I was assigned a burger shop the other day. The second I set foot in the place I heard one of the employees yell out "shopper!" She yelled it loud enough for the whole place to hear. I figured she meant me. But why scream it out instead of just quietly informing her co-workers that there was a shopper in the store? I guess I can't do shops in that location anymore.

Had you shopped that location or encountered that employee, perhaps at another location, before?

As for ever being ID-ed, sure. Anyone who shops a lot, or for long, is going to screw up and do something that will get them spotted, especially if they do shops that require aliases and/or really long interactions. FF shops, not so much.

I've shopped there many times. But I don't remember seeing this particular employee an inordinate amount of times. And I maybe go there once every other month so it's not like I'm there constantly.

It is going to happen, one time or another, sometimes to no fault of your own. On some shops/locations, I set my own rotations, longer that the MSC requires, just to avoid being identified.

How tacky of them! One of the burger joints I shop has an area Manager who was a store manager. Im sure he let them know who I am but they never say anything They do everything perfectly now, whereas they didnt before. Sonetimes I trip'em up and I aay... hey, i heard you guys were going to install a station where customers can cook their own burger, is that true?

I do a ton of shops where they know I'm the shopper. Doesn't bother me. 99.9% of the time it's the client's fault they know. Either from guidelines that make it obvious to reviewing video to see who their shoppers are to private Facebook groups with shopper photos on it. Either the client deals with it internally or it doesn't bother them all that much.

My sister who introduced me to MS was identified in one of those Pest Control phone shops. She was asked "Are you a Mystery shopper?" She said "What's that?" The agent was rude to her and did not provide pricing.
She is now back to working FT and no longer shops but we both joke about the fact that sooner or later, these pest control cos are bound to identify us coz it's suspicious when everyone has a roach problem all of a sudden and is asking the same questions

I was also identified as a shopper in a web inquiry. It was a car sales inquiry and the guidelines tell you to provide an address nearby the dealership. What a hell of a coincidence!! That address belonged to a friend of the salesperson. He asked me why I was lying about my address and I made a lame excuse that I did not want to give my real address to a dealership.

I was still paid for the shop since the editor said that it wasn't my fault.

I sometimes wonder if a certain grocery store I go on my own and shop knows, especially the butcher dept.
When those butcher's (all three of them) see me, one always comes out "hey, how ya doing" and chats....I don't see them doing this with other customers. No one ever say's anything so, i ignore it and carry on. How would one know if they've been spotted, who tells you? I figure small town friendly service.....

I did an auto shop a few months back. Everything went fine and I did the shop according to the guidelines. The sales person did a great job and I gave him a good report. About a week later i received a text from the sales person all it said was "Thanks for the great shop review." I did not respond and I haven't been back to the location since. I'm guessing they either reviewed video or maybe I was his only customer that day.

I went to a donut place on my own a few days after doing a shop at another one in town. A girl walked up to me and asked if I remembered her. First I thought she may have been one of my brownies, they don't look the same as they did at 7 but I still do, or maybe one of the girls in my son's classes. She told me she manages the other store too. Then she said are you our shop and stopped it there. I said something like, my husband ate all the donuts on me the other day, had to go to the store next door so don't tell him I'm here, ok. She didn't say anything and hopefully won't be there the next time I really am doing a shop. They were all so nice!!! Got extra bacon on my donut too!

I think sometimes the client gives the time out. I did a sushi shop where I had to grab a picture of the sushi case....while the associate was there. After I ordered, i stood back and "browsed" other stuff. Turned around to grab a pic and she went OMG are you the secret shopper today? Please let me fix the display before you take the photo. I of course played it off, but it was odd

I was called out once. I was supposed to shop a comic book store the day before the new issues were allowed to be released. The client was the distributor who was checking to make sure that they weren't selling them ahead of time. If they weren't on the shelves, you had to ask at the front for them. As soon as I did that, the guy yelled out "mystery shopper!" and then would. not. let. up. no matter how much I tried to play it off. He said that the distributor sends people in all the time and the shoppers are the only ones who ever come to the counter and ask about issues before their release date. No idea if thats true but it was certainly embarrassing and I haven't done those shops again.

Did you get paid for the comic shop? I was interested but worried, I pass by two almost everyday.

I did, which was surprising because I expected not to be paid for it. I'm guessing it was because the identification wasn't really my fault--someone blew the whistle to the store employees before I got there. Still, knowing now how rare it is for someone to come in on the day before issues are to be released and ask at the counter, I won't do it again, especially for the pay that's offered for it. Also depending on store layout and location of the sign for store hours, it's hard to get the pictures you need without being obvious too (sometimes--I did a couple of these before being identified and in one case it was easy to get them, in the other case not). I normally don't have anxiety about going places or talking to people but this experience was (I thought) totally humiliating and really burned me on those shops. The employee who identified me even asked me not to tell the distributor because identifying the shoppers is how they have their fun. I reported that too, ha.

One can only ask so many questions from the butcher before one becomes suspect. I did one and the employee did not have on a name tag. A few moments later in a different area of the store the employee came up to me introduced himself and pointed to his name tag. I have suspended myself from that location. Does one report that?

I think whether you report it depends on the questions in the survey. The one where I was identified was a couple of months ago so I'm not sure of the exact wording, but there was a question at the end along the lines of "were you identified and how" which is where I reported what happened to me.

If it doesnt ask? He's a nice guy and wants to offer great customer service.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2017 08:09PM by spicy1.

that occurred after I did my eval at the meat counter. The meat and seafood are together and he does both. I know he knew.

