718:'s Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs released a recommendation on the use of "secret shopper patients". The Recommendation: "Physicians have an ethical responsibility to engage in activities that contribute to continual improvements in patient care. One method for promoting such quality improvement is through the use of secret shopper 'patients' who have been appropriately trained to provide feedback about physician performance in the clinical setting." However, in 2009, the council decided to withdraw the report "in light of further testimony heard at the 2008 Interim Meeting ".
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2004, compared to average growth of 12.2 percent. The report estimates that more than 8.1 million mystery shops were conducted in 2004. The report represents the first industry association attempt to quantify the size of the mystery shopping industry. The
Independent Mystery Shoppers' Coalition reports there are 1.5 million mystery shoppers in the United States alone. Similar surveys are available for European regions where mystery shopping is becoming more embedded into company procedures.
637:
gas stations, automotive dealerships, transportation services, real estate and property management firms, movie theaters, health and fitness clubs, insurance products, roadside assistance, health care products and providers for both humans and pets, assisted living facilities, and funeral homes. However, the most common industries that utilize this research method are retail, hospitality and travel, restaurants and fast-food chains, banking, and e-commerce.
43:
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The mystery shopping industry had an estimated value of nearly $ 600 million in the United States in 2004, according to a 2005 report commissioned by the
Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA). Companies that participated in the report experienced an average growth of 11.1 percent from 2003 to
758:
conducts underage sales testing (mystery shopping tests) on businesses, using child volunteers, to find out which traders are selling age-restricted goods to children. The tests, which are carried out using strict national guidelines, are undertaken to ensure traders are complying with the law. If a
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Mystery shopping assessments and reports range from simple questionnaires to audio and video recordings. This type of market research can be used in any industry, from B2C and B2B, although B2B is rare. Mystery shoppers interact with and report on a wide range of businesses and services, including
691:
Mystery shopping organizations advise that their research should only be used for employee incentive programs and that punishment or firing is an inappropriate use of mystery-shopper data. However, stories of employees being fired as a direct result of negative mystery shopper feedback are not
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practice in
England. The service was re-branded as the "Public Procurement Review Service" in November 2018 responding to feedback from suppliers and public bodies that the "mystery shopper" title did not properly reflect the role of the service. Section 40 of the
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The Trade
Organization for Mystery Shopping Providers, MSPA has defined a Code of Professional Standards and Ethics Agreement for Mystery Shopping Providers and for Mystery Shoppers. Other organizations that have defined standards for Mystery Shopping are
726:
When used in published research, mystery shopping is known as a simulated patient research methodology. The
Checklist for reporting research using simulated patient methodology (CRiSP) should be used when reporting these research.
653:. A study by a U.S. firm found more than 55% of hospital chief executive officers surveyed in 2005 had "some compensation at risk," based on patient satisfaction, up from only 8% to 20% a dozen years ago." In the United Kingdom, a
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Mystery shopping can take the form of physical visits to business premises, or calling companies to evaluate their customer experience often called mystery calling or
Customer Experience Research Calling (CXR Calling).
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882:"Good Service is Good Business: American Consumers Willing to Spend More with Companies That Get Service Right, According to American Express Survey"
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operated a mystery shopper scheme from
February 2011 to November 2018, whose remit was to provide a route for suppliers to raise concerns about
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found a clear correlation between a company's attention to customer service and customers' willingness to pay more for good service.
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to test the consistency of the habits deemed important to a specific brand or industry. Mystery shoppers, who primarily operate as
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industry, with healthcare providers and medical facilities using the tool to assess and improve the customer service experience.
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Morrison, L. J., Colman, A. M., & Preston, C. C., "Mystery customer research: Cognitive processes affecting accuracy,"
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trader sells to the child volunteer, an investigation will take place which may involve legal action being taken.
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In the state of Nevada, mystery shoppers must be licensed by the PILB board and work under a company that has a
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1013:"Developing a checklist for reporting research using simulated patient methodology (CRiSP): A consensus study"
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As a measure of its importance, customer/patient satisfaction is being incorporated more frequently into
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in order to perform mystery shopping jobs. Unlicensed mystery shoppers may face fines.
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Amaratunge, S.; Harrison, M.; Clifford, R.; Seubert, L.; Page, A.; Bond, C. (2021).
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has been established under the auspices of the Market
Research Society.
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Additionally, since 2010, mystery shopping has become abundant in the
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907:"Mystery shopping: Billion dollar industry keeps retailers in check"
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created a statutory basis for some aspects of the review service.
