MSPA...This might be a stupid question but

I have 2 numbers so far from MSPA.. a membership # and an order #....The membership number is 6 digits... the order number is 5 digits..I thought I did everything I was suppose to do first before I got these numbers.. I've signed up for 3 shopping sites, and they keep coming back as certification number not verified or something to that effect. Can someone please explain thank you.

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Not at all stupid. Many people have been reporting this problem for years. They pay for a certification course, take it and get a certification code that many MSC web sites will not recognize. You need to contact MSPA and hope that they can help you. Many folks just are not getting to use what they paid for at MSPA.

But, do not worry; most MSCs don't care about certifications as long as you are reliable and objective in your reporting.

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.

Yes Wales, but the OP wrote that it was a membership number, not a certification number. Although I am sure that there is some glitch with the MSPA and the MSC websites not accepting certification numbers, I also think that some shoppers are confused about the membership being the same as a certification, not realizing that paying $25 or getting the free membership with the MSPA is not the same as taking the $99 course and test to become certified.

Hmm. For some reason I thought there was also a $25 course certification lately. You may well be correct. Thanks.

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 think you might be right, I think that silver once was $15 and went up to $25 maybe? Not sure, though. But I do know that they offer a membership for shoppers which is entirely separate from certification (I have both). I was able to sign up for the membership for free, but years ago I did an online silver certification for $15 and then attended the gold workshop for $99.

Okay, I went to the MSPA website, and yes, the silver certification is now called the Intro to Mystery shopping and now costs $25 instead of $15 for members, but the cost of the gold certification (now on DVD instead of workshops) went down to $75. But, certification is now only available to members, so I think that stinks. Anyone should be able to get certified without having to be a member. Several years after I went to the gold workshop and got certified, I was invited for their free membership and signed up but I have gotten 0 benefits from it. I'd say if you were able to get silver or gold certified years ago it may have some benefits now, but it seems there are too many hoops to jump through now and the value of their certification has gone down. A DVD training? How chintzy. The networking value was the best thing I got out of it. From what I read on the website FAQs, they still do have some live Gold Workshops. I think that those would be worthwhile, as are the IMSC conferences. Pick and choose, choose and pick, whichever is closest to you...I would attend a live conference/workshop any day over a DVD.

thank you all

Yes, there is a glitch between the MSC's and MSPA certification numbers. They sent me an email about it. No ETA on when it will be fixed. They said to contact each MSC and tell them. LOL not a good solution for me since I have 230 MSC's I am registered with. As I do shops with an MSC I enter it in any space that I can write text and it's on my email signature line. I have not found that I have gained any benefits from paying for these courses or the membership itself. I just consider it as a cost of doing business. Like any other field that you are in, you join the association.

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MSPA...This might be a stupid question but

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