The Mystery Shopping thread - VII

johnny_c-l

Scotties_Mum wrote: »

Lol, 2 contradicting answers to my ethnicity question!!!! That's why I am confused.

I think I will go with Asian, how can aba-i be offended with that as a description?

If in doubt, leave it out!

If you are writing something especially good/bad about that person they may (if they don't usually like ethenicity included) wonder why you found that important to include IYSWIM?

I always leave it out unless asked specifically.

Horasio

Dare I ask a question here? Or will I get shot down in flames?

Can we be traced as Mystery Shoppers by the places we visit, thus blowing our cover, if we post on here?

scubaangel

I think one or two posters have been 'found out' by the companies they work for, but I dont think the companies we shop have found any one out through here - although reading back some do know when they're going to be shopped and others have identified shoppers thanks to CCTV etc.

johnny_c-l

In theory, if someone says "I visited *client clue* in *location*" today and a member of staff is reading it and remembers you. Highly unlikely IMO.

RE read the forums, as do other companies I understand, and they have been known to link people to their usernames.

jdan9

In theory we shouldn't be recognised through the forums - say I walk into a store, they're not going to somehow realise I'm 'Jdan'. They might find out that some mystery shopper has visited their store today though. But this is why we have to avoid using client names though - because then if an employee of the fictional company "Jane's Tights" googled "janes tights mystery shopping" they'd find us here discussing their mystery shopping programmes.

Horasio

Staff members read this forum too and could quite easily work out where the latest 'inspection campaigns' are happening, so they might twig.

For example, a supermarket chain - an employee may look on here, then realise there is a campaign, then tell everyone else to behave better just in case

Thankfully my username has little bearing on my real name

Just a thought

Scotties_Mum

johnny_c-l wrote: »

If in doubt, leave it out!

If you are writing something especially good/bad about that person they may (if they don't usually like ethenicity included) wonder why you found that important to include IYSWIM?

I always leave it out unless asked specifically.

I did leave it out in the end. I could have described both members of staff perfectly, without being deemed as being racist or anything like it, but at risk of causing offence :rolleyes: it is more trouble than it is worth. As someone previously mentioned, if they want further information, they can always ask me to clarify my answer.

ellie9ellie

Scotties_Mum wrote: »

To change the subject....

What are the guidelines on describing 'ethnicity' on Aba-i?

Just doing my questionnaire ofor the petrol station, help!

Thanks X

If a questionnaire asks for the ethnicity I always put White, Black, Asian etc. It's a straightforward question and I answer honestly. I've never had a query on it. HTH.

scubaangel

They could but then I expect a fair few people who work for companies shopped must also be shoppers themselves so in theory could find out when the jobs are likely to happen - the RE nightclubs are a good example, I used to work in one, we knew from my MS'ing that we were likely to have shoppers in on x weekend and paid more attention to the people asking for receipts etc.

But tbh if they are all doing their jobs properly what are they worried about?

jdan9

CCStar wrote: »

Staff members read this forum too and could quite easily work out where the latest 'inspection campaigns' are happening, so they might twig.

For example, a supermarket chain - an employee may look on here, then realise there is a campaign, then tell everyone else to behave better just in case

Thankfully my username has little bearing on my real name

Just a thought

That's true, especially in regards to the alerts thread. The one thing I'd say to that though is, we don't usually mention time spans - depending on the company, the jobs may be booked anywhere from a month to a day (or less) in advance, so from when somebody posts that the "blue supermarket" jobs are online, we might actually be carrying out the visits anywhere between the next day and up to six weeks away - so even if they could find out they'd not know how long to be on their best behaviour for!