Mystery Shopping – What’s it All About?

Many people have heard of mystery shopping, but have no idea what it is, how much it pays, how to get started, or whether they should be one. The definition of a mystery shopper is an independent contractor who is asked by a mystery shopping company to go to a business posing as a ‘regular’ customer in order to evaluate that business.

A mystery shopper looks at certain criteria set forth by the business being shopped in conjunction with the mystery shopping company. It might involve timing how long it takes a mechanic to service your car, or grading a shop employee on their customer service skills.

There are ads out there claiming that as a mystery shopper you can make thousands a month. Realistically, this may not be the case. Mystery Shopping is a great way to earn a secondary income, or even primary if you are not in full time employment (such as a parent to a young child) but you cannot expect to live off of the income unless you have been doing it for quite some time, have built up a solid reputation with several secret shopper companies, and live in a well populated area. Living far out in the country you are going to need to be willing to travel in order to have a generous supply of assignments available. However, if you live in or nearby a city, you are likely to be able to make decent money if you are willing to put in the hours.

When you are starting out as a shopper, you can expect to make between £5 and £15 a shop. Once you have some experience you may be averaging as much as £20 a shop.

If you would like to give mystery shopping a try, the first thing to do is get signed up with some agencies. The internet makes this process simple; just use your favourite search engine to seek out mystery shopping companies which should then allow you to sign up on their website. You may have to pass a short test which checks your suitability as a mystery shopper before registering.

Once you are registered, most companies will notify you by email of jobs available in your area. You need to judge which are appropriate for you by reading the assignment notes carefully.

Most companies pay their shoppers by direct bank transfer; however some may prefer to send a cheque.

Mystery shopping is not for everyone, it is up to you to decide your own suitability. Desirable qualities of a good mystery shopper include being detail oriented, organized, and having a great memory! If you do decide to take the plunge, above all have fun and enjoy your work.

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