Grocery Retailing and Mystery Shoppers

This assignment explores the significance of mystery shopper experiences within the grocery retailing sector. It delves into strategies employed by businesses to thrive in this competitive environment, highlighting the crucial role of customer experience, product quality, service delivery, and market trends. The analysis draws upon examples like Tesco and Ocado Retailing Company, emphasizing the need for continuous improvement and adaptation to changing consumer demands.

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Student Name
Course
Date

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Article I
Mystery Shopper Observation Form
Shopper ID----------------------------------Mall Location----------------------------
Date------------------------
Arrival Time-------------------------------Sever Name----------------------------------Cashier
Name---------
Tag Name for Cahier -------------------------------Tag Name for Server----------------------------------
1. Did you receive a friendly greeting when you entered the retail shop?
2. Was the retail---------------? Extremely Busy ___ Moderately Busy ___ Slow ___ (Tick
where appropriate)
3. Were employees neatly dressed? Well groomed?
4. Was the staff friendly? Helpful?Knowledgeable?
5.What did you order?
6. If an item was ordered, were you offered a side item? If so, what were the choices?

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7. How long did it take for you to receive your order after check out of the item of interest?
8. Was your order presented accurately by name? With the description?
9. Please describe the quality of the item as you saw it on first time.
10. Were the goods in the inventory enough for check out? Did you check on the sales volume?
11. Was music playing in the café during your visit? Which type of music? Volume level?
12. Was the store items of sale aired on TV? Which programspecifically ?
13. Please describe the overall atmosphere at your home upon delivery of the goods.
14. Was the commodities rack well-maintained? Well-stocked?
15. Please list and describe any other positive or negative observations.
16. Using a 5-point scale where “1” means “not at all satisfied” and “5” means “very satisfied,”
please rate your overall satisfaction or dissatisfaction with your café visit.
17. Why did you rate the retail store as you did?
18. Would you recommend the retail store to others? Why or why not? 26. What suggestions, if
any, do you have to improve the overall experience?

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Mystery Shopper Observation Form I
Shopper ID----------------------------------Mall Location----------------------------
Date------------------------
Arrival Time-------------------------------Sever Name----------------------------------Cashier
Name---------
Tag Name for Cahier -------------------------------Tag Name for Server----------------------------------
1. Was the parking area clean and free of any trash and debris? (Check for general
cleanliness. Do not mark for small amounts of litter/paper/debris.)
2. Was the store entrance clean and maintained properly arranged ? (The entrance is the area
that is between the double doors and the areas just inside and outside the front doors.)
3. Did any signage throughout the store appear to be of any issue for instance damaged or
broken?
4. Was the store clean, neat, and well maintained (unattended spills ,no dirty floors, , etc.)?
5. Was the restroom clean, well-stocked, and maintained (toilet tissue/paper towels
available, toilets/faucets operational, etc.)?
6. Were the store aisles free of clutter and obstructions? (Can it accommodate space for
more than three carts to pass without interruptions on every aisle?)

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7. What was so unique on the firm’s ad website that made develop a feeling of purchasing
the item of choice and latter visiting the firm by yourself?
8. Was there a difference at the store that contradicted the information you have gone over
on the retail store website?(Show out the differences)
Responses to Observation form in Summary
The mystery forms, on a general outlook aim to bring a transformation on the experience of the
customer at the retail shops splendid. The customer satisfaction is significant in this case and any
progress made in making the clients to the retail store comfortable makes the selling of the
company outstanding and able to pick through the next amount of sale by attracting others to
come along at the next purchase.
The general outlook of the retail shop is also worth contributing to the sales of the retail shop. A
retail shop that is disorderly and unorganized inventory from the forms may be a dead spot for
clients. Physical clients are the mostly affected on this as they make the physical appearance to
the shops by themselves. For the online clients, this cannot be an issue, they work on checking
out from the online platform and so what matters to them is the availability of stock and the ease
of access to the commodities on the website for easier check out (Fernieet ,2003).

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Article
Creating a Complete Customer Experience
Retailers should use the mystery shopping audits in giving a gauge their front-line team
work ability and performance. Use of programs on TV and other media can also be of help in
driving the performance. These helps measure the customers in precise terms via the experience
and reviews that are attached. Proper consideration should be given on customer experience for
customers make a larger part of the retail store. They make up what the company is in terms of
the returns they offer. Managing of the customers and aiming at providing them with a good
experience would mean that they would come back for our services once again. Sales make up
the whole empire of the business(Fernieet ,2003. It is in the best interest of the clients to be
offered the best services so as to keep checking out the items online, those items that they
develop necessity about. A complete customer experience means a complete turn out for the
products in any retailing chain store for customers make the real meaning of business. There
should be a mark to be left in the customer’s life about the product and the firm that associates
the customer with a positive feeling of ever going back either for the same item or another and in
the same place of sell.
Service delivery

