I need your help deciding...

I can only afford one. Which of the two conferences would you suggest: MSPA ShopperFest 2016 or the IMSC Indiana Conference. What has been your experience at the conferences? Which if any are you going to this year? Why MSPA over IMSC or vice versa? Please help me make an informed decision as this will be an expensive weekend either way. Vegas sounds like a heck of a lot more fun than Indiana, but the IMSC will be there in November as well. I am not a member of either organization, yet.

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

Well, IMSC in Indiana, of course, since I will be leading two workshops! LOL
Also because there will be a free extra day of video training.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/2016 03:39PM by walesmaven.

I enjoyed IMSC because my interest was more in meeting other shoppers. Another benefit to me was some MSCs who are not members of MSPA were represented. Look at which MSCs will be represented at each, what types of seminars and training is being offered for the price and make your decision from there.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

Lisa - that is one of my reasons for attending as well. I'm finding that MS is a lonely business. I have been very careful not to share my MS business with friends and coworkers (full-time job). But, it sure would be nice to have someone to commensurate and celebrate with. I also realize that should I make friends with another shopper in my town - we'd be in direct competition unfortunately. I think it would be a blast sitting at a bar with a bunch of MS sharing our war stories.

Actually, I have met several other shoppers from "my" territory. It turns out that we were not competing for the same shops AT ALL. And, I got to be a dining partner sometimes when one's real life partner was not available, get regular emails tipping me off to check certain job boards for assignments that they know interest me, and been referred to an MSC that hands me about $500 a month is shops on a regular basis. . All without ever violating our ICAs, btw.

I have met more than a dozen active members of this forum at conferences, including Lisa, and several other frequent contributors who are very supportive of other shoppers, at IMSC events, plus many more folks who had never known about any forums. It's great to be able to chat in the hallways between sessions and in the bar in the evening! I have also met many schedulers and editors and MSC owners who were not on the program or sponsoring the event, but were there to meet, greet, and recruit new shoppers.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

You're lucky you get to choose. I can't afford either one!

Ceasesmith - I'm working extra shops for a few months to cover my expenses. I'm also looking to use for tax purposes. When I started shopping I set a monthly goal of $250. It didn't take long for me to realize that was achievable in a week if I work diligently. This is on top of my 40+ hour desk job, so not so easy to do some weeks. I decided I needed to invest some of those earnings to learn more about the industry. An investment in my little business if you will. I'm attempting to shop my way to the conference, but don't know how successful I will be. I haven't decided if I want to fly or drive yet. That's my goal today, search for hotel shops along the highway, half way. LOL

Great plan. I use every dime I make just to survive!

Just a reminder that anyone can shop in Indiana (spring conference site) but to shop in Nevada (autumn site) you must be employed by a NV licensed PI agency that has contracts with MSCs.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Good point! I have already decided Indiana is the way to go. The only drawback is will it be warm enough to lay out by the pool in the middle of May in Indiana? I don't have any plans on shopping during the conference. I'm there to have fun, to learn, and to meet other shoppers. I still haven't determined if I want to drive or fly. With the cost of gas so low I would really love to take a road trip. Just not sure I want to do that by myself as it's over 1000 miles away.

Do they have an outdoor pool? Assuming the weather is similar to St. Louis, it could easily be pool weather. The question would be if they have it open or not. A lot of places in the Midwest, hotels included, limit outdoor pools to the old Memorial to Labor Day schedule despite the weather often being warm enough swim season could last five months or more.

ive read over & over again in forum that we shouldn't pay to ms. so why pay for ms classes? the forum gives free info & you don't have to travel anywhere.

