Last reviewed: May 24, 2026. Reflects TrendSource operations from its San Diego base, its Field Agent sign-up through The Source, current MSPA founding-member standing, and the firm’s mix of mystery shopping and compliance inspection work.
TrendSource calls itself the first modern mystery shopping company, and it has the history to back the claim. Founded in 1989 and a founding member of the industry’s trade association, TrendSource has spent over three decades sending shoppers into stores, restaurants, and banks across North America. If you want a veteran company with a long track record, this is one of them.
But here’s what makes TrendSource different today: it’s no longer just a mystery shopping company. From its San Diego base, TrendSource now runs a large compliance and inspections business too, handling everything from I-9 verifications to Medicare audits to property inspections. For a Field Agent, that means more kinds of work than a typical shopping company offers.
This TrendSource review covers both sides of the business. We walk through how to sign up through The Source, what the work and pay really look like, how the rating system affects your assignments, and who this company fits. Use it alongside our best mystery shopping companies guide to decide where it belongs in your rotation.
TrendSource quick facts
- Founded
- 1989 in Denver; HQ moved to San Diego in 2004
- Former name
- MSI Services, Inc.
- Headquarters
- 4891 Pacific Highway, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92110
- Coverage
- United States and Canada
- Shopper term
- Field Agent
- Sign-up site
- The Source (thesourceagents.com)
- Platform
- Proprietary web-based system
- Industry group
- MSPA founding member
- Pay model
- Twice a month via direct deposit or check
- Best for
- Reliable agents open to inspections and audit work
The Original Mystery Shopping Company
TrendSource has been around longer than almost anyone in this field. TrendSource started in 1989 in Denver as MSI Services, Inc., then moved its home base to San Diego in 2004. Along the way TrendSource helped found the Mystery Shopping Providers Association, the industry’s main trade group.
That heritage matters when you’re picking a mystery shopping company, and TrendSource has it in spades. A mystery shopping firm that has run for more than 35 years has weathered every shift in the business. TrendSource has refined how it briefs agents, reviews reports, and pays out. You won’t be anyone’s experiment here.
Today TrendSource maintains a proprietary database of more than 300,000 Field Agents across the United States and Canada (per company figures). That scale lets TrendSource promise clients full coverage and steady agent rotation, so the same shoppers don’t keep turning up at one location.
More Than Mystery Shopping
Here’s the part that sets TrendSource apart from every other company in our directory. TrendSource is no longer just a mystery shopping firm. Over the years TrendSource built a large compliance and inspections business that now sits right alongside the classic shopping work.
That compliance side covers a lot of ground. TrendSource Field Agents handle employment I-9 verifications, on-site and virtual business inspections, home occupancy verifications, property condition reports, and Medicare-related phone and appointment audits. Agents also perform repossession-lot, debt-collector, and FHA-lender inspections for government and finance clients.
What the inspections side means for agents
For you, this dual focus is a real advantage. A typical mystery shopping company offers only shops. TrendSource offers mystery shopping plus a deep bench of inspection and audit work. That means more assignments and, often, better-paying ones.
The trade-off is that inspection and audit work asks more of you. These TrendSource jobs can require certifications, more detailed reporting, and sometimes specific equipment. They are less about a fun lunch out and more about careful, professional fieldwork. If you treat this as serious side work, the range here rewards you.
Industries and Services TrendSource Covers
TrendSource splits its Field Agent work into two broad groups. The classic mystery shopping assignments include:
- Customer service monitoring — standard shops rating how staff treat everyday customers
- Rewards and recognition programs — shops that reward employees on the spot for good service
- Competitor monitoring — visits to a client’s competitors to compare the experience
- Retail audits — merchandising, stock, marketing, and health-and-safety checks in stores
The TrendSource compliance and inspection assignments include:
- I-9 employment verifications — confirming new-hire documents for employers
- Occupancy verifications and property condition reports — fieldwork for finance clients
- Government inspections — repossession-lot, debt-collector, and FHA-lender checks
- Medicare (CMS) audits — phone-call and appointment audits in health care
Much of the classic work overlaps with standard retail mystery shopping. The inspection work is where TrendSource reaches well beyond the usual mystery shopping company.
How to Sign Up as a TrendSource Field Agent
You don’t register on the main TrendSource site. Field Agent sign-up runs through The Source at thesourceagents.com. The TrendSource application is free and quick. Here’s how it works:
- Go to thesourceagents.com. Open The Source site and click to get started as a Field Agent. This is the correct place to register for TrendSource mystery shopping work.
- Enter your email. Submit and confirm your email address. The Source sends you a link to continue the application.
- Build your Field Agent profile. Add your contact details and location. TrendSource uses your area to match you with nearby assignments.
- Review the Resource Guide. New agents get a guide explaining what’s expected of an independent contractor. Read it closely.
