Make Money as a Mystery Shopper

Mystery shopping can be a fun way to make some extra money, and you don’t need any previous experience to do it.

What Does a Mystery Shopper Do?

Mystery shoppers conduct surveys for brands and businesses, either by in-person visits, online through the business’s website, or by telephone.

The mystery shopping company gives you instructions on what to ask and what to look for while performing a shop. The businesses you’re shopping at think you’re actually a regular customer.

Some of the things you may be asked to take note of might be, how long it took a server to take your order after you were seated. Or, if the person at the register greeted you according to policy.
If it’s a telephone shop, you may be asked to keep track of how long you’re placed on hold.

After the actual shop is completed, you’ll then have to complete a form and submit it to the mystery shopping company.

The mystery shop companies send this information to the businesses that hired them, and they use the information to improve their service or products.

Skills Needed

To be a mystery shopper you should be good at remembering details. You should also have excellent writing skills and grammar.

Equipment Needed

You’ll need to have a PC or laptop with stable internet service. If you’re going to doing any telephone mystery shopping, you’ll need a phone with unlimited long-distance service.

Pay

The pay can average $5 to $10 per shop if it’s something simple. More detailed shops that will take longer will usually be more. You’ll also be reimbursed for anything you’re instructed to purchase.

It’s really important that you keep detailed records while performing a shop and pay attention to the instructions that were given. If you don’t complete the form correctly, it could mean not getting paid for the shop.

Another reason to check the instructions carefully is that there will some in-person shops that will require you to go alone. That means if you have kids, you won’t be able to take them with you.

Since mystery shopping can be sporadic, and there won’t always be shops to complete, I suggest signing up with more than one company. This will increase your chances of getting more shops and making more money. 

Where to Find Legitimate Mystery Shopping Jobs

In-Person Mystery Shopping Jobs

These mystery shopping companies will require you to make in-person visits to complete your shops.

360 Intel

360 Intel offers mystery shopping in-person, online, and over the phone. In order to be considered for a position, you must be at least 21 years old, have a reliable computer with stable internet service, and have a valid email address.

A Closer Look

A Closer Look specializes in mystery shopping for restaurants, hotels, senior living facilities, entertainment venues, and specialty retail shops. In order to be considered for a mystery shopper position with them, you must be at least 18 years of age or older. After you sign up, they’ll send you a questionnaire that you’ll need to complete and submit.

AboutFace Consulting

AboutFace has been in business for over 20 years and hires remote mystery shoppers across North America. To be considered, you’ll need to sign up for a free account.

Anonymous Insights

Anonymous Insights is one of the top mystery shopping companies in the world. To be considered for a mystery shopper position with them, you’ll need to register for a free account.

Baird Group

Baird Group specializes in mystery shopping for the medical industry. They offer on-site and telephone mystery shops. To be considered for a position, you’ll need to create an account.

Blink Research

Blink Research offers mystery shopping for restaurants, government, entertainment, and other industries. To be considered, you’ll need to complete the sign-up form.

Circle of Service

Circle of Service has been in business since 2002 and offers on-site, video, and telephone mystery shopping services. You’ll need to complete the shopper/auditor application to be considered.

Clear Evaluations

Clear Evaluations offers in-person person shops. Shops are completed either in writing or via video. To be considered, you’ll need to complete the registration form.

Confidential Consumer

Confidential Consumer has been in business since 2003 and offers mystery shopping services to businesses throughout North America. To be considered for a mystery shopping position with them, you’ll need to complete the application.

HS Brands Global

HS Brands Global offers mystery shopping services to companies around the world. They hire mystery shoppers in the US and globally for shops in a wide range of industries including entertainment, gaming, and hospitality.

Impact Marketing

Impact Marketing specializes in new home video mystery shopping. This company has been in business since 1999 and they’re headquartered in Dallas, Texas. They prefer shoppers who have their own video equipment and some previous mystery shopping experience however, previous experience isn’t a requirement. You must complete the application to be considered.

JM Ridgway

JM Ridgway has been in business since 1924. You’ll need to complete a new shopper application in order to be considered for a shopper position.

Melinda Brody & Company

Melinda Brody & Company has been in business since 1986. They specialize in video mystery shopping for homebuilders. To be considered for a position with them, you must live in the continental United States and be available from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday. They prefer previous mystery shopping experience, but it’s not required.

PremierService

PremierService not only offers mystery shopping services, but they also offer services such as customer satisfaction surveys and site inspections. In order to become a shopper, you’ll need to complete the registration.

Reality Check Services

Reality Check Services has been in business since 1994 and is headquartered in Seattle. They have over 75,000 mystery shoppers and offer shops for a variety of industries including casinos and property management companies. Their shops usually last between 45 minutes to an hour and they pay $15 to $35 per shop. They require all shoppers to be at least 21 years of age.

Remington Evaluations

Remington Evaluations concentrates on mystery shopping services for the apartment rental industry and offers both on-site and telephone mystery shops. Each apartment mystery shop takes approximately 2 hours to complete. All shoppers are paid by check.

