There are sites, like Amazon that allows members to leave opinions for products that they’ve actually tried. You can rate the items, list all their pros and cons and leave a detailed summary of your experiences. This information goes a long way in helping other potential customers make up their minds to spend their money.

I cannot tell you enough how this information really helps me everytime I look to make a purchase online. Before I buy anything anywhere, I usually do a quick Google to see if i can find reviews about different products or services.  I especially find the negative reviews most helpful cause they tend to give me the worst case scenario.

So how do you get paid for sharing your opinions?

Reviews, good and bad, tend to get  product and services more attention. They come up more often in searches. More and more people talk and share their opinions. Even bad reviews help in their own way in getting a particular item some attention. For example, there are people who will buy items with poor reviews and try them out for the lulz.

There are many companies that rely on affiliates, marketers and publicists who describe and review their products. Although it may help get consumers excites about making impulsive purchases, it does little in protecting the consumer from making poor purchase decisions. Moreover, when consumers are out shopping for(let’s say) a camera things can get very confusing quickly. There are dozens of different models and features under the same brand name, hundreds of different brands and  prices that can range, between the lowest and the highest price, by thousands of dollars. What some affiliate or marketer has to say really loose all meaning and significance at this point.

That’s where the opinion of everyday consumers come in.  Everyday people are not shy about sharing their opinions about products and services. However, they  may just be a bit lazy.  And what gets people moving are these little incentives offered by sites, like Ciao, to motivate individuals to  share their experiences.

Many different online retail sites offer cash, prizes, sweepstakes, points that can be earned or redeems by users of the site when they post a review. What makes this system unique to an affiliate program is that you are rewarded for both good and bad reviews. It doesn’t matter how much you love or hate a product, just as long as you type an honest review. A review coming from an everyday person is quite different. They tend to be raw, unrefined, emotional…REAL. Just the thing a potential customer would find useful.

 You will see reviews where people are talking about how they love their new laptop so much that they take it to bed and sleep next to it every night. On the flip side, you may read about some guy who bought a  new electric shaver that nicked and cut his face to the point where he got fed up, took his new shaver, and preceded to make a 3 pointer with the item into a dumpster.

 It’s all fun to read and write, especially if you are typing about an item that you hate with a passion. It’s almost like getting some revenge when you are in a position where you may not be able to get your money back.  It’s true, more people  will turn out to give a bad review than individuals who will take the time to share a good review. You can usually tell when someone is just overly bitter and malicious or when someone is justvery disappointed with something they bought.  Malicious people tend to write shorter reviews that don’t give any details as to why they are upset.  Most malicious reviews are by people who never even tried the product or service in question. If you are reading reviews, please be careful about how you absorb and take negative reviews into consideration.

Tips for sharing opinion for cash?

1. Actually try the product-Please that this seriously. The information you share can make or break a product.  It also can help or confuse others looking for help when making up their mind. Try the product. Give it a very good and fair shot. Use the item for a few weeks at least. Get accustom and familiar with how the item works. There are people who try a product and then rush to say something good or bad. Usually with time, their opinions may take a complete 180. If your opinions change, please try to go back and do an update.
2. Write a review items that have never been reviewed-Be the first to share an opinion! There may be bonus points, cash or rewards for doing this.
3. Be Fair- It doesn’t matter if you just LOVE LOVE LOVE an item or hate an item with a passion. Find  both pros and cons to talk about.  if you hate an  item but love how it was packaged, fine. Talk a bit about how you liked the packaging. If you love your item but are disappointed that the item didn’t come in your favourite colour, then share that info too. You never know who will be reading your reviews. Product developers may get some great feedback from your opinion and then turn around and make something bigger and better.
4. Be as detailed as possible- I’m not telling you to go out and write a novel  but give more than just a few lines.  At least a paragraph with about 5-10 sentences would suffice. Many different programs only reward you if other people appreciate your reviews.  So your earnings are dependent on the opinions of others who will read your reviews. So, if you write crap, other members will not delay in either giving your opinion a negative review or even reporting your reviews on some type on violation.
5. Rate the reviews of other member-If  you expect people to  rate you, you should feel obliged to do the same. Most of these opinion sites only allow members to earn if their opinions are rated by others.
6. Avoid Spamming and Trolling- Some people are eager to earn as much as possible as soon as possible. These individuals may be tempted to spend hours writing dozens , if not hundreds, of reviews daily. With every turn, people will see your member name and your reviews. This will annoy other members who may specifically avoid rating your reviews or even report you as spam.  Do no more than 2 reviews a day.  Give others a turn to write a review first.
7.   Have Fun- You are not going to get rich from doing this. Individuals who take these “paid to post” programs  seriously may earn about $5-50 dollars a month but keep in mind, that these people are also making plenty of purchases and their expenses do not get recouped. There is no point is going out and buying an item just so that you have something to make a review about.  These review programs are similar to cash back rewards programs that give you money back for buying stuff you already want and need.

