We were lucky to catch up with Mercedes Eckert recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Mercedes, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with a fun one – what’s something you believe that most people in your industry (or in general) disagree with?

Many people in the mystery shopping industry believe in keeping their job a secret. They don’t want others to know they are mystery shoppers for two reasons. One, they fear that if too many people find out there won’t be enough work. And two, they don’t want to get caught as a mystery shopper while on the job. While I understand where they are coming from, this way of thinking has kept the general public in the dark when it comes to this industry and has allowed scams to abound. Mystery shopping is a legitimate job and fantastic source of income. But because of many scammers in the industry and misinformation, the general public has been wary of it. I remember when I started my company, iShop, there were folks who told me that I should not do it and that I would be taking jobs away from people. That couldn’t have been further from the truth. Through my company, we have been able to help more than 17,000 people create a consistent income stream that has completely changed their finances.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I got into the industry by way of a chance meeting with a woman who was already in the field. Her company was desperate for mystery shoppers, and I was intrigued by the fact that I could get paid to shop. I completed my first shop at a gas station, and I was hooked. from there, I delved into the wonderful world of mystery shopping and found out that it was a very large industry with lots of earning opportunities. From there, I went on to create an organization called iShop. We specialize in the recruitment and training of new mystery shoppers. Through our training program, we have been able to help more than 17,000 people get into the industry and create a consistent income from shopping. What sets us apart from other organizations are our relatability, marketing, and training program. Up until iShop, no other company had a streamlined process for onboarding shoppers on a massive scale. We have pioneered the way for mystery shopping to make a comeback!

Can you talk to us about your experience with buying businesses?

In 2024, we made our first acquisition. Another mystery shopping organization was selling and they chose us to sell to. The actual process was simple. The part that took the most time and care was bringing the clients of the company we were buying out, into “our fold”. The other company’s clients had been long-time members and not used to our company method and culture. In hindsight, we did some things right and others we could have done better. But overall, it was a smooth process and I am proud of it.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Is it crazy if I tell you that I didn’t have to put down $1 to fund my business?! Well, it’s true. I started this business with nothing more than a little knowledge and lots of time. iShop is service based so there was no physical product that was being sold. Information is what we were selling, and it didn’t take any capital to shell that out. I started with my phone, Facebook, and PayPal (to collect payment). And who would have ever guessed that one day it would turn into a 7-figure business. It’s crazy to think back on.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ishopagp.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ishopagp
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ishopagp