How To Become A Mystery Shopper
Becoming a mystery shopper is a good side hustle to earn extra money. You can do this even if you’re a college student looking to help pay off your student loan or a regular person working a 9-5.
Becoming a mystery shopper won’t make you rich, but expect to earn between $200 and $300 per month. One of the benefits is that you get to go out to eat at restaurants and get free items while you’re working.
Mystery shopping is a great side hustle for women who love shopping and traveling.
It’s a fun way to work with brands that are looking for secret shoppers to help grade the performances of their retail store clerks. You must be wondering, what mystery shopping is and “How to become a mystery shopper.”
.
We’ll focus on:
- What is a mystery shopper?
- How do people become secret shoppers?
- Is the Mystery shopper job legit?
- How much money can you make as a mystery shopper?
How to become a mystery shopper and find secret shopper jobs?
You are probably wondering how mystery shopping works and if secret shopping jobs are legit.
Is it just getting paid to shop? That would be wonderful.
Mystery shopping requires work to help companies understand if their store representatives are doing a good job with customers. You will have to visit the store, interact as a regular customer, keep all your receipts, and answer a couple of surveys by the company for the mystery shopping job.
Here are some places to find Mystery shopping jobs:
- Secret Shopper: This is a reputable company that offers you flexible and independent contract work as a secret shopper for their clients. They have been around for over 30 years and offer a variety of mystery shopper jobs that are over the phone, In-person, or online.
- Market Force: Sign up as a mystery shopper through their app to browse all the available jobs near you. Mystery shoppers can complete tasks on the go from the convenience of their iPhone, iPad, or Android device, you can view a map of available shops near you, schedule a shop, complete the shop, enter your report, and even take pictures.
Benefits of becoming a mystery shopper
- Earn extra income on your own terms.
- Enjoy the freedom of setting your own schedule as an Independent Contractor.
- Smooth out financial gaps with flexible, part-time work.
- Receive perks like free meals, services, or even complimentary stays.
- Discover new, exciting activities in your area.
- Contribute to improving products and services by providing valuable feedback for top brands worldwide.
How to get paid as a mystery shopper? How much do secret shoppers make?
If you’re wondering how much you get paid as a secret shopper, we’ll go into further details!
Now that we’ve learned how to become a mystery shopper, it’s important to know what is the typical salary of a mystery shopper.
Now according to Glassdoor, the average pay for secret shoppers that was reported is $20 per hour.
Typically these are the ways that secret shoppers are paid for mystery shopping:
Cash and gifts: You will earn cash to work as a mystery shopper and or free items.
Online electronic cash payment: These are usually done when it’s an over-the-phone mystery shopper job.
Free items: These mystery shopping reimbursements are usually made when the company compensates you by giving you a free product or service.
Payment for mystery shopping jobs is sent via direct deposit, check, PayPal, or gift card about 2–4 weeks after you complete the assignment.
Places To Find High-Paying Mystery Shopper Jobs
Here are some places you can find high-paying secret shopper jobs:
1. A Closer Look
Sign up here to become a mystery shopper and get paid to visit restaurants, hotels, and retail stores. They have a marketplace that caters to mystery shoppers who are looking to help companies get insight into their customer service experience.
2. Perception Strategies
This company hires independent contractor mystery shoppers to help their healthcare clients provide feedback on their experience. It includes research and feedback on their customers and patients in hospitals and clients. There are also over-the-phone healthcare mystery shopper jobs available with this company.
3. BestMark
This mystery shopper company has been around since 1986. They offer market research for companies that want mystery shopping for their other customer experience measures. Some of their clients include restaurants, casinos, bars, retail stores, and banks.
The benefits of working with BestMark are that:
- Earn extra money, free meals, or services
- Help companies improve their customer service
- Try new businesses and services
- Get bonuses for referring friends and family to BestMark
4. Signature Worldwide
If you’re living internationally and are seeking mystery shopping jobs in a variety of industries you can receive secret shopping jobs for construction, equipment rental, hotels, casinos, apartment leasing, and restaurants.
5. GAPbuster Worldwide
With GAPbuster, you can do secret shopping jobs for stores, hotels, and showrooms. The goal would be to visit their sales locations, carry out transactions, analyze how their sales reps perform, and complete a short survey.
This company has provided mystery shopper jobs for over 26 years with over 100+ locations available.
How To Become A Mystery Shopper
Wondering if mystery shopping is legit? You’re not alone! Here are some key tips to make sure you’re connecting with credible companies for safe, rewarding work. Start by doing a little research—check the company’s credentials through the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) and read reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website. If something sounds too good to be true, trust your instincts—be cautious or even pass on the opportunity.
When you land a mystery shopping job, remember to follow all the job instructions closely and keep track of any expenses for reimbursement. If you’re detail-oriented and have reliable internet, mystery shopping can be a great way to earn extra income during your free time.
As a mystery shopper, you’ll assist companies with valuable market research, helping them improve their customer experience. Getting started is easy—just join a reputable mystery shopping company like BestMark and create a profile. Once registered, you’ll gain access to available mystery shopping jobs tailored to your location and interests.
Interested in learning how to get paid for secret shopping? Sign up today and start your journey as a mystery shopper!