Video shopping training is not just training to mystery shop. We usually recommend shoppers be familiar and comfortable with traditional shopping before moving into video. While the equipment is no longer as difficult as in the early days, learning how to use the camera in order to get the best angles is valuable. I think there are few people who could put on a covert video rig and immediately be able to do a shop where they capture a moving target 80 to 95% of the time. Unlike the reading here, classes give a new video shopper a chance to work with the rig and get immediate feedback.

msninja,
Different people learn and thrive in different environments. If a shopper wants to invest in training and certifications and/or to travel to meet and network with other shops, editors, scheduler and MSC officers, that is their decision and represents an experience that no forum can replicate. What most of us react to as "paying to shop" is the "services" that claim to supply names of MSCs or access to shops for a fee. Since both of those items are free on the forums, there is no need to pay or travel to get them. And, btw, none of the speakers or organizers of the IMSC conferences is paid or even has travel covered.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

There is a huge difference in paying to shop and investing in your business.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

Wow! I just heard from Kathy at Clear Evaluations that she will be teaching the free video shopping class at the IMSC conference in May. Folks she is the gal that so many video shoppers rave about as one of the very best in the business. Moreover, she developed, and holds the patent on, the preferred method of modifying shopper shirts to secure the video camera. She does this for shoppers as well as for law enforcement personnel who use very similar equipment.

But, if you plan to go to the Las Vegas conference in November, do not despair. Her equally talented colleagues, Leslie and Tina, from Clear Evaluations are scheduled to teach video shopping there. These three women are the absolute cream of the video crop, folks. They shop and schedule and teach, and all admit to having made every mistake in the book, so they will be supportive and helpful to any committed shopper!

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

When is the Indiana conference? Or, better yet, where can I find all the info on the conference?
I'm trying to transfer with my company to Florida where my daughter lives and the current wave of cosmetic resets ends in April.......so I'm thinking.......this could work out.

[www.imscinfo.com]

TY, TY

Horseshoe is about a 20 minutes drive from Louisville KY.

MissChele - Shopping KY, IN & OH
Thread Killer

Being close to Louisville instead of Indy is what made it more appealing for me.

I am flying in the day before and renting a budget car, which I will share with 1-2 others if our planes get in around the same time. Looking to share the cost of the car, which is a LOT less than the airport shuttle! PM me if interested.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

What is the difference in IMSC and MSPA? I'm a member of MSPA.

MSPA, Mystery Shopper Provider's Association is the trade association created by and for the MSCs. IMSC, Independent Mystery Shopper's Coalition is an organization created by and for shoppers. Both offer different types of training, paid and free. For several years only IMSC had conference we could attend after the MSPA had stopped including shoppers in their conferences. Recently MSPA has started including shoppers again.

Hmmm. To hear it explained like that, I for sure will attend the IMSC! I still can't decide whether to drive or fly. I'd like to head down to the Appalacians afterwards, but what I want to see would be scary solo.

Shopping up and down the Colorado Rocky Mountain front range.

I have attended both MSPA and IMSC conferences (hi Wales!), but I'm skipping both to attend the first VideoCon 16, for video shoppers, in Texas. Leslie and Tina of Clear Evaluation will be there as well as other video msps owners. It is too bad all three events are held so closely together in three different states.

Not my circus - Not my monkeys @(*.*)@

~Polish Proverb~

Wish I could go to VideoCon but I will just be back from 5 weeks overseas and also need to be at IMSC to speak. BUT, when the next video con is held, I expect to be there, as well as at the Nov IMSC and next spring's IMSC conference. I get a real energy boost from being among so many shopper pros!

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Wales, I'll see you at Nov's IMSC! I love the conferences and advise every shopper to attend both MSPA and IMSC. They are completely different and advantageous in different ways. I attend both if my schedule allows. I save from $200-$500 by shopping the airline for my flight and sharing a hotel room with another shopper. Last MSPA, I have two awesome roommates and we split hotel and rental car expenses in CA.

Not my circus - Not my monkeys @(*.*)@

~Polish Proverb~

See you there.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I was talking to a shopper on Facebook that went to the MSPA conference in California and he said there were something like 8 sessions included, all by companies and then he had to pay extra money for the sessions on the next day. How many sessions are included at the IMSC conferences? I want to get the most for my money.

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

I need your help deciding...

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine