Want to be a mystery shopper? These are the best companies in 2023

What is a mystery shopper? Essentially, they’re like corporate quality control for brick-and-mortar retail and food establishments. They’re sent in anonymously and asked to behave like a regular customer and provide a thorough report on their experience. They sometimes make price comparisons with competing companies.

Mystery shoppers offer insight into what’s happening in a given chain or franchise. The real question is, do you have what it takes? It’s an excellent way to make some extra income.

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How much do mystery shoppers make?

It depends significantly on the company and the type of place you’re stepping into as a mystery shopper. Some companies may only offer a small stipend and reimbursement for any costs incurred on your scheduled outing.

RELATED: 7 tips for getting hired after 45

Indeed claims that mystery shoppers can earn up to $35,473 per year, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not back this figure.

If you’re looking for work as a mystery shopper, you might consider reaching out to market research companies like Elite CXS, Sinclair Customer Metrics and IntelliShop.

Some job boards may also offer lucrative opportunities. As you grow in your career, you’ll be able to make new connections that can lead to new assignments.

Being a mystery shopper is unlike most ordinary jobs for reasons that should be more than obvious. You’ll get a taste of numerous things as you work. Many companies will let you keep the stuff you buy, even after being reimbursed.

Restaurants, retail stores, banks, and even places like beauty salons benefit from the information they can glean from an incredible mystery shopper. There are some things to know before quitting your day job, however.

The downsides to being a mystery shopper

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Smishing is spreading - How to spot it

You’re putting yourself at risk if you aren’t up-to-date on the biggest scamming schemes. There are a lot of widespread cons that many people don’t know about. Tap or click here for seven new scams to watch out for.

Take smishing, for example. While it isn’t all that new, it’s still not the most well-known term. But it’s a spreading issue that threatens anyone who owns a smartphone, so it’s best to find out what it is now.

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Global tech outage wreaks havoc

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A software update by CrowdStrike took down tons of computer systems around the world. Banks, businesses, hospitals, and more were all impacted. Plus, Amazon Prime Day updates and Zoom’s demand for a return to the office.

Banks are very loanly: A new study proves what we all know: In-person banking is on its way out, and the number of physical branches is dwindling. Since 2018, an average of 1,646 branches have closed annually in the U.S. At this rate, physical branches could be extinct by 2041.

If you connected your bank account to Venmo, Robinhood or another financial app, you may be entitled to a settlement

App users are often blissfully unaware of just how much technology is involved in making an application work correctly. For every function, there are heaps of coding. Want to know more? This hands-on training can help.

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Check your credit report for free - and what you need to look for

Do you know the difference between 570 and 780? Yes, they’re 210 digits apart, but these aren’t just numbers; they’re examples of bad and good credit scores, respectively.

While some may not give their credit scores a second thought, others live by them — literally. These consumers are the ones who recognize how difficult life can be with bad credit. In addition to facing high-interest rates, people with poor credit often struggle to get approved for home or vehicle loans.

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In Zelle hell: One tech pro lost $1,600 using Zelle. Eventually, Wells Fargo credited him for the fishy charge. He agrees with lawmakers who say Zelle and banks are quick to blame victims for using it “wrong.”