Mystery shopping · Canada-wide
Automotive & tire shop mystery shopping across Canada
Automotive mystery shopping is an unannounced visit by a real customer who books a service at a tire or auto shop, pays for it, and documents the quote, payment, paperwork and staff conduct in a written report.
Find out how your shops handle a real customer, from the first quote to the final receipt. Our agents book an ordinary service on their own vehicle, such as a tire installation, balancing, a repair or a seasonal changeover, pay the way any customer would, cash included, and document the whole transaction. Visits are unannounced, and agents act naturally: they never suggest or encourage anything improper.
Single mission from $149 CAD · report in 7–14 days · no contracts.
What our shoppers evaluate
What the agent asked for, the work actually done (including anything done that was not asked for), and whether the vehicle was ready when promised.
The price quoted before the work, whether it was given in writing or verbally, the amount paid, and whether the two matched.
Cash, debit or credit, the date and exact time of the transaction, and whether the agent saw the sale entered into a till or computer.
Whether each one was provided, with a photo of each document the agent received. Paperwork that was not provided is reported as a finding.
Relevant comments in the staff member's own words about the price, the payment, the paperwork or the vehicle, plus any extra work recommended.
How quickly the agent was helped, how clearly the work and price were explained, the wait, and the condition of the counter and waiting area.
Franchise transaction compliance visits
Customer service is only half the picture. For franchise networks and multi-location operators, the bigger question is often whether each location follows the transaction procedures you set: every sale quoted, recorded, invoiced and paid the way head office expects.
Our compliance visits are built around that question. An agent books an ordinary service or buys a product, pays as instructed (cash included), and records exactly what happened:
- whether a written estimate was provided before the work started
- whether the amount paid matched the amount quoted
- whether the sale was entered into the till or system in front of the customer
- whether an invoice or receipt was provided, and what it shows
- the exact date and time, so you can match the visit against your own sales records
Agents act as normal customers. They never suggest a discount for cash, a sale without paperwork, or anything else improper. The point is to see how the location handles an ordinary transaction, not to create one.
The report documents what the agent observed, with photos of each estimate, work order, invoice and receipt received. It's built for internal review: comparing what happened at the counter with what appears in your system.
Request a franchise compliance quote →Who we work with
- Tire & wheel shops
- Auto repair & maintenance
- Oil change & quick service
- Dealership service departments
- Franchise networks
Running several locations or a franchise network? Ask for a custom quote and we confirm agent coverage for each location before you commit.
How it works
- Step 1Book online in 60 seconds
Tell us your address, the focus areas that matter, and pay by card.
- Step 2A vetted local shopper visits
We assign a real local customer with no connection to your business. They visit, observe, and photograph.
- Step 3Report in 7–14 days
A clear, photo-backed report with a pass/fail on the checks you picked, QA’d before it reaches you.
Pricing
All prices in CAD. GST/HST/PST applied at checkout. No contracts, no monthly minimums.
Frequently asked questions
- How does automotive mystery shopping work?
- You book online, say which service or product the agent should ask for (for example a seasonal tire changeover) and set a spending budget to cover it. An agent with their own vehicle visits unannounced, requests the service, pays as a normal customer and records the quote, payment, paperwork and what staff said. You receive a report with photos of the shop and of every document the agent was given.
- Can the mystery shopper pay cash?
- Yes. Write it in what the agent should buy when you book (for example "seasonal changeover, pay cash"); the agent sees it in their brief. They record the payment method, the amount and the exact time of the transaction, and are reimbursed from the spending budget you set, so the shop sees an ordinary cash customer.
- What does the report document?
- The service requested and completed, the amount quoted and the amount paid, the method of payment, the date and exact time of the transaction, whether an estimate, work order, invoice or receipt was provided, relevant comments made by staff, and photos of the paperwork received during the visit.
- Can we compare the visit against our own sales records?
- Yes. That is a common use for compliance visits. Each report records the exact date, time, amount and payment method, so your team can check whether the transaction appears in your system as it should. Reports describe what the agent observed and documented; they are not a forensic audit or a legal investigation.
- What if the shop gives no receipt, invoice or work order?
- The agent marks that document as not provided and the report says so, so a missing receipt or invoice is a finding rather than a gap. When no receipt is given, the agent photographs the completed work instead.
- Can the mystery shopper buy tires or other products?
- Yes. Product visits work like service visits: you book online, say what the agent should buy (for example four winter tires, installed) and set a spending budget that covers it, tax included. The agent pays as a normal customer and is reimbursed from your budget, and any amount not spent is refunded to you after the report is delivered. The report checks whether ordering, invoicing and payment procedures were followed on the sale.
- Does the agent need their own winter tires for a seasonal changeover?
- Yes. We assign changeover visits only to agents who confirm they have a second set of tires. If you don't need a changeover specifically, balancing or rotation can be staffed in more locations, faster.
- What if the service takes several hours and the agent has to come back?
- That's common in automotive visits. The agent leaves the vehicle, returns when it's ready, and the report records drop-off, pick-up and payment times. Longer or two-trip visits are quoted separately: request a custom quote and tell us the expected duration.
- Is the cost of the service included in the price?
- No. The visit price covers the agent and the report. The service itself is paid from a spending budget you set at booking, which is charged with the booking. Any amount the agent does not spend is refunded to you after the report is delivered.
- How much does an automotive mystery shop cost?
- At standard prices a single visit is $149, three visits are $399.99 and six visits are $719, plus tax, and the spending budget for the service is extra. Programs of five or more locations are quoted separately.
- Can you use a different shopper at each location?
- Yes. On a multi-visit booking you can ask for a different agent on every visit, and an agent who has visited your business is not sent back within 90 days.
- Can you customize the questionnaire?
- Yes. At booking you can pick up to five priorities and add your own questions. Each one becomes a required question the agent must answer, and the answers appear in their own section at the top of your report.
- Do you have mystery shoppers in Ontario?
- We recruit local agents across Canada, including Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton, Ottawa, London, Kitchener, Windsor, Oshawa, Markham and Burlington. Automotive visits go only to agents who confirm they have a vehicle. For several locations, request a custom quote and we confirm coverage for each one before you commit.
- Are there contracts, setup fees or minimums?
- No. One-off visits have no contract, no setup fee and no minimum, so you can start with a small pilot and add locations if it works for you.
See what really happens at the counter
Whether you're checking customer experience or transaction compliance, book a single visit in 60 seconds or request a quote for your whole network. Reports in 7–14 days. No contracts.