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Secret Shopper vs IntelliShop

Saturday, November 2nd

2024 Mystery Shopping Company Reviews

Secret Shopper Review 4.5 Star Rating

Secret Shopper

4.5 Star Rating
  • Pay from $10 to $120 per job
  • Monthly payment through direct deposit or check
  • Make a free account by answering quick questions
  • Tons of local opportunities
  • High-payment opportunities
  • Mobile app available
  • Routing for multiple shops per day
  • "A+” rating and accreditation from the BBB

Secret Shopper has been a trusted platform for over 30 years and offers flexible mystery shopping opportunities around the world. You can explore a variety of jobs for dining, retail, and travel with payments ranging up to $120 per gig. Although Secret Shopper lacks MSPA accreditation, Secret Shopper holds an "A+” from the BBB. With its highly organized job boards and higher-than-average payments, Secret Shopper is a great spot to start mystery shopping.

IntelliShop Review 4 Star Rating

IntelliShop

4 Star Rating
  • $6 to $20 per job
  • Monthly payment through PayPal
  • Make a free account by answering quick questions
  • Detailed tips about each job
  • Travel shopper opportunities
  • Accredited by the MSPA
  • "A+” rating and accreditation from the BBB

IntelliShop is a trusted mystery shopping site with a user-friendly platform. Jobs are updated monthly and include unique opportunities like travel and luxury hotels. The site is praised by mystery shoppers for its ease of use and reliable payment schedule. With an "A+” rating from the BBB, IntelliShop is a solid choice for anyone looking to make some extra money with mystery shopping.

Where is the Best Place to Start Mystery Shopping?

Ever wonder how different companies check that their stores are running the way they should? While most of us immediately think of watching Undercover Boss, many businesses actually choose to use mystery shoppers. Mystery shopping is a particular job where normal people like you are hired by a variety of different companies to get in-person, real-time data on what's happening inside local stores or restaurants.

As a form of market research, mystery shoppers visit brick-and-mortar businesses to check out things like customer service quality, cleanliness, and the overall shopping experience at a particular store. Sound like something you would enjoy? It's easier to make mystery shopping your next side hustle than you'd think.

The Best Mystery Shopping Companies Compare Mystery Shopping Companies Compare Mystery Shopping Company Reviews What are the best Mystery Shopping Companies Best Mystery Shopping Company Reviews

Mystery Shopping Company FAQ

Mystery shopping, sometimes referred to as "secret shopping”, is the way that many businesses get information about how their stores, offices or locations are doing with respect to customer service. Are the employees friendly? Are the proper signs displayed for a holiday promotion? Companies contract with mystery shopping providers that send in "secret shoppers”, who pretend to be there as a regular customer but are actually taking notes on their experience. Does that sound like fun? It is!
There's really no limit to the types of "mystery shops” you might have the chance to complete. You could visit a restaurant and place a specific order, go to a movie theater and see how clean the restrooms are, or even ship a package at the post office. Some mystery shops require you to buy a product and return it later, to evaluate how well the employee handles the transaction on both ends.
You'll get a lengthy series of instructions for each mystery shop assigned to you. In order to get paid, you'll need to follow those details to the letter. Common requirements are noting the time it takes to be approached by a salesperson, how long you wait in line to ring up your purchase, or the number of customers present at a particular time of day. You might also be asked to take photos or video (as surreptitiously as possible!).
It shouldn't! Reputable mystery shopping services allow you to register as an independent contractor at no cost to you. If you see a website that asks you to pay to become a secret shopper, you'll know it's not on the up-and-up. In fact, they're probably just going to give you a list of the real mystery shopping companies that you could have signed up for without their help!
That varies widely. Some shops only pay you a small amount of money, because you get to keep the product (or eat the meal, or see the movie, etc.). If a shop is high-priority - because it's time-sensitive, or maybe another shopper cancelled at the last minute - you could get a bonus payment. It's unlikely you'll make a living as a mystery shopper, but it could put some spending money in your pockets, give you a free date night, or provide you with some fun merchandise at no cost.
Yes, most of the time. Mystery shopping is always done on a 1099 (independent contractor) basis, and most providers understand that their secret shoppers will be working with more than one service at a time. But, during the sign-up process, be sure to read all of the requirements of the company where you're applying, just to make sure there aren't any non-compete clauses that would prohibit you from working for a rival service.
You want to avoid that happening at all costs! Think of mystery shopping as an acting role: you're not really "you”, but rather someone that could be an everyday customer at the store. If you're outed as a mystery shopper before you've finished gathering the required information, it could invalidate the entire job - and you won't get paid.
While there are absolutely some scammy services and sites out there, who just want to get your money in exchange for a list of mystery shopping opportunities, the industry itself is absolutely legitimate - and used by most of the big-name corporations you know to gather insights on their many locations nationwide. There's even a certification process you can participate in, which may boost your chances of being accepted by a mystery shopping provider and then landing more shops. Check to see if a mystery shopping company is a member of the MSPA (Mystery Shopping Professionals Association) before you register: it's a good sign that you've chosen a trustworthy, established service to start your adventure as a secret shopper!
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Continued from above...

