For most of us, heading to the store means spending money. Whether you’re grocery shopping or heading to the mall, unless you’re just window shopping, expect to open up your wallet.
However, you might be surprised that some shoppers actually get paid to shop and investigate customer service quality and product offerings in stores throughout their city. These shoppers are mystery shoppers, and there are thousands of them across the U.S. and the rest of the world.
If you’re looking for a new side gig and want to make money the next time you head to the store, becoming a mystery shopper is for you. As long as you understand the job requirements and find the right mystery shopping company to work for, there’s no reason why you can’t boost your income with some undercover shopping work.
What Is Mystery Shopping?
Businesses want to understand how their stores perform in terms of custom service. They also want to ensure that products are easy to find for shoppers. Therefore, businesses pay for feedback from mystery shoppers and use it to improve customer service, product availability, and overall store management.
Because the identity of a mystery shopper is secret, mystery shopping lets stores and restaurants know what customer experience is like when treatment is unbiased. Plus, businesses hope that customer service will improve overall if employees know any given customer is a mystery shopper.
Mystery shopping jobs are dynamic because businesses want to test different aspects of store operations. However, there are several common types of mystery shopping tasks, including:
- Asking a store associate a question
- Looking for a specific product
- Ordering food if it’s a restaurant and rating the quality
- Taking photos and videos of in-store displays and isles
- Testing store protocols, such as trying to buy alcohol without identification
Mystery shopping is sometimes referred to as shadow shopping or secret shopping. A mystery shopper is generally paid for their time, reimbursed for a certain amount of their purchase, or both.
Assignments range from the extremely simple (purchasing an item from a deli and noting the quality of service received) to the detailed and complex (noting the timing, flavor, temperature, and presentation of every item in a three course dinner).
How Much Do Mystery Shoppers Make?
Task difficulty and the company you’re working for have the greatest influence on your earnings as a mystery shopper. Additionally, the availability of shopping gigs varies based on your location and how many other mystery shoppers are competing for jobs.
However, if you can find a mystery shopping job, it’s not a bad side hustle.
Here are examples of the assignments I’ve completed in my area:
- Dining for two people at a mid-range sit-down restaurant: $35 reimbursement
- Buying a beer at a gas station to see if they card: $8 payment, $2 reimbursement
- Dining in at a fast-casual sub shop: $20 payment, no reimbursement
- Shopping at a grocery store to buy a deli item and a beer to check for carding: $15 reimbursement, $15 pay
- Evaluating gas station cleanliness and customer service: $7 pay, $1 gas reimbursement, $1 candy reimbursement
- Visiting an upscale home furnishings store: $30 reimbursement, $5 pay
- Taking pictures of beer billboards in daylight and at night: $20 payment
- Opening a new bank account: $50 payment
Clearly, tasks vary quite substantially, as does the pay. However, when you break down the hourly wage for secret shopping, many tasks are quite lucrative. Additionally, mystery shopping is a great way to eat for free or score significant discounts on purchases you would make anyway.
Just note that it’s unrealistic to turn mystery shopping into a full-time job because you probably won’t have enough gigs to fill an entire work week. Ultimately, mystery shopping is a fun side hustle for avid shoppers. If you’re looking for more substantial income, consider part-time jobs that pay well or various gig economy jobs.
Who Can Become a Mystery Shopper?
Mystery shopping jobs require you to be 18 years or older. Additionally, although companies like Field Agent operate in several countries, North America has the most opportunity. Living in a populous city with large retailers also increases earning potential because large companies are typically the main clients that partner with mystery shopping companies.
To maximize your earnings, you probably need to own a car. Apps like Field Agent (below) let you apply distance filters to find nearby jobs, but chances are most tasks won’t be within walking distance. If you decide to drive to work as a mystery shopper, remember to factor in gas costs and vehicle depreciation into your earnings.
Aside from these basics, mystery shoppers also need a high level of attention to detail and the ability to follow instructions carefully. If you don’t meet task requirements, you don’t get paid, so it’s important to closely follow instructions and provide insightful feedback.
The Best Mystery Shopping Companies
Mystery shopper jobs have changed significantly over the past decade. Mobile apps and the gig economy have made it easier to make extra money as a mystery shopper. Additionally, you can use multiple money-making apps to ensure you have more work opportunities. Here are several mystery shopping companies you might explore.
1. Field Agent
Field Agent is one of the most popular mystery shopping apps and has over 1 million shoppers across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. If you want to find mystery shopping jobs near you right from your smartphone, this is the app for you.
Signing up for Field Agent is free. Once you create an account, you answer a short questionnaire about your demographic profile to help Field Agent understand more about you. Once you complete the questionnaire, you can start working as a mystery shopper.
Field Agent displays local mystery shopping jobs under a “jobs” tab and on the in-app map of your city. Jobs display their pay, the tasks required, the distance of the store, and any other rules you need to follow. Most jobs provide two hours for completion, so Field Agent is a useful app to have on the go when you’re already out shopping.
