What: Mystery shopping company that hires consumers to “shop” a wide array of businesses, including retail stores, restaurants, financial services and medical concerns
Expected pay: $10 to $25 per shop (or reimbursement)
Commissions & fees: None
Where: Nationwide
Requirements: Age 18 or over; access to a computer and digital camera or scanner
Review:
PROS:
- Pay is reimbursement for your meal/experience, or a flat fee, or is made up of a flat fee, plus reimbursement
- Secret shopping is better to defray costs, rather than as a way to make a living
- Reimbursements are usually the most generous forms of payment
CONS:
- Rare to earn more than minimum wage; usually, you’re earning considerably less
- Pays once a month, on the 20th for jobs completed in the previous month
- Reserves the right to refuse payment if the report from the shopper is full of errors, delivered late, or the shopper refuses to pay
