Field Marketing:
Mystery Shopping
Ever wondered if your store personnel are successfully following the guidelines you've issued? Perhaps you've conducted in-depth training courses to support the launch of a new product line, and you want to know if your sales assistants are experiencing any difficulties in putting their new-found knowledge into action. If this type of issue concerns you, then read on...
...Mystery shopping is the somewhat misleading description of a technique used to conduct what is essentially 'under cover' market research. Typically, field-based Research Assistants will visit a retail outlet, disguised as an average customer, with a view to testing store personnel product knowledge, checking if POS material is where it should be, or finding out if a new promotion's activity is being implemented as per the guidelines issued.
N2O has mystery shopping exercises taking place every week of the year. Activities range from nationwide campaigns to spot-checking a single store. It's vital to plan any exercise carefully, determining the data elements to be captured and choosing the most appropriate method of reporting to meet your needs. To discuss the pros and cons of the many options available to you, contact N2O's field marketing department.
