Updated at: 29-03-2023 - By: Eden Wise

Overview

Becoming a Mystery Shopper can be a great way to earn extra cash or score some freebies if you enjoy shopping and eating out.

You don’t need any prior knowledge or experience to get started, which is a pleasant surprise. Learn the ins and outs of mystery shopping, how much money you can expect to make, and other ways to increase your earnings potential.

To get started, I’ve identified the largest and most reputable Mystery Shopper companies in the UK, as well as those reputed to provide the most and highest-paying opportunities.

Okay, so let’s begin…

Best Mystery Shopping Companies In Uk

Best mystery shopping companies in uk

Market Force

Market Force

Over 400,000 mystery shoppers are employed by Market Force, making it one of the largest mystery shopping companies in the UK. Due to their high volume of customers, they offer a wide range of tasks, from reviewing current policies to testing new ones.

The typical pay is £5 per hour, plus reimbursements for necessary purchases (which you can sometimes keep).

To join Market Force as a mystery shopper, you need to be at least 18 years old, have a high level of English proficiency (which will be tested), and own a smartphone (all assignments, reports, and photos are submitted via the company’s app).

Tern

Tern is one of the leading mystery shopping companies in the UK, with a network of over 20,000 mystery shoppers in addition to researchers and auditors. They not only attract a sizable clientele, but also provide services in numerous industries, such as retail, hospitality, finance, real estate, and health and wellness.

Tern, like other mystery shopping firms in the UK, allows its employees to set their own schedules and compensates them with a generous benefits package that includes free food, drinks, clothing, and entertainment for themselves and their families. The starting rate is 10 pounds, rising to £35 or more depending on the complexity of the task at hand.

Grass Roots

For more than 35 years, Grassroots has provided mystery shopping services to a wide variety of satisfied customers across the globe. And because their sole focus is on mystery shopping, they can easily match your preferences and location with a suitable assignment.

Each assignment takes only 30 minutes to complete, and some don’t even require you to leave the house, making this one of the best mystery shopper companies in the UK for professionals with limited free time. Tasks may require you to make calls, evaluate food delivery services, or visit specific stores.

BeMyEye

BeMyEye

App-based mystery shopping with BeMyEye. In essence, you sign up for the service and accept jobs that interest you. The assignments are short and straightforward, typically requiring you to take pictures of store shelves or talk to employees.

In addition, the company’s staff will be there to help you through each step of the process.

Although BeMyEye is not the highest-paying or largest mystery shopping firm in the UK, it does not require a significant time commitment. There are also excellent career advancement prospects; several of the app’s most active users have been hired on as permanent employees.

Streetbees

Both iOS and Android users can download the Streetbees app to their mobile devices. There are a lot of jobs available through this app, and it’s not even specifically for mystery shoppers. Unlike at some other mystery shopping services, the tasks here tend to be short and simple.

Taking pictures of your meal and the restaurant’s menu may be required for certain assignments. It takes only a few minutes and earns you £5, and you can do it at almost any restaurant. Some mystery shopping assignments have you photographing your food and drink while out at a bar.

The majority of my Streetbees earnings are accumulated at home. On some days, I make money whenever I interact with my cat, whether that’s by playing with her, feeding her, or photographing the food I buy for her. You can make at least £30 per month doing this and mystery shopping.

GBW

They partner with well-known UK-wide businesses. We secret shoppers appreciate this because it means work is never far away. Most people, with some effort, should be able to pass their rather difficult test in order to become mystery shoppers for them.

GBW’s average pay range for available positions is £15-£35 per hour. When time is of the essence, they are willing to pay more. Even though the jobs don’t pay as well as GFK does, there are more of them and they require less effort.

International Service Check

International Service Check

Those of us who appreciate style will enjoy this site. The starting rate per assignment is £12 and requires visits to several high-end clothing stores. However, you’ll make more money if they specify a target demographic, such as an age range or body type.

ISC-CX, as they are also known, will notify you via email whenever a suitable position becomes available, provided that you maintain an active profile.

Mystery Dining by HGEM

The main benefit of participating in Mystery Dining is that you get to eat for free. Simply dine out at a restaurant of your choosing (and hopefully enjoy it) and provide an in-depth review of your experience.

You’ll earn a reviewer’s rating badge and access to more opportunities the more jobs and reviews you complete.

If a Mystery Dining assignment is urgent, the company may pay a premium (in the form of either a higher fee or reimbursement for travel costs).

However, there is a catch: you have to take an exam before you can join. this is not a simple task.

Redwigwam Mystery Shopping

Redwigwam, a relatively new mystery shopping firm, intends to completely transform the temporary workforce. They provide more than just mystery shopping, though; they also have opportunities in the hospitality industry, such as bartending.

The benefit of using Redwigwam is that you will receive email notifications whenever a job opens up that meets your criteria. Redwigwam is among the best mystery shopping companies because you don’t have to constantly check the website.

When it comes to mystery shopping companies, Red Wigwam is one of the best. You get paid for your time and can get your money back, just like with the other market research firms we looked at. The best part is that payment is expedited compared to even the other top mystery shopping companies, typically occurring within a week.

Mystery Shoppers Ltd.

Similar to Market Force is the firm Mystery Shoppers. The firm began operations in 1991 and has since expanded to numerous locations worldwide.

