shopper

shopper shop‧per [ˈʆɒpə ǁ ˈʆɑːpər] noun [countable]

1. COMMERCE someone who buys things in shops:

• Store managers get blamed when shoppers can't find a particular product.

ˌmystery ˈshopper MARKETING

someone whose job is to pretend to be a customer in order to find out how good a shop, service etc is:

• We set customer service objectives and measure performance through 'mystery shoppers'.

ˌpersonal ˈshopper

someone whose job is to help people decide what to buy, or to go shopping for them

2. MARKETING in the US, a newspaper sold or given free to people in a particular area, that advertises stores, restaurants etc in that area

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shopper UK US /ˈʃɒpə^r/ noun [C]

► COMMERCE someone who buys goods, especially from a store: »

Last year shoppers spent €540,000 a minute on credit cards.

»

an internet/online shopper

attract/lure/tempt shoppers »

Supermarkets have started opening cheap restaurants on their premises to attract shoppers.

► US MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS a free newspaper advertising stores, restaurants, etc. in a particular area: »

The organization publishes about 30 weeklies and shoppers.

→ See also MYSTERY SHOPPER(Cf. ↑mystery shopper), PERSONAL SHOPPER(Cf. ↑personal shopper)