I need some advice on how to navigate this friendship.

I have a friend who would be perfect for me to take along on some shops. I also feel like I have something to offer her when she has something to offer me. For example, I don't have a car, but I might need a ride somewhere. We live in a metropolitan area so I could do a parking shop and help her out by providing parking when she needs it. Or take her out for a meal...or etc...
I don't really know anyone else who would fit this role for me she's really one of very few. We have a lot of similar interests and goals. However, I noticed she gatekeeps a lot of information from me. Like, maybe a resourceful contact or events that may assist me with my goals. Kind of like someone who knows about a Costco membership to get great deals but no one else knows Costco exists and she won't tell a soul.

So, I know if I take her on a shop, she will want to know how I get the gigs and how she could do them too. Given that she keeps information from me I really don't want to tell her that I'm a mystery shopper and give her all my resources and tips. Like I said, she would be perfect for me when I need another person, but I just don't want to share how I get the gigs.

Does anyone have tips on what to tell her? Basically, a cover story that explains that I do get reimbursed but it's only available to me...or something like that? So, she doesn't have the resources to become a shopper herself.

If you mention mystery shopping, all the info is available to her if she wants to search.

Noone I've mentioned it to has ever tried it. So the risk seems minimal.

I don't see any way to comfortably tell her you're doing it for pay, then refuse to share. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

@prince wrote:

If you mention mystery shopping, all the info is available to her if she wants to search.

Noone I've mentioned it to has ever tried it. So the risk seems minimal.

I don't see any way to comfortably tell her you're doing it for pay, then refuse to share. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

^^^ This.

You already know the answer. Don't do it.

I feel if you can't trust her, don't take her with you.

I have taken a guest to shops and have not told them that it was a shop.
Some shops are easier to pull off (without the reveal) than others.
Some depend on the nature of the shop, your nature as your friend knows it, and your friend's nature.
A small example: if you offer to pay for parking and request a (required) receipt; would this seem unusual to your friend?
Is friend likely to ask why? what are you doing? etc. if you make observations at a shop or take pictures? How closely is friend monitoring what you do, and then how inquisitive would he/she be?
So, to the point, an option to not taking friend is: you could start the "gatekeeping" right from the start and not reveal that it is a shop.

The first rule of mystery shopping is: you do not talk about mystery shopping.

^^^That is it, plain and simple.