What is a mystery shopper and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
ScoreMystery ShopperUS Average
Salary
3.9

Avg. Salary $50,028

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity
4.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.43%

Asian 8.83%

Black or African American 6.36%

Hispanic or Latino 9.39%

Unknown 4.56%

White 70.43%

Gender

female 71.07%

male 28.93%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Complexity Level
1.8

Complexity Level is simple

7 - challenging

Mystery Shopper career paths

Key steps to become a mystery shopper

  1. Explore mystery shopper education requirements

    Most common mystery shopper degrees

    Bachelor's

    48.6 %

    Associate

    26.4 %

    High School Diploma

    12.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific mystery shopper skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Customer Service39.93%
    Submit Reports15.75%
    Evaluation Forms11.43%
    Business Evaluations9.18%
    Retail Store5.69%
  3. Research mystery shopper duties and responsibilities

    • Operate trucks requiring CDL licensure.
    • Acquire CDL license in order to drive delivery trucks.
    • Create motivational slide show presentations in PowerPoint to be display daily.
    • Determine eligible closing cost fees as it relate to a settlement statement (HUD).
  4. Prepare your mystery shopper resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your mystery shopper resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a mystery shopper resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Mystery Shopper Resume templates

    Build a professional Mystery Shopper resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Mystery Shopper resume.
    Mystery Shopper Resume
    Mystery Shopper Resume
    Mystery Shopper Resume
    Mystery Shopper Resume
    Mystery Shopper Resume
    Mystery Shopper Resume
    Mystery Shopper Resume
    Mystery Shopper Resume
    Mystery Shopper Resume
  5. Apply for mystery shopper jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a mystery shopper job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Mystery Shopper Job

Zippi

Are you a Mystery Shopper?

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Average mystery shopper salary

The average Mystery Shopper salary in the United States is $50,028 per year or $24 per hour. Mystery shopper salaries range between $26,000 and $94,000 per year.

Average Mystery Shopper Salary
$50,028 Yearly
$24.05 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do mystery shoppers rate their job?

3.33/5

Based On 3 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Mystery Shopper reviews

profile
5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2021
Pros

Everything from making new achievements, to play the mystery role , I’ll like that my point of view affects in the right direction in modifying & supporting the production process.

Cons

The less money and being unappreciated.


profile
2.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019
Pros

Setting my own schedule. Doing a variety of jobs. Take a day off if I want. Supplement my income while I grow my business.

Cons

The pay really sucks. Not only that, but some companies don't want to pay if the shop doesn't go down like they want it to. A lot of the companies try to get you to do everything for nothing. They also try to control how the contactor does the job and use wording such as "You will do it like this or we won't pay" like you are a direct employee. They only bonus after the shop has been posted, so they can get as many shops completed as they can at a price that isn't worth your time. Many of them make you wait two or more months to get paid and they don't pay when they say their going to. They also restrict the number of shops you can do, so its hard to find steady work or they don't have a lot of work available, so you have to work with several companies just to get part time work There are a handful of good mystery shopping companies, but unfortunatly you learn that from experience.


profile
3.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2019
Pros

I'll be my own boss, Able to get a hold on the other prices. Have insight on the stores low prices

Cons

Unknown, never tried anything like this before and I don't know how much I can do about the other stores prices .


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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