You'll need good written and verbal communication skills to help you tell the higher-ups what's going on when you're browsing, but otherwise, as long as you're curious and are ready to use your great attention to detail, mystery shopping will be a great fit for you. The best part? Making purchases is usually part of the deal, so whether you're reviewing a car wash or a luxury hotel, you'll typically get reimbursed for necessary purchases. Plus, you get paid on top of that.

Here's how it works. Generally, you'll get hired through a third-party provider that will post opportunities to evaluate stores and chains near you. (Helpful hint: legit mystery shopping companies will be approved and accredited by the Mystery Shopping Providers Association.) Once a company approves your application, you'll be able to choose an assignment to start shopping.

You'll find restaurants, beauty salons, car maintenance shops, banks, makeup stores, and movie theaters (among many other stores) on the mystery shopper lists. Plus, many jobs let you do hotel stays or airline reviews, so you can travel without spending a dime. If you're someone who likes to explore your local area, try new things, and shop, shop, shop, you'll want to check out mystery shopping as your next side hustle.

The mystery shopping jobs (called "shops” in the biz) are usually listed on a job board on the particular website you work with. You'll be able to see the details like distance, job requirements, necessary purchases, and the reimbursement amount before you even accept the shop. Some gigs let you assign yourself (these are first-come-first-serve), and others require a little extra application to prove you're the right fit. These are usually high-quality or luxury shops that need that particular attention to detail. So if you keep up high quality services while you work, you'll be eligible for the good stuff.

But with so many places out there offering mystery shopping jobs, how can you pick the right one? If you've never applied for mystery shopping before, or you want to get a leg up on the competition, we've put together some factors that'll help you find the best fit for your shopping skills:

  • Payment. The best mystery shopping sites offer solid payment and reimbursement for your services while shopping. Stay away from companies with startup fees, as these can be illegitimate sites. Pay can range from $5 per job to over $100 per job. Finding the right balance of good pay and solid opportunities that match your interests is a great way to pick between similar companies.
  • Number of jobs. Hey, if you can't work, it's not worth it. Make sure the mystery shopping job site you choose offers a range of jobs in your area, so you don't feel like you need to be double-dipping or managing multiple sites to make enough to get by. Some job boards have almost nothing in some states, while others regularly offer hundreds of opportunities. When it comes to making some extra cash, having more options is always the better choice.
  • Method. In this day and age, there are multiple types of mystery shopping. You can work with a company that offers all of them or go with a company that focuses on the area you prefer most. You can pick from in-person (the standard "going in and shopping” method), telephone (where you evaluate call centers), and hybrid (often used for hotels where you would evaluate all parts of your customer experience, from making the reservation to staying overnight). There are even some online companies that have you check websites.
  • Reputation. Check out reviews from other mystery shoppers on sites like Glassdoor or Indeed. Make sure that you can trust a particular company to treat you right. Keep an eye out for sites that don't have a lot of buzz or feedback on job boards. These might not be the right fit for you. Look for services that are approved by the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA). These are always legitimate businesses. And, of course, check out the companies on the Better Business Bureau, for that extra layer of security.

To help you start making some extra cash buying the things you already love, Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked today's top mystery shopping platforms. We hope this helps you get into your next side hustle, all while enjoying the things you love (like shopping, traveling, or visiting your favorite car wash!).

Compare Mystery Shopping Companies

Select any 2 Mystery Shopping Companies to compare them head to head

best-mystery-shopping-services
  • Market Force
  • Secret Shopper
  • IntelliShop
  • Second To None
  • Mystery Shopping Service
  • About Face
  • Shopper's View
  • BestMark
  • Service Evaluation Concepts
  • Elite CXS
Market Force vs Secret Shopper Market Force vs IntelliShop Market Force vs Second To None Market Force vs Mystery Shopping Service Market Force vs About Face Market Force vs Shopper's View Market Force vs BestMark Market Force vs Service Evaluation Concepts Market Force vs Elite CXS Secret Shopper vs IntelliShop Secret Shopper vs Second To None Secret Shopper vs Mystery Shopping Service Secret Shopper vs About Face Secret Shopper vs Shopper's View Secret Shopper vs BestMark Secret Shopper vs Service Evaluation Concepts Secret Shopper vs Elite CXS IntelliShop vs Second To None IntelliShop vs Mystery Shopping Service IntelliShop vs About Face IntelliShop vs Shopper's View IntelliShop vs BestMark IntelliShop vs Service Evaluation Concepts IntelliShop vs Elite CXS Second To None vs Mystery Shopping Service Second To None vs About Face Second To None vs Shopper's View Second To None vs BestMark Second To None vs Service Evaluation Concepts Second To None vs Elite CXS Mystery Shopping Service vs About Face Mystery Shopping Service vs Shopper's View Mystery Shopping Service vs BestMark Mystery Shopping Service vs Service Evaluation Concepts Mystery Shopping Service vs Elite CXS About Face vs Shopper's View About Face vs BestMark About Face vs Service Evaluation Concepts About Face vs Elite CXS Shopper's View vs BestMark Shopper's View vs Service Evaluation Concepts Shopper's View vs Elite CXS BestMark vs Service Evaluation Concepts BestMark vs Elite CXS Service Evaluation Concepts vs Elite CXS
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