The application process for secret shopping is a time consuming process. There are over 300 secret shopping companies, and each company has their own application. Some of the applications will be simple asking only for basic information…name, address, phone, SS#, etc. Most of the companies listed here on my blog have the easier applications.  Other company applications will be more time consuming asking questions on their applications such as “Write a short paragraph about a good shopping experience.” The reason the companies ask for writing samples is because many shopping reports require written summaries, and the companies want to see how good potential shoppers write…spelling, punctuation, content, etc.

The first couple of applications requesting written answers is no big deal. But, after spending hours filling out these types of applications, written summaries can become laborious. The majority of applications do have at least one question on them…several will have anywhere from 2-5 questions on them.

The following are tips and hints to help ease the application process.

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--- Pace yourself -- Just as if you were pounding the streets applying at brick and mortar offices, the time it would take to apply with 300 companies would be in days, not hours. There’s no difference with online applications….it will take a few weeks or a few months to submit all the applications. Each day, set aside a side a certain amount of time to fill out applications. 

It probably won't take very long to actually start working in the indusrty. In fact, it's highly possible new shoppers can start working the day after an application is submitted.  But, even if you've picked up that first assignment, continue submitting applications with the other companies. 

--- When you come across a question requiring a written response, know the companies are looking for facts about your visit and not opinions. For example: If the questioned asked about a “bad” shopping experience I had, I would write something like the following:

“My friend and I arrived at the shop at 10: 00 AM. There was one other customer in the store, and there were two employees. The employees were engaged in a conversation with each other . I stood at the dressing room waiting to try on an outfit for five minutes. I made eye contact with both employees, but they continued only interacting with each other. After waiting an additional three minutes, I approached the employees and asked if one of them could let me into the dressing room. One of the employee’s escorted me back to the dressing room. She did not engage in any conversation with me. This left me with the impression my asking to use the dressing room was an inconvenience to her…”

This paragraph is all stated facts and no opinions…arrived at 10:00 AM, one other customer, two employees, employees were talking to each other, made eye contact, waited another three minutes, was escorted to dressing room, how it made me feel…because these things are all facts, they are indisputable.

---Know the companies are looking for grammar, punctuation, etc. Be sure to use a word processor and to cross your “Ts” and dot your “Is”

---The biggest tip of all for saving time…. save the work to your computer. Then, each time you come across that same question in other applications…cut and paste your answer from your saved work in the subsequent application. I did not figure this out until I had written about a hundred paragraphs.

Again, it’s important to pace the application process. It’s easy to get excited and anxious to start shopping, but in the long run, pacing yourself will allow time to learn more about the industry, the individual companies, and time to organize thoughts and procedures.