MSPA $20 fee to join/promo code

I have recently become a mystery shopper. MSPA states I need to pay a $20 fee to join. There is a place to list a promo code and waive this fee. Could someone please tell me what that code is, currently? I would appreciate knowing....

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I would like to know as well. I wanted to join years ago and just never did.

Jumping jelly fish I'm a video shopper!

PV 500 EVO button and glasses

i never joined. also never spent
money on gold certification.

It's not about what you know.

It's about who you know!

= + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = +
There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==
When you try to please everybody, you end up pleasing nobody

If you decide to join it costs $20. The promo code you saw is for those who pay $20 and get their Silver Certification. If you pay to get certified you get a promo code. Either way, it costs $20. You don't need to join MSPA to be a mystery shopper. Many have shopped successfully for many years without joining.

I would like to call in bgriffin, please. It's been several months since you became silver certified. Could you give us an update, please, on how becoming certified has changed your mystery shopping income?

(heart)

I intend to live forever. So far, so good.

I had a free 1-year membership to the MSPA which just expired or is expiring soon. They offered me $10.00 to renew my membership. Since I did not get anything out of the free membership, why would I pay $10.00 for a 1-year membership?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix

“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain

“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Got silver certified years ago and it didn't make a bit of difference. I wouldn't bother joining MSPA personally.

Already answered that the other day when you asked:

[www.mysteryshopforum.com]

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

I apologize, I thought it was two or three months ago, when it was still relatively new.

(heart)

I intend to live forever. So far, so good.

No worth to paying to join. Stick to the rule of do not pay to shop.

been shopping since 2006 have not joined don't see the .

would NOT waste my $$$ either...been shopping for 10+ years and never paid a penny

MSPA is the industry lobbying group that represents the MS Companies, not us. Why pay them anything?

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.

Why complain when others do something that they find productive just because you didn't or don't think you would find productive?

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

You go ahead and pay for a membership bgriffin....
the person wanted an opinion, we gave it.

Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why complain when others do something that they
> find productive just because you didn't or don't
> think you would find productive?

Giving an opinion is one thing, and while I have no clue if wales has a certification or not, I find it odd that people who have never had it respond to this question. If you've never had it, you only have an idea if it would be beneficial or not, you don't KNOW. Secondly, wales didn't give an opinion, she asked why give an organization that doesn't represent us money. That's two different things. While it isn't a direct complaint that shoppers are giving money to the MSPA it certainly seems to be implied.

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

Whomever mspa might be, getting certified early brought me more useful leads and work than any other source. I paid $15. I wouldn't sell it for $500.

~
up, up, down, down, left, right,left,right, B,A, start.

bgriffin,
I got Gold Certified at workshop in 2005, and learned a lot there. Most of what I learned was from being able to interact with several MSC schedulers and owners. BUT, the on line training for gold cert is not much any more. I will not "join" MSPA becasue I specifically oppose their attempts to scare shoppers into lobbying for MSPA's pet causes that have little or nothing to do with shopper interests. MSPA disinvited shoppers to their conferences and discontinued in-person training for shoppers in 2009. I follow news about MSPA and their lobbying efforts and have reported on these forums what I think about those efforts. You might have thought about that before questioning whether or not I had an informed opinion.

What research have you done on the forums about MSPA and their "standards" for MSC conduct, their defence of some companies that did not pay shoppers (Freeman) and their management problems? If you found it profitable to get silver Certified, I have no problem with that. But continuing to pay annual dues to MSPA does seem silly. Your certification is forever, once you obtain it. Any further "dues" are going into their general fund and you have no influence on how those are used.

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.

Because of the "special deal" MSPA currently offers, giving a free MSPA membership with Silver Certification, I think some of our newer member may believe that membership and certification are the same. Certification is a one time thing and has no time limits. MSPA membership is a one year membership. Next year MSPA will notify members that a renewal fee is due.

