I understand that most shop assignments I will receive are for going to this store or calling that dealership, etc. Very basic things. However, I am interested in learning if folks have seen these interesting ones like attending a Catholic Church or even spending an evening at a Gentlemen's Club. I just find these to be a little different and I guess odd to be honest. I mean, I get it, there are always people behind the scenes wondering what the public thinks of them, but as a secret shop, I just find it odd to be paid to go to something as sacred & personal like a church and then also getting paid to indulge in some private behavior in a gentlemen's club. What do you think? I'm not being critical at all here. Just asking.

I shopped a well-known plastic surgeon some years ago. Had to go through a full consultation, examination, have photographs taken, meet with his billing people, etc. Before I left, I had to present the doctor with a letter saying he had been shopped. It paid well, but was weird. I felt like I was wasting his time.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/13/2024 02:30PM by mitchk.

I've seen some doctor/dentist shops pop up too in my region like for chain urgent care centers or dental offices. A plastic surgeon? Wow. I get it that its wasting the doctor's time as well.

A few years ago, there were some church mystery shops involving a guest "minister" where you were required to make donations of about $50 using marked $10 and $20 bills. I leave it to you to speculate why they were using marked bills.

The Gentlemen's Club shops date back to at least 2008. I suspect that this type of operation is subject to a skimming.

@myst4au how is it really any different from cash bar shops? I know some people in Utah would find the bar shops inappropriate. And the cigarette purchasing shops too...

A few years ago I was picking up cannabis dispensary shops, but they sadly no longer have them available in my area.

If you have a business (and let's face it, churches can be a businesses...despite not being taxed as such) there's probably a reason to shop it.

I, as with myst, had the marked bill priest shop. The problem was that a different missionary, as opposed to the target, was in attendance that Sunday. I had to make a decision on the spot of which the scheduler did not agree. In the end, I was given 1/2 a fee; after receiving, I dropped the MSC.

I am of the opinion that some MSCs are so accustomed to needy shoppers, they take the approach that most will suck it up and take what they dish.

I used to love doing shops for a chain of adult toy stores. I have looked for church chops but never found any where I live, and I thought I read somewhere that the primary MSC for those is no longer in business. I have seen shops for funeral parlors. Anyway, to me, there is no difference between shopping a church and shopping a sex toy store. Both have customers who expect something from them, whether they pay for a product or attend to hear a sermon.

@shopnyc wrote:

I used to love doing shops for a chain of adult toy stores.

I forgot about the toy stores!

and yes; You can do bar shops without drinking, cigarette shops without smoking, sex toy shops without using the products and also church shops while being an atheist. It's a job, and your option to enjoy it...or not.

@SteveSoCal wrote:

@shopnyc wrote:

I used to love doing shops for a chain of adult toy stores.

I forgot about the toy stores!

and yes; You can do bar shops without drinking, cigarette shops without smoking, sex toy shops without using the products and also church shops while being an atheist. It's a job, and your option to enjoy it...or not.

I never said I didn't use the products.

It might be a non-profit, but a church is a business like any other, and many churches are in danger of shutting their doors across the country. This is basically every denomination out there too. Some of these shops are not just for money skimming reasons, but to understand how a visitor feels, or is welcomed when they go to a church.

I was on council of my last church and our membership was dwindling for many different reasons - Covid, long term members passing away, people moving out of the area, not enough offerings for kids, etc. We struggled to find ways to get more members, especially during the pandemic.
I wound up moving out of the area, and the first church I attended with my family, was a large, non-denominational, non-traditional church. Once we entered, they wanted to whisk the kids off to Sunday school classes. This was odd to me as I had always had my children in worship with me. Priests or pastors would either do a children's sermon, or have a children's time, the kids weren't in completely separate rooms. Had I been shopping that church that day, I wouldn't have necessarily given them a negative, but probably give feedback that they can let parents choose if they want to have kids go to Sunday school or participate in worship.

I've done adult toy stores and didn't find it much different than any other retail facility. I haven't done strip clubs but I imagine those are to track cash handling, or potentially make sure people are getting carded for drinks. I would hope they wouldn't want shoppers to report on more illegal activities, like prostitution. That's what undercover cops are for, imo.

Was the expectation that you would leave and go back another time when the "target" is present?

If so, glad you dropped the company. Some of them seem to think our time and travel expenses to revisit locations are free of charge.

@shopperbob wrote:

I, as with myst, had the marked bill priest shop. The problem was that a different missionary, as opposed to the target, was in attendance that Sunday. I had to make a decision on the spot of which the scheduler did not agree. In the end, I was given 1/2 a fee; after receiving, I dropped the MSC.

I am of the opinion that some MSCs are so accustomed to needy shoppers, they take the approach that most will suck it up and take what they dish.

