They aren't stupid questions. The same topics get covered in many threads in the forum. I have never paid to shop. You do not need paid certifications from anybody to shop. You do need to register (for free) with the legitimate companies that produce the shops and report back to the client. There is a list of legitimate companies posted on this forum at [
www.mysteryshopforum.com] But before you get started, do go to the New Mystery Shopper area of the forum and read through the "Nuts and Bolts" section and the other threads at the top that are "Sticky"s. You will find some hints for how to get yourself organized to do this should you decide to pursue it.