Friday, August 12th
2022 Mystery Shopping Company Reviews
Second To None
- Over 500,000 mystery shoppers throughout the US and Canada
- "A+" rated and accredited by the BBB
- In business for over 30 years
- Payments made via PayPal or direct deposit
- Shops can be requested and reports completed through ShopperHub mobile app
With over 500,000 mystery shoppers on their team, Michigan-based Second To None is one of the largest and most experienced companies in the business. Some of the biggest names in Second To None's client list include Starbucks, Under Armour, BP, and Citi.
Activate your account to see jobs
You'll need to create a free shopper account as your first step in working with Second To None. Select a username, enter your address and other personal information, and then read through the Independent Contractor Agreement. You'll have to activate your shopper account through the confirmation email sent by STN in order to continue.
Handy mobile app
One route you can take to apply to be a mystery shopper for Second To None is through their ShopperHub mobile app. That's also what you can use once you've been accepted as a contractor to find assignments near you, sign up for the jobs you want, and submit your reports.
Check out past and current jobs via social media posts
Feel free to check out Second To None's social media channels for extra insights into the kinds of mystery shops they offer. In the weeks prior to this review, assignments featured on their accounts included Krispy Kreme, several banks (both regional and nationwide), and BP gas stations.
Mystery shopping jobs
Some of Second To None's mystery shopping opportunites include Retail/E-commerce, Restaurants, Financial Services, Healthcare, Consumer Products/Services, Grocery, Fast Casual Dining, Gas Stations, and Convenience stores.
Most mystery shoppers are happy here
What do mystery shoppers think about working for Second To None? Most of them say it's a good overall experience. Getting paid via direct deposit or PayPal and having a mobile app for submitting jobs are two big perks that get praise from STN's contractors. Some shoppers have a hard time finding jobs in their area, and not everyone loves the ShopperHub app (because they say it's glitchy and sometimes freezes up while submitting a report). This mystery shopping company has an "A+" and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau and is a member of the MSPA, so there's no concern over their reputation.
Good improvements since last evaluation
We've bumped up the rating for Second To None since our last review. They've made it much easier to see how they work, particularly through their ShopperHub app, and the company continues to get favorable reviews from mystery shoppers who have been part of their team for years. We'd like to see STN allow prospective shoppers the ability to see available assignments in their area without having to jump through the email confirmation step, but that's a minor flaw. Overall, Second To None is a mystery shopping company that should be on your list to consider.
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Where Should You Sign Up as a Mystery Shopper?
In today's economy, everyone's got a side hustle, from making crafts to sell on Etsy to delivering people's takeout meals. What if you could get paid to eat at your favorite restaurant, get your oil changed, or scope out the newest coffee shop in town? That's what hundreds of thousands of mystery shoppers have been doing - for decades.
This is no "here today, gone tomorrow" gig: companies have relied on the intel gathered by mystery shoppers to get first-hand perspective on their signage, customer service experience, product quality and more. What does it take to be a "secret shopper" ? Attention to detail is crucial: some evaluations may have just a few aspects to track (like cleanliness of an entryway and a particular ad's signage), but others require more.
Mystery Shopping Company FAQ
Continued from above...
For example, some mystery shopping programs require you to keep track of specific times and names of salespeople while discreetly snapping photos and not blowing your cover as an everyday customer. And yes, a little bit of acting skills can go a long way when doing a mystery shop, since you may have to pretend to be very interested in that new cell phone plan, hot menu item, or fancy new construction home. Other than that, as long as you look at mystery shopping as a fun way to make some money and not as a career, you should have no trouble succeeding as an evaluator.
A word of caution: mystery shopping companies' names are often used to target victims in money laundering scams. Most of today's secret shopping platforms make payments via PayPal, and never in advance of doing a shop; you won't be "invited" to be a mystery shopper with a $1900 cashier's check in the mail. If you receive anything like that, you should contact the company through the toll-free number on their website and ask how they would like you to go about reporting it to the authorities (such as the Federal Trade Commission or the police department). And, whatever you do, DON'T CASH THAT CHECK.
It's also important to realize that you should never be asked to pay to be a mystery shopper. In the past, some less-than-reputable websites have offered to "unlock the secrets" of mystery shopping for a membership fee or one-time payment - when in reality, all you get is a list of secret shopper companies (like the ones we've evaluated here, for free).
Enough about the tricky stuff: let's move on to choosing a mystery shopping company to get you started. Here are several factors to help you pick where to begin:
- Upfront Information: How much does the company tell you before you fill out an application? The best mystery shopping services give you a lot of information to consider first, usually through FAQs, videos, or even screenshots of their shopper apps.
- Ability to See Available Shops: How much personal information do you have to give the company before you can see what shops they have in your area? Some applications require everything from your Social Security Number to your height and weight, while others will let you in with just a name, address, and email (though you'll have to complete your profile before you can be assigned to a shop). We appreciate mystery shopping companies who post some of their current shop openings on social media as well.
- Shops Near You: the most amazing mystery shopping companies around won't be of any use to you if they don't have assignments where you live (or work, or travel, or - you get the idea).
- Payment: how often will you get paid and in what way? Most companies today use PayPal, so if you're unwilling or unable to create an account there, you'll have to look for a service that also offers direct deposit or traditional paper checks. The usual payment timeframe is the middle of the month following your completed shops; a small number of mystery shopping companies pay more quickly (within two weeks) and more frequently (twice a month).
- Reputation: the most reputable mystery shopping companies are part of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) and will proudly display that membership badge on their site. Also check to see if they've been rated by the Better Business Bureau, how long they've been in
TopConsumerReviews.com has sorted through today's most popular mystery shopping programs, to give you the information you need to get started on your new side gig. We hope this helps you choose a company that's the right fit for you. Have fun being a "secret shopper" !
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