• All Methods
    • Strategize
      • Break Down 4
      • Business Model Canvas
      • Competitive Analysis
      • Could, Should, Must
      • Eisenhower Matrix
      • Future Trends
      • Golden Circle
      • HEART Framework
      • How Might We
      • Innovation Board
      • Knowns and Unknowns Framework
      • KPI Tracking
      • Minimum Viable Product
      • One-Minute-Pitch
      • Stakeholder Map
      • SWOT Analysis
      • User Stories
      • Value Proposition
    • Observe
      • 5 Whys
      • 6 Thinking Hats
      • AEIOU Framework
      • Challenge Assumptions
      • Content Audit
      • Contextual Inquiry Plan
      • Emotional Journey Map
      • Empathy Map
      • Field Study
      • Focus Groups
      • Jobs-to-be-done
      • Journey Mapping
      • Mental Models
      • Mobile Diaries
      • Mystery Shopping
      • Netnography
      • Observation
      • Personas
      • Poems
      • Product Love Letters
      • Search-Log Analysis
      • Social Media Monitoring
      • Surveys
      • User Interviews
    • Ideate
      • 6-3-5 Brainwriting
      • Bodystorming
      • Brainstorming
      • Card Sorting
      • Collage
      • Crazy Eights
      • Dark Horse Prototyping
      • Mind Mapping
      • Moodboards
      • SCAMPER
      • Service Blueprints
      • Storyboards
      • Walt Disney Method
      • Worst Possible Ideas
      • Wow-How-Now Matrix
    • Validate
      • A/B Testing
      • Click Dummy
      • Concept Testing Plan
      • Eye Tracking
      • High-Fidelity Prototyping
      • Hypothesis Testing
      • Lessons Learned
      • Low-Fidelity Prototyping
      • Pluralistic Walkthrough
      • Poster Session
      • Remote Usability Test
      • User Testing
      • Wizard of Oz
      • World Café
    • Warm-up
      • 5 Whys
      • Brainstorming
      • Break Down 4
      • Crazy Eights
      • Destroy and Defend
      • Emoji Challenge
      • Impromotion
      • Mind Mapping
      • Product Pitch
      • The Aliens Have Landed
      • Touch Blue
      • Two Truths and a Lie
      • What's on your Desk?
  • Workshop Bundles
  • About us
  • Meet the Creators
  • Get Support
  1. UX Strategy Kit
  2. Methods
  3. Mystery Shopping
advancedobserve
Mystery ShoppingObserve people having a shopping experience in a store while observing and understanding their behaviour.
3 h – 2 d5+ Participantssolousersresearch
+1
Open in FigJam
Summary
This method is especially helpful if you want to find out information about why competing products are being purchased. Therefore it's important to create a natural and casual shopping experience. Try to find out where the users pain points are, how they handle them, and then review how well you think your solution was implemented in the scenario.
Step-by-step
  1. Find people to test with that fit the target group. They don't need to be briefed in advance because there is a risk that they will not behave naturally under observation.
  2. Observe people during their shopping experience and take notes. What interactions take place? What pain points are there? Are there similar patterns among different users?
  3. Evaluate results and think about what could improve the users shopping experience.
What you need
  • Mystery Shopping template
External resources
  • What is Mystery Shopping?
    by DC Public Library
Do you have a question?
These methods might seem simple, but applying them in a real project is another story. We’re there to help. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to get in touch with us at the User Experience Strategy & Design team.
Ask Away!
Explore similar methods
Poemsobserve
1+ Participants
60 – 120 min

Poems is great to structure your field research during user and environment observations.

Card Sortingideate
4 – 12 Participants
30 min

Structure information into reasonable groups.

SWOT Analysisstrategize
1 – 10 Participants
45 – 95 min

Question and analyze your project or business venture.

Worst Possible Ideasideate
1+ Participants
25 – 30 min

The ultimate permission for having a terrible idea to come up with meaningful ideas in a fun way.

Two Truths and a Liewarm-up
2+ Participants
30 – 60 min

Create a communicative atmosphere while getting to know each other.

© Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, 2023.
Follow us
  • Dribbble
  • Instagram
  • Medium
  • Behance
Categories
  • Strategize
  • Observe
  • Ideate
  • Validate
  • Warm-up
Learn more
  • About Us
  • User Experience Strategy & Design
  • Liquid Design System
Legal
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Imprint
Follow us
  • Dribbble
  • Instagram
  • Medium
  • Behance
This website uses cookies to give you the best, most relevant experience. Using this website means you’re OK with this. You can change which cookies are set at any time – and find out more about them in our Cookie Policy.