I got Silver certification in 2008. For years, I saw no benefit. Two non-certified family members see exactly the same shops I do. However, about 5 months ago, Reality Based Group changed the requirements for one of my long time favorite shops, requiring Silver Certification. Without certification, I would not be able to continue to perform those shops. So I do now see a benefit to my certification.

As a Certified shopper, I received a free MSPA membership last year. I recently received a notice that renewal will be $20. Since I see no benefit to me to renew the membership, I do not plan to renew.

AustinMom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> As a Certified shopper, I received a free MSPA
> membership last year. I recently received a
> notice that renewal will be $20. Since I see no
> benefit to me to renew the membership, I do not
> plan to renew.

I got a free MSPA last year also but I became silver certified in January 2012. So I have no idea how both of us got a free membership last year. Also, my renewal offer was for $10.00, not $20.00. I have chosen not to renew. I actually saw benefits when I first joined but since my silver certification will stay with me.

yes wales, I am not surprised that you are gold certified and would have assumed you were. The point I made about people who have never been certified commenting that it's not worth is was not directed at you for that reason (I tried to say that in the reply but upon rereading it I see a did a horribly poor job of it).

That does not take away from the fact that you seem to discourage shoppers from getting certified simply because you disagree with the MSPA and what they do. I see a benefit, as do several others. Quite frankly I don't give a rat's rear end what the MSPA does. Similar to the way I don't boycott companies because of their owners' political stance.

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

Who wants some popcorn?

I've had my silver certification for years. It was $15, and I never spent anything else for mystery shopping. I definitely got choice shops because of my certification. I only joined the MSPA when it was free, and I was contacted by many companies once my name was on that list, but I would not pay the annual fee. Silver lasts forever!

I feel like I'm listening to Saturday Night Live. Debbie Downer (I won't give names.) I just think the conversations are funny!
I get more humor out of this forum. It starts with a serious request or serious questions. Mid-way the subject goes to another subject. The end is like Saturday Night Live when you guys/girls start bickering.

I paid the $20 and got silver certified. I make well over the $20 back in discounts and coupons available to members only.

O.o o.O

Happily shopping New England and beyond!!!!!

As a project manager, I prioritize Silver certified shoppers. Nobody should have to pay to mystery shop, but if I see that a shopper has spent the money AND taken the time to study how to do shops correctly, that has value to me.

That said, I don't differentiate between Gold and Silver, so save your money there...

Julie Strasberg - Person to Person Quality
New shoppers apply at [application.persontopersonquality.com]
Registered shoppers login at [shopper.persontopersonquality.com]

Julie Strasberg Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As a project manager, I prioritize Silver
> certified shoppers. Nobody should have to pay to
> mystery shop, but if I see that a shopper has
> spent the money AND taken the time to study how to
> do shops correctly, that has value to me.
>
> That said, I don't differentiate between Gold and
> Silver, so save your money there...

Thanks for the info Julie!!!

O.o o.O

Happily shopping New England and beyond!!!!!

Yes, my free membership just expired too. would love another free code to join again.

Never heard of Person To Person Quality.
And there was a big difference between silver and gold certifications when I did mine. The silver was just a bunch of questions that I answered online. To get my gold certification, I had to actually spend money to attend a seminar and take the test. I received the code via email after the seminar.
Having said that, I don't think there was anything I gained from it. Yes I have a code to put on the applications. But is it equivalent to the years of experience I have? No..

I am a shopper for about 20 different companies. I am also a scheduler for a mid-sized company. I am MSPA certified.

As a scheduler, when I have to choose among shoppers for job, I always go with known shoppers who have done a great job for us first. Then, my co-workers and I choose the certified shoppers next. Rarely would I choose an uncertified shopper over a certified shopper among two or more unknowns. Usually, that decision works well for me and other schedulers I've chatted with.

As a shopper, it may be hard to tell if you are reaping a benefit or not because you don't know if you would have gotten better offers had you been certified.

Job Boards are one thing and getting top-of-the-line customized job offers that pay very well is an entirely different thing.

I vote YES on getting certified, but then, I'd like to see us get unionized, too. Just my opinion.

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