1. Forums
  2. Mystery Shopping Discussion

Your most interesting shop

September 18, 2017 08:30PM
@Richard94611 wrote:

Among hundreds of shops, I think my most interesting shop was one in which I was to determine whether or not a particular individual at a gas station store was stealing. I was to pick three or four items off the shelf, carefully noting the displayed prices, add them to a total, then go to counter and pay the fellow on duty what he told me I owed. Sure enough he charged an extra dollar or two. All his change was on a table a few feet out of customers' reach. He did not open or use the register. There was no printed record of the transaction. He did not offer a receipt. Maybe he rang up a receipt with the correct total after I left. I don't know.

I would love to do that shop. After doing so many gas stations, it's clear to me that many of these attendants are shady. Way too many of my traditional gas shops have the associate all of the sudden enter the transaction into the register after I ask for a receipt.

My most interesting shop I have done is also that Porsche shop!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2017 08:32PM by tcurione.
Reply
Log In
x

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

Already a member? Log In.

September 18, 2017 08:59PM
I'm pretty low-volume when it comes to shops and the most interesting types of shops I've been involved in so far are the luxury watch shops. $10,000 watches are not something that I never imagined would be a part of my world in any way. I was shaking the first time I had to do it, and now I've done lots of them.

The most interesting shop I've seen listed (but didn't take) was a bar integrity audit at a strip club!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2017 08:59PM by hotsauce1.
Reply
September 18, 2017 09:06PM
I shopped the IRS once. I had a flat on my way to the location the first time, and had to change the date to the next day. Got there, checked in, got my number and was sitting there waiting to be called, mulling over my scenario, when the fire alarm went off, and IRS told everybody to evacuate to parking lot through specified doors. Stood out there in the hot sun for an hour, at which time an official came out and told us that since it was only 1/2 hour until closing time, we should all leave and they would see us tomorrow. Reported it and got paid without having to actually do the shop!
Reply
September 18, 2017 09:29PM
My favorite shop of all time was at a truck stop right before Christmas. If the waitress did well I was to award her a $50 gift card that she could use anywhere. She did very well and I asked for the manager. I introduced myself to the waitress and the manager and explained how well she did and I presented her with the gift card. She burst out in tears and started hugging me. Then she told me, "Now I can give my baby a Christmas." I have to admit, I teared up too.
Reply
September 18, 2017 10:29PM
My favorite shop was at a shooting range, where I got to cross 'shooting a pistol' off my bucket list.

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt
Reply
September 18, 2017 10:31PM
I didn't know the IRS was shopped. How long ago was this?
@pordener wrote:

I shopped the IRS once. I had a flat on my way to the location the first time, and had to change the date to the next day. Got there, checked in, got my number and was sitting there waiting to be called, mulling over my scenario, when the fire alarm went off, and IRS told everybody to evacuate to parking lot through specified doors. Stood out there in the hot sun for an hour, at which time an official came out and told us that since it was only 1/2 hour until closing time, we should all leave and they would see us tomorrow. Reported it and got paid without having to actually do the shop!

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt
Reply
September 19, 2017 12:08AM
I've shopped a sex shop twice. Had to buy a vibrator. Seeing men in their office attire heading into the private booths during their lunch breaks made my skin crawl. Also, on the way out a passerby made a comment about me being in a sex shop.
Reply
September 19, 2017 03:40AM
I had to do a shop like this one a couple of years ago and I too was nervous about trying to place the smaller item inside the bag and get out with it during the purchase. Unfortunately, the cashier did not find the concealed item during the checkout...she didn't check all the pockets in the bag. I felt really bad for her when I returned the purchase 30 minutes later and had to show the manager what was in the larger bag I had purchased because I had visited with the cashier during the shop and she was very nice and I hated for it to happen to her.
Reply
September 19, 2017 04:30AM
@sbobgal wrote:

Driving that Porsche Cayenne. winking smiley

I don't think I could manage that shop as the Porsche Cayenne has been on my WANT list since I first saw and fell in love with it LOL! Very cool shop for you!
Reply
September 19, 2017 07:43PM
@mysterytrina wrote:

I loved doing the Six Flags shops. After you learn your way around the park to get to the different stands, it's a blast because you get to hang out for free afterwards.
I live there and hate those shops..different strokes.

