Video Mystery Shopping:
How it Works and What I Learned
Video mystery shopping takes traditional mystery shopping a step further. Instead of relying only on a shopper's written report, a hidden camera and microphone can record what actually happened during the visit.
For a business owner or client, that recording can be a valuable training tool. They can see and hear how an employee handled the interaction instead of relying entirely on a written description.
Video mystery shopping isn't necessarily about catching employees doing something wrong. In many cases, the purpose is training and evaluating how employees handle customers, follow procedures, explain products, and make sales presentations.
I've completed many video mystery shopping assignments over the years. Most of my video assignments have involved new-home builders, although I've also completed video shops for other types of businesses.
Want more help getting started? My book, Take That Job And Mystery Shop It!, walks you through finding assignments, completing shops, writing reports, and avoiding many of the mistakes new shoppers make.
The middle button on this shirt is a hidden camera used for video mystery shopping.
How Video Mystery Shopping Works
A video mystery shopper normally enters a business as an ordinary customer while wearing concealed recording equipment.
The shopper follows a scenario provided by the mystery shopping company. Depending on the assignment, you may ask specific questions, listen to a sales presentation, tour a property, inquire about a product or service, or complete another task.
The important thing is to act naturally while making sure the camera captures as much of the interaction as possible.
That's harder than it sounds.
You can't constantly look down to see where your camera is pointing. You have to learn how to position your body so the person you're talking with remains in the picture while you continue acting like a normal customer.
Training and practice can make a tremendous difference.
The Legal Side of Video Mystery Shopping
Before recording anyone, you need to understand the laws that apply to the assignment.
Federal and state laws concerning audio and video recording vary, and the rules can depend on where the recording takes place, whether the conversation is considered private, who is participating, and where the people involved are located.
Some video mystery shopping companies may also require participating businesses to notify employees or obtain recording consent or waivers before video mystery shoppers are sent to their locations.
Don't assume that because a recording is legal in one state or under one set of circumstances that the same rules apply everywhere.
Always follow the mystery shopping company's instructions and make sure the assignment complies with applicable recording and privacy laws. If you're uncertain about the legality of a recording, get appropriate legal guidance before accepting or completing the assignment.
Video Mystery Shopping Can Pay More
In my experience, video mystery shopping assignments have generally paid more than comparable written mystery shops.
One reason is that video shopping requires additional equipment, training, responsibility, and technical skill. The recording also has to be usable.
Companies may sometimes offer additional money when they have difficulty finding an experienced video shopper in a particular area.
I once drove to Victoria, Texas, for a video dental assignment and was paid about four times the normal rate because they needed someone willing to make the trip.
That's one of the advantages of developing specialized mystery shopping skills. You may qualify for assignments that aren't available to every shopper.
New Home Video Mystery Shopping
Many of the video assignments I've completed over the years have involved new-home builders.
These assignments can require you to pose as a prospective homebuyer and go through a complete sales presentation. Depending on the assignment, you may tour model homes, discuss your housing needs, ask about available lots and listen to financing or upgrade information.
Some assignments may allow or encourage you to bring your spouse or another person because a couple shopping for a new home can make the scenario appear more natural.
I've known video mystery shoppers who traveled with their spouses and completed multiple assignments along a route. Instead of driving several hours for one shop, they scheduled several assignments during the same trip.
That can make video mystery shopping considerably more efficient.
You May Spend Less Time Writing
Another advantage I've found with many video mystery shops is that the written report can be shorter than reports for traditional mystery shopping assignments.
The client already has the recording.
I may still have to answer questions and provide a short narrative about what happened, but the video contains much of the detail.
That's not true for every assignment, so always look at the reporting requirements before accepting a shop.
I once completed an apartment mystery shop that required more than an hour of writing after the visit. I decided afterward that particular type of assignment wasn't worth the time for me.
That's an important lesson for any mystery shopper: don't look only at what an assignment pays. Consider how much total time it will take to complete the shop, drive to the location, prepare the report, and handle any follow-up questions.
What Can Go Wrong With a Video Mystery Shop?
Video mystery shopping carries an additional risk: you can complete the visit correctly and still have a problem with the recording.
