How To Become a Mystery Shopper in the US: A Guide
Mystery Shopping is an easy and flexible way to earn extra money wherever you are, whenever you need it. Have you ever been curious about becoming a Mystery Shopper? This straightforward guide will help answer your questions and get you out Shopping.
What is mystery shopping?
Mystery Shopping is a method of research used by many of the world’s leading brands to help them understand how customers experience their products and services. Brands partner with a Mystery Shopping provider (ex, iShopFor Ipsos) to design a survey and optimal Mystery Shopper visit to help them get the best view of their customer journey. The Mystery Shopping provider then finds Mystery Shoppers to complete the visits and surveys for the client.
Mystery Shoppers are provided a specific set of activities to perform along with a survey to record details about their experience and supporting photos. The insights and feedback are gathered by the Mystery Shopping provider and shared with the client to help them improve training for staff, understand which elements of the journey might not be working as expected, monitor quality and compliance with regulations, and more. Mystery Shoppers are compensated for their time and get exciting perks, like free meals in restaurants and products they can keep.
How does a mystery shop job work?
As a flexible and independent worker, Mystery Shoppers can select the jobs that suit them. With iShopFor Ipsos , once you’re signed up, all tasks are visible on our desktop site or mobile app. You can customize your preferences in terms of how far you are interested in traveling, what kinds of tasks you would like to see, etc.
When you see a task that you would like to complete, you can apply to be selected. Many tasks are self-assigned, meaning that they will automatically be approved for you to complete. The next steps are easy, but very important:
- You will receive a document called “shopper guidelines.” This document will outline the specific steps you need to take during the job. This might include visiting a particular location, making a phone call, booking an appointment, asking particular questions or presenting a particular persona. Always read these instructions carefully, making special note of the location and any particular things you need to say or do during the task.
- Some jobs will require you to complete a certification or quiz to demonstrate that you have read the shopper guidelines. You must pass this quiz to complete the job.
- You might be prompted to select a date that you will complete the mystery shop. This helps the mystery shopping provider (iShopFor Ipsos ) manage completion rates with the client, so select the date that you can reasonably conduct the visit.
- You will then proceed to complete the mystery shop. Make sure to take any required photos, get legible receipts and answer all the questions on your report.
- Now it’s time to submit your report. It is important you do this as soon as possible following your visit, so that the details of the experience are fresh in your mind. Make sure all the images you upload are unique, you’ve used correct spelling and grammar and that you’ve answered all of the required questions.
- Your report will then go through a validation process. Our quality control validators will make sure your answers, written narratives and photos align to tell a consistent story about your visit. If a quality control validator has questions about your report, you will have 24 hours to respond via email.
- It’s pay day! iShopFor Ipsos offers the fastest payment in the industry. Once your report is approved, your payment will be issued via PayPal in 7-10. Other mystery shopping providers often pay monthly, or even every-other-month, so be sure to check the payment policies for that provider before accepting a mystery shop with them.
What are the different types of mystery shops?
We often say that if you can have an experience, we can Mystery Shop it, and that’s not an exaggeration. There are all kinds of Mystery Shopping jobs available, including some that don’t even require you to leave your home.
In person mystery shop – you will visit a specific location to conduct your task. These jobs can range from making an inquiry about purchasing a product or trying on an item of clothing, to meeting with a banker or having a meal in a restaurant. If a purchase is required, the reimbursement amount will be listed in the description before you accept the Mystery Shop. These visits often require you to upload photos of the location, your receipt and specific site elements like the front door, the payment counter, the restroom, etc.
Telephone mystery shop - call a specific company and make an inquiry over the phone using an assigned scenario. Sometimes this might include telling us about any automated systems you encountered before connecting to a live agent.
Digital mystery shop – this spans any kinds of tasks that take place online or in an app, from ordering food through a delivery service, to contacting a bank via live chat, to visiting a website and searching for particular information.
What are the requirements to become a mystery shopper?
To become a Mystery Shopper with Ipsos all you need is to be 18 years or older, have a smartphone and regular access to the internet. You also need a valid US SSN or TIN and a paypal account to receive payments. It’s that easy! If you’ve never done Mystery Shopping don’t worry; our briefing process will help guide you, and each project provides detailed instructions for how to carry out the task.
What are the skills needed to become a mystery shopper?
To be a successful Mystery Shopper, you will need to be organized and accountable. You need good attention to detail to make observations during your visit and recall them in detail for your report. You must have good reading and writing skills in English so that you can follow the guidelines and fill in your report. And most importantly, you are eager to try new things and share your feedback to help companies improve their customer experience.
How much money can you earn as a mystery shopper?
Each Mystery Shop is paid by the job, and each job pays a different amount based on what we are asking you to do. Some tasks will have a lower pay but might involve you getting a free meal or train ticket, while others might have a more generous fee if the requirements are very specific or require more effort. Most tasks range between $8 - $15, but some audit opportunities go up to several hundred dollars.
How do you register to become a mystery shopper?
Registration to become a Mystery Shopper is free. You’ll need to provide your name, address, PayPal email address and SSN or TIN. Once your account is approved, you’ll be able to see jobs immediately available in your area.
Conclusion
We hope this has helped answer your questions Mystery Shopping and got you excited about trying it out. The best way to learn is to sign up and try a task – and if you are ever stuck, don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly Shopper support team for help.
