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Retail College - Mystery Shopper Lab


Article Thumbnail Mystery Shopper: Keeping pace in Idaho
Jan 23, 2006
On a blustery Tuesday afternoon in early January, our mystery shopper Ruthie spotted Advantage Fitness off US Hwy 95 in Coeur d'Alene, tucked in a strip mall near a fly-fishing shop and a mattress store. She parked the car and headed in to see what the store had to offer in the way of treadmills.
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Article Thumbnail Mystery Shopper: Belts, bearings and horsepower…oh my!
Dec 16, 2005
Our undercover shopper, Judy, strode into the Fitness Experts store on Waukegan Road in Deerfield determined to have a grand shopping experience for a treadmill -- one that didn't look like a big, square, chunk o' black metal. Although the storefront itself was well kept, the shopping center it's in is in dire straits. Still, Fitness Experts had a large, easy-to-spot sign with bold, red lettering.
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Article Thumbnail Mystery Shopper: Brasington's fires it up with stove sale
Dec 12, 2005
It’s hard to believe that the WhisperLite stove was introduced more than 20 years ago. And it still occupies shelf space next to newcomers like the ultra-efficient Jetboil. Which got us thinking…how well are retailers selling the old warhorses versus the fresh models with newer technologies? We called our undercover shopper Grits to see if he'd take on a Mystery Shopper stove assignment. "Sure," said Grits, "but let's make it Florida this time. I'm starting to lose my tan."
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Article Thumbnail Mystery Shopper: No, I do NOT want to get ripped. Aren't you listening?
Nov 14, 2005
Seems a guy can learn a lot about himself while Mystery Shopping. Our undercover shopper, code-named Grits, discovered much to his surprise that he's a dude who wants to get "ripped." As in body-building, iron-pumping, lift-till-you-cry ripped. Gee, in the past Grits always considered himself a calorie-burning kind of guy, but that was before SNEWS® sent him on assignment to Florida, where one fitness retailer was determined to pump Grits up, even if it apparently meant bodily harm.
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Article Thumbnail Mystery Shopper: It started out slowly, but ended with a bang
Oct 27, 2005
We appear to be on a roll now -- with the second of two back-to-back mystery shopping assignments that left our undercover operatives smiling. Congratulations, Erehwon in Chicago, Ill.! Granted, this was only one shopping experience at one branch with one salesman, but one that left us wanting to say, "see, that's how it should be every time!"
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Article Thumbnail Mystery Shopper: Wow! A truly textbook example of salesmanship, customer service
Oct 10, 2005
Finally! A truly outstanding shopping experience with a salesman that knew exactly how to interact with the customer for a customized sale. Congratulations, Exercise Essentials in Madison, Ala.! Granted, this was only one shopping experience at one branch with one salesman, but one that sent us dancing out the door. Textbook customer service, perfect questions to aim the customer to the correct product, and great interaction.
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Article Thumbnail Mystery Shopper: Down Under gets thumbs-up for being so, well, nice
Sep 29, 2005
In its quest to supply SNEWS® readers with a real-world glimpse at specialty retail shopping, our mystery shoppers ventured Down Under as a part of our continuing series of shoppers of specialty, both fitness and outdoor. This mission took our operativeto Exercise Australia on George Street in a very busy section of Sydney, Australia.
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Article Thumbnail Mystery Shopper: Grits goes footwear shopping in Arlington, Va.
Sep 14, 2005
The way a store meets footwear fitting challenges says something about its devotion to product knowledge and employee training, as well as the store’s overall devotion to putting the "special" in specialty. So, we sent one of our operatives to the mid-Atlantic region to shop for hiking boots. We were anxious to see if he would find a store that’s focused on fitting, or one struggling to find its footing.
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Article Thumbnail Mystery Shopper: Sleeping bag sale goes cold
Jul 25, 2005
In this Mystery Shopper scenario, we sent our operative, Agent Grits, to shop for a sleeping bag at a Washington D.C. specialty store – one with a historically great reputation for quality and service. Read on for another glimpse into a retail selling experience that any one of your customers at any one of your stores could have.
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Article Thumbnail Mystery Shopper: Looks aren't everything. Or are they?
Jun 6, 2005
Rush hour in the Greater Los Angles Basin left freeways clogged and our shopper trying to dodge bumpers and avoid road rage while looking for the correct exit in Orange County, Calif. Getting off the freeway was a relief, although four-lane Main Street in the city of Orange wasn't exactly what one imagines a quaint Main Street to be. We searched desperately for the Nellie's Fitness sign on the street.
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Products and Trends
Industry News Releases
Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Reduces Its Carbon Footprint at Fall Show
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Hydrapak Expands Partnership Reach with UltrAspire
Dec 16, 2011
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High Sierra Adds Kyle Kilcherman As Director of Sales - Sporting Goods
Dec 15, 2011
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Jackson Kayak's New Cuda Fishing Boat Craves Open Water
Dec 15, 2011
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REVO Sunglasses Partners with Corey Rich Photography
Dec 15, 2011
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La Sportiva Launches Ski Mountaineering Apparel
Dec 14, 2011
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SNEWS Headlines
Outdoor: Movin' & Shakin' - Igloo names a new president; plus new hires at Backcountry.com, Leisure Trends, Mountain Hardwear, American Rec and more ...
Dec 19, 2011
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Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Planning Guide is live, in full digital glory
Dec 16, 2011
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Family business still going strong nearly 30 years later
Dec 16, 2011
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