If you’ve ever wondered what your customers really experience… not what your staff says happens, not what your security camera shows, but the actual, on-the-ground, human experience — secret shopping is the answer.
At Above Board, we’re professional cannabis secret shoppers. We blend compliance checks, customer service audits, and subtle operational insights into one smooth visit with no clipboard in sight.
Wait, what is secret shopping?
Secret shopping (also known as mystery shopping) is when a trained evaluator visits your store pretending to be a regular customer. They ask questions, browse the shelves, go through checkout, and take notes on everything. The good, the bad, and the “how did no one catch this?”
Think of it as your most observant customer… with a scoring sheet.
Why does it matter in cannabis?
In this industry, the stakes are higher:
- Compliance: One missed ID check can cost you. Literally.
- Customer loyalty: If your budtenders aren’t educating, upselling, or even mentioning deals, you’re leaving money on the table.
- Brand trust: Your store might be beautiful — but if staff can’t pronounce your house brand or explain what CBN does, you’re wasting the vibe.
A good secret shopper will catch the little stuff before regulators or Google reviews do.
How it works (the Above Board way)
We’re not just looking around and giving you a Yelp-style vibe check. We audit across key categories like:
- Exterior & Entry (is the store welcoming and secure?)
- Budtender Engagement (are they listening, educating, and guiding?)
- Product Display & Store Flow (are you showing off your inventory or hiding it behind a touchscreen?)
- Promotions & Upsells (are staff mentioning deals or just taking orders?)
- Checkout & Compliance (is your team following the rules and creating a seamless exit?)
We also offer optional add-ons like:
- Phone audits (do they even pick up?)
- Delivery audits (is it accurate and fast?)
- Menu & merchandising reviews (does your brand show up clearly on the shelf or just exist in your head?)
This isn’t about being a narc.
We’re not here to get anyone in trouble. We’re here to help you catch what you can’t see from behind the counter.
Secret shopping is about protecting your license, sharpening your sales, and making sure your brand is actually landing the way you want it to.
It’s insight not oversight.
Why Above Board?
We know cannabis. We speak fluent terpenes and state regs. We design each audit with real customer personas in mind (like The Sleeper, The First-Timer, or The THC Shopper). And we deliver honest, actionable feedback — not just scores, but suggestions that actually make sense.
And yes, we’re discreet. We’re called Above Board, not Loud & Obvious.
Ready to see what your customers see?
Let’s talk. Your store might be beautiful — but is the experience holding up?
👉 Start your first audit today or reach out for a sample report.