Here are 7 tips for spotting a mystery shopper, according to InCorp's website:
How can you tell if you're dealing with a secret shopper?

They're taking photos. ...
Keeping a list. ...
Asks too many questions. ...
Reluctant or slow to answer questions. ...
Asks about your competitors. ...
They check out the bathroom. ...
They track the time.

How about standing at Five Guys asking for a burger and nothing else waiting for them to say something about fries or a drink?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/26/2023 06:05PM by hbbigdaddy.

I guess that would do it if the shopper had to wait more than a few seconds for the offer. Fortunately, all the 5 Guys in my city always make the suggestion immediately.

Let's add "asking for a receipt for a .54¢ pack of gum when you've paid cash."

IDK, I probably do many of these things when not on a shop too. For me the questions where you ask the same one every time but you can shop the location every month or two and come in and ask the same question month after month is a real tell. That and taking photos of rarely photo'd things like the counter or a sign glued to the register, or the entire front case with no one standing there are all pretty awkward and not done regularly.

i always say my spouse is stingy and wants to know where every cent goes to!

Yes, my "work husband" is a real piece of work. He's an indecisive tightwad who sends his wife out to do product research, yet he rarely makes a purchase. When he does, he has buyer's remorse (usually within 20 minutes) and sends the little woman back in to do his dirty work and handle the return.

Poor man.

-lololololol- Is that really what you tell the mattress folks, Service? Way to drum up some sympathy!

I sit at a lot of bars where my friend never shows up.

@drdoggie00 wrote:

Let's add "asking for a receipt for a .54¢ pack of gum when you've paid cash."

If I'm ever questioned (maybe twice in 18 years of doing this), I mention iBotta. Just one of many receipt kickback apps.

And why does anyone care if they get outed while onsite? It winds up making for an opportunity for some humor if nothing else.

Most of the time employees are not paying close enough attention to notice me taking pictures of food or receipts or washing machines or whatever. We live in an age where people will take pictures of just about anything and share them to who knows where on the intertubes.

When I first started doing Chevron Customer Firsts I was worried about getting caught taking pictures of violations at the fueling island ahead of entering the store.

This just in: clerks in the store are not paying attention to what is taking place at the pumps.

I've done hundreds of these, documenting many dozens of violations, and I've never been questioned about having my phone out timing the fuel delivery or getting pictures of trashcans or missing towels and/or squeegees.

-lol- Serves him right for being a nosey Nellie.

@AZwolfman wrote:

Here are 7 tips for spotting a mystery shopper, according to InCorp's website:
How can you tell if you're dealing with a secret shopper?

They're taking photos. ...
Keeping a list. ...
Asks too many questions. ...
Reluctant or slow to answer questions. ...
Asks about your competitors. ...
They check out the bathroom. ...
They track the time.

I beg to differ...

my son takes pictures of every place he goes, not just mystery shops. He posts them on google and reviews the businesses, good and bad. He'll tell anyone that asks that he's a Google Guide.

I don't keep a list, nor does my son. For grocery shopping I take a list and a use text messaging or the Shop-it app that looks like a text message to keep track, but I don't write or type anything in the department that I'm taking notes on.

I rarely have people ask me questions, even on phone shops. And most other conversations I have on mystery shops are conversations that I start. And I don't ever remember asking any business about their competitors. We are told in all of the guidelines to fit the narrative to our own circumstances to make answering any questions easier. IF they ask, which they almost never do, they get all kinds of info about this house, or my grandkids, or the awful Jeep I drive. But I never have to lie or make stuff up, therefore, no hesitation.

checking the bathrooms? I'm a 62 year old fat lady, if I didn't visit a bathroom in almost every store I go to it would be strange. When I'm "checking" the restroom, I'm actually using it more times than not. And I'm pretty good at faking using it if necessary.

The only time tracking I do is on the Shop-it app, or in text messages, because text messages are time stamped. I don't use stop watches where other folks can see.

And there are a LOT of explanations for checking a watch, especially if you're standing in a long line, and you were trying to make your visit short so you can get where you're going. there are a lot of impatient folks out there, checking the time isn't the giveaway they think it is.

I believe your article is wrong.

I wear sunglasses and a trench coat (kidding).

@CoolMusic wrote:

When I first started doing Chevron Customer Firsts I was worried about getting caught taking pictures of violations at the fueling island ahead of entering the store.

This just in: clerks in the store are not paying attention to what is taking place at the pumps.

I've done hundreds of these, documenting many dozens of violations, and I've never been questioned about having my phone out timing the fuel delivery or getting pictures of trashcans or missing towels and/or squeegees.