Second to None

Second to None is based in Michigan and has been in business for over 30 years. They offer mystery shopping services to a variety of industries including retail, government, and restaurants. They hire mystery shoppers across the United States and Canada. To be considered for a mystery shopping position with them, you must be able to remember small details, have excellent communication skills, and be observant.

Service Performance Group

Service Performance Group has been in business since 1992. Not only do they offer mystery shopping services, but they also offer social media management, employee surveys, and customer satisfaction surveys. They offer mystery shopping for a wide variety of industries including financial, grocery, manufacturing, and retail just to name a few. Payments are made by either PayPal or check.

ServiceSense

ServiceSense has been in business since 1995 and is based in Saint Augustine, Florida. They offer mystery shopping services for a range of different industries including dry cleaners, retail stores, and restaurants. To be considered for a mystery shopper position with them, you’ll need to complete the application.

TrendSource

TrendSource was founded in 1989, is headquartered in San Diego, CA, and offers inspection, consulting, and market research services. To become a field agent, you’ll need to complete the application. They’ll contact you when shops become available.

Telephone Mystery Shopping Jobs

These mystery shopping companies do over-the-phone shops.

ARC Call Performance & Analysis

ARC hires remote evaluators to provide telephone mystery shops in several different languages. Shops are completed, during the weekdays, evenings, and on weekends. Complete the shopper information form to be considered.

Call Center QA

Call Center QA is headquartered in Boston and specializes in telephone mystery shopping. They don’t require any previous experience or a background check to be considered, however, you must be at least 18 years old or older. Each mystery shopping call typically lasts between 5 and 10 minutes, and after your call is complete, you’ll need to enter and submit your feedback which is only one page. They pay $5 for each completed shop and payments are sent to your PayPal account.

Confero

Confero offers telephone and on-site mystery shops and they hire shoppers throughout the United States and Canada. Since you’re free to choose the shops you want to complete, you can only choose telephone shops. This company pays through PayPal, so you’ll need to create a PayPal account if you don’t already have one.

InteliChek

InteliChek has been in business since 1997 and specializes in telephone evaluations for the automotive industry. Shops could include anything from new car dealerships to auto mechanic shops. Complete the registration to be considered.

IntelliShop

IntelliShop has been in business since 1999 and offers mystery shopping services to a wide range of industries. They conduct shops on-site, online, and over the phone. To be considered, you’ll need to complete the application. They also require an assessment. All payments are made through PayPal.

Multi Value

Multi Value offers mystery shopping services to industries such as banking, insurance, automotive, retail, government, and more. Shops are made via telephone and on-site visits.

Mystery Shopper Services

Mystery Shopper Services has been in business since 1996 and is headquartered in California. Register to become an evaluator.

Perception Strategies

Perception Strategies specializes only in healthcare mystery shops. This company seems to pay more than others, but the shops are more detailed, and the surveys must be completed properly. The pay for each shop is $12 and up, depending on the length and detail. You’ll need to complete the shopper application to be considered.

Reality Based Group

Reality Based Group has been in business since 1992 and offers mystery shopping services all over the United States and Canada. They provide telephone and in-person shops. You’re free to choose which shops you want to work.

Secret Shopper

Secret Shoppers offers mystery shopping services all over the world and has been in business since 1990. They perform evaluations on-site, online, and over the phone.

Shoppers Critique

Shoppers Critique is another company that offers on-site, online, and telephone mystery shopping services. Some of the industries they serve include automotive, restaurants, retail, and storage facilities.

Sinclair Customer Metrics

Sinclair Customer Metrics is based in San Antonio, Texas. They offer telephone and in-person mystery shopping services for a range of industries including retail, restaurants, and grocery stores. To be considered for a mystery shopping position, you’ll need to complete the application.

SkilCheck

SkilCheck specializes in mystery shopping for the self-storage industry. Shoppers must be able to conduct shops between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM in the time zones you’ll be calling. To qualify, you must be familiar with using a cloud server.

Yardi Matrix

Yardi Matrix is a little different than other mystery shopping companies because they hire evaluators to contact apartment complexes to conduct rent surveys. They usually hire evaluators on a seasonal basis a couple of times per year, and the assignments usually last about 6 to 8 weeks.

Beware of Scams

 No legitimate mystery shop company will ever request a fee from you. All the companies listed here are free to sign up. If a company ever requests a fee to join, it’s a scam and it should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission. You can report scams to them by going to ftc.gov/complaint. 

Also, if you come across a mystery shopping company and you’re not sure if it’s legitimate, you can check the legitimacy by going to Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA). Type to company name into the search area, and if it’s legitimate, you’ll find it here. If it’s not listed in MSPA, it’s more than likely a scam and should be avoided.

It’s important to keep in mind that these are all independent contractor jobs and you won’t actually be employed with any of these companies. That means you’ll be responsible for your own taxes, and there won’t be any benefits provided. That being said, mystery shopping is a great way to make an extra $500 per month if you sign up with several companies at the same time.

Looking For More Mystery Shopping Jobs?

If you’re looking for more companies to sign up with, you can go to Mystery Shopping Providers Association which is an organization that oversees the mystery shopping industry all over the world. They have a list of all legitimate mystery shopping companies.