does, you want to have that paperwork. I do way too many shops, to keep all of that information in my head!

It Really is a Job!

A family member in another city just started mystery shopping. I had helped her choose a printer and suggested a few companies to start with. She finally signed up with two companies and got started. My partner and I had suggested she start slowly and sign up for only one shop!

I had talked to her the night before her first shop and she said, "this really is a job." She had to pass a quiz before she could do the shop and that took two tries. She then had to print the shop and study how to do it. She called me and I gave her several tips and answered her questions. She then called during the shop and clarified a few things and I gave her some hints on completing the shop. Later, she called me to help with the input, uploading the receipt and electronically signing off on the shop. She then signed up for her second shop!

I am glad she has gotten started. Helping her reminded me of how nervous I was doing my first Shop! Now, after two and a half years I can do most of my shops easily. New scenarios are a small challenge, but they don't make me nervous.  I am sure I'll get a few phone calls today on her new shop, but as she does each one it will get easier.

Keep Your Paperwork

Most the of mystery shopping that I do requires some kind of purchase. I always staple the receipt to the input paperwork and keep it stacked up near my desk. This way, I can look back and find what I need IF there is an issue. For example, I got an email today that there was a question about a shop I completed this past weekend. The email stated that the time on the receipt did not match the times I said I was there. I found the paperwork and the receipt. Sure enough, the time was off by an hour. I replied that the time I had inputted was correct and the receipt was wrong! I keep all of my paperwork for at least a month. If there is an issue, it arises within a few days of inputting the information.


The main thing, is make sure you have a system and KEEP THOSE RECEIPTS. I also have a copy of the receipts on file in my computer on the hard drive. I have a folder for each company in MY DOCUMENTS and then within that company folder, I have a folder for each month. I back these up to my external hard drive and keep them for about six months, then delete them.