I have noticed that some of the companies offer certifications and there is a fee to do these. My question to some of you that has been doing this for a while. Do you find that the certifications make a different in the amount and quality of jobs that you are offered or are the certifications not necessary?

There are a bunch of different "certifications" in this industry. When a company has one for their jobs it is the specific training and information they want for that specific type of job. So usually before you can accept an Elephant National Bank, you will need to go through their training and quiz. Some places make the training AFTER you have accepted the job, but most are before. Certification with them for Elephant National Bank may last just for the current round of jobs, may last for a month or may last until there is a change to the requirements. These are no cost.

In only one case I can think of (Corporate Research) you need to take the training before you can see ANY details about the job including the fees.

Then there are the pay-to-shop folks who offer certifications that nobody wants, nobody uses but you pay for. NAMS is apparently doing that as is Shadow Shopper.

Then there are the Silver and Gold certifications offered by the MSPA (Mystery Shopping Providers Association) which is a trade association of the companies that hire us. They are $15 and about $100 respectively. There is plenty of debate on this and most other forums about whether they are worth a dime. They are at least presumptively recognized by some member companies of the MSPA but not all of them. I can think of a whole lot of better ways to spend your money. If you are somewhat bright and reliable, you will do very well without them.

And now let's wait for Doug to jump in...LOL.

Thanks for the reply. It's great to have a place to come with a support group of those of you veterans to help us newbees sort throught some of these things!

You are welcome. What DeeShops is referring to is that Doug Rector is an owner of a Mystery Shopping company and very much involved in the MSPA. As a result, he has a vested interest in shoppers paying for certifications and objects to others who say there are better ways to spend your money. Brouhaha generally ensues :^) I am nothing but a shopper, so I guess my opinion counts for little against TRUTH. :^)

Yes, what Flash referenced is what I meant. Perhaps, instead of throwing his "supposed weight" around talking up the certification DVD the MSPA can't seem to score in a timely manner as well as using his time bashing good shoppers, Doug ought to spend more time checking out issues such as these mentioned at Violation:
[forum.volition.com]

HMMMM....makes one wonder.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/2010 06:30AM by dee shops.

edited

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/2010 03:18PM by lucky7s.

lucky7s Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is up to the individual whether or not to
> invest in the MSPA

This is true. That is pretty much what I've seen Flash and dee post, just pointing out that is not necessary for new shoppers to run out and get certified.



> OK deeshops and Flash let
> the bashing begin...LOL

I've not seen Flash or dee do any bashing of those posting that they chose to get certified. The most bashing I've seen has been bashing those that try to pressure new shoppers into getting certified.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/2010 02:54PM by lisams901.

lucky7s Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> edited


Perhaps not before you got caught saying it. Look, I never bashed you for saying you wanted to be certified. It's your money to spend as you see fit.

But don't come here as an MSPA exec, like Doug, with an agenda and call out shoppers and push your issues. That i will call out as I see fit, whether or not you like it or agree, lucky.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/2010 10:14PM by dee shops.

I'm glad to see a healthy debate on Silver and Gold. When I started to shop I had not found this forum yet. I got Silver certified because I thought I had to in order to shop. And it was only $15. I found out pretty quickly I did not need the certification. Within 4 months my son started to mystery shop and he did not, with my encouragement, get certified. We compare notes and shops, and he sees all the same shops that I do. I do not see more shops than he does. Some shoppers have said that because of their certification they believe they started out with a higher rating when joining a new MSP. Based on my and my son's experience, I have NOT found that to be the case. He seems to have started out with the same rating I did at all the same MSPs. There is ONE shop with ONE MSP that we can both see on the Job Board but it can be awarded to me but not him because it requires Silver Certification. Other than that, we seem to get the same shops at the same MSPs ...... I don't feel I have any greater presence because of my Silver certification. While I certainly support freedom of choice - I don't necessarily think certification is a *bad* thing, I just find it unnecessary and I think new shoppers should know they don't need it ,... now, if they want it anyway, that's fine.

Many if not most companies (when applying) ask for your certification #..they can give the person that has it the better jobs when assigning...just saying.
I will add if your a proofed and expert shopper with a history, that counts.

Many do ask if you are certified, and, if so, which certification you hold and what the number is. If asked, I always fill in my Silver certification #. My son, however, has signed up with a lot of the same MSCs I have signed up with. He is NOT certified, and, if asked, he says no, that he is not certified, and he leaves the number blank. He has started out with the same shopper rating that I did at each of the MSCs, and, based on his track record for getting shops, I would say we are pretty much at the same level. With the exception of one shop which requires "Silver or higher certification," I would say it appears to me that I have no advantage over him.

In my opinion, I have shopped for a considerable number of years and have never found one whit of difference between shops offered to certified and non certified shoppers. I started many years ago when computers weren't commonly a household item and you received your paperwork in the mail and mailed it back. Back then you signed up as a mystery shopper by telephone and received all your job offers that way too. The MSPA came along as a benefit to the mystery shop companies and strive to their goal of putting as much of our money in their pockets as possible. The idea of putting together some little courses to further their cause came along and with the right salesmanship they made it sound good enough to condiddle money out of our pockets and into theirs. I still have NO certification in shopping and it is my choice to keep my money in my oun pocket.

I just got an email that said "must be certified"...I felt Gold would get the job. I am silver, have worked for this company, and did not get the job.

There is also Video Certification done through my company, Undercover Essentials. Before you all jump on me for self promotion, please talk to some who have taken the workshop and had a huge increase of work because of the certification. There is a thread on the "other" website discussing this. Video Shopping takes some training, which most of the Video MSCs no longer provide. The workshops are sponsored by 7 different Video MSCs who take new shoppers directly from the workshops. You can certainly become a video shopper without any certification, as many, including myself, have. There is a huge learning curve and it is difficult to break into the business with the Video MSCs, as they are looking for trained individuals.

Yes, I have a vested interest in this company, but the results speak for themselves. Contact any one of the sponsoring companies and they will affirm that they do give preference to Certified Video Shoppers and they do have work in the areas of the workshops that they need done.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2010 02:43PM by Porhammer.