Making money can be difficult and tiresome. But what if I told you that the best secret shopper companies give you the chance to make money while having fun?
If you’re intrigued by this idea, I’ve prepared a great guide which teaches you how to become a secret shopper, what is secret shopping, and of course, the best list of mystery shopping companies!
What Is Secret Shopping?
We can refer to secret shopping as a technique that a lot of brands, consumer watchdogs, and researchers use.
They want to test the level of consumer service as well as gather information about different products or the way they are delivered to the masses of consumers.
As a mystery shopper, this is where you come in. Anonymous shoppers go into a store with a list of tasks. For example, the company or brand you are working for will have you ask a series of specific questions.
They can be about a product the brand is interested in. Or they can be about the level of service the employees of the store are providing.
After your experience in the store as a mystery shopper, you will have to report your feedback.
For example, you must give details about how clean the shop was, how helpful or nice the employees were, how good the product is, and so on.
A company will pay you to provide them with a list of such information. They will also reimburse you if you happen to spend any money while on the job.
How to Become a Secret Shopper
You will be glad to know that it’s super simple. Find a mystery shopping company in your local area. Once you do, you can sign up for the tasks you like the most. Or for the tasks that are suitable for you.
What does that mean?
For example, if you don’t know anything about cars, don’t take a mystery shopper job that asks you to review gas stations.
The great thing about this easy job is that you can sign up with as many mystery shopping companies as you like. In this way, you have the opportunity to make money in a super-easy way.
Of course, remember that it all depends on how much time you are willing to put in!
The Best Secret Shopper Companies
1. BestMark
The number one entry on the list of the best mystery shopper companies is BestMark.
Simply because they are the best. Operating since 1986, BestMark has received fantastic reviews online. Not to mention that they are a member of the MSPA.
One of the best things about the company is that it can offer over 10,000 mystery job assignments every month. In this way, you have plenty of fun work to choose from.
These jobs are all for restaurants, resorts, and hotels. As a result, the payment will differ as well.
All you have to do is create an account on their website, fill in your personal data, and see which jobs are available in your local area. That’s all!
2. Sinclair Customer Metrics
Another legitimate mystery shopping job that has been around for a very long time comes from Sinclair Customer Metrics.
The company has been operating since 1987. Their customers are brands that want to work on their customer experience.
As a result, the jobs which they usually put out include a variety of fields in the mystery shopping game. This also means that you will be able to work over the phone or via video call if that’s what you prefer.
Evidently, this is good news for people who want to make money working from home or for people who want to do this as a secondary job.
3. Perception Strategies, Inc.
No list of the best secret shopper companies would be complete without Perception Strategies, Inc. They focus on healthcare, which gives you the advantage of the niche.
Therefore, if you already have some experience then this will be a perfect fit for you!
The jobs they offer include calling doctors’ offices for quotes, visiting as a fake patient without an appointment, or actually going through a check-up.
There is one caveat about the job and this company that you need to know about. They usually have openings only in certain cities. Therefore, if your local area is not on the list, you will have to wait until there’s an opening.
4. IntelliShop
As far as legit mystery shopping jobs go, this is one that you are bound to love. The reason is that the IntelliShop Company has a list of over 50 types of industries under its belt.
As a result, you will definitely find some fun mystery shopper jobs that also pay well.
Not only that, but this company has received the Shopper’s Choice Award granted by the MSPA in 2019 after it was voted by mystery shoppers themselves.
Therefore, since it has the backup of the industry itself, you know it’s a good place to work.
You can apply for jobs as soon as you create an account on their website and fill in your data.
5. A Closer Look
Here is another anonymous shoppers company that has received several awards from the industry. In 2018, A Closer Look received the Elite Company prize followed by the Shopper’s Choice Award in 2019.
To start working with them, you will have to create an account and provide a valid email address.
The company will ask you to write two paragraphs that describe a personal experience either at a casual or at a fine dining experience.
I recommend that you do a good job because this is how they select their mystery shoppers! After that, you have to submit your work and wait for the company’s response whether or not they have selected you.
6. Pinnacle
A company that has been around for 20 years, Pinnacle works exclusively in the field of finance.
In other words, it provides services for financial institutions that want to improve the level of their customer interactions.
Therefore, as a mystery shopper, you will have to work with banks and credit unions.
