Earning Money As a Mystery Shopper in the UK

 Mystery shopping has become a popular way for people to earn extra income in the UK. As a mystery shopper, you are paid to visit stores or restaurants and evaluate the quality of service, cleanliness, and other aspects of the experience. In this blog, we will discuss how to become a mystery shopper in the UK and the potential earnings.

How to Become a Mystery Shopper in the UK

To become a mystery shopper in the UK, you can sign up with one of many mystery shopping companies. These companies work with businesses to evaluate their customer service and experience, and they rely on mystery shoppers to provide feedback.

Some popular mystery shopping companies in the UK include Market Force, Tern, and Retail Maxim. To sign up, you will need to provide basic information about yourself and your shopping preferences. You may also need to complete a test assignment to prove your attention to detail and ability to follow instructions.

Once you are accepted as a mystery shopper, you will be offered assignments based on your location and availability. Assignments may include visiting a store, making a purchase, and reporting back on your experience. You may be paid a fee for the assignment, reimbursed for your purchase, or both.

Potential Earnings as a Mystery Shopper in the UK

The amount you can earn as a mystery shopper in the UK varies depending on the company and the assignment. Some companies offer flat fees for assignments, while others pay based on the time and effort required.

According to a report by Which?, the average pay for mystery shopping assignments in the UK is around £5-£7 per assignment, with some paying as much as £30. However, it's important to note that this is just an average, and the pay can vary widely depending on the company and the assignment.

Mystery shopping can be a great way to earn extra income in the UK, but it's important to approach it as a part-time job rather than a full-time income. Most mystery shopping companies do not offer enough assignments to support a full-time income, and the pay is generally low compared to other part-time jobs.

In conclusion, mystery shopping can be a fun and flexible way to earn extra income in the UK. By signing up with a reputable mystery shopping company and completing assignments with care, you can earn extra income while improving customer service and experience for businesses. However, it's important to manage your expectations and approach mystery shopping as a part-time job rather than a full-time income.

The Top 5 Mystery Shopping Companies In The UK

If you're interested in becoming a mystery shopper in the UK, you may be wondering which companies are the best to work with. Here are the top 5 mystery shopping companies in the UK, based on their reputation, pay rates, and available assignments:

Market Force: Market Force is one of the largest mystery shopping companies in the UK, with a wide range of assignments available in the retail, restaurant, and hospitality industries. They pay competitive rates and offer flexible scheduling options.

Tern: Tern is a UK-based mystery shopping company that works with a variety of businesses, from high-end retailers to fast food chains. They offer generous pay rates and provide detailed feedback on your assignments.

Retail Maxim: Retail Maxim is a mystery shopping company that specializes in the retail industry, with assignments available at supermarkets, department stores, and other retail locations. They offer fair pay rates and provide detailed feedback on your performance.

Grass Roots: Grass Roots is a UK-based mystery shopping company that works with a variety of businesses, including retailers, restaurants, and hotels. They offer flexible scheduling options and competitive pay rates.

GfK: GfK is a global market research company that offers mystery shopping assignments in the UK. They specialize in the retail and hospitality industries, and they offer fair pay rates and a variety of assignment types.

These are just a few of the many mystery shopping companies operating in the UK. When choosing a company to work with, it's important to do your research and read reviews from other mystery shoppers to ensure that you are working with a reputable and reliable company. With the right approach, mystery shopping can be a fun and rewarding way to earn extra income in the UK.

The top 4 ways to help you remember your mystery shop feedback

Mystery shopping can be a great way to earn a little extra money and get your hands on free meals, clothes, drinks and more. The companies that carry out mystery shopping are paying you to do the mystery shop in return for feedback on how their teams are performing. There can be a lot to remember and you can't stand in the middle of the shop and take notes - that would be a real giveaway! But thankfully there are different ways to remember the information needed and deliver a quality report for the mystery shopping company without being rumbled. Here is our guide to the top 4 ways to help you remember your mystery shop feedback.

4 - Remember the tricky bits
You will be required to gather a lot of information when it comes to a mystery shopping assignment. The fact is that some bits will stick and others just won't. When you come to filling out the report you will remember the answers to question such as -

"Was the shop clean and tidy?"

But might not remember things like-

"How long did you have to wait in the queue?"

So it can help to jot down the details that will require a bit more of your memory so you are sure you son't miss them. The more mystery shops you so in a day then the more of these tricky little details you will have to remember. You can use this tip in conjunction with the ones below to make sure you get the most from your mystery shopping experience.

3 - Changing rooms are perfect
When you need a little time out to make some notes then retiring to a changing room really works. It gives you the chance to take a look at your notes, consider of you have missed anything and write down the important parts. It allows you to step out for a minute or two and get everything down. Using the toilet is another way of giving yourself a chance to check if you have got all the details you need to be able to file a complete report for your client. Mystery shopping is an important part of how they measure and reward their staff so you need to be accurate and objective.

