How to Know If a Mystery Shopping Assignment Is Worth It

How to Know If a Mystery Shopping Assignment Is Worth It is one of the most useful things a beginner can learn early.

A lot of new shoppers assume the main question is whether an assignment is legitimate. That matters, of course — but the next question is just as important:

Is this worth my time?
Is the reporting manageable?
Does the pay make sense for the effort?
Will this teach me something useful, or just drain me?

Those are smart questions.

After you do a few assignments, you'll be able to know which assignments are worth your time and which ones aren't. You do not need to say yes to every real assignment. You only need to say yes to the ones that make sense for you.

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.

Why This Question Matters

When I started, I wasn't only looking for legitimate mystery shopping assignments, but ones I felt wouldn't take too much time.

Many assignments are too detailed for the pay you could receive. You certainly want to do assignments that fit your schedule. After all, that's the advantage of doing this business. You choose the times you want to work.

It doesn't take long to learn how to tell the difference. It will save you time and energy.

Legitimate Does Not Always Mean Worthwhile

A $40 shop isn't necessarily better than a $20 shop. How far do you have to drive? Are you required to make a purchase and wait for reimbursement? Will you spend 15 minutes at the location and another hour writing the report? Does the assignment have a tight deadline? Those details can turn a good-looking shop into one you wish you hadn't accepted.

When deciding how to know if a mystery shopping assignment is worth it, look at the entire assignment rather than just the amount posted on the job board.

Read the instructions before accepting the shop whenever they're available. Look at the location, time requirements, reimbursement, reporting requirements, and anything unusual you're expected to do. A restaurant assignment that includes a reimbursed dinner may be worthwhile even if the shopper fee isn't particularly high. On the other hand, driving 50 miles for a small fee and a lengthy report probably isn't going to make much sense unless you can pick up other assignments along the way.

Experience will teach you what your time is worth.

Start With the Time Question

I've accepted assignments that looked easy and later discovered that the report took longer than the actual shop. One assignment in particular had me answer 80 multiple-choice questions and take about 2 dozen photographs. I didn't realize that until after I accepted the assignment. It took me about 45 minutes on location and 90 minutes to prepare the report.

I completed the report and vowed never to accept anything like that again.

I've also completed higher-paying assignments that required very little narrative and turned out to be excellent jobs. You won't always know that the first time you work for a company.

That's another reason I pay attention to the mystery shopping companies themselves. Once you've completed several assignments for the same company, you know what their reports are like, how quickly they respond to questions, and what their schedulers expect. That information makes choosing future shops much easier.

Don't be afraid to pass on an assignment. Schedulers may offer bonuses later if they're having trouble filling it, particularly near the end of the month or when a location is difficult to reach. A shop that isn't worth doing for $20 might look quite different at $50 with some travel money added.

Listen to this interview I did with Mystery Phil, who works the mystery shopping business full-time.

Is It a Good Fit for Your Current Skill Level?

Ultimately, how to know if a mystery shopping assignment is worth it comes down to more than the advertised fee. Consider the time, travel, expenses, report, deadline, and difficulty of the assignment.

Then ask yourself a very simple question: Would I take this shop again for the same amount of money?

After you've completed enough assignments, you'll be able to answer that question before you ever click Apply.