Purchase Diary

Respondent Brief

Laura,

We would like you to go shopping for a handbag on Victoria High Street in London. Ideally, you will do this exactly as you would on your own account, going where you would normally go and doing what you would normally do.

However, we want you to record your experience. Using your mobile phone, we want you to take pictures of where you go and what you see inside. We're interested in factors that affect your decision to shop further and ultimately buy a handbag. We also want you to text us from inside the store, giving 'captions' to the pictures you take.

We will post the pictures and your texts on this weblog. We may ask you questions, either by texting or by calling you while you're on the shopping tour. We'll try not to interrupt you too much, as we don't want you to be distracted. The key thing is, despite the tasks we assign you, we want you to do what you normally would do. It won't be easy, and we'll ask you at the end of the exercise just how 'natural' the experience was.

When you've finished, we'd like you to write a narrative of the whole experience here on the website. We may ask you a few questions again, which you can answer here when you have time.

Buy a bag. Take pictures. Text us about the pictures. Answer questions. Write about the whole thing on the website. And be natural. Any questions?

Hi, I'm your mystery shopper. I'm Laura, 18, live in London. I think you chose me to do this because you know I have a credit card. So, Monday's the big day, right?  This is the mobile phone camera I'll be using in the shops--hope it gives enough detail.

Background for shopping

Hi Laura, Using the comments feature on the weblog posts here, we'd like to get your thoughts before you go into the stores...

Have you decided which shops you're going to go to?

If so, tell us why. Do you shop in these stores frequently?

Have you set a budget for your handbag? What are the details of the bag you're looking for?

How's the weather today on Victoria Street? Would that influence which stores you go to? How about the crowds?

Do you think this is going to be fun or just a pain?

Text message #1

Hi Laura,

What are you looking at? Can you send us a picture? Which store have you decided to invade, explore and conquer first?

Is it crowded? Are sales people annoying you or ignoring you?

Er, um, bags... that's what you're looking for, right?

Hi Laura,

I'm also interested in what distracts you. While looking for bags, are your eyes drifting towards other things inside the store?

Second store

Okay, Laura,

Next store, same questions: Store dirty or clean? Clothes neatly stacked or flying all over... Sales people helpful or rude? Do they have your bag? Is it easy to find?

Are you still having fun?

What does the store smell like? What do the bags smell like?

When you say 'no' to a bag, is it based on the bag or what's in your wardrobe?

I'm still waiting for pictures...oh... here you are.

do you normally shop alone?

Hi Laura,

How typical is this for you? Do you normally shop alone or with mates? Do you normally shop for one thing or do you have a list?

Have you finished with the second store yet?

Hey--nice bag? Is that the one?