Your Guide to Mystery Shopping

Yes. Mystery shopping is a real thing. You get paid to give feedback on your customer experience with anything from dining out to renting an apartment to having your oil changed. Payment may consist of a reimbursement, a small stipend, or both. There are occasionally bonuses for shops out of your area or when they are having trouble finding a shopper.

Mystery shopping is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It's hard work, although it can be a lot of fun. Shops typically pay $5-10 with or without a reimbursement. There are shops that pay significantly more, but competition is high.

This lens will help you get started and to navigate the waters of the mystery shopping world.

I personally recommend getting certified by the Mystery Shopping Providers Association. There are two main reasons for this. First, it's a good education on what's expected of you as a mystery shopper. Second, you'll have access to certain shops not available to those not certified and first choice on others. If you choose to get your certification, get it before you apply with companies so you can enter your cert. # during the application process.

The silver certification is a $15 online test. It's a nice overview to the basic expectations and ethics of mystery shopping. Once you pass the test, you'll receive a certification code that you can share with mystery shopping companies who recognize the program.

The gold certification is a more in-depth program. It involves a day-long in-person seminar and a follow-up online test. The fee is $99 and includes lunch and materials. I recommend completing the gold certification after having some experience shopping. This will give you the chance to make sure you enjoy shopping, but it will also make the training more useful. There are a number of topics covered that may be confusing/less than helpful for inexperienced shoppers. The gold program is scheduled at various locations/times throughout the country.