Mystery Shop Companies that Pay Top Dollar as Wages.
Mystery shopping is a fun and easy way to make money. Anyone can do it, from senior citizens to single moms, those with a GED only, and anyone seeking a side gig job. Working as an independent contractor, mystery shoppers can make $1,000 a month or more.
Among the legitimate mystery shopping companies, there are a host of aggregate businesses that charge shoppers to participate. Stay away from paying application or upfront costs. Avoiding these scams and sketchy companies is essential when entering the mystery shopping market. Consider these legitimate, free to sign up for mystery shopping companies when starting out as an independent contractor.
Where Can I Shop?
Mystery shop firms keep the specifics of their shops as well as retailer partners private. Independent contractors are required to sign letters of confidentiality before viewing available shops. As a result, specific company names are not available to non-contractors or freelance workers. But it is easy to become an independent contractor with any of these companies. An independent contractor is anyone who does work for the company but is not a regular employee, so they get wages but not benefits like health insurance. Most mystery shoppers are considered independent contractors.
MarketForce
Marketforce is one of the nation's leading mystery shopping companies. It has two separate application portals. MarketForce's regular portal specializes in fast food restaurants, fast casual restaurants, gas stations, a tax-service provider, and a variety of retail stores as well as food establishments. Marketforce also has a second portal for jobs focused on evaluating movie studios and theater services.
Marketforce does not charge independent contractors for applying for one of their positions, but you do have to provide your personal information, including your Social Security number. This is to verify your identity and also to issue tax documents for independent contractors who make more than $600.00 per year. Marketforce manages over 300,000 independent contractors around the nation so they are one of the largest legitimate mystery shopping companies to work for.
After registering, users can search available jobs at the MarketForce Shopper Portal. There is also an option to allow the computer to auto-assign shops that fit your predefined parameters. Most shops as well as retail stores reimburse the cost of purchase and pay an additional fee. Shop fees normally run from $4.00 to $25.00 depending on the type and complexity of the locations. Stores as well as jobs to be completed are released throughout the month, so check often. Marketforce payments are processed on the 19th of the month following the month in which the job was completed, and are sent as either check or direct deposit.
IPSOS
IPSOS is another global firm specializing in research and customer service quality. In the United States, IPSOS (found under the URL: ISHOPFORIPSOS) regularly offers mystery shopping freelance jobs through two separate portals. The Shopmetrics portal offers shops for a credit card company, several grocery stores, several technology hardware developers, and some airlines as well as other stores.
The Sassie portal releases jobs through their Presto Insta-Shop smartphone app. Sassie shops focus on retail as well as tobacco companies, and cable companies. There is no cost to register as an IPSOS mystery shopper, but all applicants must provide a valid address, phone number, and social security number for future payment as wages are reported to the IRS if the freelancer makes more than $600 per year.
Once registered, users can search available jobs at either of the ISHOPFORIPSOS shopper portals. Unlike Marketforce, there is no auto-assignment of jobs to the freelancers. IPSOS does email users who opt-in with newly listed shops. IPSOS also pays reimbursement for expenses as well as a fee for each assignment, but these vary between different types of shops. Note that the contractors potential income as well as reimbursement amounts are clearly listed in the description, and these can be viewed prior to accepting any shop. IPSOS has two great smartphone apps that allow users to submit mystery shop results on the go.
Shopping income for the contractor normally run from $8.00 to $14.00, but sometimes a shop with an urgent deadline brings in $25.00 per job. Shop types include in person visits, calls, emails, chats, and audits. IPSOS issues payments on the first and the fifteenth of each month. These biweekly payments are issued directly to your registered Paypal or Venmo account with other lenders and banks also available upon request. This eliminates the need to register a bank account.
Observa
This is an app that can be used to find mystery shopping jobs or offers. It is free to use and sign up for and the company has been operating since 2016. They partner with major local and national retail chains, grocery stores, big box retailers and others including Wal-Mart and Sams Club.
