Get answers to frequently asked questions

When can I expect payment for my shop?

Each shop goes through an editing process once it reaches our office, whether it is online or hard copy. Once the report is approved by our editors, the payment request is submitted to our administrative department. The administrative department submits the request to our corporate office on Tuesday of each week. The checks are usually cut and mailed within 3 days following their submission date.

What is a mystery shopper?

Mystery shoppers are people who shop with a purpose -- but they aren't "shop-a-holics." Mystery shoppers are people who pretend they are just-another-customer as they shop at or use services from local businesses. While they are shopping, they are evaluating the assistance they receive on behalf of a client. They work as independent contractors on an as-needed basis.

What does a mystery shopper do, and why?

Mystery shoppers look, sound and act like the company's average customer. As they shop, mystery shoppers take note of specific activities a client wants to monitor such as "Did the salesperson smile and make eye contact with you?" or "Did he suggest any additional items when you made your purchase?" After a shopper finishes an assignment, he or she files a report about their experience.

The report is in the form of a survey, and usually asks questions about the customer service, cleanliness, appearance, and quality of the product sold. The most typical assignments are in restaurants and retail establishments. The information is used to improve performance in those stores, and sometimes to issue bonuses to employees for outstanding performance.

What is a reveal shop?

A reveal shop is one in which you will reward the employee for doing a good job "on the spot". If the employee performs according to a set of criteria the shopper is given, the shopper will then reveal him/herself to the employee and give them money, or movie tickets, or coupons, or free gifts, etc.

How do I receive assignments?

Once you sign up in our database, you will receive email invitations asking you if you would like to participate in specific assignments. The email invitations will briefly describe the assignments and list the areas in which shops are available. If you decide that you are interested in a particular assignment, simply click on the link. You will then be taken to a login page where you will enter your login and password for our system, and will be provided with more detail about the assignment. If you decide to apply, simply click on the link that says "Apply". Your name will then appear to us on a list of shoppers who are interested in that assignment. We then select from that list. If your name is selected, you will receive a confirmation email telling you to conduct the shop. If your name is not selected, you will receive an email telling you that the assignment has been filled.

How can I be sure to get an assignment?

The criteria used in the selection process may vary by account. Sometimes it is as simple as first come - first served; sometimes we are required to rotate shoppers so that we get a fresh perspective each time; and sometimes we are required to select by specific demographics so that the shopper fits the profile of the typical customer in that location. So there are no guarantees, but the more you apply the more opportunity you have to be chosen.

What qualities do you look for in a shopper?

First of all, we always appreciate sincere interest in doing a good job. But specifically, we look for qualities such as reliability, timeliness, and thoroughness as a general rule. If you fail to follow through on an assignment, it is a safe bet that you will not receive another one.

What if I do not want a particular assignment?

If you do not want a particular assignment, simply do not apply for it. If you apply for it, you will be expected to complete it.

What if I can not complete the shop I have accepted?

If you can not complete a shop that you applied for, you must notify us at least 72 hours prior to conducting the shop so that we can find a replacement. If you do not, you will be immediately removed from our database.

Am I an employee of TNS?

No, you are an independent contractor, not an employee of TNSI. Accordingly, TNSI will not provide you with any vacation, insurance or other benefits; and you will not be eligible for unemployment benefits should you cease receiving assignments from TNSI. In addition, TNSI will not withhold or pay for you any income taxes, social security payments, or any other payroll charges; rather, you will be responsible for paying all such items yourself. TNSI will send you an IRS Form 1099 after the end of every year in which TNSI paid you at least $600 for your services.

Is my information secure?

Yes. Although most of the shopper pages are not in the secure part of the site, the shopper sign up page is secure. If you click on the My Profile icon and then check the url, you will see you have been transferred to a secure site, which is indicate with an 'https://' address. In addition, the lock icon appears on your browser's status bar - also an indication of a secure site.

Additionally, the page states at the top that it's protected by a Verisign certificate and the SSN info is encrypted when saved to our database. So, the shopper signup and profile pages are secure. This means that anywhere you are entering and/or modifiying your information, it is over a secure connection. Please also be aware that the SSNs are encrypted in our database, which means that they are scrambled in such a way as to be unreadable.

A secure page (which has the https:// url) means that when the data is sent from or retrieved to that page that data is encrypted when it's passed back and forth over the internet connection. It's encyrpted by the SSL (secure socket layer) certificate that's installed for that server (that's the Verisign certificate mentioned above - Verisign is the most well known SSL certificate provider but not the only one). If there is no https:// in the url then data is passed as what is referred to as "clear text", and clear text data can be intercepted and read by hackers.

Why do I need to enter my SSN online?

We request your SSN because our corporate system, which is designed to process tens of thousands of checks, is set up to key off SSN. Without the number we can not process the payment.