I haven’t been called out as a MS but I have found asking scripted questions and receipts for small purchases have changed the tone of some employees into super helpful people. At one of my grocery shops I’ve had employees discretely follow me through the store a few times, I guessing my behavior made them think I'm a mystery shopper or that I'm a shoplifter lol

Several years ago I did quite a few 'looking for tires' shops at a regional auto repair chain. The associates who followed company policy printed out an estimate with my car license number on it. One day an associate started to do that, saw how many times I had been entered into the system, and broke out in a big smile. Nothing was said, but for the rest of the shop he completely hit his marks.

Once I had a banker run to the parking lot with the required papers before I drove away.

If the gas station guys/gals don't already know me, they usually know or suspect after I ask for a receipt for the small purchase. After the reveal, they will say something like, "I thought so," or casually say, "I know."

One time at a bank when I was a very new shopper (so a lot of years ago) a bank manager overheard the conversation. She sat right down at the banker's desk and completely took over the interaction hitting every single mark verbatim. I had to control my inside laughter. The poor other banker sat next to her like a deer in headlights.

Oh and then there was the time (actually a few times) when we could do the Chase shops every few months. I walked into the branch and the banker literally yelled out loud, "It's you again. We know you as soon as you walk in the door. They need to change it up." We had a very nice and interesting conversation after that.

Hence the rotation is quite long now with the new company.

Actually just remember one that happened a few years back. I was doing a gas mystery shop. The store had a selection of brand name chips with the price pre-printed on them. This store had higher price stickers over the pre-printed one. I made the comment that i had never seen a store mark up potato chips from the pre-printed price. The cashier informed me "we do what ever we want here." He then went on a yelling rant and stated he knew who I was (a mystery shopper). He went on to say he was going to report me so I would get expelled from the location. Probably should have kept my mouth shut and just noted it in the report, but it amazed me a store would mark such an item higher. I did not get blocked from shopping the station, but I stopped taking assignments there on the principal the store rips customer's off.

Never been outed, but then I rarely take assignments such as the one you took, that have a higher chance of getting outed. When you are walking around taking photos in a small store, its a risk

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/20/2022 04:49PM by jdyeah.

FWIW, when I was a convenience store manager, customers asked for receipts for purchases under a dollar probably 30-40 times a day.

I don’t accept those types either I have had visions of Security finding me suspicious.

@jdyeah wrote:

Never been outed, but then I rarely take assignments such as the one you took, that have a higher chance of getting outed. When you are walking around taking photos in a small store, its a risk

Years ago I would shop a music store chain. Walked into a store, the manager from another location that I had shopped a month prior was there and took over from the employee. Well, the manager ran the script, basically got a perfect score, at the end smiled and asked if I was going to another of their stores.down the road. Called the MSC on my way home, then wrote up the report. Scheduler contacted me to confirm I had been 'busted', I got paid, and I wound up taking a break from the client for a while.

Only a few times - a couple times at the steakhouse chain - I could tell they suspected I was a shopper - it was the beginning of the month (most of their shops seems to happen earlier in the month) AND they asked me if I would like to buy any gift cards lol. Still treated me sweet as pie.
The other time was at a cell service shop - the staff member behind the counter saw me take a photo and rudely shouted over "do you have any questions?" I just left.
Seems like some clients or MSCs believe a longer rotation will help prevent this, but I think what really helps prevent this is not requiring shoppers to do obvious, atypical customer things like obvious photos and weird questions.
I do my best to act naturally, but come on, some of the stuff would never be done in a natural shopping environment.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2022 10:03PM by BarefootBliss.

@succeedin2 wrote:

Another occasion at a big box store where I had to place an order, I had the manager of pickup to tell me casually “I know that you are a secret shopper based on the item you ordered” I used to be at another store and I got promoted you gave me a “whatever the score was I don’t recall” I simply said a secret shopper?

Yep. <eyeroll> I’m so frustrated, ordering the same $20 curbside pickup order each and every time.

I don’t like the apartment shops w/Targets for one particular MSC they don’t let me ask for the Target I’m supposed to call, and make excuses when I don’t get the Target. The MSC does not realize that makes us stand out.

Did anyone here do the shop at the "bedding, bathing, and so on" store? Where you had to pick up and carry a large item all over the store to see if someone would offer to get you a shopping cart? But you likely weren't going to buy that item. Noooooo, not at all obvious!

Yes many times and it amazes me the few times that I was not offered a shopping cart.

@amyann2 wrote:

Did anyone here do the shop at the "bedding, bathing, and so on" store? Where you had to pick up and carry a large item all over the store to see if someone would offer to get you a shopping cart? But you likely weren't going to buy that item. Noooooo, not at all obvious!

@succeedin2 wrote:

Yes many times and it amazes me the few times that I was not offered a shopping cart.

@amyann2 wrote:

Did anyone here do the shop at the "bedding, bathing, and so on" store? Where you had to pick up and carry a large item all over the store to see if someone would offer to get you a shopping cart? But you likely weren't going to buy that item. Noooooo, not at all obvious!

Agreed. I don't think I was ever offered a cart. Has anybody seen this shop return? I haven't in a couple of years. I enjoyed this one.

I was shopping a grocery store a few years back, just before the holidays. Needed to pick up a pound of jumbo lump crab for a holiday crab dip and thought the shop would be an easy way to reduce the cost.

I entered the store as the manager was walking toward the entrance, by coincidence. He made eye contact with me and greeted me warmly, and I knew at that moment I was made. As I browsed through the produce area, I could see him at customer service watching me. No matter what aisle I was in, employees walked past me and greeted me. No less than ten employees "randomly" approached, greeted and offered assistance. I even observed the manager or other employees standing at the end of aisles I was in, just watching me. It was actually a bit creepy how over the top they were.

I went to the seafood counter to get the pound of jumbo lump I actually went to the store for and the employee there had been clued in to who I was on his headset as he was equally over the top with his greeting and the attention he paid to me. Unfortunately, the store did not have the pound containers jumbo lump I sought but the seafood manager offered to give me a two-pound container and said he would have them charge me the price of the one-pound container. Are you kidding me?! I told him it wasn't necessary but he was insistent. Who was I to say no? He said to just tell the cashier that he had okayed the price change and to call him if they needed confirmation.

Needless to say, at the register they did not need the confirmation. A front-end manager was there to bag my purchases and they did not question me when I told them of the highly unusual price change for jumbo lump crab. After the shop fee and bonus, price change and competitor coupon I used, I got two pounds of jumbo lump, plus some other groceries, for about $5 total. Fantastic haul.

While the shop company never implemented any rotation restrictions, I voluntarily stopped shopping that location.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/2022 05:45PM by chris34114.