Mystery shoppers go by a couple different names – evaluators, secret shoppers — but, regardless of the name, the job’s the same: mystery shoppers document their experiences to help businesses who deal with the public a lot.
Shoppers can score everything from free food to extra money when they work for a mystery shopping company. I was able to get deli meat for several as part of mystery shopping gig that I would do weekly for basically timing the time it took from the time I got in line until I got my meat. Plus an additional fee I was able to take out one of the kids on regular basis to local ice cream family friendly restaurant where I need to time each part of the process and food quality. Almost getting paid for a Yelp review!
Each shop requires a report to be filled out. Some places require more information than others, and some require you to note names and exact greetings, etc. It is very helpful to take notes as soon as the shop is complete so you have the information handy when you complete the report. Each report can take from 15-30 minutes depending on the depth of information required for each shop.
Mystery shopping is not steady income but if you not going out of your way it may be worth your time Most companies will pay by paypal so make sure you have an account set up.
Here are 5 companies that you should check out
Legit Surveys -make some extra pocket change
Elite CXS is a veteran-owned, award-winning mystery-shopping operation based in Hudson, Florida. The company has partnered with major brands, such as Porsche, T-Mobile and Gold’s Gym. Jobs vary by region across the U.S, but Elite CXS places evaluators in video, phone, and shopping gigs in a variety of industries.
Market Force works with clients in a variety of industries, from health and wellness and movie studios to specialty retail and alcohol and tobacco. The firm has offices in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom, and provides gigs in thousands of locations.
IntelliShop is a customer experience research and improvement firm. The firm’s specialties are in the customer experience, online reputation management, and loss prevention and compliance sectors. IntelliShop provides coverage in more than 18K cities in the U.S. and Canada and 180 countries.
Sinclair Customer Metrics has been in the mystery shopping game since 1987. It specializes in the banking, retail, grocery store, (quick-service) restaurant and convenience store spaces. And on top of in-person gigs, Sinclair offers video mystery shopping to clients, too, complete with a hidden camera.
Mystery Shopping Service has been around for over 20 years. The company serves the real estate, senior living and healthcare, retail and hospitality industries across the U.S. Mystery shoppers could be tasked with calling a business and reporting on the conversation or touring an apartment building under the guise of a potential renter.
