Have you ever been in a store and identified a mystery shopper? What gave the MS away?

I was in a Krogers one day, doing a marketing shop (replacing DVD's ) and someone came in with an angel food cake with a piece out of it. She told customer service that she didn't like the tase of it. This is something I do when I am doing a certain return shop. After awhile you just get to know the routine and can spot one of us right off. I think one of the stores I shop has me pegged by now. First off, I go to the meat dept and have to ask the meat cutter how to cook a certain cut of meat. I have done this three times in the same store, you don't think they have me spotted?

I have done numerous bank shops where you have to talk to a SR (sales rep). Even though you can only do them every 60 days, I feel very uncomfortable and have stopped doing them. You always deal with the same SR and I remember all of them very clearly. I'm sure they remember me; especially when they ask for my SS# and I always refuse. I feel the one SR may have recognized me. I had to ask about consolidating credit card debt. I said I had a lot of bills from holiday shopping. He gave a very long, textbook style presentation and at the end he said, "happy shopping". This could have meant a number of things since I said I was looking around for a good rate, also because of holiday shopping, or because he recognized me. All employees know that they are checked on by mystery shoppers and I'm sure after awhile they are able to identify them especially since we have a lot of routine scenarios.

I too have done numerous bank shops. I was almost recognized once by a sales rep at a bank. I was able to convince him that I have a cousin that looks a lot like me. What I have done so I can continue to do bank shops since they are so easy and pay $10 and higher, is to open accounts in 3-4 banks. That way I can continue to do the teller shops at least and spread out the platform shops. By doing the teller shops no one questions how often you're in the bank.

I agree. I don't do bank shops or cell phone shops except in the summer when my regular job slows down. I once did a cell phone shop at one location and was scheduled at another location a week later. The same sales rep was working at the other store. I also had that happen at a bank shop. I like my MSing to be fun and it is not fun when I'm nervous about being recognized.

When I do the same cell phone shop, I always have the salesman write his hours on the back of his business card and then I will know his hours, so I wont run into to him

One place I shop gets very defensive about any criticism they receive and I have to re-explain any of my negative comments. This location has said twice that they spotted me, but my company said it was not possible given the time they wrote in for supposedly having seen me. They also said that I had someone with me.(I always must do these shops on my own) I rarely apply for this location now because it's like doing twice the work for the same pay.

I first asked this question because I wondered how common it is.

I was doing a blind check at a theater when I saw a woman obviously doing an open check for another movie. I started a conversation with her. She never knew I was there to work. She told me that she had been mystery shopping for 15 years and supports herself and her daughter that way. Since she makes $25,000, which isn't much, I think her mother takes care of her daughter when she isn't in school. I wasn't sure whether she lives with her mother, but of course didn't ask.

She said that she makes $100 to $150 a weekend working theaters, and that most of her work is merchandising. She said she leaves at 6:00 AM and gets back in time to be with her daughter. She does not take any assignments in December.

This woman had a file folder with her, and as she talked she took out some paperwork. I recognized the logo, so I asked if I could see it. She let me. It was a company I work with.

Another time, I was in a grocery store that I used to mystery shop years ago, but my company had lost its contract with them. I would like to do it again, but haven't found any company that works with them. I saw a young woman with a grocery cart who had an email message in the basket. It was addressed to "Heather". I tried every way I could to see if it was a mystery shop assignment, but she was moving very fast and I didn't think it would be appropriate to follow her around. I was very tempted to say, "Hello, Heather, are you mystery shopping today?" but I didn't. She already had shown no interest in smiling or saying hello to other shoppers who passed her, as is common here, so I decided to let that mystery stay a mystery.