Show me the money!
Hey, I would like to think our mystery shoppers are altruistic and interested in bettering the levels of service that all customers receive, but the fact is: they all do it for the money, too!
A general rule of thumb that we use is that we pay our secret shoppers at a rate of $40 to $60 per hour, depending on the complexity of the assignment. (Just as with any other job, you don’t generally start out at the highest level of pay…) That being said, it’s important to understand that we go on the presumption that the jobs are next to each other. For instance, a job that takes 10 minutes, may pay $10.
Another consideration is what you, the secret shopper, gets out of the shop. For instance, if you receive a full meal for four people, there most likely won’t be any additional compensation in addition to the reimbursement of the purchase.
Mystery shopping is best considered a part-time job. While there are a few secret shoppers that make a full-time effort, it is a lot of work and travel to do so. On the other hand, taking a few moments out of an already scheduled trip to the mall or enjoying a dinner for free is a great way to enjoy the perks of mystery shopping.