2 - Send a text!
Texting has become a natural part of modern life so you can send information by text to someone else while mystery shopping and not arouse suspicion. If you need to remember a full description of the person who served you then you can easily send these details in a small text so you can pick them up later and fill them out in the report.It is an easy way to collect a few bits of information but can give you away if you spend your whole time on the phone. Also check out the rules as some mystery shopping companies won' allow you to use your phone while shopping for them.

1 - Write your report as soon as you leave
As you walk out of the door from a mystery shop the information will be really fresh in your mind and this is the ideal time to get it all down. Find a comfortable place out of sight of the location and fill out the report on your paper copy there and then so you son't miss any information. This also gives you the chance to pop back in discreetly and check any information you are missing such as whether the waitress wore glasses or whether they were displaying a certain sign at the till. You need to deliver accurate information to the mystery shopping company so they can get an accurate picture of what is going on. These tips will help you to do that.

If you are thinking about becoming a mystery shopper or want to get better at mystery shopping then my book on the secrets of mystery shopping is available now. Check it out on the Amazon Kindle Store today-

6 things that you don't know about mystery shopping (yet!)

Mystery shopping is exactly what it says in the tin - large parts of it remain a mystery. There are six key things that you don't know about mystery shopping. You need to know these before you set out to be a mystery shopper-

6- It can be tough to get started

Mystery shopping companies have to look out for their clients. They only want their best shoppers working for Thor top customers. Because of this you have to start from the bottom and prove yourself. Many mystery shop companies will only allow you to do one or two jobs a month to begin with as you build up your profile. This means or can be hard to get established as a mystery shopper.

5- There can be more costs than just the purchase

Although the mystery shopping company will reimburse your purchase (up to a point) and often pay you a few there are other costs to take into account. You will need to factor in in the cost of travelling to the location and any parking costs as well. You will find that many mystery shoppers try to carry out many mystery shops in one location to minimise this cost. You will also find that your average mystery shopper is an expert on all the free places to park in their local area.

4- You are self-employed

You won't be employed by a mystery shopping company. You will be a contractor that carries out work for them on an ad hoc basis. This has the benefit that you can work for many different mystery shopping companies at once. But it also means that you are self-employed and responsible for your relationship with the tax man.

3- Mystery shopping companies do more than mystery shopping

You will find other opportunities on the job pages of your mystery shopping companies. Audits snd exit interviews are common ones that I have seen. It does give you a bit of variety if that is what you are looking for. But beware when you are selecting an assignment that you have read the notes thoroughly and you know what is expected of you.

2- Get it wrong and you may not get paid

Mystery shopping companies will only get paid if the report you produce can be sent through to their client. Make sure you read all the notes carefully so you totally understand the expectations. For example, you may be required to purchase a particular product. If you fail to carry out the assignment correctly then you may very well not get paid, and be out of pocket.

1- You have to speculate to accumulate

With mystery shopping you pay out for the required purchases but it can be some time Becker you get the reimbursement back in your bank account. Many UK mystery shopping companies pay twice a month but with others it can be up to 90 days. Factor this in when you look at becoming s mystery shopper and you won't get s y nasty surprises.

If you are thinking about becoming a mystery shopper then my Amazon Kindle book is a great pace to start. It gives great advice like that found above and also talks you through step by step the way to become a mystery shopper-

The 8 most common questions mystery shop companies ask

When  it comes to mystery shopping the forewarned is forearmed. You want to know what is expected of you when you walk through the door and start role playing the scenario you have been asked to carry out. Wherever it is that you need to carry out your mystery shop, the same questions come up time and time again. Here are the 8 most common questions mystery shop companies ask. Think about these whenever you go out shopping or mystery shopping and you will train yourself to be a top mystery shopper and earn good money-

Give the name and description of the person who served you
They want to know who they are measuring, who to reward and who perhaps needs a little extra training and support. It is vital that you know who it is you are reporting on when it comes to a mystery shop.

How many staff present?
How many customers present?
These to work together and gives the company a great idea of how busy the shop was and if they had the right staffing profile to match. It can explain delays in service if they were understaffed. This helps build the initial picture for the mystery shop.

As you browsed, were you approached?
This is a great measure of how proactive the team were on that day. The customer that is approached will have their inquiry answered and will be more likely to buy. That means more sales for the business - a key measure.

How long did you have to wait to be served?
The key service measure is waiting time at the tills. Customers leave behind their purchases, walk out and may not come back again if this time is too long. Every company wants to know that this is not happening from their mystery shops.

Could anything have been done to improve your visit?
I really like this question on a mystery shop because it goes above and beyond the simple yes/no or information collecting of other questions. It gives you a chance to add some detail and make the shop come alive.