There are several types of Field Agent tasks:
- Mystery Shopping. Requires visiting specific stores and completing tasks like finding a product or rating customer service quality.
- Audits. Involves taking photos or videos of store displays and shelving.
- Buy and Try. Field Agent sometimes pays shoppers for purchasing a product or food item to provide feedback.
After completing a task, Field Agent reviews your submission to ensure you met the requirements. After verification, cash appears in your Field Agent account. There’s no minimum cash-out amount, and Field Agent pays you through direct deposit.
Ultimately, not every task is worth the time. However, you can be selective with the jobs you claim. If you’re already out and about, Field Agent is a way to get paid to walk and explore different stores in your city.
2. Shopkick
Shopkick isn’t a traditional mystery shopping app. However, this versatile rewards app does have a mystery shopping component, and the plethora of earning options makes its worth considering.
Shopkick’s goal is to incentivize consumers to interact with various partner brands. To do this, Shopkick pays you for:
- Walking into partner stores
- Scanning specific product barcodes
- Shopping for offers with a linked credit or debit card
- Uploading receipts
- Making in-app purchases
- Watching sponsored videos
At its core, Shopkick is an app like Ibotta that focuses on rebates. However, walking into stores and hunting down products to scan are essentially mystery shopping tasks. If you don’t want to spend money and are only interested in these kinds of gigs, Shopkick still has work for you.
Shopkick pays you with kicks for completing tasks; 250 kicks equals $1. Shopkick pays through PayPal cash and free gift cards. Most gift cards require $2 to redeem. This is a very low redemption requirement, so you can realistically earn gift cards after a few tasks by using Shopkick.
And, because Shopkick works in more than 250,000 stores across the U.S., there’s no shortage of tasks. If you want to maximize your earnings, stack Shopkick with another mystery shopping app or apps like Ibotta or Fetch Rewards that pay you for shopping, to work more efficiently.
3. Premise
Premise is a data analytics company that began in 2012. Although Premise isn’t your traditional mystery shopping gig, it’s an excellent way to earn free PayPal cash and Bitcoin by completing short tasks in your area.
To become a Premise contributor, you download its free app for Android or iOS. From there, you earn cash for completing short gigs in your area that involve collecting and sharing data.
Examples of Premise tasks you might find in your area include:
- Answering short surveys about your city and consumer preferences
- Confirming whether an area of your city is under construction
- Confirming real estate prices
- Going to the grocery store and recording the price of different cereal brands
- Taking photos of certain businesses or parks
Tasks generally pay under $1 or a few dollars, which is fairly standard for many mystery shopping services. You redeem your earnings through PayPal, Payoneer, or for Bitcoin when you earn $20.
Premise is currently available in over 120 countries, so it’s a very accessible mystery shopper company if you’re looking for a new side hustle. And if you want to earn cryptocurrency for your mystery shopping assignments, this is the best company to work with.
4. IntelliShop
Another reputable company that connects mystery shoppers with different companies to improve their customer experiences is IntelliShop.
IntelliShop began in 1999 and is available in 180 countries. The company is also a regular winner of the Mystery Shopping Providers Associations (MSPA) Shoppers Choice award. Overall, it’s one of the best-known and popular mystery shopping gigs out there.
Becoming a mystery shopper for IntelliShop takes several steps. After submitting an online application, IntelliShop might invite you to complete a five-minute screening if it wants more mystery shoppers who match your demographic. This test asks questions to gauge how detailed-oriented you are because this is an important mystery shopper skill.
If you pass the test, you can apply to IntelliShop tasks. These tasks are different mystery shopping gigs, and IntelliShop assigns gigs to shoppers depending on their previous performance and location.
Examples of IntelliShop gigs include:
- Calling a call center
- Shopping in-store for a specific product
- Visiting a website
IntelliShop scores your submissions. Higher scores means you’re more likely to receive future mystery shopper tasks, so it’s important to follow instructions carefully and to submit quality evaluations.
IntelliShop pays shoppers on the 20th of every month through PayPal for the previous month of gigs. This payment structure is a perk for shoppers because there isn’t a minimum payment requirement. A mix of phone mystery shopping work and in-person gigs also gives shoppers more flexibility to make money.
5. BestMark
BestMark began in 1986 and is one of the oldest and largest mystery shopping networks in operation. Mystery shoppers are known as “field representatives” on BestMark, and this title encompasses several roles:
- Mystery Shopper. Evaluate customer service, purchase specific products, and complete typical mystery shopper tasks to get paid.
- Intercept Interviewers. Ask customers to complete a survey as they exit a store to provide retailers with valuable feedback.
- Compliance Auditors. Check that stores are complying with product pricing guidelines, product placement, employee procedures, and other rules the retailer has in place.
- Panelists. An easy way to make money from focus groups and product testing.
BestMark states candidates must be at least 18 and have strong written communication skills and full Internet access. You have to apply online to become a mystery shopper. If BestMark approves your application, you can apply for local jobs and begin making money in the different BestMark roles.
