Advent of Mystery Shopping

Mystery Shopping

Mystery shopping saw its start in the 1940s. The term “mystery shopping” was also coined in the period when it began being used to define the services used by everyday customersthat were investigated by these individuals termed as “Mystery shoppers”. Since then it has evolved into an industry that evaluates many different areas of customer satisfaction within several different industries.

People are especially hired with the motive to gather information about the customer experience on visiting a certain store. At times, private investigators would pose as employees in an attempt to discover if any other store employees were stealing or compromising the success of the company.  Initially, it was used primarily in banks and retail stores to assess the integrity of the employees working there.

As the industry grew into the 80’s and 90’s, it expanded rapidly because of the presence of the Internet. Now, most mystery shoppers can find work online via these market research companies who train, and provide work for their employees. The sectors have also expanded where mystery shopping could be used. Today mystery shoppers provide customer service information for restaurants, retail stores, fast food chains, banks, gyms, movie theaters and even car dealerships.

Another change that is well evident includes the sweeping services offered to the company in which it investigates. Earlier the services were very limited unlike the present time when it is used more as an indication of customer service and satisfaction rather than simply a method for policing bad employees. As such, mystery shopping has boomed into a $1.5 billion dollar industry that exists worldwide. Companies all over the world turn to mystery shoppers to help them evaluate how customers view their business and products. In today’s world with so much mystery shopping being done via the Internet, the turnaround for assessments and information is quicker and more comprehensive, making mystery shopping an industry that is sure to continue growing.