The Mystery Shopping Insider is our biweekly industry report. Every edition covers the latest news, scam alerts, upcoming events, and practical tips for active shoppers. New editions publish twice a month — browse the full archive below.
What’s Inside Every Edition
- Industry News — What’s happening across the mystery shopping world
- Scam Watch — Active scams and how to protect yourself
- Shopper Tip — One practical tip per edition to improve your shops
- Events & Opportunities — Industry events and new assignment openings
- Quick Stats — Key numbers and data points from the latest research
All Editions
The DOL contractor rule comment window closes April 28, with a final rule expected by late summer. Plus: an FTC scam alert update, a LinkedIn variant of the secret shopper scam, Q1 retail traffic data, and the ShopperFest 2026 countdown.
The 1099-NEC reporting threshold jumps from $600 to $2,000 for 2026 payments — meaning fewer tax forms in your mailbox but the same tax obligation. Plus: a DOL contractor rule rollback, a Reality Based Group and Blaze Pizza partnership, and a tax-season scam variant.
Market Force is named the #1 mystery shopping company by TopConsumerReviews.com. Plus: MSPA names Michael Mershimer as 2026 Americas Board President, a legacy Gold certification deadline lands on May 1, and end-of-quarter strategy notes.
Mystery shoppers expose widespread fraud in the tax prep industry — and catch the attention of the U.S. Senate. Plus: Blaze Pizza’s mystery shopping pilot produces a 50% jump in upsells, the AI-vs-human debate heats up, and ShopperFest 2026 dates are confirmed.
Mystery shopping expands into aviation and digital real estate. Plus: market growth confirmed by a second independent analysis, new MSPA certification tiers announced, and a LinkedIn impersonation scam targeting IntelliShop shoppers.
The mystery shopping market is projected to grow at 5.3% annually through 2033. Plus: retailers investing in AI customer experience tools, new QSR mystery shopping programs launching, and tips for setting up your tax foundation early in the year.
Launching The Mystery Shopping Insider. This first edition covers the state of the industry heading into 2026, the new IRS mileage rate, early scam alerts for the new year, and what to watch for in the months ahead.