Mammoth AwardsYou can make extra cash as a mystery shopper who randomly visits restaurants and checks out menus. But here are other mystery shopping opportunities that are more interesting, and possibly more profitable.
Will you get rich off mystery shopping gigs? Probably not. You will, however, get to see how many companies operate while filling somewhat of a private detective role. And in some cases, you may get freebies that make the experience worth it.
Medical Mystery Shopping
Work as a medical mystery shopper for the Baird Group, and you’ll help the healthcare industry measure the quality of service in various facilities.
You may be asked to do a walkthrough visit where you pose as a friend or family member of a patient and observe the facility and staff. Or you may act as an actual patient and use a predetermined scenario to see how everyone in the facility treats you.
For a more hands-off assignment, you could call a healthcare provider to see how friendly the staff is or if their appointment-taking procedures are efficient.
Mystery Shop the Movie Industry
Market Force has opportunities that let you turn your love for movies into cash and other goodies.
Typical mystery shopping activities include posing as a customer to record a movie theater’s customer service and the overall experience they provide. If you’re asked to do on-site auditing, you’ll be tasked with counting people in the theater, see that promotional materials are posted, and so on.
You could be in charge of setting up movie stands or putting up posters and banners to promote an upcoming film. Or you could be asked to watch movie trailers, check the sound and visual quality of cinema, and more.
Market Force pays for field visits you make, and they also reimburse for movie tickets and concessions you purchase. In other words, you get to go to the movies for free and possibly make some extra cash in the process.
Financial Mystery Shopping
Customer Impact offers several mystery shopping gigs, with financial institutions being one major area of focus.
You can add money to your bank account as you evaluate banks, credit unions, and the like on several characteristics such as:
- The appearance, knowledge, and customer service of their staff
- Their bank drive-thru areas
- The overall cleanliness and appearance
- Signage and location
Your assignments may be more hands-on and in-person, or you may be asked to call and evaluate how an institution treats its customers.
Mystery Shopping for Casinos, Concerts, and Sporting Events
Join up with BestMark, and you’ll see opportunities to entertain yourself while you mystery shop.
Whether it’s checking out how a casino operates or how a venue’s staff handles concertgoers and football fans, participating in such a gig can be loads of fun without having to pay a penny out of your pocket.
Avoid These Mystery Shopping Scams
While mystery shopping can be a fun way to bolster your bank account, keep an eye out for scams. If a company isn’t part of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA), avoid them, as well as these common cons:
- Asking you for money to become a mystery shopper.
- Asking you for money to get access to a catalog of mystery shopping jobs.
- Asking you to send money after cashing a check.
