Mystery shopping studies

The truth about your competitors and your company

IntoTheMinds designs and conducts mystery shopping studies, from the simplest to the most complex, in both B2B and B2C. We focus on complex mystery shopping projects in Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Contact us for a detailed proposal and a free quote within 48 hours.

Submit your mystery shopping project

Our mystery shopping services at a glance

  • Purpose? competition analysis, location study, customer satisfaction survey
  • Territories covered: Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands for fieldwork; all of Western Europe for phone or online mystery shopping
  • Budget: from €5000 excl. VAT
  • Study duration: from 4 weeks
  • Quote: within 48h

Our mystery shopping services

For mystery shopping studies, our market research firm relies on a solid network of external investigators as well as its own team. For the most complex studies (especially B2B), we do not use external investigators and opt for 100% internal execution. This allows us to maintain full control of the project, ensuring impeccable quality through consistent processing.

Study design

We carry out studies as rigorously as possible, following the principles that have made our company successful. In particular, we develop protocols that produce reproducible and comparable results. The methodology is fully designed and tested internally before launching the study.

We first design a scenario to collect information as naturally as possible and in compliance with ethical standards. The scenario is rehearsed to detect any issues, especially regarding the collection of the client’s desired information.

Once the scenario is finalized, a written protocol is drafted for the investigators. If needed, we also create a support video to aid understanding and methodology compliance.

Execution

Different execution modes are available depending on your study context:

  • online
  • by phone
  • on site

A combination of these modes is also possible.

Online and phone studies are particularly suited for customer service evaluation. On-site studies are typically used in the retail sector.

Analysis

All results analysis is carried out in-house. Results can be presented in various formats according to the client’s preferences. We deliver all raw data along with our analysis in a report and include a restitution workshop in every project.

Request a quote within 48h


When to use a mystery shopping study?

Mystery shopping is an ethnographic technique suitable for various situations:

It provides objective information on your competitors, the quality of customer service, and customer experience by adopting the customer’s point of view.

Customer experience study via mystery shopping

Customer experience is complex to study because it is based on six dimensions: emotional, cognitive, relational, physical, sensory and symbolic. We rely on the latest scientific advances in customer experience to provide a comprehensive analysis, using mystery shopping to capture its subjective aspects.

Competition study via mystery shopping

Competition analysis is naturally rooted in the mystery shopping approach. To analyze your competitors’ offers, you need to experience what they provide and the image they convey.

Customer service study via mystery shopping

Customer service is a key factor in a company’s success. Poor (or excellent) service can make a major difference to your strategy. Mystery shopping is ideal for evaluating your staff’s attitude towards customers. Depending on the context, the study can be done by phone (hotlines), online (instant messaging), or in person (local businesses).