Mystery Shopping - Anyone Do This?
Jul 29, 2016, 9:06 am
#31
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: DTW
Programs: Hhonors Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 435
I've done many different types of mystery shops at hotels, restaurants, retail, banks, on the phone, auto service and other scenarios. As long as you are prompt and stick to the guidelines, you'll get paid and reimbursed. It's a great way to make some extra money and points by using your credit cards, but you won't make a living doing this, at least not a good one.
Jul 30, 2016, 5:45 pm
#34
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: New England
Programs: American Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,638
Grocery stores generally mystery shop internally. As a non-customer-facing administrative employee, they've sent me as a mystery shopper at other locations within my company. I didn't get paid for anything beyond my regular wages and travel mileage reimbursement, and I didn't get to keep anything I shopped for (the items were added to my location's inventory and put on the shelf if it's a non-perishable product). I just had to fill out a short survey which gets submitted to the district manager.
Jul 30, 2016, 6:38 pm
#35
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Chicago
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, IHG (Platinum Elite), Amtrak Guest Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors
Posts: 636
Market Force has (at least last time I checked they did) grocery store mystery shops; i didn't do them because they were too far from where I live and I didn't want to trek all the way there, so I don't know how they do reimbursements, but it is possible.
I've only had one report denied and it's because i had a super crappy photo (it was right before I got a new phone and my old one's camera had completely given out, so I knew I was taking a risk).
I've only had one report denied and it's because i had a super crappy photo (it was right before I got a new phone and my old one's camera had completely given out, so I knew I was taking a risk).
Aug 3, 2016, 10:07 pm
#38
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: LAX
Posts: 16
Check out the iSecretShop app. They have a lot of restaurant and alcohol compliance shops. The restaurant shops are great--usually require two entrees, an app or dessert, and an alcoholic beverage. Nice to get a ~$50 meal for free, plus a cash bonus.
Publix (grocery store in the south) used to have a lot of $17 grocery shops. Those were nice. Forgot which company that was.
Publix (grocery store in the south) used to have a lot of $17 grocery shops. Those were nice. Forgot which company that was.
Aug 4, 2016, 4:48 am
#39
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 51,030
I just received 2 checks yesterday from mystery shopping companies. One was for a meal, one for retail visits. I'm waiting on a nice chunk from another company via PayPal, later this month. 
Aug 4, 2016, 2:13 pm
#40
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Chicago
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, IHG (Platinum Elite), Amtrak Guest Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors
Posts: 636
Check out the iSecretShop app. They have a lot of restaurant and alcohol compliance shops. The restaurant shops are great--usually require two entrees, an app or dessert, and an alcoholic beverage. Nice to get a ~$50 meal for free, plus a cash bonus.
Publix (grocery store in the south) used to have a lot of $17 grocery shops. Those were nice. Forgot which company that was.
Publix (grocery store in the south) used to have a lot of $17 grocery shops. Those were nice. Forgot which company that was.
Aug 5, 2016, 4:02 pm
#41
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: New England
Programs: American Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,638
I just signed up for isecretshop as well. Read the reviews in the app store. This app aggregates a lot of small companies that do secrete shopping, and some of the reviews seem to state that some of these companies are less than honest, so be careful!
Aug 6, 2016, 8:17 pm
#42
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Redondo Beach, Ca
Posts: 30,711
I used to do a lot of mystery shopping...restaurants, retail, apartment rentals, movie theaters, etc.
Yeah, you get some free meals (the best was $150 lunch at Neiman Marcus) and some other freebies but it can also be a lot of work. Some of them have a minimum number of words for the narrative part of the report & can take a few hours to complete. The apartment ones were also lengthy. Too much of a time suck with too little in return IMO.
Yeah, you get some free meals (the best was $150 lunch at Neiman Marcus) and some other freebies but it can also be a lot of work. Some of them have a minimum number of words for the narrative part of the report & can take a few hours to complete. The apartment ones were also lengthy. Too much of a time suck with too little in return IMO.
Aug 7, 2016, 3:39 am
#43
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,815
I used to do mystery shops at the Cheesecake Factory until MysterGuest went out of business. Boy, do I miss my free monthly meals there. This were easy direct reports.
Coyle has great shops, but they take your guts out writing the evaluations. One dinner took me 4 (sorry four as they want the number written out) back and forth editings from them before it was accepted. Not worth the effort.
I have been getting paid to have my oil changed for the past 3 years with Bestmark. Since I use synthetic that's $75 plus the $40 for my time. Just wish they had more restaurant shops near me.
Coyle has great shops, but they take your guts out writing the evaluations. One dinner took me 4 (sorry four as they want the number written out) back and forth editings from them before it was accepted. Not worth the effort.
I have been getting paid to have my oil changed for the past 3 years with Bestmark. Since I use synthetic that's $75 plus the $40 for my time. Just wish they had more restaurant shops near me.
Aug 7, 2016, 12:22 pm
#45
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Redondo Beach, Ca
Posts: 30,711
I used to do mystery shops at the Cheesecake Factory until MysterGuest went out of business. Boy, do I miss my free monthly meals there. This were easy direct reports.
Coyle has great shops, but they take your guts out writing the evaluations. One dinner took me 4 (sorry four as they want the number written out) back and forth editings from them before it was accepted. Not worth the effort.
I have been getting paid to have my oil changed for the past 3 years with Bestmark. Since I use synthetic that's $75 plus the $40 for my time. Just wish they had more restaurant shops near me.
Coyle has great shops, but they take your guts out writing the evaluations. One dinner took me 4 (sorry four as they want the number written out) back and forth editings from them before it was accepted. Not worth the effort.
I have been getting paid to have my oil changed for the past 3 years with Bestmark. Since I use synthetic that's $75 plus the $40 for my time. Just wish they had more restaurant shops near me.