How to Get Video
Mystery Shopping Assignments
If you're interested in video mystery shopping assignments, getting started involves more than buying a hidden camera and applying for jobs.
Companies want shoppers who can follow instructions, act naturally, operate video equipment properly, and provide a recording the client can actually use.
I've completed many video shopping assignments over the years, and I've learned that experience and reliability can lead to more opportunities.
Want more help getting started? My book, Take That Job And Mystery Shop It!, walks you through finding assignments, completing shops, writing reports, and avoiding many of the mistakes new shoppers make.
Start With Regular Mystery Shopping
If you've never completed a mystery shop before, I recommend getting some experience with traditional mystery shopping before moving into video.
Regular assignments teach you how to follow a scenario, remember details, interact naturally with employees, meet deadlines, and complete reports accurately.
Those skills become even more important with video shopping because you're also thinking about whether your camera and microphone are capturing what the client needs.
Finding Video Mystery Shopping Assignments
Not every mystery shopping company offers video work. Look for legitimate companies that offer video mystery shopping assignments and complete your shopper profile thoroughly.
Companies may want to know about your mystery shopping experience, video experience, equipment, availability, and how far you're willing to travel.
Some companies may also ask for a sample video before giving you an assignment. This allows them to determine whether you can capture usable video and audio while behaving naturally.
Practice before submitting a sample. Walk, turn, sit, stand, and talk with someone while wearing your equipment. Then watch the recording yourself.
Can you clearly see the person? Can you hear the conversation? Is the camera pointing where it should?
Practice can solve many problems before they cost you an assignment.
Your First Video Shopping Assignment
Before accepting an assignment, read all the requirements carefully.
Don't look only at the fee. Consider how far you'll have to drive, how long the assignment may take, whether a specific employee must be shopped, how much reporting is required, and how the video must be submitted.
A video assignment that appears to pay well may not be as attractive after you calculate several hours of driving and reporting time.
On the other hand, grouping several assignments together can make traveling worthwhile.
One of My Longest Video Shopping Days
I once completed six video shopping assignments in five cities during one day.
I drove approximately 800 miles.
It was a long day, but the company provided a travel bonus in addition to the assignment fees.
The work wasn't finished when I got home. I spent much of the following day completing reports and uploading the videos.
That's an important lesson. When evaluating video mystery shopping assignments, consider the total amount of time involved—not just the time you spend inside the business.
Video Shopping Can Be Flexible
One reason mystery shopping appealed to me was its flexibility.
When I was mystery shopping while working full-time, my wife and I were raising three sons. I could look at available assignments and decide whether they fit around my regular job and family responsibilities.
Video shopping gave me that same flexibility.
I also learned to become selective. Sometimes an assignment wasn't worth the drive. Sometimes the reporting requirements took longer than expected. Sometimes a targeted employee wasn't available.
Experience helps you determine which assignments are worth accepting.
Your Reputation Matters
One of the most valuable things you can develop as a video mystery shopper isn't your equipment.
It's your reputation.
Companies need shoppers they can depend on. That means following the scenario, getting usable video, submitting reports accurately, meeting deadlines, and communicating quickly if there's a problem.
If something goes wrong, let the company know.
Technical problems happen. How you handle them can make a difference in whether a company wants to work with you again.
Is Video Mystery Shopping Right for You?
Video shopping isn't for everyone.
You need to be comfortable interacting with strangers while wearing concealed recording equipment. You need to follow detailed instructions without constantly referring to them, and you need enough technical ability to operate your equipment properly.
Most importantly, you have to act naturally.
That's why I recommend gaining regular mystery shopping experience first and practicing with your equipment before accepting a video assignment.
Video mystery shopping gave me opportunities to earn additional income while continuing to work my regular job. But getting assignments isn't simply a matter of owning a camera.
Be prepared. Be dependable. Learn from your mistakes. Build a good reputation with the companies you work for.
Those qualities can be just as important as the equipment you're wearing.
I'm Mystery Don (Donald J. Servais, Jr.), and I've completed mystery shopping assignments for restaurants, hotels, apartment communities, automobile dealerships, new-home builders, and other businesses.
I created MystShopper.com to share what I've learned from my own experiences, help new shoppers avoid common mistakes, and explain how legitimate mystery shopping really works.
I'm also the author of Take That Job And Mystery Shop It!, which includes beginner-friendly advice, real-world mystery shopping experiences, and a directory of more than 150 mystery shopping companies.
Drawing on my 45-year career in television, I've also written 7 Keys to Success in a Changing Television Industry, a guide for people interested in building a career in television and video.
My goal is simple: honest guidance without the hype.
We're always looking for new faces to visit different places.
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