The Mystery Shopper’s Manual

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Last week, Cory Jensen of I-Spy Mystery Shoppers shared information about how his company works with mystery shoppers, and how to become a secret shopper with I-Spy. In part 2 of my interview with him, he takes on mystery shopper pay and how changes in the industry have affected mystery shoppers and mystery shopping companies.

We have had a discussion on this blog recently about mystery shopper pay. Why have pay rates for shoppers declined over the last few years?

Our pay rates for shoppers have remained pretty constant over the last few years. However, we have become more selective on which shoppers get the “best” assignments due a decline in the quality of the shopper submissions and the reliability of the shoppers.

Is there anything shoppers can do about the lower pay?

As I see it, the shoppers’ best option is to always do the best job they can. Poor work based on pay reflects poorly on the shopper and on the mystery shopping company. Ultimately it hurts both by making the end client less likely to want to utilize mystery shoppers. I have also heard recommendations that shoppers refuse jobs when they feel the pay is too low. That might work, but there are a few problems with this plan. First, unless you tell them, the mystery shopping company probably won’t realize that is why the job is not getting filled. Second, from our experience, shopper pay isn’t usually a determining factor in getting jobs assigned. We have had difficult to fill assignments that, even after increasing the pay to a ridiculously high level, we can not get them assigned. We have yet to figure out why we can’t get these jobs assigned and we’ve even asked the shoppers.
How are the mystery shopping companies affected when fees paid by clients decline? Are you able to “make up the difference” by lowering shopper fees?

Unfortunately, when fees paid by clients decline mystery shopping companies are forced to cut costs in a number of ways. It can involve reduced fees to schedulers, validators, shoppers, and the overall bottom line. As far as “making up the difference” by lowering shopper fees, it isn’t a matter of “making up the difference,” it is matter of reducing overall costs where possible in order to keep the doors open.

Thanks to Cory for giving us a peek behind the scenes at I-Spy Mystery Shoppers. Getting the perspective of a mystery shopping company owner is helpful in understanding changes in the industry, including pay.

Apply to be a mystery shopper with I-Spy.