Mystery Shop Incentive Program

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

In an effort to change behaviors of alcohol servers to prevent underage alcohol sales, Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control implemented a Mystery Shop program in Fiscal year 2014 in Bethesda, MD - a downtown area of Montgomery County - to incentivize businesses to check IDs. This program was the first of its kind nationally and was used by a regulatory agency to work with businesses in a positive setting. The program educated businesses on carding policies and incentivized ID checking by offering rewards for checking IDs thoroughly. Shoppers in their early twenties, but over the legal purchasing age of twenty one, were sent into randomly selected licensed businesses to attempt to order alcohol to see if their ID was checked. These shoppers were young enough that they should have triggered an ID check. There were no violations associated with this program. Businesses were given feedback on how their carding policies were being implemented. Businesses who did not card the shoppers were offered best practice materials, training and resources at no cost. Additionally, if the server or seller recognized the mystery shopper from a mailing that included cards listing the first name, last initial and birthdate of three possible shoppers, they would receive a $100 incentive check.