This US Firm Will Pay You To Shop At Your Favorite Stores & It’s Like Being A Secret VIP
You can make extra cash with this side hustle!
A man holding shopping bags. Right: A woman shopping for clothes.
There are a ton of different side hustles in the United States that will help you make the extra money you need, even gigs that will pay you to do something fun. That includes going shopping at stores and purchasing things.
Yep, you read that right. You can get paid to go shopping by becoming what is called a "mystery shopper" through BestMark. It is "entirely possible" to make an extra income of up to $10,000 a year on the side.
Being a BestMark mystery shopper is a part-time side job where you can expect to make anywhere from $7-$20 at first, as well as reimbursements for travel expenses and product purchases, depending on the job.
So, what is mystery shopping, and how does it work? Well, the job is basically to secretly pose as a customer of a store.
Companies hire mystery shoppers to go to shops, restaurants, hotels, and other establishments to observe the customer experience, purchase a specific product, or conduct a certain scenario.
The top-secret shoppers then provide feedback to the company about the experience, which helps them to improve their services. However, you want to make sure your shopping assignment and feedback are optimal, as it could risk you not seeing your money.
"Going to the wrong location, failing to interact with the right associate, and not evaluating the required details of the shop are all common ways to potentially lose a check," the BestMark website states.
The great thing about mystery shopping with BestMark is that you can choose the assignments that fit your schedule and lifestyle — it’s the dream side hustle for that shopping addict in your life. You can pick your own hours and decide how much or how little you want to work. You're also free to choose the assignments that you're most interested in.
All assignments for your area will be listed on the website and range in all sorts of industries, including some of your favorite name-brand shops that BestMark partners with.
"We have a lot of e-commerce evaluating online experiences such as Amazon and eBay. We [do] retail, restaurants, and grocery, including Walmart," DeAnne Berwald, COO of BestMark, told Narcity. "We also offer hotel audits across numerous brands."
You don't need specific skills or experience to become a mystery shopper. So, if you're over 18, all you need is a passion for customer service and the willingness to provide honest feedback.