6. Market Force
Market Force is another leading mystery shopping network with a track record, having begun in 2005. Currently, Market Force works with more than 250 clients, including numerous Fortune 500 companies, processing over 100,000 mystery shopping tasks per month.
Signing up for Market Force is free. To work as a mystery shopper, you download the Eyes:On app for Android or iOS. This app displays mystery shopping gigs in your area, requirements, and pay. Jobs also list several dates, so you can set your schedule to complete tasks.
Market Force jobs pay with cash or free meals. Fast-food and other restaurant jobs are common, so this is an ideal mystery shopping network for foodies. Overall, the app is similar to Field Agent and makes it easy to find flexible work as a mystery shopper to boost your income. However, being able to schedule tasks makes Market Force more flexible than apps like Field Agent that usually provide two hours to complete a task after claiming it.
7. Mobee
If you want an easy-to-use mystery shopping app that lets you earn free gift cards, Mobee is worth considering.
Once you download Mobee for Android or iOS, you can start work immediately. On Mobee, mystery shopping takes three steps:
- Find a Mission. Mobee’s app highlights local businesses that need a mystery shopper.
- Complete Task. Missions include common mystery shopping jobs like taking photos of stores, asking for customer service help, and answering surveys about your experience. When you complete a task, you earn Mobee points.
- Redeem. You can redeem Mobee points for free gift cards to companies like Amazon, Starbucks, Target, and more. Gift card redemption requirements usually range from $5 to $25. Mobee sends gift cards electronically within 48 hours.
Like other mystery shopping apps, Mobee jobs usually pay a few dollars. However, you can also earn bonus points if the task is farther from your home and if the Mobee validation team thinks your submission is high quality. Mobee won’t make you rich, but it’s an easy way to earn free gift cards when on the go.
8. Observa
Observa is another mystery shopping app, except Observa pays shoppers through PayPal or with Bitcoin. If you’re a cryptocurrency fan, this is the best mystery shopping company you can work for.
Like Mobee and Field Agent, you find work and get paid through the Observa app, which is available for Android and iOS. Once you create an account, you can accept jobs in your area. You have two hours to complete jobs, just like with Field Agent. After submitting a job, you get paid within 72 hours following approval by Observa staff.
Observa has only been operating since 2016. However, according to Observa, they have paid more than $500,000 to mystery shoppers since inception. Additionally, they state that most gigs take 10 to 15 minutes and pay between $4 to $12. Gigs display their pay, so you can be selective and find mystery shopping work that’s worth your time.
Other Legitimate Mystery Shopping Companies
There are dozens of mystery shopping companies out there. Whether you’re a new shopper or have years of experience; applying for several mystery shopping gigs is the best way to maximize how much work you land and how much money you make.
Other leading mystery shopping companies worth applying to include:
- AboutFace: A popular mystery shopping company that pays you through PayPal for completing tasks.
- A Closer Look: Complete assignments for industries like hotels, multifamily real estate, restaurants, and senior living.
- Amusement Advantage: Get paid to do mystery shopper work at attractions like amusement parks, theme parks, and water parks.
- GBW: A global mystery shopping company that partners with businesses in a variety of industries.
- Ipsos: A popular paid survey company that also offers mystery shopping opportunities in over a dozen countries.
- Perception Strategies: This company specializes in health care mystery shopping work.
- Pinnacle Financial Strategies: Get paid to evaluate various financial institutions like banks and credit unions.
- Second to None: Become a shopper and access a U.S. job board of mystery shopping assignments.
- Sinclair Customer Metrics: Find a variety of mystery shopping opportunities like evaluating retail stores, telephone mystery shopping, and video mystery shopping.
If you land mystery shopper roles with several companies, you increase the chances you get regular assignments and consistently make money.
Just remember: mystery shoppers work as independent contractors. This means you need to accurately track and report any additional income when filing your taxes.
Watch Out For Mystery Shopper Scams
Always be weary of mystery shopping scams. Reputable companies like those listed here typically have MSPA certification and positive reviews on websites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
As a general rule, never pay for mystery shopping information. You don’t need to purchase a mystery shopping guide or pay to be a mystery shopper. If a company requests payment to join their network, it’s most likely a scam.
You should also be extremely suspicious of any companies that promise assignments that allow you to work from home or entirely online. These are almost always work-from-home scams that either fish for upfront payment or send you a fraudulent check as a fake form of reimbursement for a signup fee.
Furthermore, if a company promises that you can earn $50 to $100 per hour or more by working as a mystery shopper, be skeptical. Most tasks only pay a few dollars, making mystery shopping a humble side hustle, not a full-time income source.
Final Word
If you never heard of mystery shopping before, the idea of making money while shopping might surprise you. However, in terms of hobbies that make money, mystery shopping has been a reliable option to boost your income for more than a decade.
No mystery shopping job will replace your regular income. However, if you enjoy the thrill of undercover shopping and like giving feedback about your shopping experiences, this is a perfect side gig to try. If you apply some mystery shopper tips and work efficiently, your monthly earnings might surprise you.