I see. For me, if they don't ask or say outright then neither do I. Too many chances I'm wrong and don't want to loose a client, especially the grocery.

My bank has one every month. I know they know I am the mystery shopper because I have shopped them like ten times aside from just going in there to do my banking and only one time has there been another customer there. I decided to stop doing them for awhile but I must be the only person who has an account there and shops locally because they keep bonusing the shop. They have been paying $20, the shop takes me 15 minutes, including doing the shop and the report, and it is right near all the places I go, so I can't pass it up. They are always super friendly and professional, so I always rate them really well. So I bet they don't mind. :-)

One of the grocery shops I do frequently, they havent changed the questions you are supposed to ask in like years, so I feel like they know I am mystery shopper too. But again, I can make good money doing it and route shop those locations, so it is worth it to me.

It's nice when everyone plays along.

Once. I did the visit and after I paid the guy said he knew I was the shopper. He said he hoped I would give him a good report. I never answered that. I thanked him and wished him a good day. I have not gone back since and wouldn't - as a MS. I did give him a good review except a few places I did not. It happens. Nothing you can do about it other than just not go back as a MS. Go back as a "normal" customer and they will treat you great thinking you are back once again.

I was told doing a Comic book shop, the guy said that they send people in to check if they are selling them early. I played it off and said "Oh wow! They are serious about the release date. That is crazy. I never knew that" He laughed and said that they would not let him sell any of their comics anymore if he did.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/2017 06:21AM by SassyShoppin.

One bank I went into occasionally, I caught the banker putting her head down on her desk and hitting her forehead in front of her co-worker out of the corner of my eye when she spotted me entering. Like oh gosh, she is here again. I played it off well but stopped going there after that. So many bank shops where it is so obvious lol yes.

Brianneb1429

"My bank has one every month. I know they know I am the mystery shopper because I have shopped them like ten times aside from just going in there to do my banking and only one time has there been another customer there."

Ha yes, and we are awaiting our Academy Awards!

Once explicitly doing an Ice shop. The cashier leaned out the window while I was eating the ice and asked "Are you a mystery shopper?" I just stared at her for a few seconds and said "Umm, no?" I think she made me from the pictures I had to take.

It's kinda felt like it a few times on some other shops, but not that obviously.

Several times. The Jiffy Lube close to home, I pulled in and waited for someone to come to my car. One dude was on his way when the manager said something to him. Dude looked over at me. The manager came to my car and went through the spiel. Dude made a fresh pot of coffee for me, and gave me coupons.

On a cell shop, I walked into the sore and went through my scenario. An nearby employee yelled out, "YOU!!!!!!" Who, me?

The second time I shopped an investment banker (7 months later), he insisted that he knew me and tried to trip me up with details. I was surprised by how much he remembered.

I've never been publicly outed, but I have had a few interactions where I asked the question and their eyes light up, they get a pep in their step and hit every point they are supposed to. My perspective: I work hard to blend in and be an average shopper and hold to my ICA, but if you figure it out, it works out great for both of us. You get a great review and I have an easy report to write.

I've been ID'ed before, that couldn't be help. I still re-doubled the effort to keep it secret.

But this one guideline for a shop is different: I was instructed, after the secret shop is done, to reveal to the store associate that I'm a MS and to ask permission to take photos. I was given an authorization letter in case of denial. I did 5 shops in 5 locations--2 of them in one day, then 3 more in one day 10 days later. One guy works in both locations (the previous occasion and the latter one). He was the store associate I reported on in the previous occasion (and it was a good report), but in the latter occasion, my associate was a store manager whose employee is that same guy from the previous occasion. Right off the bat, the manager flatly refused to give me permission to take the required photos, even with the letter of authorization. After that, I took a shot of the storefront to show that I was there. Then when I walked back to my car to leave, both the store manager and the same employee from the previous location showed up. The employee recognized me from 10 days ago.

I asked the employee if he relocated (moved), since the two stores were pretty far apart. He said he asked for a transfer because, he said, "this store is closer to where I live." His demeanor caused me to doubt his story, so after I got home, I checked it out by calling the previous store and asking for that employee by name, knowing he's not there. "I'm sorry, he's not here today. Can I leave a message for him?" "No, that's all right, thank you." Gotcha. :-) That says a lot in what his mindset probably was.

So I surmised what happened: rumors flew from the employee to the manager, and that's why I was refused permission, and/or both guys have the wrong, negative impression of MS.

My conclusion is that it's better to keep my secret shopping secret. Too many questions, both curious and imposing. And mystery shopping might get a bad rap, as I suspect in this case because of the rumors.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/2017 05:56PM by mdoc7.

Had a General manager ( initials kk) call me ask me about a review/shop of an employee. He said MS Company gave him my report and phone number. Rather taken back and I would not admit being a shopper. He also emailed me with some attachment purported to be my review. He was angry I would not discuss the review. He also threatened to report me. Wow, a hostile individual. I kept his email and recorded phone call. Surprised our phone numbers given to organizations we shop?? Do we allow our personal information to be given out without permission? By the way, I gave the salesperson a good review. The General Manager I would not.

Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/2017 05:47PM by Itsybitsy1.

I do a series of shops on the same street for the same client. By the time I arrive at the second location, the word is out. When I show up, I'll see employees nudge each other as a reminder to put on their name tags. Usually, the biggest ham on staff will help me and make a performance piece out of doing his job---very entertaining. I write a quick, positive report and the other employees see a great role model in action. Everybody's happy.