I’d recommend visiting the
Mystery Shopping Providers Association website, and checking out the
Volition forum. It’s difficult to suggest companies as the spectrum of industries and clients shopped is vast, and varies geographically. These 2 websites will get you started.
As for how much you make, you’d be working as an independent contractor (this will have tax implications), not an employee. Many companies/assignments require that you do NOT bring children with you on assignments. You’ll also need time to complete your detailed reports online, and time to keep careful records & ledgers. There’s a lag time between when you work & when you receive your fee/expense reimbursements…this can vary from company to company. I’ve seen turnaround as short as a week or 2, and as long as 90 days…with the rare payment sooner or later than those parameters. The assignments often require a purchase (which may be reimbursed to a set amount, and this reimbursement also has tax implications), and sometimes a return or exchange of the purchased item within set parameters. You’ll have to pay for these out of pocket. Restaurant visits & such will be paid out of pocket and reimbursed according to the job detail (which you have to agree to when you accept the assignment)…this may be a fixed amount, or there may be required menu items.
The assignments require careful attention to detail and even more careful attention to instructions…if you don’t ask the questions you’re supposed to ask, or if you forget to get a name or a wait time or other important detail…or if you fudge things & a video tape contradicts your report (the companies do compare them), your report will be challenged and you may forfeit your fee (and jeopardize future assignments).
On the plus side, you generally can schedule in advance and be somewhat flexible (though company schedulers will not be happy if you regularly need to change your booking…they deal with thousands of assignments a day - think Air Traffic Control). Your income will be specified up front. You can take as little or as much work as you want/can handle. You might see/do things that you ordinarily wouldn’t (like dining at a fancier restaurant, or getting a membership to an aquarium, or a night out bowling or at a movie), and be paid for it. And if you do a good job, are reliable, and write detailed reports using correct grammar & spelling, the schedulers will start looking for you for better assignments since you have a good track record.
Good luck!