@joanna81 wrote:

I haven't done strip clubs but I imagine those are to track cash handling, or potentially make sure people are getting carded for drinks. I would hope they wouldn't want shoppers to report on more illegal activities, like prostitution. That's what undercover cops are for, imo.

Unfortunately the ones I have seen all expect you to get 100% of the employee names, put out a certain amount of cash for a private "experience" and report on if prostitution was offered.

@shopnyc ....neither did I

I did used to do the funeral phone calls.
Everyone has to plan a funeral some time. It seems reasonable to do the shop.

Some churches are businesses. Even churches not run like businesses may want to use mystery shops to discover how to serve people better.

All churches are businesses. Some, quite lucrative ones.

Because this is 2024.... needs of the church members change over time.
For example, as someone with kids I like that my church holds events like adult triva night with babysitting offered at the event.
I would choose a church (within my religion) that offers more than just Mass, but other opportunities to connect with other moms like myself.

@ServiceAward wrote:

@BusyBeeBuzzBuzzBuzz wrote:

Even churches not run like businesses may want to use mystery shops to discover how to serve people better.

Why don't they just read The Bible to figure that out?

joanna asks--Was the expectation that you would leave and go back another time when the "target" is present?

BOB replies--No. This was a non-MSC that was dabbling in the business and shortly thereafter, exited. The scheduler/editor/VP, having zero experience, at first denied me any money; after consideration, I was paid 1/2 fee. The target was a traveling missionary. so a return would not have been possible.

If this doc is working for a chain the doc is probably getting paid. Perhaps the chain wants to know how patients are being treated by one of their employees or if the doc is offering treatments not approved by the chain or the medical insurance company. it is no different to me than any other type of ms where you assess how and what some employee is doing. Perhaps they get a lot of patient complaints and want an unbiased opinion before taking action.

@scottsteg wrote:

I've seen some doctor/dentist shops pop up too in my region like for chain urgent care centers or dental offices. A plastic surgeon? Wow. I get it that its wasting the doctor's time as well.

I shopped a hair loss company. The technician I worked with was sweet but gave a lot of misinformation. She got offended when I refused to buy the product she was pushing.

@viv0412 wrote:

Because this is 2024.... needs of the church members change over time.

There are a series of shops of churches by one particular MSC that also does some QSR shops affiliated with a certain large beverage client. The goal of most of the church shops with that MSC is to attend the specific church when a missionary is visiting, to evaluate how effective of a communicator the missionary is (do they speak clearly, what kinds of things did they talk about, etc.). Maybe ShopperBob and a few others had a different objective in theirs, but the ones I have done in the past ~24 months have all been centered around a visiting missionary and evaluating their presentation.

In case anyone reading is interested there is a Gentleman's Club shop here in Los Angeles that I get frequent emails about. They even seem to have to offer bonuses which are rare in LA. So I gather this type of shop is not very popular with the local male shoppers... Yes they specify they are looking for a male shopper..
Edited one day later...the email I got today says male or female shopper for the Gentlemens Club shop. I guess they are getting desperate and have raised the bonus to the max. . They have been saying male for months now.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/2024 05:28PM by sandyf.

They also appear for Philadelphia. Often fairly high bonuses and receipts for lap dances are not required.

@sandyf wrote:

In case anyone reading is interested there is a Gentleman's Club shop here in Los Angeles that I get frequent emails about. They even seem to have to offer bonuses which are rare in LA. So I gather this type of shop is not very popular with the local male shoppers... Yes they specify they are looking for a male shopper..

@STL_shopper wrote:

@viv0412 wrote:

Because this is 2024.... needs of the church members change over time.

There are a series of shops of churches by one particular MSC that also does some QSR shops affiliated with a certain large beverage client. The goal of most of the church shops with that MSC is to attend the specific church when a missionary is visiting, to evaluate how effective of a communicator the missionary is (do they speak clearly, what kinds of things did they talk about, etc.). Maybe ShopperBob and a few others had a different objective in theirs, but the ones I have done in the past ~24 months have all been centered around a visiting missionary and evaluating their presentation.

It was an integrity shop. A marked cash donation was to be personally handed to the visiting speaker.

@prince wrote:

I did used to do the funeral phone calls.
Everyone has to plan a funeral some time. It seems reasonable to do the shop.

I used to do these all the time.

Then years later, ended up helping to help my mom plan my dad's service and my mother was surprised that I knew all of the processes, while we were sitting with the funeral director. The funeral director made a comment and I had said that I had used to shop funeral homes all the time. We all got a good laugh out of it.

You never know what you're going to learn shopping!

Although you feel that the shops are personal, sacred, or odd, remember it is the client (the church or gentlemen's club) that is requesting the services of the mystery shopper. So, it ain't so sacred, odd, or personal to them.