Everything you need to know about making money as a mystery shopper

One thing that people always ask us about at MoneyMagpie is Mystery Shopping. It almost sounds too good to be true, yet is surprisingly easy.

All industry sectors employ mystery shoppers – retail, automotive, financial services, hospitality, property, call centres, public services, travel, and even the voluntary sector – so there’s a huge range of work available. 

Quite a few people get put off when they start the registration process and rightly so, as there are lots of hooky organisations out there that claim big things but don’t deliver. Some companies offer it as a way of data-mining.  

Due to this it is hard to know where to start and who to trust. Therefore, the MoneyMagpie team have put together the simple rules to get you started and named the companies they can personally vouch for so that you can know which secret shopping outfits might be a good option for you to earn extra cash.

If you become a mystery shopper you could be enjoying a weekend break one month and phoning a call centre to complain about your gas bill the next. 

You don’t need any formal qualifications to be a mystery shopper – but you do need to have good observational skills and a good memory. 

Report-only mystery shopper 

This is the most common option. You’ll be given a brief and a checklist of things to look out for. You need to follow your instructions (without letting anybody know you’re testing them), evaluate the response and then provide feedback, usually by way of an online questionnaire. 

Covert video mystery shopper 

This is specialist stuff and only for well-trained shoppers. Essentially, you’re given a brief; you enter the premises as a customer, and then you record the entire process using covert video cameras. Companies need clear pictures, so don’t go for this if you record your feet at family events! 

For a site inspection, mystery shoppers may be asked to do one of two things. You may be asked to go to a store and buy specific items from a specific retailer. This is to ensure customers are getting what they pay for, as well as the availability of stock. 

The mystery shopper may also be asked to interact with staff when searching for and purchasing their items. This is to check how staff interact with customers. You will then provide your feedback to the company conducting the mystery shopping. 

Getting paid to eat at restaurants? Sounds like the dream. This dream could become a reality for you if you take up mystery shopping, and could be a fun side hustle. 

Multiple chain restaurants use mystery eaters to ensure their customers are getting brilliant food and even better service. They will pay you to go to their restaurants, have a meal and report back to them. In some cases, your meal will be paid for and in other cases, your meal will be covered and you will be paid for your time on top. 

It is important to be aware that some agencies will offer you a fixed amount of money to eat at a restaurant. Remember, it may not be enough to cover the cost of the meal, so you will need to check beforehand. 

Watch films 

As with restaurants, cinema chains want to ensure their customers are getting the best experience possible. So, if you’re an avid cinema-goer or movie buff, this may be the perfect job for you. 

Not only will you be able to watch films for free, but agencies will often allow some cash for snacks and drinks. This allows you to interact with the staff, and try the yummy goodies available to munch on whilst you watch the film. 

You will be asked to review many things, from the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff, the availability of snacks, the prices and even the comfort of the seats. Your overall experience will be asked for. Reviews can take time and agencies require detailed responses, so keep this in mind when you apply. 

Check out the list below and sign up with one of the many mystery shopping agencies on offer. It’s not a complete list, the full list of genuine agencies can be found in MoneyMagpie’s mystery shopping eBook (which is absolutely free!) 

Some specialise in specific industries, others are more general. You could try investigating the major department stores – Selfridges for example has its own mystery shopping panel.