Comparable to Market Force, they are a significant player in the mystery shopping industry despite receiving conflicting reviews. Their Trustpilot rating reflects this.

No single market research firm can be considered the best in the business. Some of the complaints about mystery shopping are due to customers’ unrealistic expectations. As a mystery shopper, you should know that failure to do as instructed will result in financial penalties. In the same vein, mystery shopping is not likely to make you rich.

However, mystery shoppers are not paid staff members. They are just typical shoppers. This could be why market research firms occasionally fail to treat them with the respect they deserve. They get bad feedback because of this.

Serve Legal

If you’re a student in a big city, serving as a Mystery Shopper is a great way to make some extra money.

Activities appropriate for older people abound. Things like going to the movies, buying lottery tickets, betting at bookies, smoking, etc. Once you’ve recorded whether or not you were asked for identification, etc.

Those who are willing to travel will have greater access to resources, and they may even be reimbursed for their efforts.

Ages 16–19 needed for age-related tasks; ages 20 needed for broader audits.

iShopFor Ipsos

Ipsos is widely recognized as a leading mystery shopping provider across the globe. The Ipsos Mystery Shopping platform offers a wide variety of tasks across the UK.

Although Ipsos pays well, the reporting process is time-consuming because you are expected to work for your money.

Assosia

Although Assosia is smaller than competing Mystery Shopping firms, it operates somewhat differently than its rivals.

Once registered and accepted, you will be notified whenever a job matching your criteria becomes available in your area.

The company’s focus is primarily on more serious endeavors. If a business needs temporary help or is advertising a specific position, they’ll likely send you through appropriate training before hiring you.

Their pay is satisfactory. About £10 is average for each task.

Clickworker

Clickworker

Clickworker is a reputable microtasking firm that has just branched out into the mystery shopping industry. Most tasks will require you to visit a local store and take pictures of product shelves.

You get to pick your favorite store from among the available chains, which is a huge perk. You are not required to visit any specific locations, giving you a wide range of options. It usually only takes a quick trip to the local mall or main street.

Even better, there is zero investment required to complete these tasks. Clickworker routinely posts mystery photography jobs in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.

Neilsen Homescan

Neilsen Homescan’s mission is to study Americans’ propensity for retail therapy.

After signing up, you’ll receive a handheld scanner and be required to use it to record all future purchases made by you and anyone living in your household. We will be collecting data from you on a weekly basis and also sending you surveys to fill out.

Retail Maxim

Popular Insight and Mystery Shopping opportunities can be found all over the United Kingdom with Retail Maxim.

You could also conduct exit/intercept surveys, in which customers are polled about their shopping center experiences as they are leaving. The organization you’re working for will issue you a badge to wear while out in the field.

BeMyEye

BeMyEye is a crowdsourcing platform where you can join over 3 million people and become an ‘eye’ to complete a variety of small missions and earn extra money.

You only need to take a picture of the shelves and answer a few questions for their app to do the rest of the work. You will be rewarded in your BeMyEye wallet after your feedback has been reviewed and approved. You can get paid through PayPal or a traditional bank transfer.

Tern

Tern is a great place to find mystery shopping jobs because they offer roughly 40,000 jobs per year. Famous companies like Specsavers, Just Eat, and the Co-op may assign you mystery shopping jobs.

There are mystery shopping opportunities that only require audio or video recordings if writing lengthy reports isn’t your thing.

FAQs

How much do mystery shoppers make?

Mystery shoppers make around £20 per assignment, on average. Although most entry-level positions pay around £5 an hour, some agencies offer bonuses of up to £150 or £200. However, these are scarce, so when making calculations, stick to the £5-£20 price range.

Do you need any equipment for mystery shopping?

In most cases, no, but these days, having a smartphone is practically a necessity at most workplaces. The majority of mystery shopping services enable you to complete the entire process within the app, from choosing an assignment to taking pictures, recordings, and writing up your findings.

Alternatively, you could use your phone’s note-taking app because writing things down could be seen as a giveaway. Keep in mind that the store employees must not get the wrong idea.

How Can You Become a Mystery Shopper?

Getting involved in mystery shopping is simple. Since mystery shopping is not the same as applying for a regular job, there is no need to go through the typical hiring processes. Become a mystery shopper by signing up with any of the top mystery shopping firms we’ve listed above.

The time commitment for this is typically a few minutes to fill out a short form. Once you’ve been accepted by the business, you’ll have access to the available jobs via mobile device or computer.

Do You Need Any Special Equipment for Mystery Shopping?

Beginning a career in mystery shopping is easy because you don’t need much to get going. The best mystery shopping companies allow signups online, so all you need is a computer, laptop, or smartphone with internet access.

It’s possible that taking photos will be part of your mystery shopping assignment. Therefore, a camera is required. A camera on a smartphone will suffice; there’s no need for a dedicated camera.

Conclusion

Mystery shopping can be a great way to supplement your income outside of your regular job, and it can also be a lot of fun.

Mystery shoppers are able to set their own schedules and work as much or as little as they need. There is nothing to lose by giving it a shot. There are a lot of great companies out there that can help you find a job, but which one is best for you will depend on your specific situation and goals. We hope you found this post helpful in narrowing down your search for a mystery shopping firm in the United Kingdom.

Is the idea of working as a “mystery shopper” something that might appeal to you?