 Here are some programs you should try:

Ciao- A great online-shopping initially based in Europe.  Members can shop and earn extra cash by either reviews, filling out surveys or referring friends. If you decide to write be an author, keep in mind that other members can rate your review as either “helpful”, “very helpful” or “exceptional”. The higher the rating, the more you earn. Depending on consumer interest in a particular category, Ciao determines payout based on which categories have the greatest financial importance. Reviewers earn 0.5p per rating, 1p per rating or 2p per rating and the best authors can share a £2000 premium fund each month.

Dooyoo- This is Ciao’s main competitor. It’s another European based online store that rewards members for writing reviews. There are members who will copy and paste their reviews from Ciao to Dooyoo and vice versa. That way, members of both sites can get paid twice. You are rewarded for your efforts in dooyooMiles which can be redeemed for cash. Every quality review will net you 500 dooyooMiles and you also receive 15 more dooyoooMiles for every person that reads your reviews. You earn £1 for every 1000 dooyooMiles and 3p for every 30 dooyooMiles. DooyooMiles do eventually expire in 12months from the date they were earned. So if you are the type of person that start a program and then forget about it for months, you would be doing yourself a disservice. Stay on top of this program. Participate and be sure to cash out every chance you get.

Epinion- Finally, a program for Americans! You can earn with Eroyalties through an “income share” program. A revenue share pool is split among all authors based on how often reviews led to a purchase being made. The exact “formula” for how they determin earnings is not disclosed, for what ever reason.  but items with high demand for information tend to get priority.  The best ways to earn are by  making quality reviews, focus on rating other member’s reviews,  and develop a strong “Web of Trust” and reputation with the Epinion community.

Reviewblue- Are you a Canadian resident? If you are, you can earn $5 for every approved restaurant and accommodation review. All you have to do is register,  write at least a 75 word review,  and send in a copy of your receipt.

So how does this work?

Well, there are employers who are willing to pay you to give a detailed evaluation of your shopping experience at their stores. The reason behind this is because one of the most important things a business needs to maintain is good quality customer service and gathering feedback from a cutomer’s point of view is vital to accomplishing this task.

5  Key Points That Employers Look for in Accessing Level of Quality Customer Service:

1. Look Professional. Employees are expected to dress in the store uniform or adhere to the store dress code.
2. Be Professional. Employees need to maintain a balance of being attentive to the needs of their customers as well as be focused on the routine tasks that needs to be completed during their  regular shifts.  Employees are also expect to communicate with other employees and customer using appropriate language and behave in a manner that is appropriate to the work environment.
3. Be Respectful and Helpful. The employees should be aware of the customers in their store and be willing and eager to approach customers and offer their assistance.
4. Be Knowledgeable. The employee is expected to be knowledgeable about the products and services that the store offers. This is where adequate training is key. Employers want to be sure they are giving their employees enough information and training to meet their customers needs. Mystery shopping helps to gauge how receptive employees are to the information they receive from employers.
5. Maintain the Store Front. Employees are expected to maintain an inviting, clean, well stocked store front.

Business owners, managers and supervisors will routinely do a walk through, monitor the store front and access the activity of their employees to look out for the 5 factors mentioned above. But usually employees tend to behave differently when they know they are being observed and evaluated.  What employees need is a more accurate gauge of the atmosphere in their stores when the employees think that no one is looking.  That’s where you come in.

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to visit these stores and play out a scenario that the employers request that you follow. You are then required to take the feedback that you’ve gathered, fill out a survey and/or type out a very detailed report about what actually transpired during your visit.

