Things normal customers wouldn't do
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I take the light bulb out and hide /that/.@Kimmy1971 wrote:
I did the light bulb my first time, loosened it. The maintenance guy walked in, tightened the bulb and said "there you go" . I thanked him, all the while feeling like a fool. Now I hide the remote.
I request a receipt EVERYwhere for EVERYthing now. I keep several very old ones in my wallet so that when I add the new one(s) it is obvious that I save them for whatever reason. I figure that way I don't have as much chance of standing out.
I did a pharmacy shop a few years ago when still a newbie. I asked my questions about vaccines that were available. After asking the required question, I asked another question that the answer prompted in my mind. The Pharmacy Tech looked at me a smiled and said "You sound like one of those shoppers." I looked at her with a very puzzled expression and said "Isn't everyone on this side of the counter a shopper?" She laughed and said "No, one of those mystery shoppers that gets paid to make sure we're doing our job." My response was "There's no such thing. If I could get paid to shop, I'd be out doing it all the time." She went on to explain that in fact there actually are people who get paid to go shopping and report back to someone about their experience. I asked her if she knew where I could sign up for that job! She told me I just asked a lot of questions that most people don't ask. I told her my daughter is a biology major and will ask me about it when I get home.
I did a pharmacy shop a few years ago when still a newbie. I asked my questions about vaccines that were available. After asking the required question, I asked another question that the answer prompted in my mind. The Pharmacy Tech looked at me a smiled and said "You sound like one of those shoppers." I looked at her with a very puzzled expression and said "Isn't everyone on this side of the counter a shopper?" She laughed and said "No, one of those mystery shoppers that gets paid to make sure we're doing our job." My response was "There's no such thing. If I could get paid to shop, I'd be out doing it all the time." She went on to explain that in fact there actually are people who get paid to go shopping and report back to someone about their experience. I asked her if she knew where I could sign up for that job! She told me I just asked a lot of questions that most people don't ask. I told her my daughter is a biology major and will ask me about it when I get home.
This is so true. And if you live close to the shop it helps to shop there and ask for a receipt even if not "shopping" so the clerks realize that you always get a receipt.@walesmaven wrote:
New shoppers: help us all out by ALWAYS asking for a receipt, even when not on the job. The more accustomed the employees are to lots of receipt requests, the better for us!
I always ask for a blanket because my husband has MS and wants the room freezing cold and I need my blanky! If I were traveling alone that might be a problem though.
I too always ask for a receipt. Occasionally someone gives me a questioning look b/c of a small purchase and I casually mention that the wife and I track all our purchases on Microsoft Money to help us budget better.
I've had a couple of restaurant shops where they ask me to do both the bar and the restaurant. They ask to arrive earlier than the reservation and then say "I'll just sit at the bar for now". Well, I've arrived early for them to tell me "Oh, not a problem, we can sit you now"... And then I have to say "Oh no I'd rather have a drink at the bar first"... I get that "Really?..." look from the hostess.
I always waiting at the bar for a guest that calls and cancels.
My restaurant bar visits start during happy hour so I can get my first drink at those prices (and sometimes I carry that cheaper drink into the dining room). My guest comes in a few minutes later and meets me at the bar. So I have two reasons not to be seated at the table early. Even some wealthy people love saving a buck if it is in their genes.
I used to set my own alarm clock at hotels until the one time when they did not bother to spring forward for Daylight Savings time and I got to my meeting one hour early and VERY hungover.
I hate those also but take some dead batteries with you and put them in the remote.
Fair housing question. . You bring up something about a family member like so you have many kids around that my child can play with my mom comes to visit a lot and is jittery around too many kids or too many teens etc.
I don't think I'd recommend bringing a dead light bulb or batteries.....it'd probably just turn out that the hotel always bought the exact same kind, and if you bring a different one, it could tip off the employee that there's something unusual happening. Hotels can be strict about having everything match.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2015 12:52AM by OceanGirl.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2015 12:52AM by OceanGirl.