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ran a segment on this topic during a
January 2001 episode.
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and churches, to provide feedback on user satisfaction.
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Procurement in a nutshell – the
Mystery Shopper Service
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Mystery shopping new trend in Medical Tourism, Novasans
601:, or to gather specific information about a market or
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mystery shopper, mystery consumer, mystery research,
1084:, published 27 May 2016, accessed 16 September 2021
1071:, updated 29 November 2018, accessed 4 January 2019
67:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
750:Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015
589:companies and organizations that wish to measure
965:"Microsoft Word - CEJA Opinions and Reports.doc"
1017:The International Journal of Pharmacy Practice
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784:List of confidence tricks § Mystery shopping
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608:Mystery shoppers typically mirror common
127:Learn how and when to remove this message
851:Journal of the Market Research Society,
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655:Mystery Shoppers Practitioners' Group
7:
65:adding citations to reliable sources
832:Health Care Taps 'Mystery Shoppers'
605:, including products and services.
927:Osterweil. Willie (June 4, 2012).
30:For similarly named services, see
25:
1144:"Mystery worshippers test church"
819:"What Does A Mystery Shopper Do?"
1069:Mystery Shopper: Scope and Remit
1053:Mystery Shopper: scope and remit
988:"9-A-09 Secret Shopper Patients"
41:
583:and secret shopping and auditor
52:needs additional citations for
32:Secret shopper (disambiguation)
620:, submit detailed reports and
1:
1096:"Underage sales restrictions"
709:private investigators license
951:"Mystery Shopping in Nevada"
716:American Medical Association
591:quality of sales and service
632:Industries and common usage
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1094:Council, Birmingham City.
1051:Crown Commercial Service,
853:Vol. 39, 1997, pp 349-361.
484:Promotional representative
29:
677:'s news magazine program
624:about their experiences.
1176:Distribution (marketing)
794:Observational techniques
768:non-profit organizations
741:Crown Commercial Service
799:Participant observation
614:independent contractors
479:Promotional merchandise
464:Out-of-home advertising
253:Account-based marketing
1146:. BBC News. 2008-02-21
868:June 17, 2011, at the
585:) is a method used by
288:Horizontal integration
1100:www.birmingham.gov.uk
599:regulatory compliance
474:Product demonstration
326:Corporate anniversary
1030:10.1093/ijpp/riaa002
929:"The Secret Shopper"
772:housing associations
489:Visual merchandising
419:Behavioral targeting
293:Vertical integration
273:Influencer marketing
61:improve this article
27:Market research tool
837:Wall Street Journal
439:In-game advertising
429:Display advertising
305:Promotional content
1120:"Mystery shoppers"
1080:Ward Hadaway LLP,
789:Marketing research
745:public procurement
714:In June 2008, the
610:consumer behaviors
587:marketing research
522:Marketing research
459:Online advertising
449:Native advertising
444:Mobile advertising
396:Sex in advertising
213:Consumer behaviour
76:"Mystery shopping"
931:. The New Enquiry
840:, August 18, 2006
756:Trading Standards
667:A 2011 survey by
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532:Consumer research
413:Promotional media
401:Underwriting spot
376:Product placement
356:On-hold messaging
346:Loyalty marketing
263:Product marketing
258:Digital marketing
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575:(related terms:
573:Mystery shopping
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1181:Surveillance
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243:Segmentation
168:Distribution
162:Key concepts
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59:Please help
54:verification
51:
731:UK Examples
680:Marketplace
618:gig workers
603:competitors
336:Franchising
311:Advertising
278:Attribution
203:Co-creation
1165:Categories
1150:2012-09-25
1129:2023-03-30
1105:2023-03-30
997:2015-12-21
973:2012-09-25
913:2012-09-25
892:2014-01-13
805:References
692:uncommon.
494:Web banner
381:Propaganda
188:Activation
152:Management
87:newspapers
454:New media
386:Publicity
238:Promotion
223:Dominance
143:Marketing
1039:33792718
909:. Cbc.ca
866:Archived
778:See also
770:such as
722:Research
622:feedback
511:Research
366:Premiums
321:Branding
248:Strategy
183:Service
173:Pricing
101:scholar
1037:
698:ESOMAR
687:Ethics
641:Growth
371:Prizes
233:Ethics
178:Retail
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968:(PDF)
341:Label
108:JSTOR
94:books
1035:PMID
937:2012
735:The
80:news
1025:doi
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739:'s
702:ISO
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63:by
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