VIDEO MYSTERY SHOPPING NEWS©
Retail Shopping-Lesson 6
Jody Bryant-Author
RETAIL SHOPS-THE BACKBONE OF THE
SHOPPING INDUSTRY .
Retail mystery shops and now video mystery
shops are the backbone of the mystery
shopping industry. From shopping for paint at a
hardware store, to buying a pair of shoes at a
department store, clients want to know if their
staff is providing customer service that meets
the needs of the client.
Possible Jobs in the
Retail Sector
Clothing shops
Tire shops
Convenience store
shops
Jewelry shops
Big box retailers
Electronics shops
Grocery store shops
Many, many more!
What to look for in
these shops
Tidiness of store
Sales techniques
Time in and time out
of location
Probing questions
Up sell questions
Attention to
customers
Offering items such as
extended warrantees
Watch this brief video of an actual shop at a
convenience store.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTlSEuLDJV
Q
The shopper looks for many specific details
about the location he or she is shopping. These
details can be simple or complex, depending
upon what the client wishes to see at their
store location.
Although shops in the retail sector have many
similarities to shops in the hospitality and
ce
housing sectors, they also have distinct
differences.
Oftentimes, the video mystery shopper must
capture these things on tape:




Questions that probe customer for
more details about what they are
looking for in a product.
Does the sales clerk offer additional
products such as extended
warrantees, service plans, or
insurance policies on products?
Is the store clean and neat or messy
and disorganized?
Does the clerk ask qualifying
questions to direct you to the right
product?
Sample dialog with probing questions
Hello, how may I help you
today?
Did you have any
particular price that you
wanted to spend?
Did you have a special
color you would like or a
special finish?
What sort of features do
you want? Do you want
your buttons to run the
appliance on the inside or
outside?
I’m looking for a
new dishwasher.
Yes, I’d like to stay
under $600.00
Yes, I want a black
dishwasher to
match my other
appliances.
I’m not particular
about that feature.
The buttons can be
located either
place.
The retail video mystery shopper often will be
required to look for these additional items.
Price and
discounts
DISCUSSION # 2
Which customer received a specific
recommendation on which dishwasher to buy?
Product
details
Figure 1-This is the
machine for you, Austin.
Current
promotions
Product Line Details
Safe
Clean
Well-stocked
Facility Details
Figure 2-Luanne, this Optimum
Dishwasher in black will meet your
needs. It has all the features you want,
like bigger basket and hidden buttons.
.
DISCUSSION #1
Client A from Big Box Retailer wants to sell
more dishwashers to consumers. This client is
worried that his sales agents aren’t asking
enough qualifying questions and he’s ready to
put some video mystery shoppers in place to
see how his sales associates are doing. He’s
looking for agents to ask the basic questions
dealing with what the consumer wants when
they approach the sales area. What kind of
questions would you expect the sales agent to
ask you?
Figure 3-Elisa, go with this one.
DISCUSSION # 3
Tell how the sales agent might have missed the
sale with the other two people by failing to give
specific recommendations.