- Pass the certification quiz. You must pass a short certification quiz to be approved for payment. It confirms you understand the basics.
- Apply for projects. Browse open assignments on The Source, apply, and complete any project-specific certification before you start.
Basic Requirements
To work for TrendSource, you need to meet a few basic requirements. These match what most legitimate mystery shopping companies ask for:
- At least 18 years old and able to sign a binding contract
- Daily internet access, since you apply and report through The Source
- A private email address you check often
- A smartphone or camera for taking and uploading photos and receipts
- Clear writing skills and the focus to follow detailed instructions
- Willingness to pass certification quizzes for each program
Classic TrendSource mystery shopping has a low bar to entry. The inspection and audit jobs can ask for more, including certain certifications and occasionally special equipment. You can start with simple mystery shopping and grow into the bigger work over time.
Pro tip: your rating is your reputation
After each project, TrendSource rates Field Agents for accuracy, professionalism, and punctuality. Those ratings decide who gets first access to the best TrendSource mystery shopping and inspection jobs. Treat every early assignment as an audition. Strong ratings and a few certifications turn a trickle of shops into a steady stream of better-paying work.
How TrendSource Pays
TrendSource pays Field Agents twice a month, by direct deposit or check. That twice-monthly schedule is more frequent than many mystery shopping companies offer, and shoppers consistently report that payments arrive on time.
Pay at TrendSource depends on the type of work. Classic mystery shopping assignments tend to pay a modest fee, sometimes with reimbursement for a required purchase. Inspections, audits, and verifications usually pay more because they take more skill and time. The exact TrendSource pay is listed on each assignment before you accept it.
Certifications can raise your earning power at TrendSource. Specialized programs, such as Medicare audits or military-base work, open higher-value assignments to agents who qualify. You also have to pass a certification quiz before you’re approved for payment, so don’t skip that step.
Run the math through our mystery shopping income estimator before you commit. And because this is contractor income, track it yourself for taxes. Our guide to mystery shopper tax deductions covers what you can write off.
Getting Assignments and the Rating System
TrendSource runs a merit-based system. You apply for open TrendSource mystery shopping and inspection projects through The Source, and schedulers weigh your history when they assign work. Better ratings mean better access.
Before each project, you complete a certification quiz tied to that program’s instructions. When a TrendSource program changes, you retake the quiz. A TrendSource quality assurance team reviews results and coaches agents over time, which keeps standards high across the database.
After each completed project, TrendSource rates you on accuracy, professionalism, and punctuality. Only the strongest TrendSource agents stay active and keep getting offers. The company also guarantees rotation, so you won’t shop the same location over and over. Build your mystery shopping routine around keeping that rating high.
TrendSource, The Source, and MSI Services are the same company
The names trip people up, so let’s clear it up. TrendSource is the corporate brand. The Source (thesourceagents.com) is where Field Agents actually register and pick up work. MSI Services, Inc. is the company’s former name, which still shows up in older reviews. They are all one company. To sign up for mystery shopping work, go to thesourceagents.com, not the corporate site.
Types of TrendSource Work
The variety of mystery shopping and inspection work is the headline here. Most TrendSource Field Agents focus on a few types that fit their skills and schedule. The main categories are:
- Mystery shops — classic undercover visits to stores, restaurants, and service counters
- Merchandising and retail audits — checking displays, stock, pricing, and store conditions
- Business inspections — on-site and virtual verifications that a business operates as claimed
- Finance and government fieldwork — occupancy checks, property reports, and lender or repossession inspections
- Health care audits — Medicare phone and appointment audits under CMS rules
The classic mystery shopping carries the lower pay and the lower bar. The inspection and audit work pays more and rewards agents who invest in certifications and build a strong track record.
Working on The Source Platform
TrendSource runs its own proprietary, web-based platform rather than a shared industry system. You handle everything through The Source: finding open mystery shopping projects, applying, reading instructions, and submitting your results and photos.
TrendSource instructions come in written, audio, or video form, depending on how complex the program is. Each program includes a certification quiz, and the TrendSource platform stores your project materials, your notes, and your uploads in one place. A laptop or desktop makes the reporting easier, though a phone works for photos and quick entries.
Support is a noted TrendSource strength. Field Agents often describe TrendSource as easy to work with and the support team as responsive when an issue comes up during a shop or report. For a mystery shopping company this size, that reputation counts for a lot.
MSPA Standing and Industry Memberships
TrendSource is a founding member of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA), the main trade group for the industry. Founding-member status is a strong credibility signal, and TrendSource has held its standing for decades.
The TrendSource compliance side brings more credentials. TrendSource belongs to professional groups tied to background screening, consumer reporting, and creditors’ rights, and its inspection arm carries ISO certification. That stack of memberships reflects how seriously the firm takes data quality and ethics.
