The payouts by most 'mystery shopping' companies in India are pathetic. Haven't they heard of the saying "throw peanuts & one gets monkeys"!!

To do the 'mystery shopping' one needs to sit in front of a computer with internet for 30 - 45 minutes to get a hang of the brief. The mystery shopper then spends Rs.200 or more on transportation to & from the location/ outlet, another Rs.100 - 200 to buy basic food or the cheapest merchandise as proof of the visit to the outlet. The shopper also has to click a couple of pics of the shopping venue and rush back home or office to upload the findings online which takes between 45 - 90 mins within 8 - 12 hrs of completion of the mystery shopping. The travelling time, in addition, varies a lot.
The shopper is generally reimbursed by the agencies a sum of Rs.250 - 400 for the entire task after a gap of 2 - 3 months.
The brands/ clients pay the agencies a substantial amount and what the shopper & the brands get in return are stale peanuts.