ShopperFest 2026

Certifications

First time attendee workshop

Past Attendee Reception

Opening Night Networking Reception

MSPA Game Night

Education tracks (Video and Traditional), workshops, and interactive discussions.

Lunch

Optional Offsite Event

Certifications

Industry insights, community conversations, and a closing celebration.

ShopperFest is the annual independent contractor conference held to network with each other and industry/company leaders over the course of a weekend. The current year’s MSPA Board of Directors and other company executives are your instructors as you learn more about mystery shopping, merchandising and customer experience while developing additional skills. The information given to attendees comes straight from the company owners and executives that independent contractors complete projects for.

Both. ShopperFest is intentionally designed to present speakers and panels which disburse information on a wide scale that is valuable to all attendees, as well as smaller group breakouts with sessions that may be more applicable to those new to the industry, and others which may be more interesting to veteran contractors. But the great news is that while we recommend which sessions to attend based on your years in the industry, this is your conference, so you are free to attend whichever sessions you like.

Before 2019, ShopperFest offered only what is now referred to as the traditional track. In 2019, MSPA Americas built a “conference within a conference” by also offering a weekend of video training to coincide with ShopperFest. If you mostly want to spend the weekend learning about video shopping, sign up for the video track. Note that even if you sign up for the video track, there are times during the weekend where you will be able to choose to attend a traditional session or the entire group of attendees will be merged together. However, most people who come to ShopperFest are there for the broad education and will sign up for the traditional track unless they are there specifically for video training. Also note that you do not have to sign up for the video track to take Video I or Video II certification courses at ShopperFest.

Food and beverage at the Friday Opening Reception, lunch on Saturday and Sunday, and coffee breaks on Saturday and Sunday.

A select handful of MSPA certification courses will be offered onsite during ShopperFest weekend, but they are not included in your base registration fee. The good news is that they cost the same price as when you take them online throughout the year, but you have the ability here to attend a review session where your instructor will go through the material with you and answer any questions before taking the course exam. Please note that you should purchase the course in advance and study the material before coming to ShopperFest, although you can sign up for courses onsite. Certification courses are offered on Friday afternoon and Sunday morning to not interfere with most other ShopperFest sessions. The list of the certification sessions being offered at this year’s ShopperFest will be announced shortly.

1. You attend a complimentary review session led by an instructor who can answer your questions before taking the exam.
2. You take the exam at the conference and receive notice of your passing status onsite before you leave.
3. Those who pass the exam are recognized at the closing luncheon. This includes:
   • Your name being announced and recognized at the closing luncheon
   • Being awarded a physical certificate for passing the course (only given at ShopperFest)
   • Being awarded a commemorative pin for passing the course (only given at ShopperFest)
   • A photo for the newsletter of you and your passing classmates
4. It costs the same price for a certification course completed at ShopperFest as it does when purchasing year-round at home on KnightOwl.

Register with confidence. If you register and need to cancel or request a refund, you are entitled to 100% refund six months after your registration date or May 1, 2026 (whichever is sooner).