Though the name itself may seem a bit mysterious, the concept 
of mystery shopping is actually straightforward. Also referred 
to as secret shopping, performance evaluations, service checks 
and frontline evaluations to name a few, mystery shopping allows 
companies to obtain a “snapshot in time” by trained researchers 
who know in advance what they are to evaluate. It provides 
management a method to quickly yet efficiently evaluate their 
business practices, deliverables, and employees from the 
perspective of a non-biased consumer. Mystery shoppers visit 
or call businesses posing as ordinary customers and provide 
detailed evaluations of their experience using written reports 
or questionnaires.

Mystery shopping is used in a wide variety of industries such as 
retail, restaurants, financial institutions, convenience stores 
and gas stations, service providers, manufacturers, department 
stores, travel and entertainment, etc.

Though there is a certain level of responsibility and 
professionalism required to be an effective mystery shopper, 
you should never have to pay to get a job. There are dozens of 
companies claiming that by paying them a registration fee they 
will send you job opportunities and teach you the steps to 
becoming a shopper. This may be true, but is also completely 
unnecessary.

The legitimate mystery shopping companies in the industry NEVER 
charge fees to the shopper. Training, tips for improvement, and 
shopping opportunities are provided free to registered shoppers. 
Mystery shoppers are either paid a pre-arranged fee for a 
particular shop, a reimbursement for a purchase or a combination 
of both. Though it is possible to make a living solely from 
mystery shopping, it is not very common. Most shoppers view this 
as a second income source or as a way to obtain fully reimbursed 
meals, products, and services.

The registration process with leading mystery shopping companies 
has improved over the years. Most provide a simple online form 
that takes only a few minutes to complete. Once you have 
registered with a company or two, they will start informing you 
of shopping opportunities. Most of these are “first-come, 
first-serve”, so be sure to provide the company with an email 
address that you check regularly, and a phone number where you 
can be easily reached.

Be willing to accept last minute assignments and treat 
bottom-of-the-barrel assignments just like top-of-the-line 
assignments. At first, take whatever you can get. This will 
allow you to build a reputation with each company. The old 
adage, “You never get a second chance to make a first 
impression,” is exceptionally true in this industry. Make 
sure you completely understand the instructions for the 
particular shop, be impartial, and focus on accuracy. You may 
be required to document employee names and descriptions, prices, 
inventory evaluations, etc.

Go hi-tech. More and more mystery shopping companies are 
requiring shoppers to have access to the Internet, email and 
a fax machine. Some shops even require the use of a digital 
camera to capture product placement, signage, cleanliness or 
other focus points.

Complete all assignments on time. If you absolutely cannot 
complete an assignment, contact the mystery shopping company 
immediately so they can reschedule the assignment. Dependable 
shoppers get the best assignments!

Assignments can be as basic as sitting in the parking lot of 
a fast food restaurant for 20 minutes to document drive-thru 
service times to taking an all-expense-paid trip to a resort 
for 2 weeks to document your daily service experiences.

Now that you understand the mystery shopping industry a little 
more clearly, the next step is to locate a few top mystery 
shopping providers and register, remembering that even if a 
firm doesn't have a client in your area today, they may next 
month. Once registered with a company, it would not hurt to 
call or send an email to express your willingness to shop and 
to confirm your professionalism and attention to detail. Just 
make sure that you do not send an email full of typos and 
grammatical errors – definitely not the type of first 
impression that you want to leave.

Another method for finding potential shopping opportunities and 
to gather further industry knowledge is by monitoring online 
mystery shopping message boards and forums. To locate a few, 
type words like “mystery shopping message board” or “mystery 
shopping forum” into your favorite browser.

Mystery shopping may not become your next career, but it will 
provide you with some extra income, free goods, and maybe even 
a few adventures along the way!