A friend of mine was completing an assignment she had been shopping since the mystery shopping company had received the contract. She could do the shop in her sleep. The only problem was that she did not review the instructions before visiting the location. The guidelines had been updated and she missed 2 key details on the shop. As a result, her report was rejected. Since the shopper wanted to "save face," she reshopped the location at her own expense.

Even seasoned shoppers can make mistakes. It is important to carefully read over the instructions before completing any shop. It is useful to review a blank copy of the report since many questions are specific. One report asked for a description of how the back of the store was laid out. If a shopper has multiple locations, those details can get lost.

Some assignments require that an invoice be submitted before the shopper can be paid. There are some programs that require that the invoice be printed before the report is submitted. Otherwise, the invoice can disappear and the shopper won’t have any proof of the shop.

A seasoned mystery shopper had an assignment that involved an expensive purchase. The mall had two stores and she went to the wrong location. Her scheduler was able to give her an extension and she had to return the item at her own expense.

No matter how long you have been mystery shopping, it is crucial to review your instructions to be sure that you won’t miss any details. Carefully reading over a document is better than quickly skimming over guidelines because you think you already know the details of the assignment. Paying attention and getting paid is better than eating the expense instead of a meal!