Instant Replays - payment issues

Ladies and gents we are on the same side in a lot of ways so we should not argue with each other. I was frustrated by this companies payment policies to the point of not accepting future jobs with this company. I was always paid eventually but it usually took multiple emails and/or calls. That is definitely wrong on their part BUT I would not ever post a schedulers personal information or phone number. 2 wrongs do not equal a right in my opinion. Sadly some MSC's do not recognise how importantant our personal information and privacy is but I do. Some of them share our information without our permission. I hope we as shoppers set a good example by taking the high road and doing the right thing when it comes to personal information.

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More About Payment

I'd like to hear from the shoppers who had been told by Mark B to expect payment in February.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Last week I was paid in full for all past due amounts (after two more reminder emails). I am only owed for one more shop, not yet past due, that I was told would be paid in early March.

All,

In researching for the Instant Replays article in the current issue of Mystery Shopper Magazine [Issue 50], I missed this thread. I generally check the discussions that are linked with the "Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies" at the bottom of each page in the forum.

I sincerely apologize for the oversight and a revised report has been completed and should be in next week's issue of the magazine.

James Bond

P.s.,

After being informed of my faux pas, I checked and discovered that I'm owed a payment from November of 2013.

.
Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)

"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor

"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2014 05:53PM by James Bond 007.5.

I received my payment for November 2013 today from Mark Bray.

I have been asked to update about the payments to me from this MSC.
For the last set of shops I did it only took one inquiry to get paid. Those shops were more than 90 days past submission.

ULTIMATELY every shop I have done for this MSc had been paid,. But EVERYONE had been more than 60 days past submission (site says 45 days) and required inquires to get paid

Bottom line, this MSC DOES NOT pay until you make requests for payments.

I did two shops for this company and was not paid on time. It took several inquiries and over 9 months to receive the money. I had signed up for a third shop, but was unable to compete it since I was so far past due on the earlier shops.

They are totally caught up with me now. I discovered a shop that was marked paid in July, but wasn't; this error affected sevearl people, from what I gather. I have been paid for it as well, though it took two emails. That said, I am watching and waiting before I schedule any routes with them, but they have paid me everything owed.

Tech Savvy'
Its good for you were paid
BUT why at the end of the day does EVERY shopper have to run after this MSC for payment
If shops are submitted properly and on time

WHY is this MSC getting such a pass on this???

jackaroe,
They are not getting a pass. But, we shoppers are getting updates that can help shoppers make informed decisions. That's what we are here for, isn't it? And, yes, there is a very material difference between an MSC that eventually pays shoppers and one that never does and has to be forced out of business.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Like I said, I am watching and waiting. I would like to see evidence that they are paying people without being reminded to and that money's being received when promised.

Does anyone have any updates as to payments from Instant Replays? I found four potential shops that could make a nice route but I'm not going to want to be chasing down payments unless there's going to be a premium for the effort.

I, too, would love to know.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I am chasing down 6 shops from January and February.
Mark is not responding.
the scheduler has been emailing him for me and he has not responded in two weeks.

That is disappointing news.

Still no response from Mark

Sorry to hear payment and communication problems persist.

Any success yet, Jackaroe?

It took about three weeks of emailing before I was paid.

removed.

ShopperShel

MSPA Gold Certified
Undercover Essentials Video Certified

Have video equipment, will travel!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/16/2014 05:48PM by ShopperShel.

I have no idea what's going on with I/R. I'm owed payments from February and had to email one of my favorite schedulers who promptly forwarded my request to Mark Bray. I've been pretty patient up to this point, yet if I'm asked, I have to think twice if I'll accept further work.

The sad thing is that I like this company very much yet if I keep getting payment issues like this, I dunno.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2014 11:58PM by Eric in Tampa.

Eric
This MSC will no longer voluntarily pay shoppers.
They require you to beg and grovel multiple times for payment.
If you don't, they will not pay you

It seems this company is becoming a losing proposition.

lower than average fees
1/2 pay only if the agent doesn't show (to an appointment)
late payment with nagging a necessity

My time is better spent elsewhere.

I completed four shops for them on April 24. Received payment in full by PayPal yesterday. I did not make any calls or anything to try and chase the money down.

Whom did you people e-mail about payment? I don't want to bug my scheduler and my payment hit 45 days on Monday but I haven't received it.

MSPA Silver shopper shopping the Southeastern states.

***Update*** I was able to receive payment 2 weeks ago from February invoices. I had to follow up with one of the schedulers, who in turn forwarded my emails to Mark. Mark issued payment through Paypal and then apologized for the delay. The follow up process took a total of a little over three weeks with a break in between due to Mark being out of the office due to vacation.

I'm very grateful to have received payment (as would anyone be). This company has never not paid me for work completed. There is one other company that I've had to follow up with for payment, and that is JM Ridgeway. Of course, JM has gotten better as of late in issuing payments on time.

With that being said, for those that are awaiting payment with IR, I would follow up with an email as a payment reminder and just be patient. This company hasn't given me the impression of never paying a shopper.

ERIC
you should NOT have to follow up to get payment.
They should be deactivated by MSPA because they REPEATEDLY make shoppers spend weeks running after them to get payment.
Reverse the shoes
Do you think they would still use you as shopper if you played that game about getting a shop done??

I, too, have payment issues. I performed several shops in April and still no payment despite follow-up to scheduler and Mark. The shops were all approved - no issues whatsover. Disappointing.

I too have been waiting for payment on a shop I was pretty much begged to do because they had no one else. I am not one to go into a major city but did it because I felt bad for the scheduler, whom I liked, who by the way is no longer there. I have emailed several times and was even told by the new scheduler to contact Mark direct? Why should I have to? I did the shop over four months ago. It was marked as "approved" shortly thereafter. Still no payment even after the new scheduler told Mark to respond to me(I have emails as proof). I did have to email several times for the payment prior. If I did not keep good records as I do hundreds of shops a month I probably would never have known.

Why should you? When businesses don't receive their payments they send it to their collections department. You are your collections department and will have to make the contact.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

And how many times should someone have to call for their payment? Once should be sufficient or they should get out of the business.

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