Monday, December 2nd
2024 Mystery Shopping Company Reviews
BestMark
- $5 to $20 per job
- Payment through PayPal, direct deposit, or gift card
- Make a free account by answering quick questions
- Detailed tips about the process
- Online shopper opportunities
- Accredited by the MSPA
- "A+” rating and accreditation from the BBB
BestMark was one of the first and largest mystery shopping companies out there. Founded in 1986, this provider offers positions for independent contractors that include mystery shoppers, intercept interviewers who talk to customers when they exit retail locations, and compliance auditors who check a location's adherence to regulation guidelines. BestMark has been an Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) Elite member since 2020, and promises a trustworthy and accredited experience; however, job boards and reviews may suggest otherwise.
Joining to see the job boards
BestMark works with Fortune 500, 100, and 50 companies across an impressive range of industries. They currently work with over 600,000 independent contractors across the United States and Canada. At the time of this review, BestMark's options included Mystery Shopping, Exit Interviewing, and Compliance Audits. The jobs are visible once you make an account and apply. The application includes questions about your ethnicity, location, previous jobs, and more. Then, you'll be asked to sign an independent contractor agreement. Before you can see shops, you'll be asked some questions on your profile that include interest in products or skills that might be useful for some mystery shopping gigs. You can decline to go to shops that require you to buy tobacco or alcohol products if you prefer. You can choose to go in person to shops or complete fully online evaluations.
Not as many local opportunities
Once you have an account, you can easily start browsing job boards. At the time of our review, we already had four jobs (known as shops) available as soon as we signed up. Each shop will show whether you can request to be assigned (with a yellow ticket) or if you can immediately assign yourself to the shop (orange ticket). The most popular jobs for our test profile were car wash jobs. The jobs include locations up to 100 miles away (there were far fewer jobs locally) and they need to be completed within the next 30 days.
Extremely detailed instructions for each shop
The shop listings are very detailed. When you click on a shop you're interested in, you'll see an overview, which details anything that might disqualify you from the job. For example, in one of the car wash jobs we checked out, mystery shoppers who were Caliber Car Wash members would be disqualified. The rest of the overview includes step-by-step instructions on what car wash to buy, how to pay, what photos are needed to complete the shop, and who is allowed to accompany you. The job details also cover how much you will be reimbursed and what the separate payment details are.
Payment from $5 to $20 per job
BestMark offers payment through three methods. PayPal is the most popular, but you can also select direct deposit, for money directly into your chosen bank account. The third option is a gift card, though the site does not say how this will be delivered. You will likely receive it in the mail at the address you provided when signing up. BestMark states that their pay range generally falls between $7 to $20; however, of the jobs we saw, the payment ranged from $5 to $10 per job with reimbursement up to $30 on all of them. According to third-party job boards, the average weekly pay in the US for BestMark is $490, but this depends on job availability and your location.
Difficulties getting paid
BestMark holds an impressive "A+” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau. However, the good news stops there. According to third-party review sites and job boards, working as a mystery shopper at BestMark may not be the best experience. Former and current mystery shoppers on Indeed state that there are frequent issues with payments being processed promptly. Other contractors had difficulties getting jobs in the first place, even when submitting for every job on their list. While some mystery shoppers are impressed by how easy the jobs are themselves, many agree that getting your payment from BestMark can be difficult and frustrating.
Not the best and missing the mark
While we love the detailed job boards and the easy signup process, the concerns about payment are hard to ignore. With payments ranging lower than other sites we've seen, and the possibility that BestMark won't send you that payment when it's time, we're reluctant to recommend you start your mystery shopping career with this company. At the end of the day, there are much more reliable sites that regularly pay their contractors.
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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.
Mystery Shopping Company FAQ
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!).
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