[nabentre] Mystery Shopping Info from: FEDINFO E-letter from Pueblo, May 2007 Issue

[Everett Gavel]

I've cut out most of the newsletter, only leaving the
bit on Mystery Shopping. I thought it might be useful
to some here.

Everett
www.everettgavel.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Federal Citizen Information Center at Pueblo"
<updates at pueblo.gsa.gov>
Sent: Friday, May 11, 2007 3:12 PM
Subject: FEDINFO E-letter from Pueblo, May 2007 Issue


> FEDINFO E-Letter
>
> Issue 2007-2
>
> You can also view an illustrated online version [
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/fedinfonews/fedinfo07-2.htm ]
of this newsletter.
>
> Welcome to the May 2007 edition of the Federal
Citizen Information Center's (FCIC) FEDINFO E-letter!
These subscription e-letters from Pueblo are sent 6-8
times a year with helpful updates, practical
information, and special offers to make your life a
little easier. You can always find the latest
information on our family of websites: Pueblo.gsa.gov
[ http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/ ], USA.gov [
http://www.usa.gov/ ], ConsumerAction.gov [
http://www.consumeraction.gov/ ], and Kids.gov [
http://www.kids.gov/ ].
>
>
>
> THE SECRETS OF MYSTERY SHOPPING REVEALED
>
> Do you love to shop? If so, you may be tempted by
unsolicited emails or newspaper ads that claim you can
earn a living as a secret or mystery shopper by dining
at elegant restaurants, shopping at pricey stores, or
checking into luxurious hotels. But, according to the
Federal Trade Commission [
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/mysteryalrt.
shtm ] (FTC), marketers who promise high-paying jobs as
mystery shoppers often do not deliver real
opportunities.
>
> "What is Mystery Shopping?"
>
> Some retailers hire marketing research companies to
evaluate the quality of service in their stores; these
companies use mystery shoppers to get the information
anonymously. They assign a mystery shopper to make a
particular purchase in a store or restaurant, for
example, and then report on the experience. Typically,
the shopper is reimbursed and can keep the product or
service.
>
> Many professionals in the field consider mystery
shopping a part-time activity, at best. Opportunities
generally are posted online by marketing research or
merchandising companies. Nevertheless, fraudulent
mystery shopping promoters are using newspaper ads and
emails to create the impression that they're a gateway
to lucrative mystery shopper jobs with reputable
companies. These solicitations usually promote a
website where consumers can "register" to become
mystery shoppers--after they pay a fee for information
about a certification program, a directory of mystery
shopping companies, or a guarantee of a mystery
shopping job.
>
> The truth is that it is unnecessary to pay money to
anyone to get into the mystery shopper business. The
shopping certification offered in advertising or
unsolicited email is almost always worthless. A list of
companies [
http://www.mysteryshop.org/shoppers/membercos.php ]
that hire mystery shoppers is available for free; and
legitimate mystery shopper jobs are on the Internet [
http://www.mysteryshop.org/shoppers/ ] for free.
Consumers who try to get a refund from promoters of
mystery shopping jobs usually are out of luck. Either
the business doesn't return the phone calls, or if it
does, it's to try to get even more money from you.
>
> To learn more about mystery shopping, check out the
FTC's Consumer Alert [
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/mysteryalrt.
shtm ].
>
>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~
>
>
> This service is provided free of charge by the
Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC) at Pueblo,
CO, your one-stop source for information about consumer
problems and government services. Visit us at
www.pueblo.gsa.gov [ http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov ].
>
>
> GovDelivery, Inc. sending on behalf of Federal
Citizen Information Center (FCIC) . Federal Citizen
Information Center . Pueblo CO 81009 . 1-800-439-1420