The Truth about Mystery Shopping

Not quite a home office topic, but a quick look into a world I always wondered about.

Mystery shopping is a method that marketing, advertising and business analytics companies use to help other companies evaluate their services.  Imagine being paid to order a pizza (and being reimbursed for that pizza!)

I spent about an hour doing some online research about the subject.  I recall doing the same thing 3 or 4 years ago but it appears now that mystery shopping is no longer a closely guarded secret!  There are plenty of resources out there for anyone interested in becoming an “MS”.

The most frequently asked questions are centered around how much you can make.  The general concensus is that you can make some nice pocket change, getting paid $10 to $30 “per shop” plus partial or full reimbursement for your purchase.  Assignments are apparently meticulously staged and your anonymity is of the utmost importance.  It is not uncommon for a shopper to earn $500 a month, but it is apparently rare that anyone makes a living mystery shopping.

There’s a great blog - The Mystery Shopper’s Manual - which covers all things MS.  Cathy Stucker, the blog author is a veteran of the industry dating back to 1995.  Makes me wonder what kind of crazy items she has stored in her garage!

Take a peek if you’re interested.