A seasoned shopper returned home after completing a group of retail shops. She was mortified when she realized that she had shopped the wrong location for an item that cost her almost $200. A quick call to the scheduler allowed an extension. The shopper could have saved herself a lot of grief by double checking the details of her assignment before she left the house.

Here are some good rules to keep in mind when mystery shopping, no matter how little time you have been mystery shopping or how seasoned you think you are:

• Always look at the address and make sure you have a phone number to the place you are visiting. You may need to verify a cross street or check store hours.
• Carefully read over your assignment guidelines. Make sure that you know what to purchase or what to order. The client can change the specifications of the shop at any time. You may have shopped the same restaurant for years and might overlook an item if you don't double check your details.
• Be knowledgeable about the scenario you are using for your assignment. If you are apartment shopping and you are supposed to look at a one bedroom apartment, make sure you don't forget your assignment. There may be a shortage of one bedrooms and management wants to see what special incentives the leasing agents are offering. You could invalidate your assignment by not asking for the correct sized apartment.
• Make sure you know if it is okay to use a credit card or if you need to only pay with cash. Some companies only give a receipt with a charge card and it may be crucial to only charge an item. Other assignments may only allow cash during the transaction. You can always ask for a receipt if it isn't offered.

It is a great idea to print out your instructions and keep them in a file for the next time you are shopping the same location. If the details change, you can print out the instructions again, or make a note in your file. Saving the instructions will prevent you from having to print the same details again and again.

Successful shoppers carefully plan for every assignment. It doesn't matter whether you have a fast food shop or a fine dining shop. The same care should be put into your observations for the assignment.

Shoppers who are always prepared are the ones who are more likely to be assigned more shops.