Purpose

Statement of Purpose:

The MSPA is a group of individual organizations united as a common body for the purpose of strengthening the mystery shopping industry through combined efforts and actions. It is the goal of the membership to improve and stimulate the acceptance, performance, reputation and use of mystery shopping services.

The primary goals of the MSPA are to:

  1. Establish professional standards and ethics for the industry.
  2. Educate providers, clients and shoppers to improve quality of service.
  3. Improve the image of the industry through public relations and conduct.
  4. Promote the membership to other industry associations and prospect clients.

The criteria for Mystery Shopping Provider Company membership in MSPA include:

  • Two years existence as a mystery shopping provider company
  • Proof of business existence (i.e. articles of incorporation, insurance records, or business license)

In addition to these requirements, all members must agree to:

  • Accord respect to all other members of the association.
  • Commit, in principle, to the purposes of the association.
  • Conduct themselves according to industry procedures and regulations set forth and agreed to by the MSPA's members.
  • Recognize that image is of prime importance and uphold the highest standards of their business associations.

Each member company will be asked to sign an ethics and standards agreement each year. This ethics and standards agreement will be developed by the Professional Ethics and Standards Committee.

The definition of a mystery shopping provider as developed by the Board, is as follows:

"A company that uses anonymous resources to perform evaluations of services and operations for third party clients."