Mystery Shopping as a Career

Can Mystery Shopping Really Be a Career?

When people ask me if mystery shopping as a career is realistic, I share my story. As an independent mystery shopper, I've discovered that this isn't just a side hustle—it's become my full-time livelihood and my path to healing. Here's how mystery shopping transformed my life from December 2021 through an incredible year on the road.

When Everything Changed

Mystery shopping has played a very important role in my life since December of 2021. If I had not gotten in an auto accident and sustained severe nerve damage to my back and left side, I might not have found it.

On September 13, 2019, my world was turned upside down. I was involved in a double rollover auto accident that broke several ribs and scapula all on my left side. I was in constant pain. My left arm was weak and without improvement my doctors were telling me I was not going to get better. I could not touch my left shoulder. It hurt so much. Even wearing clothes was excruciating. Every day chores hurt. I could not stand long enough to even do the dishes, carry laundry down to the washer. Laying in bed on my right side was unnatural for me and being on my back was painful. Wearing a bra was out of the question. I was a caregiver, not one to be cared for. I worked as a skilled care CNA working with quadriplegics and others with physical disabilities. I worked as a Paraprofessional in the school district Special Education department. Going back to either of my positions was out of the question with my physical limits. To say I was depressed and throwing a personal pity party was an understatement.

Discovering Mystery Shopping as a Career Path

Fast forward to December of 2021 and social media. I don't remember which platform I was using at the time, but I saw a story or reel by Mercedes Eckert. She talked about Mystery Shopping. I was hooked. I joined her platform in April of 2022. I saw mystery shopping as a career opportunity—a way to work when I felt good. At first, I only did a few shops per week. I needed time to recover from the pain of daily life and shopping. I learned that there were many shoppers that suffered from a wide variety of different physical limitations.

In December of 2022 I attended ShopCon in Orlando and learned about video shopping. I knew right away that I wanted to become an independent mystery shopper doing route work. I spent the first of 2023 learning my video equipment and getting to know some schedulers I could help.

My First Year as a Full-Time Independent Mystery Shopper

In March of 2023 I embarked on what was the best year of my new life pursuing mystery shopping as a career. I agreed to do a route of shops in Texas and was gone from March 15th until mid-May. Then I left again the second week of June and returned in August in time for school to start. I left again at the end of September and returned in time for Thanksgiving. I left after Thanksgiving for one last trip, returning for Christmas.

I learned a lot about my health in 2023. I learned about my physical, emotional, and mental health. I learned I can push through a lot of pain to do what I want to do. I was so happy on the road. I did get lonely for my family, but I got to see more of my family in TX and FL in 2023 than I had in any year since 2006 when I moved to Utah. Mystery shopping as a career allowed me to push my understanding of what I could do without putting me flat on my back. It boosted my mental and emotional health so much without damaging my physical health. I walked thousands of steps per day. I drank so much water and even learned about drinking too much water. I learned about foods I could eat in the car instead of potato chips. I ate nuts, and tuna. I made my own trail mix with all kinds of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. I learned that pineapple juice was good for leg cramps. I learned that I liked my solitude. The long drives between locations allowed me lots of time to think, plan, dream and renew friendships over the phone. It allowed me to be me and free of judgment from myself or others. I could have long meaningful conversations with people I cared about and that cared about me. I also gave up over 30#.

Life as an Independent Mystery Shopper

I enjoy being on the road. I find peace in the natural beauty of the earth, sky, and the clouds. So much joy and beauty my soul is at peace. My mind is calm. My heart is full. God is good. The people I meet while mystery shopping are fun. I learn so many things. All the décor from apartment shops gives me ideas for my own home. Being an independent mystery shopper does a lot more for me than helping pay the bills. I dare say I am not alone when I say mystery shopping as a career is good for my overall health and well-being.

If you'd like to learn more about mystery shopping and want to get started in your own journey, go to www.ishopagp.com.

Meet Sonja!

Sonja is a full-time Mystery Shopper. She started mystery shopping in January of 2022 and joined iShop in April of 2022. She started video shopping in January of 2023. She now does many extended, long-distance video routes. Her favorite part of mystery shopping is getting to travel across the country to see her family. So far mystery shopping has paid for four extended trips to see family on the Gulf Coast and a trip to Disney World.

Sonja lives in Utah with her husband and custodial grandson. She has an angel son and four beautiful adult daughters. She has twelve grandchildren, six boys and six girls. She is a Gulf Coast native and relocated to Utah with two of her girls in 2006.

When she is not mystery shopping, she enjoys playing games with her family and friends, cooking/baking, and many crafts. Her crafts include pouring resin, sublimation, acrylic paint pouring, jewelry making, sewing, woodworking, and more.

She collects unicorns and claims to have over 8000 in her collection. Her collection includes many mediums such as resin, wood, stone, brass, glass, acrylic, cloth, ceramic, and more. She has bells, clothes, jewelry, planters, candy dishes, night lights, wind chimes, dishes, linens, paintings, lacquerware, and more. She says her smallest unicorn is .5 inches and her largest was 6'7". That one is another story.

Meet Sonja!

Sonja is a full-time Mystery Shopper. She started mystery shopping in January of 2022 and joined iShop in April of 2022. She started video shopping in January of 2023. She now does many extended, long-distance video routes. Her favorite part of mystery shopping is getting to travel across the country to see her family. So far mystery shopping has paid for four extended trips to see family on the Gulf Coast and a trip to Disney World.

Sonja lives in Utah with her husband and custodial grandson. She has an angel son and four beautiful adult daughters. She has twelve grandchildren, six boys and six girls. She is a Gulf Coast native and relocated to Utah with two of her girls in 2006.

When she is not mystery shopping, she enjoys playing games with her family and friends, cooking/baking, and many crafts. Her crafts include pouring resin, sublimation, acrylic paint pouring, jewelry making, sewing, woodworking, and more.

She collects unicorns and claims to have over 8000 in her collection. Her collection includes many mediums such as resin, wood, stone, brass, glass, acrylic, cloth, ceramic, and more. She has bells, clothes, jewelry, planters, candy dishes, night lights, wind chimes, dishes, linens, paintings, lacquerware, and more. She says her smallest unicorn is .5 inches and her largest was 6’7”. That one is another story.