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Service delivery is very vital, it is all about engagement of the customers in a special
meaningful ways and making sure that the shoppers have the best experience and are successful
in their endeavors. Service delivery is awesome if it meets the conditions.
Training
Training is vital in retail business for better handling of the customers. All employees of
the retail stores whether they handle customers physically or over the online platform. Training
on the product knowledge and experience is important as the customers keep asking on the same.
Failure of the employees responding satisfactorily to the inquiries also translates to a total mess
as the client’s may develop lack of trust in the firm in offering the particular commodity in
question. Training is vital and need to be emphasized in all manners possible. Training on brand
experience is also a point to consider especially on new brands of commodities that come up on
the market (Fernieet ,2003).
Article II
1. You should consider the key elements for effective service and selling skills in at least
two diff economy.
The sales techniques in the retail industry are aimed at effective service and appropriate selling
skills are varied. There are so many of skills but the following hold as in our case of the retailers

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in the grocery sector of the economy.
Definition of the target market:It is one important element to consider in the grocery
retail business. It requires that before entry into the business the firm for our case The Ocado
retailers require to identify the market for its range of grocery commodities. The firm should
carry out a comprehensive research on the market and the market segmentation. The consumer
needs forms one ofthe strongest pillar in the grocery industry. The individual needs in terms of
the product of preference and the consumer needs forms the basis for the progress of the
business. Any new entrant in the industry requires familiarizing with the market, the type of
commodity offered and the nature of the customers. The above would help in identification of
the market targets and envision of the business for the future. Definition of the line of product by
Ocado for our case has made it to be among the best grocery retailers in the UK market.
Determination of the outreach: meeting of new prospects in the market or say industry is
one other difficult thing to do as a salesman after definition of your target market. The seller
require to put all things together and make a list of the priority contacts or create a network
within which to operate in order to get in touch with the clients of the selling grocery product in
store. It calls for the salesman to get in contact with people, those potential buyers of the
products. Some can be reached through the linked in contacts, the social media platforms for
instance the twitter account handle, the Facebook, Snapchat and many others that the customers
can get in touch with the seller and have room to exchange on terms for the sale of the grocery.
Follow up activities are also important after developing a rapport with the clients. They remind
the customers of the existence of your products in any case they might have forgotten. It also
helps in developing the business bond that comes about by trust.

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Knowing the questions: picking on the right questions to ask prospects on carrying out
the campaign and in attending to customers makes a major contribution in improving on ones’
sales. Having good background knowledge about the clients’ business practices, their tastes and
preferences as well as their choice of product is added advantage. It makes the seller not doubtful
of the target points for the clients in the bid to buy the items. It is not all about talk of the
products unstoppably but hitting at the main points of concern to the client in question. It can be
achieved by allowing room for the client to pause their questions and being able to answer them
effectively and on point.
Delivering and building: it is simple and easy but difficult at times if the seller is not keen
with the prospect at first meeting. Building the relationship starts with the first commodity that
the buyer gets to buy. The first interaction with the buyer and the services offered would
determine whether the prospect would come back one more time. The seller is called upon to
maximize an little opportunity of sale and interaction with the client in order to maximize the on
the client’s chances of getting back for one other product or a similar one.
Monitoring: forms part of the most successful strategy in sales. A track of the record of
the work done and the sales projects that have gone through in the past is one beautiful strategy
for the seller of the grocery or any other commodity in the retail industry. Past records and
memories on how the past events in sales went through forms one important aspect as it brings a
feeling of rejuvenation in the seller and can help the seller keep developing the attitude as
achievements left behind are intact and enough prove to pull the seller in question through to the
next level of sale or say performance.
Market penetration: is the attempt to make an increase on the sales about the current
commodity on the market. It calls for market aggression by the seller, improvement of customer

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service, renewal of the selling rates all geared towards deprive the competitors with customers.It
is best done through advertisement of the changes in rates and the improvements that have been
made on top of the previous in the grocery products. It will be easy to get the customers attention
from other areas to flood at the door step of the retailer, Ocado Retailers being our focus firm or
say the firm in our case study.
Diversification: is all about opening other lines of business to be risk averse and to
redirect the competitor’s attention. It is a strategy that allows then seller to engage in other lines
of business other than the current one to at least conquer new spheres. It helps in risk mitigation
in case of a crisis, one very important rule in business. Diversification allows the seller, the
grocery business being the point of concern in identification of new markets and frontiers to
allow room for opportunities that lead the seller if possible to hit a jack pot. It is thus advisable to
keep the rules of the business else overtrading may be the next hitch and it may be worse off if
the business gets the lee ward part of the experience. Financial effects may be surmounting in
terms of shortages and losses. One need to consider the effects the consequences before directly
getting into the deal.
2. In your article you must define the types of changes taking place within the retail
industry. These should include both short and longer term changes and discuss how and
why these have impacted on the retailer.
Discuss how economic trends affect retailers and explain how some retailers may be able to
withstand changes in the UK

