You don't need an MSPA certification to shop. It is not hard to pass the silver certification. The gold will require more study.
You do need to study the guidelines of each shop carefully. You will find that some of the mystery shopping companies will have their own free test which will qualify you for the shop. This is like an internal certification, but doesn't have anything to do with the MSPA. It is not hard to pass these tests, and you will get more than one opportunity. If you have a problem with a test, print out the instructions (guidelines) for reference, or keep them open in another window.
The MSPA offers a silver and a gold certification. There are fees for these certifications. There is a difference of opinion among members of this forum on the desirability of these certifications, and you can do a "search" to read the threads. There is no reason you need to make a decision on whether to get MSPA certification at this time. It would be a good idea to wait until you are sure of your decision.
Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.