How to Become a Kroger Secret Shopper

As a secret shopper, you'll gather the pieces needed to make a store evaluation.

Secret shopping is a process that stores use to objectively evaluate their stores' cleanliness and customer service. Some stores employ a secret shopping service, which in turn hires regular people to anonymously shop at these stores and test out a number of criteria. Secret shoppers can earn money and free products, but they must meet the requirements of each secret shopper assignment and keep their assignments confidential from store staff. The Kroger grocery-store chain employs secret shoppers through various services to conduct evaluations of its own stores.

Instructions

1. Contact your local Kroger store. Ask to speak with the manager, and find out if that particular store uses secret shoppers. If not, ask if there is another location close by that does. When you find a store that does employ secret shoppers, ask for the name of the agency or service that Kroger location uses to hire the shoppers. All the stores will use an agency or outside service to do this; the stores will never directly hire secret shoppers because it would compromise the anonymity of the process.

2. Contact the agency or professional service that employs secret shoppers for your Kroger location and find out availability of positions. There may be more than one service. TrendSource is one known agency that has employed Kroger secret shoppers in the past, but check with your region first to see what's specific to your exact location. There may or may not be current secret shopper positions available. You may be placed on a waiting list until a new opening arises.

3. Sign up with the secret shopper agency by filling out the application, and let the agency know you specifically want to work at your local Kroger store. Be aware that the agency will give you assignments based on whatever is available, and they may or may not take your preference into consideration. You may be asked to perform secret shopper assignments for other grocery and department stores as well. This may not be your first choice if you shop mainly at Kroger, but it will give you practical experience and more free products. You must follow a very specific process in reading and preparing for your secret shopper trip and in performing the evaluation while in the store and afterward when filling out the evaluation forms.

Tips & Warnings

• Secret Shopping sounds like an easy way to get free products, but remember that you will not get paid much in addition to the free goods, and you will have to spend extra time buying things you don't want and testing out services you may not really need. You will also have to read in preparation for your secret shopping trips and fill out sometimes lengthy evaluations afterwards. If you have the extra time, it is a great way to improve customer service and save on some groceries you would already buy.

References

• Kroger: Store Locator
• TrendSource: Business Intelligence and Mystery Shopping
• MSI Shopper: Become a Field Agent