Live consciously....
Reply
September 19, 2017 09:31PM
Mystery Shopping For The IRS.
I'd like to know when and where this shop was done. I know we're not supposed to name names, but I would think a government mystery shopping job would be handled by organizations not advertising where civilian shoppers could apply.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/2017 09:37PM by alparslan.
Reply
September 19, 2017 10:12PM
Why?

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
Reply
September 20, 2017 01:33AM
Stealing on a shop? I think that this is going too far. The MS must pay very well and must have great attorneys. I see a law suit coming.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/2017 01:35AM by alparslan.
Reply
September 20, 2017 01:56AM
What does the IRS shop have to do with stealing?

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
Reply
September 20, 2017 02:37AM
He/She must be talking about the handbag shops.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/2017 02:37AM by leaiso.
Reply
September 20, 2017 02:57AM
I asked a question about their comments on the IRS shop and that was the response. I thought it was about the purse shop, but was hoping to still get an answer about the other.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
Reply
September 20, 2017 03:08AM
Besides the fact that its the *client* that hires the MSC and knows full well what is happening in regards to those kinds of checks; I'm not sure you are going to get a straight answer.
Reply
September 20, 2017 03:08AM
I'm the one who did the purse shop. It was a little uncomfortable. But I also found it fun and not your 'normal' shop. It did pay well. I'd probably do it again if given the chance.
Reply
September 20, 2017 03:12AM
I think it would be fun too. As long as I had that letter from the CEO in my purse!

@taitsj wrote:

I'm the one who did the purse shop. It was a little uncomfortable. But I also found it fun and not your 'normal' shop. It did pay well. I'd probably do it again if given the chance.
Reply
September 20, 2017 03:38AM
Yes. Walk out of a store with an item that wasn't paid for that was secreted in a paid for handbag. That's shoplifting.
Reply
September 20, 2017 03:41AM
You do understand that the company has actually hired the MSC to hire someone to do this, don't you? Have you never heard of White Hats? Its essentially the same thing.

@alparslan wrote:

Yes. Walk out of a store with an item that wasn't paid for that was secreted in a paid for handbag. That's shoplifting.


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/2017 03:42AM by leaiso.
Reply
September 20, 2017 03:46AM
Fortunately the employee found the item I was trying to "steal." Had she not found it, I was instructed to speak with a manager and explain the situation before leaving the store. I would not have left the store with an item I didn't pay for.
Reply
September 21, 2017 01:20AM
If it bothers you don't do them
Reply
September 21, 2017 04:06PM
I did one of the adult shops once and thought it was super fun. It was in a nice area though and definitely not one of those shops that has booths in the back, eww. I've actually kept an eye out for this kind of thing to show up again but no luck yet.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/2017 04:07PM by liz688.
Reply
September 21, 2017 04:48PM
There was a shop where the store tried to get me to steal (or maybe sneak is a better word) paper products out of the store. I did not enjoy that one.
Reply
September 21, 2017 04:59PM
I'm supposed to do one this Saturday where I attempt to sneak a piece of paper into a GMAT test under a bracelet and actually use said paper if they don't catch it before I go in. That should be interesting!
Reply
September 22, 2017 05:52AM
@liz688 wrote:

I'm supposed to do one this Saturday where I attempt to sneak a piece of paper into a GMAT test under a bracelet and actually use said paper if they don't catch it before I go in. That should be interesting!

I'm not a fan of that scenario. The rest of the shop is fairly easy, but the report has long narratives. I don't like narratives.
Reply
September 23, 2017 12:03AM
I can't do shops that require me to try to trick someone into doing something they should not.
Reply
September 23, 2017 01:58AM
My most interesting shop was a corporate ice cream shop where the manager and employees were engaging in a full blown whipped cream fight in plain sight. That was an interesting one to explain. Clean uniforms? Definitely not...
Reply
September 23, 2017 02:21AM
The most interesting shop I ever did was the first one that I did and it involved going to the bus station and buying a bus ticket for the next bus going to the next down and then packing a "bag" that only had a pillow in it and a pair of jeans to justify the weight. They tagged the luggage and then hand it back to you as you wait for the bus but at that point I just left the bus station, did my online report and mailed them the bus ticket and I was reimbursed.

The shop that made me so upset is that they so often want you to identify the person that waited on you with vague information like height, weight (subjective) hair color, (they all look the same) but when I said he had a tattoo they came unglued and said I should not mention that. I don't know why. I don't know of a better way to identify the person. And why would that be bad if that person choose that tattoo. what better proof would there have been.
Reply
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login