This module outlines the key skills and personal qualities needed to excel as a mystery shopper. It emphasizes professionalism, discretion, and the ability to provide objective evaluations.

Key Concepts:

• Attention to Detail: A successful shopper notices even the smallest elements, such as staff behavior, cleanliness, and product displays.

• Professionalism: Maintaining a professional attitude ensures credibility and trust with clients.

• Communication Skills: Mystery shoppers must write clear, concise, and accurate reports.

• Time Management: Completing assignments promptly and adhering to deadlines is crucial.

Validity: The validity of any study depends on the design and execution of the shopping scenarios used. Scenarios should be...

relevant
credible
ethical
practical
To be relevant, the shopping scenario must be designed to test the specific sales, service or operational behavior that is the topic of study.
To be credible, the scenario must be realistic, in that it represents natural consumer behavior in the market concerned and that it can be enacted convincingly by the Mystery Shopper.
To be ethical, the client’s own staff must be advised that their performance may be checked from time to time through mystery shopping.
To be practical from the evaluation viewpoint, simplicity, brevity, and keeping the assignment appropriate ensures experiences are correctly reported.

Skills of a Mystery Shopper