How to Start a Mystery Shopper Business

Mystery shoppers (sometimes known as secret shoppers or anonymous evaluators) visit different businesses to ensure staff is following protocol. A secret shopper business can greatly increase the level of visibility into the level of quality in any given business, and can even save the company money a lot of hassle and money. For example, if a shopper enters a retail store and has a difficult time receiving service, this issue can be addressed immediately. Or if a young person walks into a bar and isn’t carded, then this could spell huge fines for a business later on down the line.  

Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? We recommend forming an LLC as it is the most affordable way to protect your personal assets. You can do this yourself or with our trusted partner for a small fee.

Northwest ($29 + State Fees)

DIY: How to Start an LLC

Start a mystery shopper business by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Mystery Shopper Business
  2. Form your Mystery Shopper Business into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Mystery Shopper Business for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Mystery Shopper Business
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Mystery Shopper Business
  7. Get Mystery Shopper Business Insurance
  8. Define your Mystery Shopper Business Brand
  9. Create your Mystery Shopper Business Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your mystery shopper business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Mystery Shopper Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state’s business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability

It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

What are the costs involved in opening a mystery shopper business?

If you already have a smartphone, a computer/printer, and a car, then that’s usually enough to get started. You may also want to invest in a better camera than the one that’s on your phone to get more detailed photos. Your state may require you to get a private investigator license before you start, with fees varying from state to state. You may wish to hire employees at the beginning, but this doesn’t necessarily require any money to start. Employees are generally compensated only when they visit a store, and they’re compensated by the clients as opposed to your business funds.

What are the ongoing expenses for a mystery shopper business?

There are few ongoing expenses for a small mystery shop owner, though needs can grow substantially if you add more complex data analysis.

  • Equipment costs
  • Data software
  • Stores
  • Office space (potentially)
  • Employee salaries

Who is the target market?

The best clients are owners, CEOs and Presidents with multiple stores or locations. These can be for commercial businesses, healthcare companies, even potentially government services. Any decision-maker or owner who cannot monitor all activity happening under their umbrella is a potential candidate.

How does a mystery shopper business make money?

Mystery shop owners make money by charging clients a set fee for sending out a quality shopper to the site. The secret shopper needs to be able to accurately record the good and bad parts of an interaction with every employee, as well as document other details about the general quality of their time at the location.

How much can you charge customers?

It truly does depend on the nature of the site visit. If it’s a hotel stay, then the shopper will be spending a significant amount of time and energy on the assignment. Some owners may charge up to $30 flat rate  for a simple visit to a fast food place (plus the cost of reimbursement). Others may charge more based on the details of the report they prepare.

Companies should be charged more if they require specialized knowledge. For example, you may charge $100 if the site visitor needs to understand specific state rules about cleanliness or they have to memorize a script before entering the premises. Check your competitors rates for the types of visits you would like to conduct to determine the benchmarks.

How much profit can a mystery shopper business make?

Considering the overhead is so low, the profits can be extremely high. If you’re starting out on your own, you can make almost 100% of the profit (minus the cost to maintain equipment). In addition, the odds are that you already have a phone plan and a Wi-Fi connection, meaning the maintenance fees will be reasonable.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Companies now use mystery shoppers for far more services than shopping. If you have the right employees with the right skills, you can perform audits or odd jobs like merchandising or testing the interview process. The best way to increase your services is to find out what companies are looking for. Ask what type of services a company needs to maintain their quality, and then do everything possible to fulfill the client’s requests.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your mystery shopper business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your mystery shopper business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

More than 84% of our readers opt to collaborate with a professional LLC formation service to kickstart their venture. We’ve negotiated a tailored discount for our readers, bringing the total down to just $29.

FORM YOUR LLC

Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a mystery shopper business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

Services Contract

Mystery shopper businesses should require clients to sign a services agreement before starting a new project.  This agreement should clarify client expectations and minimize risk of legal disputes by setting out payment terms and conditions, service level expectations, and intellectual property ownership. Here is an example of one such services agreement.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.

Find out what types of insurance your Mystery Shopper Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Mystery Shopper Business.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a mystery shopper business

The best way to promote is to be absolutely relentless. This doesn’t mean an owner should be obnoxious, but it does mean they should be willing to go the extra mile to establish relationships. The best thing to do is to physically visit the clients they wish to be in business with. Cold calling or e-mailing is a good start, but it’s also very easy to ignore. By visiting decision makers, you put your business in their mind, and hopefully have a better chance at swaying their minds to choose you for their mystery service needs.

How to keep customers coming back

The best way to market and retain customers is to show them why their business will be more profitable if they choose your business. Companies may (understandably) be hesitant to spend money and give away free good and services only to receive generic feedback that does little to spark change in the organization.

As you grow, you should hopefully be able to show real results that help potential clients understand what they’re paying for. For example, you may be able to tell a client that after you started working with a particular client, their customer service scores went up 25%.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPressWIXWeeblySquarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

Those who have an eye for details will do well in this industry. Owners will also need some experience in sales, as clients will need to be convinced they need these services.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a mystery shopper business?

Owners will need to find and conduct business on a regular basis.

  • Cold call businesses to gain clients
  • Present statistics and past successes to market services
  • Conduct site visits or hire employees to conduct visits
  • Prepare reports for business owners about the details of the visit

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful mystery shopper business?

Salespeople will do well in this business to build clients. You’ll need excellent verbal and written communication skills, as well as a good sense of what customers are looking for at each business they frequent. A person visiting an electronics store may be much more concerned with the knowledge of the employee rather than whether or not they’re greeted with a huge smile when they walk through the door. Owners of a secret shopper business will also need to be flexible, as certain businesses may make odd or unusual requests about when they want to be visited, how quickly they want their reports, or the specifics of what they want done at each business.

What is the growth potential for a mystery shopper business?

There are many potential clients who will need this service, but you may be limited by your geography. For example, if you’re not in a major city, then you may only have so many businesses in the area that require mystery shoppers. The more you can prove you can genuinely strengthen other people’s businesses, the more likely you are to grow. Become reputable enough and you can expand your business to other locations, hiring employees in other parts of the country to conduct site visits.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a mystery shopper business?

The owner of a secret shopper business may want to do some work for free at the beginning, though you always want to tell the owners your normal rates before offering this. Owners need to be incredibly precise when it comes to presenting and selling their services, and ideally, they should be able to give charismatic presentations. You will also want to prepare detailed contracts for each and every client you have, stating the length and terms of service. Consider joining the Mystery Shoppers Providers Association to provide formal credibility to your business.

How and when to build a team

It isn’t strictly necessary to start off with a team as you can do the first few visits yourself if you wish. As you build up your base, however, you will need to find employees who can pitch in. While mystery shopping isn’t the most demanding job in the world, it does take time and effort. Your employees will also need to have excellent communication skills, and they’ll need to be comfortable with saying negative things about unsuspecting employees (and even potentially getting them fired).

Should you land a large client with many locations early on, you should definitely hire several employees. Otherwise, you will be recognized quickly and your services will become completely useless to the parent company. Never charge employees to sign up for your mystery shopper business, as there is a lot of noise around scams in this industry. Becoming a member of the Mystery Shoppers Providers Association can help provide legitimacy to your business too.

Useful Links

Industry Opportunities

Real World Examples