Mystery Shopper Companies - What You Need to Avoid

While most mystery shopping companies have solid reputations, there are a few that don’t. The mystery shopping industry has skyrocketed with the consumer demand constantly on the rise; there are over 400 mystery shopper companies within the US alone. The best mystery shopping companies will have the customer’s interests at the top of mind and will ensure that there mystery shopper experiences provide true value. Over the past few years, the amount of mystery shopper companies has grown over 11% per year, making this industry sector a $600 million per year business.

While it may seem self explanatory of what factors you would want to take into consideration when choosing mystery shopper companies to partner with, we wanted to outline a few specific details to help you to make your selection. Unfortunately, just like in almost every business type today, there are a few bad businesses that make the rest of the industry look bad. So, when you are looking for mystery shopper companies to partner with, keep this in mind.

The most common issue that pertains to some mystery shopper companies is the issuance of fraudulent payments. This is most commonly done by using classifieds to find individuals willing to work, offering to pay them quickly, offering a cashier’s check or some other fraudulent payment and requesting an immediate forward of cash to a foreign address.

For handling, the shopper is told he/she would keep a percentage of the check. However, once the check is cashed, the shopper is advised within a few days by the bank that it bounced, leaving him/her with serious financial issues that could be as much as $5,000! One company, GFK Custom Research, explains through their North America’s marketing communication department that they are taking this personal, working to get the word out about this horrific crime. GFK is among a list of top mystery shopper companies and they do not want their reputation smeared.

While there are some bad companies out there, there are many more great ones to consider partnering with. The true dedication of the best mystery shopper companies is to provide the highest quality customer service and the most valuable information for the clients that are served.

Some of the tips provided by the executive director of MSPA include never paying a fee, even a small one, to become a mystery shopper. If you are asked for anything more than $10, red flags should be raised. The real, mystery shopper companies are happy to hire on quality shoppers free. Additionally, mystery shopping companies that make a promise to pay for services using money transfer or some type of check cashing service, run! As with GFK, the professionals at MSPA have worked diligently in building their 200-member base company, servicing the world and they will work just as hard to stop fraudulent attempts on customers and shoppers alike.