Shopper Blog

How To: Mystery Shopping Routes

Embarking on a mystery shopping route is essentially like stepping into the shoes of a detective, armed with keen observation skills and a mission to evaluate multiple locations and different types of shops in a matter of a few hours. Ever wonder how best to handle a mystery shopping route? Here’s how to get started!

1. Plan out your desired shops based on your interests.
   - Remember, if you’re completing a route with Secret Shopper, you must be at Basic status or higher.
   - Some shops will have stipulations on how many you can do and when. No worries, your coordinating team will help you sort that out. You can also get a glance at what dates are available by viewing the signup details for the shop(s) you’re interested in.
2. Choose your dates to complete the shops around your schedule and when the locations will be open.
   - You get to plan your route around a 3-day time frame (i.e. the 1st through the 3rd) with reports due no later than 12pm CST on the 4th day.
   - Consider peak times at these locations and make an appointment ahead of time, if possible.
   - The beauty of a route is that you don’t HAVE to complete all shops in the same day.
3. Take weather patterns into consideration.
   - If you’re going to be driving a distance to complete multiple shops, you want to make sure that the roads won’t be slick, or that there won’t be torrential downpours leaving giant puddles and making it difficult to drive on the roads. Look ahead at the weather forecast and plan the best you can.
4. Secret Shopper Specific: Reach out to your Coordinators to finalize the details.
   - If you reach out to us during business hours (Monday – Friday 8am-4:30pm, emails only on the weekends), we can finalize your route either through email or by phone call. Phone calls are typically faster and easier in this case as response times may give other shoppers the opportunity to sign up for the shop you want before we can assign it to you.
5. Time to hit the road!
   - As you move from one shop to the next, make it a seamless transition. Blend into the environment of each shop by adjusting your demeanor to match the unique characteristics of each shop.
   - Remember tips from our other blog posts as you complete these shops. Take notes when applicable and inconspicuous, be adaptable, don’t be objective, and communicate effectively. Don’t forget to write your reports and get them in on time. If you can begin filling out the survey after completing your shop, this would be best in order to avoid confusing one shop from the next.

Navigating a mystery shopping route is a dynamic and rewarding experience that requires strategic planning, adaptability, and a commitment to excellence. If you ever have questions, your coordinators are here and happy to help. Best of luck wherever your route takes you and safe travels!