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Cathy Stucker has been a mystery shopper since 1995. She is the author of The Mystery Shopper's Manual.
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When mystery shopping we have to remember a lot of details. Names, conversations, times and more go in to producing a quality secret shop report.
To have a better mystery shopping experience, work on improving your observation and memory skills. There are many online games and exercises that you can enjoy while making your memory better. Here are some of my favorites: …continue reading Memory Improvement Exercises
No, mystery shopper rotation does not refer to when you find yourself running around in circles. Some clients do not want the same shoppers performing their secret shops each time. They require that a period of time elapse before the shopper evaluates the same location again, or sometimes before the shopper can shop any of the client’s other locations.
There are several reasons for rotation requirements, including: …continue reading Mystery Shopper Rotation
If you pay quarterly estimated income taxes, remember that your fourth-quarter estimated tax payment (using form 1040-ES) for 2007 is due on January15, 2008. Need to know more? Read on . . . …continue reading Estimated Income Tax Payment Reminder
Do you struggle with describing employees in your mystery shopping reports? How tall was that guy anyway? Is that medium-length hair? Can I say the cashier had a mole on her chin?
Let’s take a look at some quick tips to make describing employees easier. …continue reading Writing Employee Descriptions
Although the information we enter in our profiles at mystery shopping provider sites is not public, that does not mean that no one else sees it. Schedulers and others at the mystery shopping company can see your profile and that often includes the password you use to access the site.
Why does this matter? …continue reading Your Password is Not Private
You have shopped a client many times for a particular mystery shopping company, and have suggestions about how they could improve their program. Should you contact the client with your suggestions?
While doing a mystery shop, you noted a problem that your business (or your spouse’s) could fix for the client. Should you advise the client what you discovered and how you can help them?
Or perhaps you have a comment about the mystery shopping company: you are unhappy with how much they pay shoppers or how long it takes to get paid. Is it a good idea to let the client know what is going on? …continue reading Should You Ever Contact a Mystery Shopping Client?
I recently wrote about a mystery series featuring a mystery shopper as the sleuth. Now, from the UK, comes news that a former mystery shopper has won an important literary award, the Costa First Novel Award.
What Was Lost
O’Flynn says she was inspired to write the mystery novel while working at a shopping center. The story is about a security guard who spots a child on CCTV 20 years after the child went missing.
I have a new blog that covers subjects other than (or in addition to) mystery shopping. Want to learn about marketing? Get motivated to accomplish more? Check out http://www.CathyStucker.com/
I just read an online article about mystery shopping that, among other things, recommended that you get mystery shopping jobs by going around to businesses and asking if they get mystery shopped and what company provides their secret shoppers. Then, you could approach that mystery shopping company and offer to work for them.
Can you spot the flaws in this theory? …continue reading How NOT to Get Mystery Shopper Jobs
