I was referred to the app by a colleague who said she earned some quick cash doing random secret shopping assignments in her free time. I looked into it and gave it a shot this past month. Here are my initial experiences and observations.
- Secret shopping is fun! Maybe it’s the geeky fantasy about being a spy, but it’s fun to walk into a store with an objective and not be able to tell anybody what you’re doing. I’m sure it’s what James Bond feels like when he goes to Famous Dave’s with a top-secret mission.
- Secret shopping is flexible. The iSecretShop app just provides opportunities in my area for assignments. I decide if and when I’ll complete the assignment. I’m really hoping the next update to the app will have a recording that says, “your mission, should you choose to accept it…”. A guy can dream, right?
- Secret shopping takes time. Most assignments require a thorough investigation. When I completed an assignment at Runza, answering the questions took close to 25 minutes. What did the outside advertisements say? Were the window sills clean? Did a person greet you within 10 seconds of arrival? Were the paper towels properly stocked? The life of a spy isn’t easy!
- Secret shopping provides a nice “bonus” income. Each assignment either provides a reimbursement based on a receipt or a direct compensation amount to cover costs plus additional cash. Since iSecretShop deals with different consumer agencies, the method of payment varies. Most payments are paid via PayPal. Not to blow my cover, but here are the places I was a secret shopper, how much I was compensated, and how long the assignments took.
| Location | Compensation | Time |
| Runza | $13 | 30 minutes |
| Prairie Life Fitness | $20 | 45 minutes |
| Cox Internet | $5 | 5 minutes (from home) |
| McDonald’s | $7 | 1 hour |
| Famous Dave’s | Full compensation for $20 meal. | 1 hour |
As you can tell from the chart, each assignment paid differently. Each assignment’s tasks were very different as well. The only assignment I regret taking is the McDonald’s one because it required me to basically list all of the prices from the menu board. To do this, I had up to set up shop right in front of the restaurant and awkwardly gawk at the screens for long periods of time. Don’t worry, I disguised my true intentions in a way that would make even The Condor proud.
I’d recommend checking out the iSecretShop app if you’re like me and want to be thrifty and sneaky.
What about you? Have you had any good or bad experiences as a secret shopper?
Matthew’s one-year review of Ting Mobile is just as entertaining. Check it out
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