How to Choose Your First
Mystery Shopping Assignment
One of the first questions new shoppers have is how to choose your first mystery shopping assignment. There may be dozens of assignments available, and it's tempting to start looking for the one that pays the most.
I wouldn't make that your first priority.
Your first assignment should be something you understand and feel comfortable doing. You'll have plenty of time to tackle complicated shops after you've learned how the process works.
My first mystery shop certainly wasn't complicated.
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.
My First Assignment Paid $10
I completed my first mystery shopping assignment in April 2006. It was at a check-cashing location, and my assignment was to purchase a money order.
That worked out perfectly because I needed a money order to pay my electric bill anyway.
I observed the store's cleanliness and listened to the employee handle my transaction. The visit took about five minutes. I spent half of that time standing in line. Afterward, I went home, answered about 10 multiple-choice questions, and wrote a short narrative about what happened.
I was paid $10.
It was about as simple as a mystery shopping assignment could get, but I was still nervous. I didn't know exactly what to expect because I had never done one before.
After I finished, I realized there wasn't much to be nervous about. I went on to complete many more assignments for that mystery shopping company, Business Resources, before it retired from the business in 2017.
That simple $10 shop taught me something important: your first assignment doesn't need to pay much or require an elaborate evaluation. It needs to give you a chance to learn.
How to Choose Your First Mystery Shopping Assignment
Start by reading the assignment instructions before accepting the shop whenever they're available.
Can you understand what you're being asked to do?
For your first assignment, I'd look for a relatively short visit with only a few things to remember. A convenience store, grocery store, fast-food restaurant, or another familiar location may be a good possibility.
Pay attention to the report requirements, too. A 10-minute visit isn't necessarily a simple assignment if you have to spend an hour completing the report.
Look at the entire job.
If an assignment pays $15 but requires a 30-mile drive in each direction, it probably isn't a very good deal. On the other hand, that same assignment might be worthwhile if the location is five minutes from your house or along a route you're already traveling.
Reimbursements also matter. A restaurant assignment may not pay a large fee, but it could reimburse you for a meal you would otherwise purchase yourself.
Don't Start with the Most Complicated Shop
As you gain experience, you'll find assignments that require much more observation.
You may have to visit several departments, remember employee names, ask specific questions, time portions of your visit, take photographs, make purchases, or write detailed narratives.
I've completed video mystery shops that required considerably more preparation and paid much more money.
I wouldn't recommend starting there.
Learn the basics first. Find out whether you can follow the instructions, remain observant without looking suspicious, remember what happened, and write an accurate report.
After a few successful assignments, you can decide whether you're ready for something more difficult.
Watch Out for Mystery Shopping Scams
Since my first assignment involved a check-cashing business, there's an important warning I need to include.
Scammers have used mystery shopping in fake-check schemes. Someone may send you a large check and tell you to deposit it, keep part of the money as your mystery shopping fee, and use the rest to purchase gift cards or send money somewhere else.
Don't do it.
A legitimate mystery shopping company isn't going to unexpectedly send you a check for thousands of dollars before you've completed an assignment and tell you to send part of the money somewhere else.
The check can initially appear to clear. Later, the bank discovers it's fraudulent, and you can be responsible for the money you've already spent or sent away.
I interviewed Jason Meza with the Better Business Bureau about mystery shopping scams on my podcast. It's worth learning about these scams before accepting assignments.
Your Best Next Step
If How to Choose Your First Mystery Shopping Assignment was helpful, read these next:
- How to Start Mystery Shopping as a Complete Beginner
- How Mystery Shopping Reports Work
- Best Mystery Shopping Companies for Beginners
- Mystery Shopping for Beginners
About the Author
I'm Mystery Don, and I've completed mystery shopping assignments for restaurants, hotels, apartment communities, automobile dealerships, and new home builders.
I created this website to help people avoid the mistakes I've seen—and to show new shoppers how legitimate mystery shopping really works.
My book Take That Job And Mystery Shop It! lists over 150 mystery shopping companies to contact. I offer beginner-friendly tips and honest guidance without hype.
We're always looking for new faces to visit different places.
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