While the offers come and go for a mystery shopping job, for those who sign up and are qualified, they can make on average $7 to $10 for completing a job at the local store. It is a shopping type job in which you may need to take pictures, test the customer service experience, shop for an item at the store, etc. You will be paid for the feedback and review of the shopping experience.
There are time limits on the Observa offers and they are first come and served. In general, up to 2 hours are allowed for the job. In general, the money is paid out to the “shopper” by applications such as PayPal or Square.
SecretShopper
SecretShopper provides "premier mystery shopping services delivered world-wide." Signup is for this legitimate, top paying company is free, but applicants need to provide personal information. It is similar to every other provider listed her as well. SecretShopper does not require a social security or EIN number until an independent contractor reaches a taxable amount.
SecretShopper clients vary more than some of the other firms mentioned. Shoppers can expect to find opportunities for mystery shops at boutique clothing stores, cable company payment processing locations, and several major retail brands including more high end type stores. SecretShopper releases the majority of their shops at the beginning of each month. The more job a contractor has successfully completed, the greater flexibility a contractor has to pick and choose their future jobs as well. Payment is made via check, mailed on the 20th of each month for any work completed the previous month.
AthPower Consulting
AthPower Consulting is a US based provider of research and customer solutions. All of the gig workers/freelancers hired will be based in North America. While signup is free, expect to provide demographic information, your social security number, and some employment history for a potential background check that may be done by this employer. Since they deal with lenders and finance companies, some seniors citizens or retirees with extensive employment history are often a great fit.
AthPower Consulting specializes in the banking and credit card industry as well as financial companies, and many partner clients of this mystery shopping company will involve opening or closing these types of financial accounts or meeting with representatives about loans as well as investments. If the financial industry is of interest to you, AthPower Consulting is definitely a firm to consider registering with. It is even a great educational experience. Keep in mind, people who work in a specific industry are rarely allowed to mystery shop that industry.
Independent contractors access the list of available jobs through the AthPower website. The jobs are usually listed geographically based on the registered zip code as well as industry. But, contractors as well as freelance gig workers can also reset the search criteria in situations where they may be traveling to other areas.
AthPower clients pay between $15.00 and $250.00, so the amount of income is much higher. Higher paying shops are much more involved, and may require applicants to speak multiple languages. Payment occurs via a separate billing site, from which funds are immediately transferred into a mystery shopper's bank account.
Cancelling Shops
No mystery shopping firms like you to cancel jobs that you take, and each one addresses regular cancellations in its own way. SecretShopper tells its freelance employees that excessive rescheduling or cancellations can jeopardize your shopper status and affect your ability to self-assign future jobs. IPSOS urges mystery shoppers to contact their scheduler if something prevents them from completing shops within the specific date and time range. Shoppers that cancel scheduled shops often are likely to have their access to new mystery shopping jobs limited, and they may also have their pay docked as well. Be sure to check each firm for its cancellation policy.
Becoming a Certified Mystery Shopper for Even Higher Earnings
If mystery shopping is a skill you want to develop, certification is available through the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA). This can lead to a higher potential salary as well as more potential higher paying jobs. All of the firms above are members of the MSPA as are many others. Interested shoppers can find a complete list of mystery shopping firms at the association's website.
Through MSPA, independent Contractors can get general certifications in the basics of mystery shopping. Shoppers can also become certified in specific industries, including banking and finance, fine dining, healthcare, travel, and retail. Shoppers can also become certified in the skills of professional report writing and video shops. Certifications cost between $45.00 and $120.00, which can be challenging to pay, especially for a lower income family. But certified contractors have increased access to more mystery shopping positions and, often, higher paying shops.
Free, Easy, Enjoyable, and Profitable!
Mystery shopping is easy, enjoyable, and a great way to make extra income. Anyone can do it, no matter age, education, or ethnicity. In fact, may mystery shopping companies want immigrants and foreign born people for certain positions.
Sign-up for these free and legitimate companies is simple, and most firms are always looking to expand their list of independent contractors as well as freelance gig workers. Beginning with these trusted, verified companies will help you avoid the scam of aggregate companies that charge instead of paying mystery shoppers.
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