Here are some of the biggest problems I've encountered or learned to watch for.
Your Recording Stops
A dead battery, full memory card, equipment malfunction, or accidentally stopping the recording can ruin an otherwise successful shop.
I've accidentally stopped a recording during an assignment and didn't realize it until after the visit.
That's a mistake you don't want to make twice.
Before leaving for an assignment, make sure your equipment is working and your batteries are fully charged. Carry backup batteries or other equipment your recording system requires.
If an assignment is unusually long and your instructions permit it, you may need to find an appropriate opportunity to check or change equipment without disrupting the scenario.
Your Camera Is Pointed in the Wrong Direction
A recording isn't very useful if the camera spends most of the visit pointed at the floor or ceiling.
You need to capture the person you're interacting with as much as reasonably possible.
Nobody is going to keep the subject perfectly framed every second. You're walking, turning, looking at products and behaving like a real customer.
But with training and practice, you learn how to position yourself to get a much better recording.
The Audio Is Poor
Video isn't enough. The client also needs to hear the conversation.
If the audio is muffled, distorted, or otherwise unusable, important portions of the interaction may be lost.
Checking your equipment before every assignment is essential.
You Don't Follow the Scenario
Video doesn't eliminate the need to follow instructions. In some ways, it makes following them even more important because the client can see exactly what happened.
For example, a new-home assignment may require you to accept an offer to look at an available lot or continue through another part of the presentation.
If the instructions require you to do something, don't create an excuse to leave early just because the assignment is taking longer than expected.
The client may be paying specifically to see how the employee handles the entire presentation.
The Assigned Employee Isn't There
Some video assignments require you to shop a particular employee.
That can be challenging, especially if you're instructed not to call ahead.
I've had situations where I arrived and discovered that the person I was supposed to shop wasn't working.
When that happens, follow the mystery shopping company's instructions. Payment policies vary by company and assignment, so don't assume you'll receive partial or full payment for an unsuccessful attempt.
Video Mystery Shopping Requires Preparation
Before every assignment, I recommend checking:
- Batteries and recording equipment
- Available recording/storage capacity
- Camera position
- Audio
- Assignment instructions
- Required questions or scenarios
- Target employee information, if applicable
- Reporting requirements
Don't wait until you're sitting in the parking lot to read the assignment instructions for the first time.
Video mystery shopping requires you to remember the scenario while simultaneously acting naturally and making sure your equipment is doing its job.
Preparation makes that much easier.
Is Video Mystery Shopping Worth It?
For me, video mystery shopping opened the door to assignments that paid more than many traditional written shops.
But it isn't for everyone.
You have to be comfortable wearing hidden recording equipment. You need to learn how to use that equipment properly. You also need to follow detailed instructions while behaving naturally enough that the employee doesn't realize you're a mystery shopper.
And sometimes things go wrong.
I've lost recordings. I've arrived when a targeted employee wasn't available. I've had assignments that didn't work out the way I expected.
That's part of the business.
Over time, experience taught me how to avoid many of those mistakes.
If you want to make video mystery shopping a significant part of your business, consider registering with several reputable mystery shopping companies that offer video assignments. Work can come in cycles, and the availability of assignments depends on your location, client needs, shopper eligibility, and other factors.
Most importantly, don't accept a video assignment until you understand exactly what's expected of you.
A successful video mystery shopper isn't simply someone who knows how to hide a camera.
It's someone who can follow instructions, act naturally, capture a useful recording, and give the client what they paid for.
I'm Mystery Don (Donald J. Servais, Jr.), and I've completed mystery shopping assignments for restaurants, hotels, apartment communities, automobile dealerships, new-home builders, and other businesses.
I created MystShopper.com to share what I've learned from my own experiences, help new shoppers avoid common mistakes, and explain how legitimate mystery shopping really works.
I'm also the author of Take That Job And Mystery Shop It!, which includes beginner-friendly advice, real-world mystery shopping experiences, and a directory of more than 150 mystery shopping companies.
Drawing on my 45-year career in television, I've also written 7 Keys to Success in a Changing Television Industry, a guide for people interested in building a career in television and video.
My goal is simple: honest guidance without the hype.
We're always looking for new faces to visit different places.
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