Typical prices for a dealership mystery shop
Published pricing is rare in this industry. Where it exists, it's in US dollars:
- A 2026 pricing guide from T-ROC puts an automotive dealership shop at roughly US$150 to US$300.
- Proactive Training Solutions says paid shop vendors typically charge US$150 to US$400 per shop.
- At the low end, CustomerOptix advertises automotive shops starting at $45.
In-person showroom shops, where a shopper physically visits the dealership, cost the most because they involve travel and time on site. Phone and internet lead shops cost less because they're done remotely.
What changes the price
- Channel: phone and internet lead shops cost less than in-person visits.
- Volume: monthly programs cost less per shop than one-off shops.
- Depth of reporting: a pass/fail checklist costs less than a scored, recorded shop with written analysis.
- Coaching: live training and role-play add significantly to the price.
- Locations: most vendors price per rooftop, with discounts for dealer groups.
What Lock charges
We publish our prices in Canadian dollars. Every plan includes a scorecard with 20+ criteria, call recordings and a written breakdown of every shop.
| Plan | Price (CAD, per location) | Mystery shops each month | Works out to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $149 / mo + GST | 1 phone shop, 1 internet lead shop | $74.50 per shop |
| Growth | $349 / mo + GST | 3 phone shops, 2 internet lead shops, plus an inventory awareness shop | $69.80 per shop |
| Scale | $699 / mo + GST | 5 phone shops, 5 internet lead shops, covering every channel and every manager | $69.90 per shop |
Dealer groups with 3 to 5 locations save 10%, and groups with 6 to 10 save 15%. Every plan is month-to-month with no contract.
Is it worth it?
Run the math against one extra car. AutoCanada's Q3 2025 results show about $4,183 in new-vehicle front-end gross and $3,346 in F&I per unit. At those numbers, one additional sale a month covers the Scale plan many times over. Your grosses will differ, but the point holds: a mystery shopping program pays for itself if it helps your team save a fraction of one deal a month.