Was the location clean?
This is another essential element to attracting and retaining customers so they really want to know what is going on here. Different mystery shopping companies have different standards here so some might just want a yes/no while others will want detail of why you feel that way.

Were you up-sold anything else?
The up-sell has become a major force in retail and hospitality over the years. By just getting each customer to buy one more thing companies can make millions of extra income. This is big business and it is much easier to sell more to your existing customers than it is to generate new ones. Mystery shop companies love to know how people have performed here.

Once you know the regular questions that mystery shop companies will ask then you can start to practice in your head whenever you go out shopping. The better you become at remembering these questions and gathering this information then the easier and more enjoyable you will find mystery shopping.

If you are interested in mystery shopping and want to find out more then my book is a great place to start. It will help you go through the process of becoming a mystery shopper step by step.

Top 5 tips on how to be a better mystery shopper

When it comes to mystery shopping we all want to get better at it. The more time you can save by becoming efficient then the more money you can earn. As far as mystery shopping companies are concerned they want you to get better too. More accurate reporting means that they don't have to get back in touch with you to clarify anything and they can get your report back to their clients as quickly as possible. Here are the top 5 ways that you can become a better mystery shopper.

5 - Use a stopwatch or smartphone to make sure your timings are accurate

The timings that you record are used to measure service times so they need to be totally accurate. In some mystery shops such as fast food outlets the timings are absolutely crucial. Make sure that you report these accurately by using s stopwatch of the stopwatch facility on your smartphone. If you don't include accurate timings then your report may be rejected and you may not get paid. Not a great thing for a mystery shopper!

4 - Think like a mystery shopper everywhere you go

I find that practice makes perfect. I think l like a mystery shopper whenever I'm out shopping or having something to eat. I look for name badges, record service times and think about the service I am being given. This all helps when it comes to the real mystery shops. Get into that frame of mind and it will help you to get better at mystery shopping!

3 - Ask the mystery shop company of there is anything you are not sure about

This is a simple rule that makes a big difference. If you read through all the mystery shop job notes and there is something you are still not sure about then ask. All mystery shopping companies have contact numbers or email addresses so you can contact them to clarify what you have to do. Never go in to a mystery shop unless you are certain you know what is required of you.

2 - Read your assignments notes thoroughly before you go

This may sound obvious but it can trip you up, especially if you are shopping a location or company that you have been to before. The notes and the questionnaire give you all the details you need when it comes to the mystery shop you have been assigned. Read the notes thoroughly at home and once again just before you go in to the location - making sure you are not seen.

It is by knowing what is expected of you when it comes to a mystery shop that you can deliver what is required.

1 - Write your reports in Word and spellcheck them before uploading and submitting

Your spelling and grammar need to be perfect when you send through your reports. The mystery shop company and the end client need to be able to read and understand what you have written.

We're not all great at these things all the time so writing in Word and using the spelling and grammar check is the top tip when it comes to getting better at being a mystery shopper.

If you are thinking of becoming a mystery shopper then my Amazon Kindle book is a great place to start. If gives a step by step guide on how to become a mystery shopper and how to get the most out of it.

The top 4 reasons to get out and mystery shop

Mystery shopping is fun. It gives you lots of things that you can benefit from. Here's the top 4 reasons to go out and mystery shop-

4 - Something to do

For some people mystery shopping is a great way of getting out of the house. It gives you the chance to travel around and visit new places. Mystery shopping got me around the area when I moved home. I credit it with me knowing so much about where I live. It took me to new towns, I found new attractions and learned about new places to eat and drink. It made a big difference to my life.

3 - The chance to meet people 

This links in to the previous thing. The mystery shopping you do will put you in contact with lots of new people. There are many people that I stand and chat to in certain shops now and I only know them from mystery shopping them several times. It's a great way to relieve loneliness and get you out and about talking to people.

2 - Free stuff

When you mystery shop there is usually a purchase that you have to make. In the vast majority of cases you get to keep whatever it is you have bought. When you mystery shop a restaurant or pub then this is a great free meal or drink! When you mystery shop in a retail outlet then you get to buy something that you might like or that would make a great gift. Clothing is a particular favourite!

1 - Money

For many people this is the reason they go out and mystery shop. On top of getting the cash to pay for whatever you buy you will also be paid a fee. Although it has to cover expenses such as fuel and parking the fees can add up - especially if you carry out a few mystery shops in the same location on the same day.

Unless you are incredibly dedicated and live somewhere that there are loads of mystery shop opportunities then you probably can't quit your day job but there is plenty of money to be earned.

If you are interested in mystery shopping then my Amazon Kindle book is a great place to find out all you need to know. It takes you through the process of becoming a mystery shopper step by step.