For a shopper, all of this points the same way. A long history, MSPA founding-member status, and industry certifications put TrendSource firmly among the established mystery shopping companies. If you want to add mystery shopping credentials of your own, our MSPA certification guide explains the options.
What Shoppers Say About TrendSource
What shoppers often note
- A 35-plus-year track record and MSPA founding-member status
- Reliable twice-monthly pay by direct deposit or check
- Far more work types than a typical mystery shopping company
- Large US and Canada footprint with steady assignment flow
- Easy to work with and responsive support
- Certifications open higher-paying inspection and audit work
Common concerns
- Classic shops pay modestly, often a small fee plus reimbursement
- Better pay requires certifications, skill, and sometimes equipment
- Brand confusion between TrendSource, The Source, and MSI Services
- The rating system means weak performers see fewer offers
- Per-project certification quizzes add upfront time
- Inspection work is more demanding than easygoing retail shops
Tips for Working With TrendSource
A few habits help you get the most out of TrendSource mystery shopping and inspection work:
- Register at the right site. Sign up at thesourceagents.com, not the corporate TrendSource page, so you land in the Field Agent system.
- Guard your rating. Accuracy, professionalism, and punctuality drive your access. Treat early jobs as auditions.
- Chase certifications. Medicare and other specialized certifications open up higher-paying assignments.
- Read every Resource Guide and quiz carefully. The certification step is where careless agents lose payment eligibility.
- Try the inspection work. If you want steadier, better pay, the audit and verification jobs beat relying on classic shops alone.
- Track your costs. This is contractor income, so log mileage and keep a simple business setup for tax time.
Scam alert: spotting fake TrendSource offers
A name as old and trusted as TrendSource attracts scammers. Real Field Agent work only comes through The Source at thesourceagents.com. Watch for these red flags:
- Checks before work. The real company never sends a check in advance. A check before any assignment is a scam.
- Cold recruitment messages. Random texts or emails offering TrendSource jobs are fake. Register through the official site only.
- Requests for money or gift cards. No legitimate assignment asks you to wire money or buy gift cards.
- Pressure to act now. Urgency from a stranger is a warning sign, not an opportunity.
If you get a suspicious message using the company’s name, report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Also read our guide to spotting mystery shopping scams.
TrendSource Contact Information
| Company | TrendSource (formerly MSI Services, Inc.) |
|---|---|
| Office | 4891 Pacific Highway, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92110 |
| Phone | (619) 718-7467 |
| General email | info@trendsource.com |
| Field Agent sign-up | thesourceagents.com (The Source) |
| Website | trendsource.com |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TrendSource a legitimate mystery shopping company?
Yes. TrendSource has operated since 1989, is a founding member of the MSPA, and runs a large, established field-services business across the US and Canada. It is one of the oldest names in the industry. Always register through thesourceagents.com and never trust a check or job offer that arrives out of the blue.
Do I sign up at TrendSource or The Source?
You sign up at The Source, found at thesourceagents.com. TrendSource is the corporate brand, while The Source is the Field Agent platform where you register and pick up work. They are the same company, along with the former name MSI Services, Inc.
How and how often does TrendSource pay?
TrendSource pays twice a month by direct deposit or check, and agents widely report on-time payment. Classic shops pay a modest fee, sometimes with reimbursement, while inspections and audits pay more. You must pass a certification quiz to be approved for payment.
What is the difference between shops and inspections at TrendSource?
Mystery shops are undercover customer-experience visits that pay modestly. Inspections, audits, and verifications are professional fieldwork, such as I-9 checks, occupancy verifications, and Medicare audits. They pay more but often require certifications and more detailed reporting.
Do I need certifications to work for TrendSource?
No, you can start with basic shops and no special credentials. But certifications, such as those for Medicare or military-base work, open more assignments and higher pay. You also pass a short program certification quiz before each project you accept.
Deciding If TrendSource Fits Your Setup
TrendSource makes sense if you want a stable, veteran mystery shopping company and you’re willing to do more than easy shops. You value the frequent, reliable TrendSource pay. You don’t mind certification quizzes, and you’re open to the TrendSource inspection and audit work where the better money lives. For that kind of agent, few companies offer this much range.
The trade-offs are honest ones. Classic mystery shopping here pays modestly, the best work takes certifications and effort, and the rating system means you have to perform to keep the offers coming. A shopper chasing only quick, fun outings may prefer a lighter mystery shopping company.
For most people, TrendSource works as a reliable anchor in a wider rotation. Sign up through The Source, keep your TrendSource ratings high, and decide whether the inspection work is worth pursuing for steadier income. Signing up is free, so it costs little to see what posts in your area. For more, see our guide to how much secret shoppers actually make and our full mystery shopping company directory.