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Big Mystery Shopping Companies List – Get Started Today
Mystery Shopping and Other Shopping Type Jobs for Cash
Mystery shopping has been around for ages. And yes, you can make money doing it. You just have to choose legitimate companies, perform your shop duties correctly and fill out and submit all required paperwork. There are even apps you can use to mystery shop right from your smartphone!
I've heard good and bad from those that have tackled mystery shopping. Some absolutely love it and can't think of earning extra cash any other way. And they are very good at it too. Racking up $100's a month. Others feel it's not worth their time and give it up quickly. I think it all depends on how dedicated you are and how organized you can be. I also think it's a time commitment if you want to really make money. It's not a thing where you go out one day for an hour and make $100 and get free stuff. Though I have heard that there are test driving car shops that DO pay $100 or more.
There are sites like Paid Shopping Providers that sell memberships to their “list” of mystery shopping companies. I don't recommend paying for a list — but if you want it to be as simple as possible, I suppose that option is out there.
There are also guides available to those that want that extra help or insight. I've not read any of these guides myself – but they could be helpful as well if you want strategic guidance. There is a great thread on Reddit is you want to check it out. These are people that have actually done mystery shopping and sharing their experience and advice.
Below are companies that offer mystery shopping.
Listing of Mystery Shopping Companies
Mobee
– Phone app mystery shop. Earn points for shops and referrals. Points can be redeemed for gift cards like Amazon, Starbucks and Target. I use this app all the time. If you use my referral code, you'll earn an extra 300 extra points after your first mission is approved. Invite code: M4JR
Vocalabs (merged with Service800)
– The hire survey admins. They call or visit stores to survey customer service interaction. Super flexible and prompt payments.
Yardi Matrix
– You're basically making “renter” mystery shop calls. Surveyors (shoppers) are paid $6.00hr and a piece rate of $.50 for surveys marked Done, $.30 for surveys marked Wrong Number, $.20 for surveys marked Part-Done, and $.07 per survey marked Answering Machine or No Answer.
ARC Consulting
– Offers mystery shopper jobs that can be done from home over the phone.
CallCenterQA
– Newer mystery shop company that offers work at home doing “phone shops”. No need to leave the house and do shops outside the home.
Shopper's Critique
– New, fun way to start mystery shopping. Includes app on your smartphone to make it easier.
About Face
– All kinds of shops available, including grocery stores and restaurants.
Baird Group
– If you prefer staying home, they do a lot of phone opps for mystery shoppers.
Confero
– Lots of grocery store shops and other retail stores.
Clear Evaluations
– Variety of industries, including retail stores, apartment communities, new homes and auto dealerships
Consumer Impressions
– Love to eat? They offer food shops. Available only in: AL, AZ, FL, GA, LA, MS, OK, TN, TX
Consumer Research Group
– Mainly retail mystery shops.
Coyle Hospitality
– They are worldwide, so opps to mystery shop for everyone. Hotels and fine dining.
Cross Financial Group
– This is mostly bank institutions.
Customer Impact Info
– Their site lists the following shops: Restaurants, Hospitality, Retail, Grocery and Financial.
Customer Perspectives
– Founded in 1983, US and Canada shops. Must have good writing skills and be observant.
Customer Service Experts
– They require a pre-test and verification. Their shops involve airport concession, restaurants, retail, financial service and recreation/destination.
Data Quest
– They recruit nationwide and post mystery shopper jobs each month.
Ellis Partners
– These shops are for apartments.
Global Compliance Services
– Site doesn't give much info – but have heard they pay well.
Graymark Security Group
– Restaurants and retail shops.
iMyst
– They work with Fortune 500 companies and small businesses alike.
Jancyn
– Need to be 18 years old and they pay via PayPal.
Market Force
– Huge mystery shopping company, mainly grocery type shops. But they offer theater/movie and banking type shops too.
Market Viewpoint
– Cover a variety of shops that can include healthcare and test driving cars.
Measure Consumer Perspectives
– Lots of types of retail shopping jobs can cover nail salons, fast food and more.
Mystery Shoppers, Inc.
– Looks like they cover all kinds of retail, including electronics, diners and more.
The Performance Edge
– Typical mystery shops in the hospitality business.
Person to Person Quality
– Financial shops.
Premier Service
– All kinds of retail.
Second to None
– Restaurants and retail.
Shoppers Critique
– Retail and some different shops like amusement parks.
Trendsource
– Typical retail shops.
Are you a mystery shopper or been one in the past? Keep reading…
Mystery shopping is more popular now than ever and I get so many requests for legitimate mystery shopping info. If you would be so kind to share you experience as a mystery shopper or let me know about mystery shopping companies that aren't listed here, it would be appreciated. You can share in the comment section below. Thank you in advance.
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@Sandra
I’m sorry to hear about your bad experience. Hopefully, it was just that, a bad experience and doesn’t reflect all mystery shops in your future if you decide to do more. I’ve had pretty good luck with them. I even did a $100 test drive a car dealership. It did take a little over an hour though :(
I’m also liking Mobee and just did a shop for them last night at Lowes. It was all on my phone and I got 575 points for it.
Hi,
I tried mystery shopping for an Asian company. It was not a good experience. The online forms to complete were horrible. It took hours to do it and the amount of time allowed to complete it was limited. Then, they said I shopped the wrong place (it was a fast food restaurant) because the place had relocated and closed the original site, but it was the same store and the only one in that town too. Finally, even though they said they would still pay me because they didn’t know it had been relocated, I never received pay for the shop, but they insisted they had paid me and even continued to ask me to do more shops for me for a long time afterward.
Hi Melanie
I would like to start Mystery Shopping, but I don’t have any experience doing this. Are there any qualifications I need for this? I live in Victoria. Australia. Could you please let me know. I can send yo my email if you like.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Many Thanks
Amanda
I know this is an old post but for the sake of future readers, (because it’s an awesome blog and still relevant in 2017), I will add that I have been a mystery shopper also. Please don’t pay for lists of legitimate companies, just go to Volition or MSPA as mentioned in previous comment. You don’t have to have any kind of certificate either although they say it helps. I don’t have one and picked up $4000 part time in a year for one company! Anyway, you can also add BestMark to your list of legits. They are a sub of Best Buy. Thanks for the great info.
looking for legit online mystery shopping. lot of scams out there!
I have received an acceptance letter from Direct Services Company (201-942-0950). My concern is, are they legitimate? The mail stamp seems to be from Madrid (Spain?). With the technology of today, an international company is within reason but I don’t need to be a target or participant of any scam. If you have any information on this company please share it with me. They enclosed a check and requests it be activate it and then deposited. The phone number provided doesn’t have any responders available. There are some important questions to be answered before I begin interacting with them (1099 or W2;my responsibility for the total amount of the check).
@Melanie
Thank you for the info!!
I have been mystery shopping on and off for about a year and love it! I select the shops I want when I want to do them. Two great sources to find legitimate mystery shopping companies are Mystery Shopping Providers Association (www.mysteryshop.org) and Volition (www.volition.com). There is also the Mystery Shop Forum (www.mysteryshopforum.com) that offers invaluable information to shoppers by shoppers. Happy shopping!