What Is Mystery Shopping?

Mystery shopping is something a lot of people do to make extra money.   Put simply, companies pay a lot of money to train their staff to treat customers properly - and the job of a mystery shopper is to act like a spy and report back if they're doing their job properly.

Mystery shopping companies provide mystery shoppers to companies, then they analyse the data and provide them with a report.  From the report the company will know if their training is working, or if their staff need different training.  It's all anonymous too - the staff never know you are a mystery shopper.

A typical assignment will require you to turn up  between certain times, time how long it takes you to be served, buy certain items or ask certain question - and note down the responses.  If you are asked to buy anything then the cost of this is reimbursed and you get to keep what you bought usually.

Many large companies use mystery shoppers.  I've had many a KFC or MacDonalds burger - all free!  I've also done mystery shopping of estate agents, where I had to register to be sent property details and then report back what details were sent to me and when.  Another popular one is to make an appointment at a bank to ask about savings accounts and report back what advice you were given and which savings accounts you were offered.

Mystery shopping can be done by 1000s of companies though - I've even turned down free drink and food in pubs before where the mystery shopping assignment was to go and buy a drink and order food and report back how promptly it arrived and if it was hot and tasty. 

There are no fees to join the market research companies listed below in our free mystery shopping companies list, so why not join a few.

Where Are Mystery Shopping Jobs?

Mostly, mystery shopping jobs will be in towns.  As it is shops, pubs and restaurants that want the mystery shopping to be done, it stands to reason that there will be more assignments where there are more shops. 

Are There Any Age Restrictions for Mystery Shopping Companies?

Most will want you to be 18 to register, but then each assignment will have different criteria.  Some will require you to do the mystery shopping alone, others will want you to take a friend.  If an assignment says you need to go between 2-4pm on a Tuesday to do it and you have to be dressed smartly and be alone, then you can't turn up at 3pm on a Wednesday with 4 kids in tow... they're looking for specific situations to be reported on.   There will be something for everyone though!