Sounds easy? Well…

This is very fun but it definitely is not easy. I’ve been there, tried that and here is my personal experience in regards to this type of freelance work:

When I first became involved in Mystery shopping, I actually applied at about 50 different agencies that were looking for shoppers. 5 actually had some consistent work for me to do.  To tell you the truth, 5 was more than enough! The average pay per shop was about $20.00 per visit but there were some shops that required 2 or more visits to complete the scenario.  I probably dedicated about 2-3 h per shop from the time I received assignments and reviewed my scenarios to the time I gathered enough feedback to type up my report. So, I was probably making less then $7/h  for my work,  and where I live, that is less than minimum wage! For me, that works out to be almost 1/3 of my hourly wage at my regular job. 

So, why would anyone become a mystery shopper? Well, it allows individuals to make some money from doing something they would do regardless of whether they were getting paid.  2 of the assignements I took on required that I visit a Sunglasses Shop. I already needed a pair of sunglasses and so I was able to make $40.00 from my 2 visits(on the same day, time and in the same mall). That $40.00 went a long way in paying for a pair of sunglasses that cost $160.00.  On top of the $40.00 I received, I also got a discount of 10% on the glasses just for doing the assignement. So it was definitely worth it and all I had to do was fill out 2 surveys and  type up 2 report that only took me 2 hours to finish up.

What Kind of Stores are Looking for Mystery Shopper?

Clothing and Other Apparel Shops

Bath and Body Shops

Electronic Stores

Restaurants

Department stores

Various Kiosks

Vehicle Dealerships

Prescription Lenses Stores

Optometrists and Dentist Offices

Travel Agencies

Insurance Agencies

Video Rental Stores

Kitchen Ware and Appliances

Virtually Any Walk-in Store Front…

Do you want to be a Mystery Shopper? Here are some tips and tricks to make your shopping experience all the more fun and productive.