When you visit one of these institutions, you must provide feedback on whether or not they are a good choice for people who have an interest in finance.
Needless to say, you should only apply for the job if you yourself have an interest or experience in the area.
The good news is that as a company, Pinnacle is entirely free if you want to apply as a mystery shopper.
7. Amusement Advantage
I definitely wasn’t joking when I said that, as a mystery shopper, you will have fun while making money.
Do you know why Amusement Advantage is one of the best secret shopper companies? Because it is focused only on amusement parks, hence its name.
Therefore, you will make money while riding roller coasters and eating corn dogs! What can be better than this?
One thing you need to keep in mind is that the pay is not as high as with other companies of this kind. In fact, what Amusement Advantage can offer you is the cost of a day of fun in an amusement park for you and a guest.
But that is far better than paying for it yourself!
8. GAPbuster Worldwide or GBW
The reason I chose this particular company for our list of the best secret shopper companies is that it offers jobs all over the world, not just in the US.
Therefore, if you’re not a US citizen or even if you are but you’re studying abroad or you’re on vacation and you need some extra cash, this is the company for you.
GAPbuster Worldwide offers job openings in more than 100 countries all over the world.
But, keep in mind that you have to go through a test before they hire you. Therefore, you will be asked to complete 15 assignments meant for practice. If you’re successful, you can work for them.
9. iSecretShop
As you might have already guessed because of the small i at the front, this service has a good standing in the mobile world. Therefore, it comes to you in the shape of a great desktop app and an even better mobile app.
As a result, it addresses young people who love to be on their phones. If you want a job with iSecretShop, you will be able to choose between polls, phone shops, online shops, as well as classic brick-and-mortar shops.
Registering is incredibly easy and you will get paid regularly via PayPal, depending on how many jobs you have taken.
Best Secret Shopper Companies by Phone
10. Call Center QA
This is a company that has you working on the phone on behalf of call centers to test just how helpful they are.
I know, it’s a little meta. But the great thing about this legitimate mystery shopping job is that you can work from the comfort of your living room.
However, you must have either a great smartphone or a landline.
Call Center QA has a pay rate of $5 per call. Therefore, the more you work, the more money you stand to make.
According to users, every call plus feedback you are asked to complete will take you an average of 15 minutes.
The payment will enter your bank account seven days after you have completed your assignments.
11. Yardi-Matrix
Here is a mystery shopper job opportunity for the real estate industry. The company requires surveys to be taken that gather valuable feedback.
What does that mean?
As a mystery shopper, your job is to call different apartment communities and pretend that you want to rent an apartment. You then have to ask them specific questions which the company will provide.
Please keep in mind that you will need your own phone as well as an internet connection to perform this job.
The company pays $6 per hour and some bonuses if you are willing to do additional work, such as surveys of a different type.
12. Observa
This is a mystery shopping app that is currently available both for Android and iPhone. As a result, you will have to download and install this app if you want to find mystery shopping jobs that pay well.
The app is rated very well as it has 4.3 stars on the Google Play Store.
Not only that, but its official description reveals that, depending on the job you are performing, you will get paid between $4 and $20. Plus, the money will be sent to you in no less than 24 hours via PayPal.
One of the main attractions of the app is that you can choose to have your payment in Bitcoin. This app seems to be the only one that offers this option.
13. Field Agent
Here is another app that has a great rating. It stands at a high of 4.0 on the Google Play Store and a whopping 4.8 on the App Store.
You will have to download and install this app plus create an account to start applying for jobs in your local area.
The best thing about Field Agent is that it offers mystery shopper opportunities with places such as Walmart, the Dollar Store, Amazon Fresh Pickup, AutoZone, and more.
Users claim that the jobs pay somewhere between $3 and $20. The money will reach your account in no less than 2 days via PayPal.
But only after the app itself has reviewed the descriptions and valid photos that you have taken and posted on the job. So, pay attention and do a solid day’s work!
Are you ready to be a mystery shopper?
As you can see, the best secret shopper companies are the ones who have been in the industry the longest, who offer legit mystery shopping jobs, and who pay fair wages.
Beyond that, it’s up to you to decide what field you want to work in, how many hours you want to dedicate to each job, and just how much money you want to make.
Good luck! and don't forget to share your experience.
