Busted!

After five years of mystery shopping, the past 2 doing at least one mystery shop a week (usually more), I was idetified as a mystery shopper. The salesperson clearly whispered "mystery shopper" to his collegues after I walked by them. He actually said it twice. I was like man, couldnt you have waited until I left the store to tell them? It was so awkward. Luckily, I wouldn't normally do that shop, so likely won't go back, there was just a good bonus. Bad news for him, I was actually in the market for the item he was selling and likely would have purchased one.

Anyone else been outed?

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Why was that bad news for him? Are you not going to consider purchasing from that store because he outted you?

Very infrequently shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado these days.

No, I would be way too embarrassed to go back, although I thought the prices were pretty good.

If you buy, that should convince them you're not a mystery shopper.

This is true. I was just thinking when the person sees the report, they will be able to narrow it down to who it was for sure based on the date and time.When I was a server, I was mystery shopped once and clearly narrowed it down to who it was based on what I could see on the report.

He apparently knew the scenario because it wasn't until he mentioned the second part of the scenario (which is something they were supposed to mention), that he seemed to put two and two together.

What is the point when the associate gets a heads up? That is a terrible "mystery" program. Unless they play along, then I guess I do not care.

Hey played along. But he was really nervous after he realized. Like his hands were shaking.

I wish they would change up scenarios or make scenarios that arent so out of the ordinary. Like usually, | would go into a store looking for one item, not two, and i woldnt asked questions about the manufacturing of the product. I feel like a lot of the shops I do, havent changed scenarios in years and employees start to catch on.

I got outed within the last year. I am paying and the visit it over except for that. I get done paying and the guy says he hopes I will give him a nice review for the report I am doing. I didn't deny it. I just haven't gone back since.

I once did a Coffee Bean location. I had been there before to MS and this time I know they knew why I was there because of the way they acted and did things. I haven't been back to that one to MS. I have been back "on my own" and I have received great service every time :-)

I was outed about ten years ago doing a roast beef shop. It was the scenario where you would ask at the drive through what came on the sandwich you just ate inside the store. While handing my bag to me, the same person who had waited on me at the counter said, "bye Shopper. Have a great day!"

@heartlandcanuck wrote:

I was outed about ten years ago doing a roast beef shop. It was the scenario where you would ask at the drive through what came on the sandwich you just ate inside the store. While handing my bag to me, the same person who had waited on me at the counter said, "bye Shopper. Have a great day!"

heartandcanuck, I was outed about 10 years ago when I reached the counter for the same roast beef fast food shop. The counter manager said "shopper" and slapped the counter loudly to alert the employees behind the counter.

MSPA Gold Certified 2003

I was thinking about the opposite as an idea. When you go somewhere that is likely shopped, but you are not shopping the place at the moment, maybe consider doing obvious things like taking pictures of receipts, food, asking a question just because, etc.

If they think you are shopping, you should get better service. Now, this assumes you go to places when you are not shopping them. I am sure we all have heartache when we are going somewhere that we know likely is shopped, but is not available (rotation/too late in the month/missed the sign-up/etc.). I think this is particularly useful in retail and restaurant of all kinds.

As a Shopper we should not look at "BUSTED" by the retail, but look at "Is the Retail conforming to the Clients guidelines. Did "I" get busted walking in to the Retail? or did I complete my "guidelines observances" and on the way out the Retail, I was busted?

We aren't busted either because when we entered the shop we were a Shopper/Customer. and we left with the same name. The role as mystery shopper is what status we take on. A Client wants to know the Retail is abiding by his compliance. So the manager called one of us a SHOPPER, weren't we that. We just have to call then back on their "I know who you are". What? what did you say? We can follow the scenarios but we can also bump it up a notch, without voiding the game plan.

@rasheedb has a good idea.

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