The top 5 UK mystery shopping companies to sign up for

My blog on mystery shopping has become more popular as time goes on and I get many questions relating to all aspects of mystery shopping. One question I am often asked is which mystery shopping companies to sign up for. I don't have a definitive answer but here are my favourite five-

5- Aba-i

Their website is a breeze to use with these guys. I love to carry out mystery shopping with aba-i because their reports are simple to follow as well. It's easy one-click answers followed by some description. This is a great place to start your mystery shopping career.

4- React Surveys

They are one of the mystery shop companies that use the Sassie system for their job search and results entering. React Surveys are really specific on what they want from you and this helps the first time mystery shopper to get up and running when they first start. Try them out.

3- Grass Roots

These are a mystery shopping company that likes to keep you informed. You get an email whenever there is a job in your area so you never miss out. Their reporting system guides you through question by question so you know exactly what is required from you. Great stuff Grass Roots!

2- Retail Active

Although they have changed their website recently (I absolutely loved the old one) Retail Active are a great mystery shopping company. They have a great range of clients and their assignments are always interesting. You get to try out your role play skills with these guys!

1- Market Force

For me these are the best mystery shopping company. You can set out your own search areas on a map and it brings up the mystery shops that match your requirements. They have a great choice of clients and the reports are easy to follow. What's more the guys on the office are brilliant too. These are a must to sign up with.

If you want to know more about mystery shopping then check out my book on the Amazon Kindle store today.

The accuracy of your preparation determines the accuracy of your report

I have a series of mystery shops over the next few days and they highlight one of the major issues that comes with mystery shopping. It relates to the clarity of what you do.

All three of my mystery shops over the next three days are in restaurants. All three of my mystery shops over the next three days have similar remits.

This is where things can get difficult if you are underprepared with your paperwork and your organisation. Let me explain.

1st job

This is to a local pub that serves food. It is to order one starter, 2 main courses, 1 dessert and 1 drink. The focus is on the service at the order point and the quality of the food. There is a requirement to take a photo of the main meal before starting to eat it. I find this requirement difficult to remember because so many other things are going through my head at the same time.

2nd job

This is another pub and another set of requirements. I have to order one of a set list of meals and two drinks from another set list. The focus here is totally on the service received with an eye on the food and drink quality. It is different to the first job in subtle ways so this is when it gets diffucult to remember exact details.

3rd job

This is a hot meal and drink order in the cafe of a garden centre. The ficus here is in speed of service and quality of the food and drink. Again it is important to remember how each job is different.

How to get this right is a matter of making sure your paperwork is in order and being organised.

Print out your job notes and questionnaire and read them thoroughly before you go. Make any notes you need as you condo you have a full understandings of what you need to do. Fill out the questionnaire as soon as you can after the visit to ensure you capture all the right details.

Having a few mystery shops in a short space of time is a good thing but you need to make sure that you get the reports correct so you get paid.

If you are thinking about mystery shopping as a way of enhancing your income or working part-time then a great place to start id my book-

It is time to start mystery shopping again, and a change in strategy to boot!

It is mystery shop time again tomorrow. I have carried out so few mystery shops in 2016 through a lack of available jobs and other work commitments taking over that it feels like tomorrow will be my return to the arena of mystery shopping. This is the start of getting back into it and making sure that I hit my goals of how much money I want to make by mystery shopping this year. I won't divulge too much information about that at this moment but it is safe to say that I haven't made it there yet!

There are two shops tomorrow and it does mark the start of a slightly different strategy that I am taking with my this year.

In the past I took the spend up to the available limit (and sometimes beyond) to maximise the products I was getting for the mystery shop time I was putting in. Most assignments have the payment in two elements - the reimbursement and the fee. The reimbursement is the money paid back to you for what you have spent. The fee is the incentive for going there. I have usually used the money from both to make the purchase, leaving me with no profit but a full spend on the products I would take home, for personal use or to give as gifts.

This year will see me spend the reimbursement but ensure that I keep the fee as a profit, leaving me to spend the fee on whatever I choose from wherever I want to buy. It is about what is important to you as a mystery shopper and this year I want spending money for my holiday!

I will post an update tomorrow on the two mystery shops I carry out and you will see more shops and more blog entries in the upcoming weeks.

If you are looking to become a mystery shopper then my book is available now and is a great guide to becoming a mystery shopper and making a success of it.

I'm still here -hoping February is better than January

A very short blog entry this week just to confirm I'm still breathing.

January, for me, has been quite a disappointment on the mystery shop front. There have been so few, and that's a real surprise as last January was a bumper month.

I will still keep on mystery shopping and still keep in reporting my findings back here.

In the meantime it's a good idea to take a look at my book on mystery shopping. It will guide you step by step through the process of becoming a mystery shopper.