Spot the Mystery Shopper Incentive Program

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2020

Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) recently partnered with the Responsible Retailing Forum to incentivize underage alcohol sales compliance. The Spot the Mystery Shopper Incentive Program was supported by a national award. Shoppers in their early twenties, but over 21, were sent into businesses who had failed a compliance check to attempt to order alcohol to see if ID policies were being used. These shoppers were young enough that they should have triggered an ID check. The program was originally developed in 2015 but was done by area. In the past couple of years, since the program ran last, Montgomery County has seen a decline in alcohol compliance. In 2018 results fell to 73%. The renewed program, which ran from September – December of 2019, was for the first time, tailored to businesses who failed a compliance check the previous year. In place of violations, incentives were used. The names and age of the Mystery Shoppers were distributed to businesses on cards; and every clerk or server who recognized the mystery shopper when inspecting an ID received a $50 Amazon gift card. A total of 80, of the total 97 establishments checked, correctly carded the youth – a rate of 82.5%.