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The Sporkful

Inside The Consumer Reports Test Labs

The Sporkful

SiriusXM Podcasts

Arts

4.63.8K Ratings

🗓️ 19 September 2022

⏱️ 35 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Dan goes inside Consumer Reports, the independent nonprofit that tests and rates everything from toaster ovens to frozen pizzas to luxury cars. CR takes testing very seriously, and Dan gets to see their process in action. It all starts with an undercover shopper who goes by the pseudonym Jim.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Before we get started here, I have to remain completely anonymous.

0:10.0

Okay.

0:11.0

Should we have a code name for you?

0:13.0

Call me Jim.

0:14.0

Jim, all right.

0:15.0

I'll never guess now.

0:16.0

All right, so Jim, what is your job exactly?

0:19.0

I am known as an acquisition agent.

0:24.0

Jim worked for a highly specialized and sometimes secretive organization.

0:29.0

One that gathers intelligence on a range of pressing subjects.

0:32.0

He's part of an elite task force that consists of only three full-time agents.

0:37.0

Right now, we're in his car, in the parking lot of the big bath and beyond,

0:41.0

somewhere in the New York area.

0:43.0

I can't say exactly where, because we're on a secret mission.

0:46.0

We're shopping for toaster obvious.

0:51.0

Why are we undercover?

0:53.0

Well, the more common term for Jim's job is secret shopper.

0:57.0

He works for consumer reports, which is known for testing everything from toaster ovens to frozen pizzas to luxury cars to tell you which ones are best.

1:06.0

He doesn't want people to know he's buying for consumer reports because he doesn't want manufacturers to have any chance to tamper with a product so they can score better.

1:14.0

Jim needs to be absolutely certain he's getting the same model that you or I would get.

1:19.0

Of course, nowadays, a lot of secret shopping is done online.

1:22.0

But still, there are times when he needs boots on the ground acquiring his targets in person so he gets the right ones.

...

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