Monday, December 2nd
2024 Mystery Shopping Company Reviews
Shopper's View
- Pay between $20 to $50 per job
- Payment through PayPal
- Make a free account by answering quick questions
- "A+” rating from the BBB
Shopper's View has been around for 25 years. With a focus on supporting mystery shoppers and contractors, Shopper's View promises that they offer the best tools to succeed as a mystery shopper. You can sign up to work on several job types including audits, competitive intelligence, mystery shopping, customer satisfaction surveys, and online review management. As a mystery shopper for Shopper's View, you'll be able to choose between in-person evaluation and telephone shops. Shopper's View is located in Grand Rapids, MI, and recommends using companies registered with the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) (though it doesn't appear that Shopper's View itself is registered).
Not many jobs around the US
To see the jobs offered at Shopper's View, you'll have to make an account on the platform. The process is simple: after just two quick questions and filling out a demographic form, you'll be signed up for Shopper's View. However, once we finished the process, we ran into a snag. There were no jobs available within 30 miles of our area. We had to extend the search area to 999 miles (the maximum) to see any jobs posted on Shopper's View. Some jobs were located in Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, and Texas, but outside of that, the options were limited. There were zero jobs in our state or states near us.
Old-fashioned and lacks user-friendliness
We have a few concerns about how updated the Shopper's View site is (or, more accurately, isn't...). Overall, the user interface is difficult and feels clunky and outdated. On the extended demographic information page, we were asked about our banking, our mobile phones, and other personal details. Included in this list were items and branches that no longer exist. For example, the Southern bank SunTrust is out of business, but was included on the list. Windows phones (which are no longer sold) are also included. This, plus the limited number of jobs around the US, raises questions about how up-to-date this mystery shopping job board is.
Helpful details at a glance
If you can find a shop that's in your area, the actual listings are pretty detailed. You'll be able to see the type of business, the location, the payment, and how far away it is from your location at a glance. The site also shows which jobs you're pre-qualified for and can assign yourself to. If you expand the listings, you'll get a brief from the "shop comments” which gives you basic instructions on your task. For example, one shop available for a bank in Hastings, MI asks that you enter the business and inquire about opening an account. You must ask about an account you do not already own if you use that establishment already. The shop brief states that you would receive further guidelines after that if you're assigned.
Payment from $20 to $50 per job
Shopper's View only pays out through PayPal, so, if you don't have a PayPal account yet, you'll need to grab one ASAP. When you sign up, your PayPal email and the one you use to join Shopper's View must match for you to receive payments. If the emails don't match, you may need to make a new account (or risk not getting paid for your work). Shopper's View pays out once per month, and while browsing available jobs, we found that the fees ranged from $20 to $50 on average, which is much higher than many competitors.
No extra applications
There were no shops listed on the job board that required any additional application to get assigned. All of the shops that were listed were "self-assign," making it simple to jump right into working if you're in the area. However, most of the jobs are in-person opportunities, so if you don't live near the locations, many of the opportunities at Shopper's View will be unavailable.
Not many recent reviews
Currently, Shopper's View has a solid "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau, and while the ratings are decent on third-party job boards (like Indeed), we learned something interesting from the reviewers: it seems like Shopper's View's mystery shopping department was sold to another company, which severely downscaled the endeavor. This makes a lot of sense seeing how there were so few jobs available around the US. While there isn't any mention of this on the Shopper's View website, the lack of updates on the contractor portal seems to speak to the possibility that Shopper's View has changed management. On other third-party review sites, there are a handful of negative reviews, but most reviews are from over 10 years ago, so it's unclear if they are relevant for modern mystery shoppers at Shopper's View.
Pick a place that offers more jobs
Considering the lack of jobs on Shopper's View, the reviews are almost a moot point. If you can't work, then the site isn't going to work for you. Unless you're located in Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee, or Ohio, you'll find the jobs are pretty slim pickings. While the pay is higher than average, it seems like this site might be slowly going out of style whether due to new management or just being a bit old-fashioned. Either way, you're better off checking out a mystery shopping job board with more to offer.
More Mystery Shopping Company Reviews
The 10 Best Mystery Shopping Companies
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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