By: Brian J. Meli
The mystery shopper (or secret shopper in some circles) has long been used as a way for businesses to gain real-world consumer insight into their products and services. Mystery shopping gives company decision makers a customer’s-eye view into the purchase experience of their brands, and, among other things, a practical understanding of how those brands are regarded in the marketplace. More and more though, the clandestine tactic of mystery shopping is being used to gain a competitive advantage over the competition. What better way, after all, to figure out what your chief rival’s up to than by simply asking his employees? The question is, when does snooping on the competition cross the line? Continue reading