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There are quite a good number of changes that are taking place in the grocery industry in
the United Kingdom market. The grocery sector in the UK is on the list of the most competitive
and as such is marked with some structural changes. Research and studies concerning the
grocery industry have been published revealing how the retailing business in grocery has made
significant impact on the economy of UK as a nation and the transformation of lives of those
engaged in the business either directly as farmers and indirectly as sellers as the studies and
comprehensive research puts it.
There is a rise in the number of discounters in the industry. The discounters in the
grocery sector are taking the largest share of the market.The discount business in the sector has
made negative impacts on the market shares of major grocery retailers for instance Tesco has lost
over 8% of its shares to discounters to mention but a few firms which have had the same impact.
There is this thing with online retailing that has come up and is settled in almost every
place in as far as grocery business is concerned. The firms involved in the business, Tesco,
Morrison’s, Ocado and many others in the industry are for the online business. Consumers no
longer shop like they did before. It has called for the grocery retailers to switch to the online
trading in order to fit into the customers demand else they are deemed irrelevant and rigid to
change. These would mean losing the clients and making it back may take a food time.
Consumers of grocery buy commodities in bulky online and use online payment methods like
Skrill and PayPal to pay for the commodities. It is the most convenient method of payment and is
safer as compared to former methods of payment

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The convenience level is another milestone that been achieved. Consumers of the grocery
and other related products are no longer making numerous trips to the hypermarkets and the
retail stores for the commodities like before. No more driving in clusters towards the shopping
centers as it was done in the past. People are up to date and purchase of commodities can now be
done in bulk and without attached inconveniences. The sector is now inhabited with insecurities
as firms are using the Capital invested to equip with online technology that requires huge capital
outlay to realize full credible results. The hypermarkets are going through periods of low
profitability in the grocery investment only to make sure that they adopt the latest technology so
as to feel safe and relevant ( Johanson et al 2004).
Article 3:
You will need to extend your booklet with another article:
In conclusion you are now required to reflect on your mystery shopper experiences and discuss
your findings and include recommendations about new service solutions where you feel
improvements can be made
The mystery shopper experience in relation to the grocery retailing business is one
interesting venture that would find worth dealing in. It is vast with lots of information all
interesting to consider and more so the fact findings of what the business thrives on. The secrets
of making it in grocery industry that are recommended lie in the strategies that the business man,
more specifically the seller has been recommenced to put in place. Relevance in the industry is
considered significant and any deviation from the path leading to being updated in as far as
trends go means a starting point to failure. Tesco which among the dealers in the sector has got
enough experience profoundly explain the above. Sellers are advised to keep training and
engaging in rigorous programs that aim at improving on their products, service delivery and

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customer handling. Convenience and customer satisfaction in the process of provision of services
and offering quality products make among the most sought for ideas by the grocery sector
investors (Johanson et al 2004).
Customer experience is what actually makes the meaning in the business. Customers of
the perishable commodities make up the essential part of the business and so the business works
in their favour. The trends in the market are wanting enough, this have led to making of less
profit by the firms and in any case if proper care is not taken for new firms as well as those
involved in overtrading may flop. It is wise that diversification in the line of products considered
by the firms in the Ocado Retailing Company being the focus firm.
Precision in marketing in form of batch and blast offers in the grocery industry are not safe for
they have led to bad future experiences with Ocado and Tesco companies. Fair trading is
recommended even though competition is stiff calling for a competitive edge in making it in the
business.
The best designer of the customer experience has it all. Customers base their experience
on former transactions and so the best in offering the service stands to win it all above other
players in the market. Discounters in the sector are profound; most of the companies have been
taken of their shares because of the discounting business. Online transactions are also eminent
and cannot be avoided if a firm has to remain relevant and selling at the same time. Despite the
challenges, the grocery industry is making the most in economy out of the business. The sales
people make the most in the industry as they determine the customers the retailing company or
any other business involved in grocery harness. The more the customers to the business the
more the sales, a translation into huge proceeds in terms of sales revenue and net profit after
catering for other expenses and tax (Baron et al, 2003).

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References
Baron, S., Harris, K., Leaver, D., & Oldfield, B. M. (2001). Beyond convenience: the future for
independent food and grocery retailers in the UK. The International Review of Retail,
Distribution and Consumer Research, 11(4), 395-414.
Fernie, J., & McKinnon, A. (2003). The grocery supply chain in the UK: improving efficiency in
the logistics network. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer
Research, 13(2), 161-174.
Johansson, U., & Burt, S. (2004). The buying of private brands and manufacturer brands in
grocery retailing: a comparative study of buying processes in the UK, Sweden and Italy. Journal
of Marketing Management, 20(7-8), 799-824.