Competitive Financing Insights through Nationwide Mystery Shopping

The Situation 

A major national telecommunications company sought to gain validated and detailed insight into how its competitors were offering financing on mobile devices across the U.S. market. In an increasingly price-sensitive and digitally driven retail landscape, it was critical for the company to understand the nuances of competitor offers across:

• Multiple credit tiers
• Retail channels (in-store and online)
• Geographic regions

This intelligence was particularly important for benchmarking how financing structures were being tailored based on consumer credit profiles and for identifying potential gaps or opportunities in the client’s own strategy. However, the client lacked the internal resources to perform this kind of multi-dimensional, covert research on such a large scale.

The Solution 

Sedulo Group designed and executed a custom mystery shopping program targeting the mobile financing offerings of two primary competitors across six U.S. regions and six consumer credit score tiers. The program covered both communications retailers and national retail chains, across in-person and digital shopping channels.

Key Elements of the Solution:

• Program Design & Onboarding
  Sedulo conducted a virtual kickoff to align on priorities, finalize regional scope, and calibrate credit tier definitions. A Shopper Requirements Guide was then developed to ensure consistency and quality in data collection.
• Shopper Recruitment
  Sedulo leveraged its network of over 600,000 vetted mystery shoppers to recruit individuals across the credit spectrum—from “No Score” to “Super Prime”—ensuring each was not currently affiliated with the client or competitors.
• Shopping Execution (216 Shops)
  Each shopper simulated a purchase of mobile lines and smartphones, collecting offer details anonymously. Channels included competitor stores, major national retailers, and online platforms.
• Double-Blind Structure
  Mystery shopping was conducted with full anonymization protocols to protect shopper privacy and prevent bias.
• Analysis & Reporting
  Sedulo analysts synthesized offer data using quantitative and qualitative techniques. Outputs included:
  • An Excel dataset with shop-level and aggregate data
  • A comprehensive executive report highlighting key financing trends by credit tier, region, retailer, and channel
  • Strategic analysis with C-suite-ready visuals and implications
  • A live presentation to walk through findings with client stakeholders

The Outcome

The engagement delivered powerful competitive insights that helped the client:

• Benchmark Financing Strategies
  Understand how competitors structured financing across customer types, regions, and distribution models.
• Identify Gaps and Opportunities
  Pinpoint variations in offer consistency and aggressiveness, revealing where competitors were over- or under-serving particular market segments.
• Refine Strategic Pricing & Promotions
  Leverage insights to recalibrate their own financing terms and promotional strategies for different credit tiers and channels.
• Support Cross-Functional Decision-Making
  Equip product, pricing, and retail teams with validated external intelligence to support strategic planning.