Mystery shopping (related terms: mystery shopper, mystery consumer, mystery research, secret shopper and secret shopping and auditor) is a method used by marketing research companies and organizations that wish to measure quality of sales and service, job performance, regulatory compliance, or to gather specific information about a market or competitors, including products and services.

Mystery shoppers typically mirror common consumer behaviors to test the consistency of the habits deemed important to a specific brand or industry. Mystery shoppers, who primarily operate as independent contractors or gig workers, submit detailed reports and feedback about their experiences.

Mystery shopping can take the form of physical visits to business premises, or calling companies to evaluate their customer experience often called mystery calling or Customer Experience Research Calling (CXR Calling).