Is Mystery Shopping Dying Out? 

The idea of secret shopping has boomed in the last decade as business owners and retailers have learned just how much shopper insights can help improve their business. Reviews, in-store photos, and employee impressions from mystery shoppers can be very informative.

With this data, stores have been able to grow and create better shopping experiences for customers.

However, because retailers are changing and evolving so often, there are some people that feel mystery shopping is becoming a dying profession. Why would stores need secret shoppers if they have technology that can provide them with the same information?

What Makes Mystery Shoppers Special?

The truth is that mystery shoppers bring something very valuable to the table–they are real people who understand what shopping in a store is like. They have lived experiences of shopping at the end of a hard day, with a band of kiddos tagging along, or on busy holidays when the parking lot is packed and the shelves are sparse.

No amount of advanced technology can make up for genuine human experience.

Part of mystery shopping is evaluating not just straight-forward things like out-of-stock items or number of employees. It’s also paying attention to the cleanliness of a store, the attitude and knowledge of a store associate, or even just how inviting a store feels.

All of these details can make or break the success of a retailer, and they might not know where they stand if not for mystery shoppers.

Brands Care About the Customer Experience

Nobody wants to shop at a store that treats their customers badly. How shoppers feel after they’ve made a purchase or interacted with customer service can have a big impact on a retailer’s future.

Stores know this, and that’s why they need mystery shoppers.

83 percent of business executives say that not improving customer experiences can cause them to lose revenue and create even bigger problems for them down the line. On top of this, 86 percent of customers say that they would stop purchasing from a brand they trusted after only two bad experiences.

Knowing this information, businesses can’t afford to overlook how customers feel while buying their products and shopping in their stores. The way to get this information is with mystery shoppers.

What Does All of This Mean for Mystery Shoppers?

So, what does this info mean for mystery shoppers?

1. Even the most advanced technology can only measure straightforward numerical data. Mystery shoppers bring human experience and emotion to the table when providing feedback.
2. Successful business clients know that mystery shoppers are their ticket to real-time feedback from actual shoppers in-store.
3. Studies show that measuring customer experience is only becoming more essential to having a successful business, and mystery shopping is the way to get this insider info.

All of this to say—mystery shopping is not dead! The profession may evolve and adapt as retail does, but there will always be a need for feedback from customers.

If mystery shopping sounds like something you’d like to be a part of, download the Mobee App today!