1. Do yourself and other shoppers in your area a favour and only do shops above $10.00. Mystery shopping is real serious business and you should be paid accordingly for your efforts. How insulting is it for an employer to expect people to devote 3h+ hours of their own time, gas, their own paper (you may need to print off your assignment and write notes), and printer ink  for as low as $3/visit. If I were to take public transit it could easily cost me $6 for a round trip, as well as spending at least 2 hours in transit. Plus, these employers expect me to reserve time in my planner to visit these stores on specific days and at specific times. So why would I waste my time? Even to fill out the evaluation takes time and that $3 isn’t even covering  that.  I don’t know how much you are in need to save money but my time is precious and I would rather work 1 extra hour at my regular job then to waste time for only a $3 savings.  Just don’t take on these assignments  out of principal. If you don’t take those low paying assignments the employer may have to raise their payout. I’ve seen assignements start at $10 and then turn into $150 dollars because there were no takers at the lower offers.
2. Take Mystery Shopping seriously. This isn’t a game.  It’s a real job opportunity. There are people making anywhere from $120-2400/mo doing this. So invest in a mini voice recorder, a good printer/scanner, review your assignment before you head out, complete your assignments on time, contact your Shopping Agency before the due date  if you cannot complete the assignment  or need an extension. Be professional. 
3. Spell Check is your friend. Do your best and make an effort to proof read and correct and spelling errors before you submit you report. Mystery Shopping Agencies will approve your assignments picks based on your past performances. The more experienced and better detailed you are in completing your assignments, the more opportunities you will get.  Mystery Shopping Agencies also need to report back to the employers on your behalf. So they will edit your report for grammatical/spelling errors and missing information. The less work you leave them to do, the more they will trust you to complete more important, higher paying tasks.
4. When typing out your evaluation of  your experience, try to keep it as detailed as possible. Provide the exact date and time you arrived and left the store. Provide a detailed discription of the employee that assisted you ( name [always ask the attending  employee his/her name or read their name tag], hair color, glasses, jewellery, hair color/style, exposed tattoos, piercings ( note the number of piercings, their placements on the body, the type of  piercing jewellery[small earring studs are usually appropriate for most jobs but dangly earrings or ear jewellery that stretches the piercing hole many not be appropriate for most work environments]. for example, a female employee with only 1 piercing in each ear is not worth noting in your report. But an employee with an ear full of jewllery, piercings on the lips, cheek, eyebrow or any other ackward locations may be noted. Keep in mind that you need to take into account if the piercing(s) or other apparel is appropriate for the store environment. For instance, if you are mystery shopping a Tattoo and Piercings Parlor then there is no point in making special note about piercings and tattoos except as a way to descriptively identify individuals for whom you do not know their name.) The more descriptive you are the more confidence you build in the employer who receives your  report.  Anyone can type up a report out of thin air while never stepping foot into the store. But an employer can be sure you were present at the store on the date and time they assigned if you provide details that are verifiable and only someone who was present would know.
5. Keep any receipts, flyers or brochures you received during your visit. You may be requires to scan or mail proof of your visit in order to receive payment and any compensation.
6. Invest in a mini digital voice recorder. You will need to be detailed in your report and recording your conversations with employees will help tremendously! I personally would tuck my mini recorder in-between my breasts and allowed it to be held in place by my bra strap. It’s important you keep the recorder as close to your mouth as possible but out of sight. Also be sure not to cover the mic in such a way to muffle or distort the recording. When no one was looking or if i were in a position where no one could hear what I was saying, I would verbally make notes into the microphone about the time I arrived/left the store, the name of the employer, quick description of the employee’s appearance, the overall appearance of the store front and any specific displays. I would sometimes start or finish my conversation with an employee by asking their name as subtle way to make a verbal note of the employee’s name rather risking being suspected as a Mystery Shopper by personally making a verbal note into the recorder. When I was with an employee, I would subtly describe any merchandise into my recorder that we were looking at so that I could recall the products when writing up my report.  If you are going to make subtle verbal notes while in the presence of the employee be sure to do so without leaving hints of your intentions.
7. READ YOUR ASSIGMENTS CAREFULLY before you volunteer to complete it. Also review your assignment just before you go into the store. Do not take your assignment print out or any paperwork pertaining to the assignment into the store  while completing the shop. Do not make written notes while in the store and expecially while you are with an employee. Do all your writing after you leave the store. If you forget any information and need to return to the store, be very weary about returning the same day. contact your Agent to see if its ok to redo your shop on another day. Many times Agencies do not want you returning to the same store twice to gather more information. So be sure to do a thorough job the first time. You may need to memorize or rehearse the things you will say and the questions you will ask before going to the store. Feel free to lie about yourself  if it may help you to build a character that the employee may believe. If you do not follow the assignment exactly as specified you may not receive payment or compensation for any expenses.  Be sure to follow the assignment exactly as required.  You may be required to do the assignement on a specific date and time,  approach a specific employee, and/or bring another person along. If you stray from your requirements, you may not be compensated and you may also leave a negative impression with your Mystery Shopping Agency. They may not pick you to complete any similar assignments in the future.
8. Be as natural as possible. Try to act like a typical, normal, everyday shopper. You don’t want to do anything to bring special attention to yourself but still be engaging with the employee(s). 
9. Number 9 may help you fulfill number 8. You can bring friends, family and children along for your shops.  You can also shop when the store is relatively busy(If the store is too busy, you may not get the best evaluation material to write about in detail because employees may be responsible for doing multiple tasks while assisting you. Trying to do a fair evaluation at these times will do little to help employers better access and train their employees in the future) But when there is a moderate amount of people in the store, this is the time when employees are less on guard because there so many thing happening at once. You become more  inconspicuous as you blend into with other shoppers. But be sure to adhere to your shopping assignment requirements. If you are required to shop alone, then shop alone. If you are required to bring a specific  number of people to the shop, then do so. Some assignments will require that you leave children under a certain age at home. Keep that in mind when accepting assignments.
10. Try to get more than one assignment that can be done on the same day, time and in roughly the same area. That way you can make one trip, save time, gas money and put more money in your pocket. Kill 2 birds with one stone, as they say. Personally, I try to get assignments at malls for this very reason. You can easily turn a assignement that would normally pay $10.00/visit into a $20.00/visit just by doubling up.  
11. Complete you report ASAP while the  details are fresh in your memory. If you wait several hours or days to write up the report, you may be forced to rely heavily on the voice recordings which will only provide verbal cues to help  refresh your memory but still lag in the area in providing visual details that are just as important as relaying back the conversation that took place. 
12. If you are going out of town or going away on vacation, see if you can pick up assignments in other cities and countries if you know that you will be in the area. 
13.  Pick assignments close to home. That way you save on travel expenses. 
14. Pick assignments for stores with products and services that you frequently purchase. For instance, when I need a new pair of prescription glasses, I’m almost always guaranteed to have an assignment  at both an optometrist  and a prescription eyewear store. Why volunteer for an assignment that offers products and services that don’t meet your needs or interest?  Some assignments will not pay you for the visit, but rather, offer a discount on products your purchase at the store. Keep that in mind when picking assignments.
15. Be organized. When assignments are available, they will have the date(s) and time for which the shop must take place and there will be a date for when the report will be due. Get a day planner, especially if you plan on doing multiple shops for different agencies, and  record when and where you need to be. Try to give yourself enough time to complete the shop and write up the report. Get your reportes completed on time. 
16.  Some agencies will pay in a currency that is outside your country. I’m Canadian and I’ve been paid in Euros, US dollars and British pounds for completed assignments. I don’t mind getting paid in these currencies but be sure to keep your eye on this fact as it can affect how much money you earn once the money is converted to your home currency.
17. Have fun! Need I say more?

