The Mystery Shopper's Manual (5th Edition) [Paperback]

Cathy Stucker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 4, 2002 | ISBN-10: 1888983248 | ISBN-13: 978-1888983241 | Edition: 5th

The Complete How-To Guide for Mystery Shoppers! Includes Contact Information for More Than 100 Companies Hiring Shoppers.

Mystery shopping is a fun way to make extra money while providing valuable customer service information to businesses. You can get paid to shop in your favorite stores, eat in your favorite restaurants, get your hair cut, go to the movies, put gas in your car, stay at luxury hotels and resorts and more!

This manual is your complete reference for launching your mystery shopping career, whether you are male or female, whatever your age and wherever you live. You get a step-by-step plan to becoming a successful professional shopper, including a list of companies hiring mystery shoppers and how to contact them.

The Mystery Shopper's Manual has shown thousands of people just like you how to get paid to shop part-time, full-time or spare-time. Why not start today? You may earn the cost of this book or more on your first mystery shop!

Editorial Reviews

Review

It really works! I got my first mystery shopping job--over the telephone--the same day I received Cathy's book. -- Linda C., Houston, Texas --This text refers to the Spiral-bound edition.

About the Author

Cathy Stucker is an experienced mystery shopper who has helped thousands of people just like you learn how to get paid to shop and eat. She has evaluated businesses of all kinds, including department stores, restaurants, car dealers, grocery stores, salons and many more. Cathy has appeared on many television programs and has been a guest on radio stations from coast to coast. She has been featured in newspapers and magazines, including The Houston Chronicle, The Houston Business Journal, Black Enterprise, and Woman's Day. Cathy Stucker is also the owner of The Idea Lady, a site for entrepreneurs, authors, mystery shoppers and others.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Special Interests Pub; 5th edition (April 4, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888983248
• ISBN-13: 978-1888983241
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,435,416 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Best known as the IdeaLady, Cathy's business model is, "Learn it, do it, teach it." Cathy's books, seminars, consulting and other products and services have helped many thousands of authors, professionals and entrepreneurs find success, and she has personally trained more than 10,000 professional mystery shoppers.

Cathy has appeared on television and radio programs from coast to coast, and she has been featured in Woman's Day, Woman's World, The New York Times, Black Enterprise and the Associated Press.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

110 of 113 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't "Shop" until you "Drop" the money for this book!, August 12, 2003

By 

Jo J. Adamson - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mystery Shopper's Manual (5th Edition) (Paperback)

For someone who wants to cut through the hype and get to the nitty-gritty of mystery shopping, Cathy Stucker's "The Mystery Shopper's Manual (5th Edition) is the book for you.

I've been mystery shopping for three years now, and Cathy's book provided the information I needed to get started. None of the -"Get rich mystery shopping!"scams, or attempts to sell mystery shopping as a way to make easy money with little or no skills required--- graces the pages of this book. Not to mention the come-ons (I get e-mails daily on these) that promise that mystery shoppers keep designer clothes, eat in five-star restaurants or take home merchandise worth hundreds of dollars.

Her advice is sound (based on years of experience as a mystery shopper herself) and you know within a few pages that she knows that she's talking about! She views mystery shopping as a profession and offers practical advice to those who might want to get in the business as well as for those who already are. She points out common mistakes that shopper make, how to contact people who hire mystery shoppers, and how to get the prime assignments. Her book even features a mystery shopper application. Very helpful for someone who wants know exactly what are the requirements needed to become a mystery shopper.

In short, The Mystery Shopper Manual is a "how to" book written by someone who "did" it. And "does" it. Cathy continues to mystery shop and passes on what she has learned over the years.

On a personal note here: In August 2003 I attended the "Mystery Shopper Gold Certification Workshop" in Seattle and was surprised (and delighted)when I saw that it was Cathy who had developed the Mystery Shopping Providers Association workbook that I was holding in my hand.

A perfect match, I thought. The Mystery Shopping Provider Association having Cathy Stucker as spokeswoman as well has having her author the manual that was used as the "Bible" for the conference.

If you're serious about pursuing mystery shopping as a legitimate part-time income opportunity, I do believe that this is the book for you!

46 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Educational and Factual!, September 19, 2002

By 

Iwona S. Masalska "Iwona" (Torrance, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mystery Shopper's Manual (5th Edition) (Paperback)

I have been a mystery shopper for 4 years for 30 different mystery shopping companies. When I first heard about this book, I was very hesitant. I borrowed it from a friend, not willing to waste my hard earned mystery shopping dollars on yet another "get rich quick" scheme type book.

Imagine my surprise when I realized that this book was actually factual! It had real truth, explaining the work that goes into being a mystery shopper and how to do it. It also made it perfectly clear that Mystery shopping is not a "get rich quick" scheme. It is a rewarding and fun job, but it is a JOB, plain and simple.

This book was educational and factual and can help the beginning or intermediate mystery shopper with obtaining more shops, writing better reports, and other useful information.

I would highly recommend it to anyone even remotely interested in doing shopping for money!

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book pays for itself!, May 12, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Mystery Shopper's Manual (5th Edition) (Paperback)

"The Mystery Shopper's Manual" makes it easy to get started as a mystery shopper. The instructions and tips are helpful when applying to mystery shopping companies, doing mystery shops and completing reports.

Whether you are a new or experienced shopper, you can use the list of mystery shopping companies to submit your information to lots of companies quickly, and get more assignments faster. Your first assignment could pay for the book!

A great resource for anyone who wants a fun, flexible way to make extra money.