Mystery shopping is a great tool for companies to gauge and improve customer services. You get paid to shop in the form of purchasing a specific product, using a service at a specific time and date. There are several companies in Belgium which offer mystery shopping jobs. You are hired as an independent contractor and are responsible for paying your taxes. The paperwork is sometimes overwhelming but it can also be a lot of fun.
GapBuster
If you like fastfood, GapBuster offers assignments for these shops. The pay is not great but you get your meal paid. There are also filling stations and grocery stores to mystery shop. Training materials for each GapBuster client are provided and the shopper has to be familiar with timing points and details like color of hair, eyes, hair cut and so on.
A word of caution, the scheduler for GapBuster calls shoppers to ask if they could do urgent shops. The scheduler will even offer advance bookings for future shops. This is a practice which is difficult to understand since shoppers can "add to basket" jobs which they are interested in. With a scheduler calling anytime, it gives the impression that the company is desperate for mystery shoppers. It also puts the shopper on the spot as you cannot say no all time for every shop offered.
This happens often when there are no shop takers in particular areas. The most probable reason is that the shops GapBuster offers are low paying with the highest at € 6.00, excluding reimbursements. Considering fuel or transport costs, you effectively earn € 2 for each fastfood restaurant you will do. Thus, if you have committed to do a shop and cannot do it because of unexpected circumstances, you will be taken off on their list as a mystery shopper. Expect a standard email saying "We don't need require your services any longer" and that any shops which were done and approved will be paid.
If this is something that interests you, click here.
AQ Services
They have jobs in retail such as apparel shops, automobile companies, some kiosks and high end shops. The pay is acceptable and it is actually fun to buy something for yourself for free and get paid to do it. Their questionnaires are not too long but if you want to get a good grade, make sure that you submit a well thought out, concise report.Of all the mystery shopping companies I am with, AQ is one of two I am accepting assignments. Of course, I always check the pay if it is worth my time. If you choose to complete an MS, consider your travel times to the area, the time you spent performing the MS itself, and most of all the time devoted to filling a report with at least 20 or more questions. The great thing about this, is that I can really choose to quit MS for a few months and go for a few shops if the figures are interesting whenever I feel like it.
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BARE International
There is always a mystery shop to do on BARE’s job board. It can range from filling stations, audits of specific shops and even evaluations of transport services. Again, you have to be fluent in one of the local languages (French or Dutch) because all of the mystery shops will be conducted in the local language. Some though require that you complete the evaluation report in English.
To apply, click here.
Helion Research
Helion Research has enough opportunites on its website for mystery assignments. The sign-up process is quite tedious as in addition to the number of profiles and trainings that you have to do, you also have to upload a valid ID and a recent photo.
Click here to apply.
Multi-Value
There are always a lot of mystery shops offered by Multi-Value and the pay looks promising. However, unless you are fluent in Dutch and French, assignments in English are limited. Often, the assignments have strict age restrictions so if you are an older shopper between 50-60 years old you might not be able to qualify for a lot of the job offers.
To apply click here.
Frontline Focus Corporate International
To apply, you have to sign first a confidentiality agreement after which you will be taken to the sign-up page. When you receive your login details, you have to complete the company’s shopper certification. You will then be eligible to view the job board and apply for the assignments you are interested in.
If you cannot find assignments on the job board, send an email to the country or regional coordinator. He/she will take note of your shopping preferences (areas and dates) and reserve them the following month. If for some reason you cannot do an assigned shop, inform the coordinator immediately. Give at least 72 hours of notice to enable the coordinator to look for a replacement.
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