Yes, I do the Alta360 truck stop shops. The guidelines "recommend" you do the fuel lane last on the idea that even if you are spotted, you'll have already completed the inside portion of the shop. I followed the recommendation at first, until it became crystal clear that the employees at these places couldn't care less what I do at the fuel islands. I still try to do the fuel lane checks as "on the sly" as possible, but I don't worry about the sequencing anymore.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/28/2023 01:46AM by KokoBWare.

I'd like to know where you get gum for .54! Everything here in the $1 reimbursement places costs more than $1.

I pick up a five-stick pack of Big Red.

Then throw it in the trash.

How about taking a selfie outside of a phone store or asking the phone salesperson what kind of phone they use? ; )

I have 2 packs of cigarettes I bought on a shop for almost $30. One of these days I'll be brave and throw them in the trash, too.

@veebeeshops wrote:

How about taking a selfie outside of a phone store or asking the phone salesperson what kind of phone they use? ; )

When I do cell phone shops, most of the "salespeople" have their phone in their hand, or they look something up on their phone while they are talking to me. I just ask which version of the phone it is. It's a natural question when you're supposedly shopping for a new phone. I can tell the difference between an Apple, Samsung, or Google phone at a glance more often than not. And anyone that is doing cell phone shops on a regular basis should be able to also (IMO).

And the selfies I do when I get to my car, with the store behind me as I leave. They aren't watching you leave. They rarely even look outside of the doors after it closes behind you.

This was funny.
I despise return shops, unless they are handsomely bonuses.

@drdoggie00 wrote:

Yes, my "work husband" is a real piece of work. He's an indecisive tightwad who sends his wife out to do product research, yet he rarely makes a purchase. When he does, he has buyer's remorse (usually within 20 minutes) and sends the little woman back in to do his dirty work and handle the return.

Poor man.

@ShoppingDad wrote:

This was funny.
I despise return shops, unless they are handsomely bonuses.

@drdoggie00 wrote:

Yes, my "work husband" is a real piece of work. He's an indecisive tightwad who sends his wife out to do product research, yet he rarely makes a purchase. When he does, he has buyer's remorse (usually within 20 minutes) and sends the little woman back in to do his dirty work and handle the return.

Poor man.

I absolutely hate returns! I'll do anything to keep just about anything I buy. However, I've been doing the purchase return shops for the European MSC for years and it makes up a huge chunk of my monthly MSC amount and it's all purchases and returns!

Purchase and Return shops are two shops, two trips, and I expect to be paid the fee for two shops. Hence, I do very few of them.

Lets go to a food store and buy very specific items that make no sense together. A yucca root, a sweet potatoe and two different types of beans. Oh and let's try to steal a 12 pack of soda too.

Such a give away and they still don't spot the soda. I have a love/hate relationship with that one.

I liked it better when they used to let you buy additional items.

@Datagirl wrote:

Lets go to a food store and buy very specific items that make no sense together. A yucca root, a sweet potatoe and two different types of beans. Oh and let's try to steal a 12 pack of soda too.

Such a give away and they still don't spot the soda. I have a love/hate relationship with that one.

I liked it better when they used to let you buy additional items.

At least they don't make you return the yuca root anymore.

@sandyf wrote:

IDK, I probably do many of these things when not on a shop too. For me the questions where you ask the same one every time but you can shop the location every month or two and come in and ask the same question month after month is a real tell. That and taking photos of rarely photo'd things like the counter or a sign glued to the register, or the entire front case with no one standing there are all pretty awkward and not done regularly.

Yeah, counting the number of frozen ice cream cakes at a Baskin Robbins is pretty much a dead give away that you’re a mystery shopper.

@KokoBWare wrote:

@CoolMusic wrote:

When I first started doing Chevron Customer Firsts I was worried about getting caught taking pictures of violations at the fueling island ahead of entering the store.

This just in: clerks in the store are not paying attention to what is taking place at the pumps.

I've done hundreds of these, documenting many dozens of violations, and I've never been questioned about having my phone out timing the fuel delivery or getting pictures of trashcans or missing towels and/or squeegees.

Yes, I do the Alta360 truck stop shops. The guidelines "recommend" you do the fuel lane last on the idea that even if you are spotted, you'll have already completed the inside portion of the shop. I followed the recommendation at first, until it became crystal clear that the employees at these places couldn't care less what I do at the fuel islands. I still try to do the fuel lane checks as "on the sly" as possible, but I don't worry about the sequencing anymore.

I open my trunk and take pictures. That way if the employee who I’m just sure is watching me like a hawk is thwarted!!!!

Lately, I’ve just taken to using my drone with a camera to get the gas pumps and the bathroom too. Nobody noticed.

That was my lame attempt at humor there.... But I do wonder if they would notice a drone in the bathroom.

My "favorite" giveaway was when I did yellow branded gas audits back in the day for Maritz. You had to ask the clerk about the oil company branded credit card. Who in the world has ever done that besides a mystery shopper?