Greetings, What are the most lucrative shops and what companies offer them? Also, is there a particular region for them ? We have been doing this for a while, but cannot seem to find the higher end opportunities. Please Advise. thank you. Dee Well Dee, a lot depends on your definition of lucrative. There are…
Company Overview: All Star Customer Service is a mystery shopping company apparently based in Dallas, TX. I say apparently as their website only has an email form for contacting the company. There are links on the site to media references about the company, and all the media listed is in Dallas, so the conclusion is…
Company Overview: Corporate Research International, or Cori, was acquired by Stericycle earlier this year and their offices were moved from Findlay, OH to Indianapolis, IN. Their registration is relatively straightforward at http://www.mysteryshops.com/. Personal Experience: CoRI was one of the first MSC’s I had registered with. I had my first two shops to do for them,…
I’ve recently noticed on Mystery Shop Forum that some members are encouraging others to lie about their qualifications, or worse, to lie on reports. Is there ever a situation where this is the right thing to do? I had a recent shop at an assisted living facility. The shop itself went very well. The targeted…
200,000 customers of HSBC, the multi-national bank, have mystery shoppers be thankful for this holiday season. Mystery shoppers employed by the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority have caught the company giving customers wrongful advice, in violation of financial regulations. The potential consequences are high. The bank estimates it will pay at out least $32 million…
Company Overview: The Shadow Agency is headquartered in North Richland Hills, Texas, part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. They were one of the pioneers in video mystery shopping, starting in 1995. The company specializes in new home, retail, automobile, apartments/property management, and restaurants. The company uses the ClientsSmart platform. Registration is available at: https://shadowagency.clientsmart.com/. Personal…
After some discussions with Jacob, and believing that variety is the spice of life, we’re going to try something new. Introducing, Ask Mystery Shopper Magazine. This will give you, the reader, a chance to ask us questions. They can run the gamut from humorous to serious, philosophical to tongue-in-cheek.Do you have a technical question about…
Company Overview: Founded in 2009, MarketStat has corporate leadership with more than 20 years of experience in the mystery shopping industry. Their main office is in Overland Park, KS and regional offices are located in Oregon and New Jersey. According to their website, they represent casinos and hotels, property management companies, airport concessions, and franchised…
Forum Alias: Rezteach. My alias comes from teaching on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona for 40 years. How long have you been mystery shopping? I first started mystery shopping in 1999 as I was looking ahead to ways I could earn extra money in retirement while living in a rural area. I knew there were…
Overview: Video retail shops are one of the newer areas of mystery shopping and it is a growth area. Retailers are beginning to see the advantage of having the full experience of interacting with one of their associates, from the customer’s point of view, completely unedited. Project variations: As this is a new area for…
Company Overview: Truss Communications is based in McLeansville, NC, a small town northeast of Greensboro. Their website is not active although their 800 phone line is active and has an answering machine on it. As there have been many negative comments, which will be detailed below, I left my name and number on several occasions…
Company Overview: Impact Marketing is a full service video mystery shopping company working exclusively in the home building industry. They are based in Frisco, Texas and have been in business since 2003. The company has an A+ rating with the BBB of Dallas, TX. To become a mystery shopper for Impact Marketing, visit them here…
Company Overview: TNS Global Mystery shopping is part of WPP’s consumer insight and consultancy group, Kantar. Based in the UK, the majority of their offices are in Europe and the Middle East. Registration is on their website, http://www.tnsglobal.com/market-information/mystery-shopping/, and they utilize the Clientsmart system. This company has been a victim of the mystery shop check…
Your best friend as a mystery shopper isn’t the friend who begs you to take them on a high end fine dining shop. They don’t forget the guidelines in a fast casual shop. They won’t order dessert when that’s not an option. No, a shopper’s best friend is their car. I can vaguely remember when…
Overview: Although they can appear intimidating, bank shops are some of the easier shops available to mystery shoppers. These shops can range from inquiring about accounts, actually opening an account, asking about investment services, or asking about other services the bank may offer. Project variations: If you’re doing more than just a teller shop, have…
Company Overview: With corporate headquarters in Iowa City, IA, Marketing Systems Unlimited has been in business for over 30-years. “With the help of his wife and four sons, MSU has grown into one of the nation’s largest, and most successful, shopping services. MSU has provided services for over 500 clients and over 10,000 locations each…
Company Overview: Based in Louisville, KY, Marketing Endeavors has been in business since 2001. The company has no complaints in the past three years with the Louisville BBB. Registration is on their website, http://www.marketingendeavors.biz/, and is on the Sassie system. Although their website lists no specific clients, the style of the site leads me to…