Mystery shopping (also referred to as “secret” shopping) is about getting paid for “pretending” to be a customer.

Retailers pay you to buy something from them to evaluate the quality of service in their stores.

You are thus an undercover reviewer who is assigned to make a particular purchase in a store or restaurant and then report on the experience.

But how far can it go? How weird cases may you come across when trying various secret shopping tasks?

This post looks at 3 really weird mystery shopping assignments.

1. “Mystery patients” of psychiatric ward

Three observers got themselves admitted as patients to a locked psychiatric ward to investigate conditions inside. They were professional actors who had an extensive back story, and the supposed family members who visited them.

The undercover patients developed their fictive biographies in months of meetings with an acting coach and a psychotherapist, rehersals and various trainings.

This case also encouraged TV producers to explore the potential in mystery shopping for reality television.

2. “Mystery worshippers”

The 13 inspectors were hired to find out how British churches could meet people’s needs.

The study was organized by the Christian Research Association and the results were very encouraging. Churches in Telford and Oswestry (UK) scored between 90 and 100% in tests.

According to the Christian Research Association representative, “Most of our mystery worshippers were genuinely surprised by the warmth of their experience in church and some were even keen to go back for more.”

3. Extreme mystery shopper

Sometimes mystery shoppers take the task too seriously. For example, one extreme mystery shopper “floods flats and crashes cars for a living”.

For example, to test a car insurance company he buys a car, insures it, then deliberately crashes it against a tree stump. Would you agree to an assignment like that?

Bonus: Mystery Evaluators of your Daily Life

Sensors Quality Management (SQM), a Canadian mystery shopping company, has published a series of videos called “Thankfully Only For Business”. The videos show what might happen if mystery shoppers were hired to evaluate your daily life.

The secret shoppers in the videos are to evaluate people in the shower, in the gym, on a date:

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Mystery shopping is a dream job for many. The benefits are easy to see – you get paid to shop and most of your purchases are free. The downfalls, however, are a bit harder to find in the clever dialog on websites urging you to sign-up. In truth, mystery shopping is a great gig if you can get your foot in the door. But even then, it’s a better hobby than career.

Mystery Shopping

A mystery shopper is an individual paid to visit a store and who must answer a very detailed questionnaire about her experience. She doesn’t get to share her actual opinions very often, however. Instead she answers pages of questions such as “How long did it take before you were greeted?” The shopper is often compensated for a small purchase so that she can experience the full shopping spectrum of the establishment.

The mystery shoppers we envy are those that are invited to partake in resorts, cruises and airline travel so that they can analyze the experience. Even the shoppers invited to spend time in fine restaurants and who are allowed to buy trinkets in designer stores are worthy of envy from those eager to begin their own mystery shopping career. Unfortunately, like professional sports or acting, only a few get the glory – the rest have to find part-time jobs to support the habit.

The Truth of Mystery Shopping

In truth, mystery shopping is a great opportunity for those who have the right connections and experience to land the big jobs. Granted, you have to spend years and have more than a bit of luck to find those connections and gain the right kind of experience. There are thousands, if not millions, vying for mystery shopping opportunities, so the likelihood of being asked to fly to Barbados to report back on your resort stay is slim to none.

That’s not to say you never will have your chance to experience Las Vegas for free and be compensated for your time and travel. You simply must work your way up the ladder and do more than a little independent marketing and public relations to get to any job beyond reporting serving times of the local fast food restaurant.

Making it as a Mystery Shopper

If you sign up with a company as a prospective mystery shopper, you have some likelihood of being offered a job down the road. The first gig or two might make you the equivalent of minimum wage for the hour you invest. And while some people simply get lucky, the rest of the mystery shopping community waits endlessly for their big break only to find themselves doing the same sort of odd jobs once a month or so.

If you want to truly find success as a mystery shopper, you must gain valuable experience and get to know major industry players. Contact local businesses in your area and offer to shop their establishments for free just to gain experience. As you get to know the owners and, of course, do an excellent job of reporting, your experience will grow and so will your references. Eventually, you will become a major player in your own right. However, to reach that level of success, you must invest as much time and energy as you would starting any business.