Check out Violition for Agencies in your area

Check out MSPA for for more information, resources and opportunties in your area.

HAPPY SHOPPING !

Tutor (internet tutor), Fitness Consultant/intructor (over the net with videos and messaging), Web Designer, Ghost Writer, Dietician Consultant, Artists, Musicians, Blog Writerer, Private Affiliate, Travel Agent (from home), Insurance Broker(agent), Mystery Shopping(my next topic so stay tuned), Private Investor…

There are so many opportunities available online but the trouble starts when you are trying to look for potential customers and clients.

Here Are Some Tips to Help you Find Work

1)Post Classifieds. Yellow Pages, Local Magazines and News Paper, Craigslist, Kijiji,Classifieds.ca, Classifiedsforfree.com…

2)Build an online personal website for your business

3)Build a Portfolio for your work. Web Designers can’t get away from this. People want to see what you have done to know if you are worth the money and are legit.

4)Get yourself noticed on Socializing Networks. Myspace, Facebook, Reunion, Orkut, Bebo…

5)Harness the Power of Word to Mouth. Offer insentives to happy clients to tell their friends and family about you.

7)Bid for jobs on freelance networks. Try the links below:

8)Get some decent looking business cards and carry them with you. You never know when you will get an opportunity to make a new client.

9)Always take the opportunity to develop and showcase your skills. There are many contests, fairs, workshops, and conventions; take the opportunity to particiate. Learn from others in your field. You want to be able to stay current and relevant.

10)Negotiate. Depending on how much work you have to do, you may be forced to concede to the bidding of some customers. Try to be flexible; and when you can’t bend, offer your clients plenty of alternatives or recommendations.

11) Be fair and honest with your pricing. If a customer is only one google search away from finding someone better, faster and cheaper then you, then you have a big problem. People don’t like feeling like they’ve been cheated. The best customers are repeat customers and they are also your gateway to new clientel. Always be honest with your pricing. Break everything down for your clients, so they know extacty what they are getting from you. It’s too easy to loose a customer to someone cheaper. It helps if the customer knows that they are paying for quality with you.

12)I Already mentioned in #11; you need to stay competitive. Find out what the competition has that you don’t have, and see if you can get it. Recognize any asset you have that your competition doesn’t have and try to market it.

13)Meet and exceed expectations whenever possible. There is nothing worse than a freelancer that can’t keep up with deadlines. Try not to overload and put too much work on your plate. Always keep your promises. If you say that you will be ready in 1 week then make sure you are prepared and ready to go in 1 week. Even being a day or 2 early can’t hurt if you did quality work and didn’t cut corners just to finish early.

Customers also appreciate it when you do a little extra for free. It’s always a good idea to find suttle ways to let them know that they got a little extra from you so that they don’t have unrealistic expectations everytime they go to you. You don’t want to be cocky or act like you are doing them a big favor (as if you are being charitable). But let them know that you value their business and you appreciate the job they entrusted to you.

14)This one ties into #13 but I wanted to make my list as long as possible ;P. Be organized. I tried my luck at freelance work and it definately isn’t my cup of tea. I have a day planner but it’s pretty much useless to me because I rarely write anything down and when i do, I never check it. You will get more work done when you are organized. The less you have to remember off the top of your head the more likely you will be able to fullfill #13.

15)Have Fun. That’s the best way to stay self-motivated. Freelance work can be pretty lonely. Especially when you don’t have to leave your home to get stuff done. If you are always home, try to find ways to take your job out of the house. Cell phones, laptops, WiFi and portable wireless internet modems are amazing tools to use if you are “on the go” or if you want to get out of the house.

Some people don’t enjoy freelance primarily because they don’t have as much human contact as they would like. Freelance work is great because you are your own boss and you get to work when you choose to work. Some people need to have a fire lit under their bottoms now and then. Keep in mind that freelance work may only be a good part-time/spare-time money making opportunity rather a full-time career for most.