Wales, I have had some shop instructions which specified not to ask for a receipt. All I had to do on those ones was answer whether or not I received or was offered one, and sometimes upload a picture.
I'm fairly new at this so im sure I'll have some crazier stories in the future, but I had a shop this weekend where I had to say "I'm remodeling so and so room," in four different departments and not say anything else and get them to ask questions. In all four departments, the employee just said "okay..?" They basically might have said well what do you need?? I don't think it was a very realistic scenario so it was awkward!
RobinMarie, that reminds me of a conversation I overheard a couple of years ago. Somebody who worked in a grocery store was complaining to one of her friends about a woman who would come into their store, buy a bunch of stuff, and then return three cans of soup. Apparently, she did this once every month. The woman's friend replied that it was probably some kind of mental illness or a drug problem, and the woman agreed.
Mkkp, I have done shops like that. What I typically do is pretend to be a little bit overwhelmed, like I'm confused about how to start, and after the employee says, "Okay..." or whatever it is they say, I typically prompt them with some kind of question, like, "Do you have any advice?", "Which colors are selling well this season?", "Do you have any catalogs I could check for ideas?" or "Which kind of [insert name of product] do you think would work best for such-and-such a project?"
Edit: Unless the shop directions specify that I'm not to prompt them with questions like that, of course!
I dunno. If that was your situation, then I'd probably just ask for directions to the restroom or something as an excuse to end the interaction. If the shop directions specify that you're supposed to say you're doing a project but aren't able to prompt the employee any further, then a response of , "Okay...." with nothing but a long, awkward silence is probably as much as they need to determine how willing the employee was to ask probing questions.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2015 01:24AM by OceanGirl.
Edit: Unless the shop directions specify that I'm not to prompt them with questions like that, of course!
I dunno. If that was your situation, then I'd probably just ask for directions to the restroom or something as an excuse to end the interaction. If the shop directions specify that you're supposed to say you're doing a project but aren't able to prompt the employee any further, then a response of , "Okay...." with nothing but a long, awkward silence is probably as much as they need to determine how willing the employee was to ask probing questions.Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2015 01:24AM by OceanGirl.
I was not supposed to say anything else! The goal was for them to ask at least two questions and get them to a specified product suggestion without me saying anything. It was a little difficult, haha! They must be trained to ask questions. But it was a little weird, it felt like I should be telling them what I'm looking for as I would be in that department for a reason!
deli required question is the roast beef salty?
Shopping Western NY, Northeast and Central PA, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Have car will travel anywhere if the monies right.
I used to purchase nuts & bolts at Lowes for seven cents and would ask for a receipt, much to the amusement of the cashier. Of course, she wouldn't be laughing to discover that the MSC paid me $50.07 a couple of weeks later due to an end of month shop.
I have quite a collection of bolts from Lowes and Home Depot, each bought one at a time with a receipt! And I really like buying toilet paper at Lowe's for $0.99 which is under the reimbursement limit of $1.00 (unless you are in state which charges sales tax). I switched to toilet paper after running out of space to store $1.00 bottles of liquid hand soap.
Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
@BuffaloNY101 wrote:
deli required question is the roast beef salty?
I have never had that question for a shop but I have asked it IRL. Salt makes you retain fluid which I try to avoid so I prefer not to eat salty meats.
Some people also have medical conditions which require them to increase their sodium intake beyond what is healthy for most people, and they will dehydrate very quickly if they do not get that. Medical paradox FTW.
[www.potsrecovery.com]
[www.potsrecovery.com]
@myst4au wrote:
I have quite a collection of bolts from Lowes and Home Depot, each bought one at a time with a receipt! And I really like buying toilet paper at Lowe's for $0.99 which is under the reimbursement limit of $1.00 (unless you are in state which charges sales tax). I switched to toilet paper after running out of space to store $1.00 bottles of liquid hand soap.
