Become a Shopper
Reality Based Group works with shoppers across the country to help leading brands improve customer experience through real-world feedback. Whether you enjoy shopping online, dining out, visiting retail stores, or evaluating customer service interactions, our shopper programs offer flexible opportunities designed to fit your schedule.
As a shopper, you may participate in assignments involving restaurants, retail stores, phone calls, online experiences, video shopping, and more. Your observations help businesses better understand their customer journey and improve the experiences they provide.
Why Join Reality Based Group?
- Flexible shopping assignments based on your availability
- Opportunities to work with nationally recognized brands
- Various shopping types including video, phone, online, and in-person visits
- Easy-to-follow assignment guidelines and reporting
- Support from an experienced shopper operations team
Mystery Shoppers FAQ
“Who is Reality Based Group?”
We are a customer experience management and mystery shopping company. We help companies evaluate and improve their front-line staff and the behaviors that drive customer loyalty and revenue. Using programs like mystery shopping and customer surveys as vehicles to allowing companies to have conversations about the behaviors that drive their customer experience.
Why mystery shop with RBG?
The reason is simple. We always go the extra mile for our mystery shoppers! Because without our shoppers, the pieces of the puzzle won’t fit!
We have some of the best mystery shoppers in the industry and we take pride in setting them up for success. When mystery shopping with RBG, our shoppers are assigned a scheduler and have access to customer service representatives who are here to help you along the way. This is just one of many ways we make sure that you have all the resources needed to help make you a successful mystery shopper. Don’t just take our word for it. Check out our shopper testimonials to learn more about shopping with RBG.
How do I sign up as a mystery shopper?
It’s easy. Just apply to become a shopper.
I finished my application and I am qualified to be a mystery shopper. What’s next?
Social Security Number verification usually takes 7 to 10 business days. However, you can begin to apply for and perform assignments immediately.
Where do I sign in to see my shopper profile, shop log, applications, and the job board?
Please visit our shopper login page and sign in with your email and password. We will also use this site to display any important notices for shoppers.
I finished my application and I am not qualified to be a shopper. Why don’t I meet the requirements?
RBG is more selective in the shoppers that we recruit and hire than most other secret shopping companies. We work with our clients to identify highly targeted criteria in our shoppers that best supports their long-term goals and objectives, which results in us choosing only those who fits those needs.
What are my options?
Mystery shopping companies are always looking for mystery shoppers. For a list of those companies, please visit the MSPA website.
Can I reapply with RBG?
Yes. To reapply with RBG, you can get certified as a mystery shopper with the MSPA. Once a certified mystery shopper, enter your code to your profile, contact us and we will re-evaluate your qualifications.
Can I create another account and take the test again?
No. We only allow one account per individual.
Where do I go if I lost my password?
Please visit our password reset page and your password will be sent to the email you used to sign up.
Can I share accounts?
Mystery shoppers cannot have more than one account and cannot share accounts. Please make sure that your account is unique. If you use PayPal rather than Direct Deposit, please be sure that your email account is the one tied to your PayPal account.
How do I apply for assignments?
You can apply for assignments on the Job Board by clicking on the Job Board link at the top of your screen after logging in to Reality Based Group. You can also click on the link at the bottom of the posting notice email for the location that is in your area. To receive posting notice emails for assignments in your area, you must have the Get Shop Offer Emails setting in your profile set to “ON.”
When you apply for any mystery shopping assignment, please provide the answer to any questions asked and select the shop date if requested; the scheduler will assign the shop, and you will be notified if you were assigned. There are self-assigned shops available that you can assign yourself; you will receive an email notification informing you that you have been assigned the shop. Your assignment will immediately show in your Shop Log; check it to confirm shop assignment. Check your email at least once each day, and check your SPAM folder to make sure you don’t miss any notices.
Can I still do shops if my social security number is pending?
Yes. You can sign up for and perform mystery shops while your Social Security Number is in Pending status.* Since shops are paid in the following month, and Social Security Numbers usually take 7-10 business days to process (as we verify them through the IRS), our shoppers usually get Verified before the pay date has passed.
Verification process may be different for our non-US shoppers. Please Contact Us if you are a non-US shopper and you profile has not been verified for shopping, as this process is not automatic.
