Mystery Shopping Glossary: Key Terms Every Mystery Shopper Should Know

If you're researching how to become a Mystery Shopper or exploring secret shopping jobs, you'll quickly discover that the industry has its own unique language. Understanding these common Mystery Shopping terms can help you succeed, communicate professionally, and maximize your earnings.

Whether you're brand new to Mystery Shopping or already a pro, this glossary covers the essential terms you'll encounter throughout your Mystery Shopping career.

What Is Mystery Shopping?

Let's start with the basics. A Mystery Shopper evaluates customer service, compliance and safety standards at businesses – be it in a store, over the phone or online. After completing a Mystery Shop, they fill out a survey based on their observations. Mystery shopping is not about giving opinions on the service – it’s about paying close attention to the elements of the experience that brand wants to evaluate and objectively reporting the findings. Mystery shopping opportunities can include retail stores, restaurants, banks, automotive dealerships, healthcare facilities, and more.

Becoming familiar with the industry's vocabulary will make it easier to communicate with Mystery Shopping Providers (MSPs), complete reports accurately, and build a strong reputation.

Essential Mystery Shopping Terms Explained

1. Mystery Shop

A Mystery Shop is any opportunity where a Mystery Shopper is expected to remain covert throughout the assignment. In other words, employees should not know that they are being evaluated. This is the most common type of assignment in the Mystery Shopping industry.

2. Revealed Audit

A Revealed Audit is an opportunity where the “Mystery Shopper” reveals their identity as an evaluator to the staff at some point during the assignment. Revealed audits usually require more detailed observation, so they are typically accompanied by longer reports and a higher pay rate.

4. Mystery Shopper or Shopper

A Mystery Shopper, often shortened to Shopper, is the term used for individuals who complete Mystery Shopping assignments and audits.

5. Independent Contractor

In the United States, Mystery Shoppers are classified as Independent Contractors, not employees. This means Shoppers have the flexibility to choose assignments, manage their schedules, and work with multiple Mystery Shopping companies. 

6. Portal 

A Portal is a platform where jobs are posted, assigned, and managed. Within a portal, you’ll be able to find assignments, take any required certifications and submit reports for a specific Mystery Shopping Provider (MSP). Many MSPs use one of two common portals: Shopmetrics or Sassie. Each portal offers different benefits both to the Mystery Shoppers and to the clients reviewing the data. At iShopFor Ipsos, we use both Sassie and Shopmetrics portals. We place different assignments in each portal based on the needs of our clients. 

7. Shopper Profile

A Shopper Profile is completed when registering to become a Mystery Shopper. Profiles typically include demographic information, level of experience, and other details that help MSPs match Shoppers with relevant assignments. You might be asked for some pretty specific information, like what kind of car you drive, if you have any pets or which mobile carrier you use. Usually, this information is optional. But the more information you provide, the more assignments might be available to you.

8. Qualification

Some assignments will have niche requirements for a Mystery Shopper – like recent purchase history or previous work experience. Shopper Profiles can’t screen for every possible detail a client might require. In that instance, a Qualification is sent out. Qualifications are short surveys designed to identify qualified Shoppers for a particular project. 

9. Shopper Guidelines

Shopper Guidelines are the detailed written instructions provided for each assignment. This document explains exactly how to conduct the Mystery Shop, step by step. Typically, they follow the expected flow of the visit, including any prep work, assigned scenarios to follow and required photos or documentation.

Reading and following Shopper guidelines carefully is one of the most important habits of successful Mystery Shoppers. Failing to complete all of the steps outlined in the Shopper guidelines can result in your survey being rejected. 

10. Certification

A Certification is a quiz that Shoppers take to verify their understanding of a specific Mystery Shopping program, assignment type or industry. Most commonly, there is a certification for each program. After reviewing the Shopper guidelines, you may be prompted to take and pass a certification before you can view the survey or complete the assignment. 

11. Survey

A Survey is the report completed after finishing a Mystery Shop or audit. Surveys capture observations, service interactions, compliance findings, and other important feedback. This is also where you’ll upload photo evidence of any infractions, receipts or other documents.

12. Shopper Pay

Shopper Pay refers to the amount paid for successfully completing a Mystery Shopping assignment. Compensation varies depending on complexity, location, and requirements.

13. Reimbursement

A Reimbursement is the purchase amount that is repaid after successful completion of a Mystery Shop. Reimbursements are provided in addition to Shopper Pay when a required purchase is part of the assignment.

For example, a restaurant Mystery Shop may offer both a reimbursement for the meal and Shopper pay for completing the survey.

14. Quality Control Team / Validator

The Quality Control Team is made up of Validators, or independent contractors responsible for reviewing surveys. Validators check reports for grammar, completeness, accuracy, and adherence to project requirements.

15. Reject

Unfortunately, not all Mystery Shops go as planned. When Shopper guidelines aren’t followed or required information isn’t captured, reports can be rejected by the Quality Control Team. When this happens, the survey isn’t shared with the client, and the Mystery Shopper isn’t compensated. Rejects impact Shopper ratings.

16. Shopper Ratings

Each Mystery Shopper has a Shopper Rating that is usually only visible to the MSP. Ratings are earned for each completed Mystery Shopping assignment. Validators will assign a rating to each survey based on how many changes they had to make to the report on either a 1-5 or a 1-10 scale, depending on the MSP. Schedulers and program managers can also apply ratings (positive or negative) for reliability, professionalism or based on other interactions with the Mystery Shopper.

Mystery Shoppers who understand industry lingo are often better prepared to meet expectations and maintain strong ratings and relationships with Mystery Shopping providers.

How to Become a Successful Mystery Shopper

If you're interested in becoming a Mystery Shopper, click here to sign up with iShopFor Ipsos. Start your journey by completing the Shopper profile, viewing available opportunities in either the Shopmetrics or Sassie portal, and carefully read the Shopper guidelines before accepting assignments.