Also paper towels, they are 88 cents a roll. I like getting something I need anyway.
@sandyf wrote:
My restaurant bar visits start during happy hour so I can get my first drink at those prices (and sometimes I carry that cheaper drink into the dining room). My guest comes in a few minutes later and meets me at the bar. So I have two reasons not to be seated at the table early. Even some wealthy people love saving a buck if it is in their genes.
Oh yes, that I can understand. Unfortunately those shops for me did not start during happy hour, and my guest was my wife - Who especially in winter would not arrive after me (no sense in waiting outside in freezing temperatures). So aside from the weird looks, it wasn't a major problem. And maybe next time I'll make the reservation for an extra person who will not show up while we wait at the bar.
making a reservation for an extra person who doesn't show up, but that you wait for at the bar is a really good idea!
Shopper in California's Bay Area
I love the shop the client wants you to do at a competitors store. You have to inventory about 30 items in an urban store where shoplifting occurs more than customers shopping with cash. I never took a shop there but did see security questioning a shopper.
When the security stops you after 15 minutes of browsing the shelves taking inventory and not buying anything I do not think, "I am a mystery shopper and I am taking inventory for a competitor" will work. I wonder how those shops are done without a store detective slipping something on your person so a real police officer can find it when they are called.
When the security stops you after 15 minutes of browsing the shelves taking inventory and not buying anything I do not think, "I am a mystery shopper and I am taking inventory for a competitor" will work. I wonder how those shops are done without a store detective slipping something on your person so a real police officer can find it when they are called.
@Piled Hip Deep, PHD wrote:
I love the shop the client wants you to do at a competitors store. You have to inventory about 30 items in an urban store where shoplifting occurs more than customers shopping with cash. I never took a shop there but did see security questioning a shopper.
When the security stops you after 15 minutes of browsing the shelves taking inventory and not buying anything I do not think, "I am a mystery shopper and I am taking inventory for a competitor" will work. I wonder how those shops are done without a store detective slipping something on your person so a real police officer can find it when they are called.
Never had to do one of those, but I guess my "alibi" would be "My wife can't make up her mind about what she wants to get to her mom / dad / brother. I'm sending her pictures of all the options..."
@jnoyolapicazzo wrote:
@sandyf wrote:
My restaurant bar visits start during happy hour so I can get my first drink at those prices (and sometimes I carry that cheaper drink into the dining room). My guest comes in a few minutes later and meets me at the bar. So I have two reasons not to be seated at the table early. Even some wealthy people love saving a buck if it is in their genes.
Oh yes, that I can understand. Unfortunately those shops for me did not start during happy hour, and my guest was my wife - Who especially in winter would not arrive after me (no sense in waiting outside in freezing temperatures). So aside from the weird looks, it wasn't a major problem. And maybe next time I'll make the reservation for an extra person who will not show up while we wait at the bar.
Or if you don't mind a few minutes out in the cold, just drop your wife off and take a short walk yourself. If the host ever asks me anything I just say I am meeting my husband in the bar. Lots of people arrive in two cars and I doubt the host is watching what the valet is doing and even if they are you could be doing some personal business next door and running in there for a few minutes since you are early for your reservation. Your wife does not have to order but just wait for you and when you arrive you both sit down either belly up to the bar or at a table whichever is allowed and start your timing from there. It is very possible that when I am "meeting my husband" he may arrive just a minute after I do. Or your wife could visit the restroom if she does not want to stand around and then by the time you arrive and tell the host you are meeting her in the bar she is either back or you start your drink thing and she shows up from the ladies room. That way you do not even have to explain the 3rd person who does not show up, the table for 4 instead of 2 if they are busy, the 3 which might be on the check (not that I think any msc seems to ever look at that number since it is often incorrect.)
Ordering an entree, having them offer me a combo, turning it down only to turn around and order a small drink which makes the meal more $$$ than the combo!
Doing what I can to enhance the life of my family! I LOVE what I do 
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