Low-Report-Time Shop Types
(Mystery Shopping)
Low-report-time shop types can make a big difference in whether a mystery shopping assignment is worth your time.
I've completed assignments where the actual shop was easy, but the report afterward took much longer than expected. New shoppers don't always think that far ahead.
A shop might pay $20 and take only 15 minutes on-site. That sounds pretty good—until you get home and spend another hour answering questions and writing narratives.
That's why I look at more than the shopper fee when deciding whether an assignment is worthwhile.
Want more help getting started? My book, Take That Job And Mystery Shop It!, walks you through finding assignments, completing shops, writing reports, and avoiding many of the mistakes new shoppers make.
Low-Report-Time Shop Types Start With the Questionnaire
The questionnaire itself is usually the best indicator of reporting time.
Whenever you can review the reporting requirements before accepting an assignment, look at them carefully.
A shorter report might include:
- Mostly yes-or-no or multiple-choice questions
- Only a few short-written explanations
- One receipt or photograph
- A limited number of timings
- Simple observations
A longer report may require detailed narratives, numerous photographs, several employee descriptions, exact timings, or explanations for many of your answers.
I've learned that a short visit doesn't necessarily mean a short report.
Assignments That May Have Shorter Reports
Some assignments have relatively simple reporting requirements, but there are no guarantees.
Simple retail assignments may ask about cleanliness, employee greetings, product availability, or a purchase. If the questionnaire consists primarily of checkboxes and short answers, the report may be relatively quick.
Photo verification assignments can also be straightforward when you're required to take only a few photographs and answer basic questions. Read the instructions carefully, though. A shop requiring numerous photographs from specific angles can take considerably longer.
Price checks may involve recording prices or checking whether particular products are available. These may require less narrative writing, although assignments with a long list of products can still take time.
Telephone shops can eliminate travel and sometimes have short questionnaires. I've completed telephone assignments where I could record the important information immediately after the call. But if you're required to provide a detailed account of the conversation, the report may take longer.
Restaurant assignments vary considerably. One might require a few timings, a receipt, and short comments. Another could require detailed descriptions of the food, service, employees, cleanliness, and every stage of the visit.
That's why I wouldn't accept a restaurant—or any other assignment—simply because I assume the report will be easy.
How to Spot a Low-Report-Time Mystery Shop
Before accepting an assignment, I would look for four things.
1. How much narrative is required?
This is probably the biggest one.
A questionnaire containing several boxes asking you to “describe in detail” will usually take longer than one asking mostly specific questions.
2. How many photographs or uploads are required?
A receipt isn't difficult. Ten photographs taken exactly as instructed are something else.
Uploads also create another opportunity for problems if a photograph is blurry or you photograph the wrong item.
3. How many details must you remember?
Employee names, descriptions, exact timings, specific questions, prices, and other observations all add to the amount of information you need to collect and report.
4. When is the report due?
A simple report can become difficult if you're completing several shops and all the reports are due that evening.
Consider reporting time before building a route with multiple assignments.
Don't Let a Higher Fee Fool You
Suppose one assignment pays $15 and requires a 10-minute report.
Another pays $30 but requires an hour-long report.
The $30 assignment isn't automatically the better choice.
You also have to consider driving time, time at the location, required purchases, reimbursement, and the amount of work waiting for you when you get home.
I've found that sometimes a straightforward assignment paying less money can be a better use of my time.
That becomes easier to recognize with experience.
Make Reporting Easier on Yourself
No matter which low-report-time shop types you choose, good organization can speed up the report.
Take good notes.
Keep track of required timings.
Protect your receipt.
Make sure you've taken every required photograph before leaving the location.
Then complete the report while the assignment is still fresh in your mind.
I wouldn't recommend creating standard sentences and reusing them from report to report. Your comments should describe what actually happened during that particular assignment.
You also don't want to rush just because you're trying to finish quickly. An accurate 15-minute report is much better than a 10-minute report that gets returned because it's missing important information.
Report Time Is Part of the Assignment
When evaluating a mystery shop, don't think only about the time you spend inside the business.
The report is part of the job.
Learning to recognize low-report-time shop types can help you find assignments that fit your schedule and decide which shops are worth accepting.
Eventually, you'll become familiar with particular companies and assignments. You'll know which reports are straightforward and which ones require considerably more work.
Until then, preview the questionnaire whenever possible.
A mystery shop isn't finished when you walk out the door.
It's finished when you've submitted an accurate report.
Your Best Next Step
If this article helped, read these next:
How to Choose Your First Mystery Shopping Assignment
How Mystery Shopping Reports Work
How to Take Better Notes During a Mystery Shop
About the Author
I'm Mystery Don (Donald J. Servais, Jr.), and I've completed mystery shopping assignments for restaurants, hotels, apartment communities, automobile dealerships, new-home builders, and other businesses.
I created MystShopper.com to share what I've learned from my own experiences, help new shoppers avoid common mistakes, and explain how legitimate mystery shopping really works.
I'm also the author of Take That Job And Mystery Shop It!, which includes beginner-friendly advice, real-world mystery shopping experiences, and a directory of more than 150 mystery shopping companies.
Drawing on my 45-year career in television, I've also written 7 Keys to Success in a Changing Television Industry, a guide for people interested in building a career in television and video.
My goal is simple: honest guidance without the hype.
We're always looking for new faces to visit different places.
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