How Much Do Mystery Shoppers Get Paid in South Africa?
If you’ve never heard of the concept of “mystery shopping,” it’s pretty much what it sounds like — an observer who goes undercover during a test or exam to check out how someone takes care of business. Think of it as a third-party verification for quality control. Businesses use mystery shoppers to make sure their customers have the best experience possible, whether they’re a first-time customer or a regular customer. The average rate for mystery shoppers in South Africa is approximately R3,000 (US$265) per hour and can go up from there depending on your level of experience and references. That said, rates vary by industry, location, type of store, brand and more. Keep reading to learn more about how much mystery shoppers earn in South Africa and where you can find opportunities.
How to Become a Mystery Shopper in South Africa
There are many mystery shopping opportunities available in South Africa, but it’s important to note that the country is a relatively small market — and so, competition is also relatively low. That’s why you can find so many jobs here. Many of the jobs listed above require that you have a network of clients or referrers. You can start building your network by networking with other mystery shoppers or by advertising your availability on job boards like Freelancer, Upwork and our own. We also recommend reaching out to your local Chamber of Commerce, as many of the mystery shopping opportunities on this list are member-based. There are several other ways to find jobs as a mystery shopper in South Africa as well. You can research online job boards like Indeed, Google and LinkedIn to see what jobs are available in your area. Additionally, you can join online communities like Mystery Shopping Review and Shopper’s World to get in touch with other shoppers in your area and learn about new opportunities. Finally, you can also talk to your professors, who often know about jobs for students in related fields.
How Much Do Mystery Shoppers Earn in South Africa?
While the rate of pay for mystery shoppers will vary depending on several factors, like the industry you’re working in, the average pay for a one-time, full-day job ranges from R8,000 to R13,000 ($550-$840). If you’re looking for long-term employment, you can earn as much as R25,000 per day, depending on your experience and references. You can find more information about average pay for mystery shopping by visiting our Mystery Shopping Pay Guide. Beyond industry pay rates, several other factors can affect how much you earn as a mystery shopper. Foremost is your location — as a general rule, you can expect to earn more in more metropolitan areas. And, similar to rates of pay in your area, your experience and references will affect how much you make. As you research the various stores you’ll be visiting, you should also pay attention to the store’s customer ratings to get a sense of how much others liked them.
Where to Find Mystery Shopping Jobs in South Africa
While you can find jobs as a mystery shopper in South Africa via many channels, we recommend using job boards as a starting point. If you search for “mystery shopping jobs in South Africa,” you’ll likely find several listings, but make sure to click on the “search again” button to get a better idea of the job type you’re looking for. If you’re looking for job-specific websites, we recommend first checking our job board — we update the jobs section of our website once a week, and we also post a few new jobs on social media each week. Additionally, you can also sign up for email newsletters from the various mystery shopping companies to stay up-to-date on new opportunities.
Tips for Getting Paid as a Mystery Shopper in South Africa
When it comes to getting paid as a mystery shopper, there are a few things you should keep in mind, like the example below: – Research the locations you’ll be visiting. Take the time to do some research on the stores you’ll be visiting as you’re trying to land a job as a mystery shopper. You can do this by reading customer reviews on sites like Yelp, visiting the stores’ websites and reading the comments on social media. It’s also a good idea to ask your references where they purchased the product. – Always be on time. This seems like common sense, but be sure to always be on time for your appointments as a mystery shopper. If you’re running late, don’t just keep pushing back your appointment — call the client right away to let them know why you’re late. This way, you’ll avoid a future issue. – Wear proper attire. This might sound silly, but you’d be surprised how often you’ll see shoppers showing up to a store with their clothes on or even their makeup! Make sure you dress professionally and if possible wear shoes that you can remove quickly if you need to go to the bathroom. – Don’t be shy. Remember, you’re going to be meeting actual customers, which means you’ll need to be friendly and professional. If you’re shy, try to break the ice by talking about the kind of work you like or what you’re studying. You can also ask your clients about themselves to see what kind of conversations develop.
Conclusion
The mystery shopping industry is growing fast in South Africa, and there are many jobs available. You can also make great money with just a few clients. If you’re looking to get paid testing out the local stores, we highly recommend finding a job as a mystery shopper. You can also find other ways to make money online, like by testing online shopping sites and websites to find out if they deliver the goods they promise. And, with newer technologies like blockchain and artificial intelligence, there are many opportunities to make money testing these new technologies.
