I had 2 shops yesterday, one was the most amazing food I've had, at a place I've been wanting to try. (Might as well get reimbursed for it)...The second one was in an electronics store where I go all the time. It's the only one I have, and I go there alot. I buy everything there. I used to hold that store in high regard.

They nearly failed miserably during the shop. I had to wait 10 minutes to be helped, they bypassed me, and went to help a guy who arrived after I did. The scenerio: I own a dslr camera, and want an upgrade. Which is very true. I waited 10 minutes to even find someone to help, then he looked at me and went over to the older man standing by the same cameras who arrived after I did. So, I waited a bit longer, and went to the computer section. I really do want a new laptop, and liked the one I looked at yesterday. He was a knowledgeable employee.

By now, a 20 minute mystery shop, was over 30 minutes long. I went back to the cameras, waited while another couple was being assissted. 5 more minutes. He finally decided to help me. All of his information he looked up on their computer., which might be the norm. He was kind of knowledgeable, I can't say he wasn't. I went home after an hour at the same store, cause I spent 15 minutes trying to get help. While I was in the camera section, the guy who helped me in the computer section, walked up to me and apologized for cutting me short. (This is normal for their employees when a purchase isn't made and you go to something else.) I do wish the mystery shop had us only looking at one department. It's awkward looking at 2.

I wrote up the form, and added the situation creatively. I know 2 people who work there, not close friends. So I woke up this morning, still mad about the fact that the employee went to the man, who just arrived at the store and not me and I had been standing there for 10 or more minutes. In a normal situation, I'd leave and take my business elsewhere...Looks like I'll be using a different store to buy my appliances and electronics at.

I'm shopping the other branch tomorrow, in the video game department...I hope the employees don't assume I'm a dumb customer, cause in real life, I own a Wii, xbox 360, and playstation 3 (all bought for my son, that I hooked up for him, except the Wii is mine), and I play World of Warcraft daily.. And at the same store, I'm to look at refrigerators. I do want a new one, so that is easy. Should be an interesting comparison.

One of the many reasons that negative reports are more difficult to write is that it is harder for the shopper to write a very objective report when the targets have gotten her/him teed off. When that happens to me, I sometimes push the reporting time limit a bit (even a lot) in order to cool down and manage to give a "just the facts ma'am" report. I have even emailed schedulers a few times to state the shop was complete but that I wanted some extra time, overnight for instance, to cool down before writing. Never had a negative reaction from a scheduler for that in 6+ years. I think that this has minimized the number of challanged negative reports. And, I certainly have written quite a few negative reports! (Three this morning, for instance.) I have only been challenged twice; once over a cashier's name (Her name tag and the name on the window were the same, but it was claimed that no one by that name worked there. She still does, 4 years later, lol.) and once when the security camera proved me correct about the person with whom I had interacted.

I should've saved the report. I might still be able too, incase it's challenged.

I did that camera shop a few years ago and the person's name tag indicated that she was an expert in that area. There supposedly were supposed to be card with the summary info on them and the one I had first looked at didn't have the card. Trying to drag anything positive out of her, I asked her to compare to models and she yelled at me because she had just told me the card wasn't there and how was she supposed to remember stuff about the cameras.

The employee told me the website to go, so i could compare dslr's. But, he was technical enough that he did okay. I think I bought my DSLR at Sear's across the street, but that was 2 years ago....think I might buy my next appliance at Nebraska Furniture Mart, even though it is 50 miles away, including the laptop I want.

And the Bose computer speakers? Same place..To heck with the electronics store I've grown to love. we'll see how the other branch goes tomorrow.

Good luck with the refrigerator/gaming shop. I did that one yesterday and it was an epic fail. The appliance part went great! But then I waited in the gaming department for 20 mins...tried to find someone outside of the department with no luck..waited another ten mins and then finally got so angry I made my purchase and left.

I did assist a lovely couple who was looking to buy their son a Nintendo DS. They told me I should work there!

I have another shop tomorrow too. I'll do this one after I do the other one. It will be flawless, and a nice break from these other shops.

Based on my assumption that I know the store you're talking about...I've done many lately too and have been rather disappointed most times. My boyfriend and I have learned a lot on some, like things we never knew about washers and dryers. I too have an SLR and did a couple of camera shops recently and not a single sales person knew more than I do! I'm just an amateur and read things online from time to time.

I was terribly excited a decade ago when one of those stores moved into our area. I was quickly disappointed because the good sale items were always 'sold out' even if you were the third person in the store on the day the sale started. Lots of geeky types spouting BS with great confidence even when it conflicted with the specs of the item. It seemed like you could never find anyone, but as a real customer, that was fine because it was likely the information you got was incorrect anyway. It was not until I did a couple of these shops that with stopwatch in hand I realized just how unacceptable customer service was. Little gangs of pimply faced boys standing around gossiping about 'stupid customers' and quickly changing their conversation to restocking instructions when someone came near them. It has probably been 3 or 4 years since I set foot in the store for anything, and that was the appliance/camera shop. I had to go to the front podum 3 times to try to get an associate sent to appliances. Everything was inadequate except the top of the line and the disdain for entertaining the notion that a lesser model was what you needed was palpable. I can't/won't do these stores and when offered I simply state that I have 'preconceived notions about them and they aren't good'.

I camped out at this store over night, before it moved to it's present location, once, for concert tickets, and the second time for a Playstation 2. I was in my 30's, and grabbed a bunch of friends, and we had all nighter there, in a tiny tent. Would I do it again? Not after yesterday. I've also gotten line numbers for games, like GTA or even my own WoW expansion, at the same store.

Standing by that laptop yesterday, the manager, approached me with 3 guys. I mean there wad no way he would've thought I was a mystery shopper. I had'nt talked yet. And, yes, when buying a laptop, people take notes. I see it all the time. Just to keep things straight. People take names so they can contact the employee when they go back into the store to buy it. They write down model numbers, prices.

One time I went into a Gamestop to buy a 3 month game card for World of Warcraft. I got the snake eye from the cashier, and he said, "This isn't for YOU is it? You've got to be kidding." And I blurted out, "That tempest Keep instance is the hardest I've ever done. My guild and I got wiped 10 times last night, and my repair bill was over 36 gold.Thank goodness it was on my hunter, and not my pally." .He smiled, and silently sold me the game card...hence the reason why I'm curious to do the video game section of the electronics store tomorrow.

I know exactly the stores you're talking about, and I do them all the time. Yes the information is wrong and service generally bad, but I go into the shop with an open mind and not rushed. I just report exactly what went on..maybe enough bad reports will improve the situtation. (doubtful, but one can always hope)

I really truly try to have a good attitude with the idea that I'm helping improve things for others. I own my own business and just started shopping to see what it was like...since I don't need the money I find it very enjoyable at times. I really think if anyone looks at the type of work as an "income" for anything other than "extra" they will be very disappointed and find it hard to give an unbias report.

I did the one across town last night, and they treated me like they should've. It was near flawless, except for the employee playing NCAA Football 2011 for 4 minutes, looking at me, and walking away. They don't take their breaks that way. That creatively, went into my report. I bet he thought he wasn't even being noticed. That store is shiny, and flawless. The store has to know they have an employee like that. The store was written unbiased, cause I don't know anyone working there. The first store I go to so much, I felt as if they spit on me. I almost didn't do the first store. The report was unbiased, but I know a couple people there. I will be going to the store I did last night from here on.

Very interesting the contrast between the 2.

What store? Is it Best Buy?

yyyyyeeeeah...but I didnt use the name, and it's listed in several msc's job listings