Mystery Shopper People Services Buy Make Evaluate Multiple

Many businesses use the services of "mystery shoppers," also known as "secret shoppers," to "evaluate" (measure the value of) the "shopping experience" (how customers feels while they are shopping) of their stores and the level of customer service provided by their employees. A "mystery shopper" is paid to go into a store and buy a certain product, ask certain questions, "make a return" (request a credit or refund for something that he or she bought, but no longer wants), or "make a complaint" (say that he or she is dissatisfied with something). The mystery shopper secretly records the experience or creates a report that is then share with the company, which uses the information to evaluate employee performance.

Mystery shoppers typically record how many employees are working in the store, whether they were "greeted" (someone saying "hello" to one), whether they were "addressed" (spoken to) in a friendly manner, how difficult it was to find what they were looking for, how long they had to stand in the "checkout line" (the line of people waiting to buy something), whether they received a "receipt" (a piece of paper with proof of purchase), and whether they were thanked for their business. The mystery shopper might also be asked to comment on the store's organization and cleanliness. Often multiple mystery shoppers are sent to multiple stores, so that their results can be examined and compared to identify the best- and worst-performing stores.

Some companies specialize in selling mystery shopper services to retail stores. In some states, they must have special licenses or certifications. This is especially true when the mystery shopper model is used in professional environments, such as "mystery shopper patients," or people who "pose as" (pretend to be) people needing medical attention to evaluate a doctor's "bedside manner" (how a doctor interacts with patients).