Mystery shopping companies are always looking for freelance mystery shoppers. But how do you select the right agency for you?

Mystery shopping companies need field mystery shoppers to complete the work for them. The work is on a self-employed basis so in-effect, you’re your own boss.

You will be able to choose the work you want to do, working around the hours that work best for you. Mystery shopping assignments can be selected based around your personal circumstances and you can choose how far you want to travel. However, the more flexible you are the better the opportunities available to you. Planning and competing the assignments that are the most cost effective, can generate a good annual income.

Video Mystery Shopping – This kind of work requires an upfront investment in specialist camera equipment, but this is the same as most other self-employed roles. There is always an element of investment in equipment, whether you’re a window cleaner, gardener, or a video mystery shopper. You will soon get a return on your investment as there are a number of companies that will be happy to provide you with work.

What to look for when selecting an agency to work with:

• Try and work with a small number of companies, that way you can plan your routes and maximise your earning potential in a day, by covering a particular area.
• Select a company based on when they pay. Some companies take a long time to pay, some pay at the end of the following month for work completed the month before. Some companies’ pay sooner, which can be within ten days of the following month for work completed the previous month – Ask how long you have to wait to get paid.
• Create a relationship with the mystery shopping agency that you chose to contract to. Like all industries, some agencies are easy to deal with and some are not so easy to deal with. Like many industry sectors, there are always a selection of people that have at some stage, been unhappy with something. Look through this, form you own opinions and look for the positive comments. – Ask to see comments from current contractors, ask if you can talk to a current contractor.
• Some mystery shopping companies have a mobile app which makes completing assignment far more efficient, as you can complete the
• reports directly on your phone after the visit. This saves a lot of time – Ask if a mobile App is available and will it work on your smart phone.
• Fees are important. Some mystery shopping companies pay more than others. Some agencies have large offices and a big infrastructure; this incurs large costs, resulting in lower fee payments per assignment. Some mystery shopping companies operate on a leaner basis and can pay better fees per job – Ask for their fee structure and how much you can earn in a day.
• Some mystery shopping companies offer a range of customer experience assignments. So, if you don’t want to travel every day, you can split your week with some fieldwork and some days working from home on other projects. – Ask about what range and types of work will be available to you.