Research clinic: Mystery Shopping
 Can I record mystery shopping?
 Where mystery shopping collects personal information about individuals, the mystery shopping event can only be recorded where the client has a direct relationship with those individuals, such where they are their employer or their regulator.
The reason for this is that personal data can only be collected with the informed consent of the individuals concerned. In order to obtain this consent, the individual must be informed in advance of the data collection, who will have access to the information collected, and the purposes for which it would be used.
Employees can be notified of mystery shopping exercises in employee contracts, staff handbooks, bespoke communications, circulars or newsletters. Details need not be given on when exactly the review will take place, exact details of aspects to be covered, or the types of mystery shoppers to be used. Employees must be informed at this time if any form of recording will be used.
Names of staff members or identities through visual or sound recordings etc can be revealed as long as appropriate communication as to this effect has been given. Clearance from unions or staff organisation representatives should be sought in such cases.
As a researcher, what are my obligations to mystery shoppers?
You must take reasonable steps to ensure that mystery shoppers are fully informed of the implications and protected from any adverse implications of conducting a mystery shopping exercise. For example, they must be made aware that their identity may be revealed to the organisation/individual being mystery shopped if they use personal cards to make purchases, loan arrangements etc. and that credit ratings may be affected. In online environments, mystery shoppers making multiple visits to a website should ensure that they delete any cookies before connecting to the website. This will reduce the likelihood of identification of the mystery shoppers.
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