How do I fill out my mystery shopper report?
First, find the correct shop on your log. Second, click the Confirm link (top link in the image below). Doing so will cause the View/Submit link to appear blue and clickable. Third, click the View/Submit link (third link in the image below) and this will open your shop report. A reminder notice will pop up to alert you that you will have a timed half hour in which to fill out your report; click OK to proceed to filling out the shop report.
How do I upload my receipt or picture to my mystery shop report?
While completing the shop report, click on “Upload Picture” and you will see the image below. Click on “Add Files” to select the file with the receipt or picture needed for your report. After selecting the file, click on “Start Upload” to add the image to your shop report. Your file must be a jpeg (jpg) or Adobe Acrobat (pdf) file that is no more than 1 MB in size. You can scan your receipt or picture to create a jpg or pdf file. If you do not have a scanner, you can use your digital or cell phone camera to take a clear and legible picture of the entire receipt to upload to your computer or send to your email address to create a file to upload to your shop report. If this does not work, please fax the receipt, along with the Shop ID number, to 1-512-233-5340, and your receipt will be attached to your report.
How do I contact my scheduler?
If you have your scheduler’s email address, it is best to email your scheduler directly through your email provider. You can check the Guidelines of each shop to find the scheduler email for that shop. This is useful if you need to ask a question or to notify the scheduler if you encounter a problem with your assignment When first emailing your scheduler, please include your first and last name, the shop you were scheduled for (or would like to be assigned) as well as the location of the shop.
If you cannot find your scheduler’s information, you can click on the “Help/Contact” link in your Shop Log to send a message to your scheduler.
How can I earn a 10/10 rating on my shop?
How can I earn a 10/10 rating on my shop?
The best way to earn a 10/10 is to:
A) Read all guidelines and read the survey before performing the shop.
B) Answer all questions and fill out all narratives.
C) Look through your answers and be sure that your narratives explain any negative/No answers and unchecked boxes.
D) Perform a spell check and re-read for spelling and grammar.
E) Submit your shop within 24 hours.
F) Check your email frequently after your shop is submitted, in case the editor has any questions for you.
What is the benefit of getting a 10/10 on my shop?
The more mystery shops you complete with a 9/10 or 10/10, the more likely schedulers are to hand-pick you to perform shops, especially those shops that require good, reliable mystery shoppers who can produce a high-quality report, such as high-end restaurant or hotel mystery shops.
How should I describe an employee?
First of all, do you have the employee’s name? If so, most shops request “Employee name or description.” If you provide the name, you do not need a description.
If you do not have the employee’s name, please list the following: gender, height, approximate age, hair color and style, eye color (if seen), glasses or no glasses. A perfect example is this:
Female, 5’3”-5’5”, long brown hair in a bun under uniform baseball cap, glasses, dark eye color, mid-30s.
Any references to weight, race, or anything deemed uncomplimentary, will be removed. For example, “no hair” is preferable to “bald.”
Why was I given a low score on my shop?
After a shop is edited and finalized, there is no clear way to find out why you were given a particular score, as any mistakes are corrected and not kept on our records. We will generally take points off for not answering questions, late shops, visible bias, or excessive grammar and spelling errors that we have to spend a lot of time editing. Your editor will usually give you a few pointers on how to correct any mistakes for your next shop, which will be visible on your Shop Log under Reviewer Comments.
How do I get paid for my work?
Mystery shoppers are paid via Direct Deposit or PayPal. If you use Direct Deposit, please be sure to enter accurate information so that your payment is immediately submitted on time every month (visit our contest page for steps). If you use PayPal, please be sure that your email address associated with your PayPal account is the same email address that is associated with the RBG website.
When do I get paid for my work?
Payment via Direct Deposit
Our mystery shoppers who elect to be paid via direct deposit are paid on the 10th of the month following the date of shop submission. Therefore, if you did a shop in December, whether you submitted it on December 1 or December 31, you would be paid on January 10.
Payment via Paypal
All mystery shoppers who elect to be paid via PayPal are paid on the 20th of the month following the date of shop submission. Therefore, if you did a shop in December, whether you submitted it on December 1 or December 31, you would be paid on January 20.